Early on a reader described my books as a mosaic. The image has stuck with me. Each book has a story, but put together, they make a much larger picture. Of course, it takes a lot of stories – varied in terms of people, places, and times – to make that larger shape come together!
Making the world better together
I write about people who are able to be curious, helpful, and creative. In all of my books, they come together to make something better. Sometimes it’s a small problem. Sometimes it’s about getting through war or tragedy or an unexpected challenge. My characters may not have all the skills they want at the beginning. By the end of the story, they’ve learned a few things.
And over time, we’ve explored a little more of Albion. Each romance is a tiny slice of the lives of two people with rich histories, connections, and lives before and after they fall in love. More stories means more glimpses of the world, of creative people figuring out how to get through the day a little better than the day before.
Changing over time
One of the things I love about writing about Albion over the course of a century is seeing characters at different stages of their lives. The seeds of Cyrus Smythe-Clive in mature adulthood (where he can fall in love again, and then take on the many complications of being Head of the Council) are there in the Mysterious Fields trilogy or Sailor’s Jewel.
Watching Alexander Landry go from isolation to chosen family – over decades – gives me hope for others to find their people and a safe place to trust their heart. I’ve seen Gabe Edgarton grow from early childhood into mature power, watched him leap out of windows and learn when to wait a minute and let time work on the problem. And then there’s Schola, where I’ve written decades of change, the power of determined and stubborn teachers, and a steady move toward demanding a fairer chance for everyone.
There’s more of that to come, as I write more in the 1800s, and have a long-term project aiming at a series set in the 1480s, at the beginning of the Pact that shapes Albion’s magical community in 1484.
So many stories
And I have many more to tell! I’m looking forward to exploring more of the 1920s in the next series, Mysterious Societies. Secret societies, Trellech’s main library, and the delights of the 20s! What’s not to love?
You can dive into my stories of Albion almost anywhere you like (the rare exceptions mention it in the last paragraph of the description, or check out the reading order suggestions page for more details). If there are themes or stories you’re not in the mood for right now, my content notes have more specifics.
And so much help
I can share these stories partly because of the help of amazing friends. Kiya Nicoll, my editor, is also a longtime friend and the other half of my brain, there to help me figure out how to fix something and make it better. My early readers are friends whose eye for detail, history, and story is only matched by their delight in talking about these people in my head and what they’re up to. (And Augusta Scarlett makes amazing covers!) That’s before we get into talking about my wonderful, creative, caring, kind readers who ask fantastic questions, send me delightful historical links, and come along on the adventure with me.