Why did you choose to write in your particular sub-genre?

I write historical novels because I dearly love family histories and vintage settings. It’s strongly applicable to our modern hearts even with a historical setting because humanity changes so little through time. The small nuances that have changed make for a fresh scene to paint the story.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I love that it was so unexpected! I sat down to write this book for fun as a new stay-at-home mom when my daughter napped, and I never intended to publish it. I just thought I’d take every element I ever wanted to write into a story and use the writing voice and tone I loved, even if no one else ever read it. That gave me such freedom to simply enjoy this book’s unfolding. I didn’t set out with a plot or outline, only a small nugget of an idea that formed around the characters as they appeared on the scene. I truly delighted in every line of this book.

What are some day jobs that you have held? Did any of them impact your writing?

I used to be a medical writer for a pharmaceutical company. It’s odd to think it influenced my writing of historical fiction novels, but it certainly did! After eight or so years typing up sentences to describe clinical trials and reagent testing, all this color and creativity came bursting out of me onto the page with more energy than I ever could have written had I not bottled it up for so long to attend to my day job.

What do your plans for future projects include?

Future books will likely include a hint of each of my favorite story elements—big old houses, shadowy mysteries, quirky and enjoyable heroines, and a love story. Victorian England is the setting for everything currently in the works, and the next two include a vineyard and a countess.

How important are names to you in your books?

Selecting names is like nibbling on chocolate for me—it’s my treat! I delight in crafting the name that best portrays each character and what has shaped them. I want the name to trigger an image of the character, presenting both their physical and internal traits. It should be so specific to the character who bears it that the reader will immediately recall who is being discussed when a certain name appears on the page.