News & Events

Interview with Kim Monaghan of Books Uplift (1/2/26)

Posted on January 2, 2026 in Butterfly Games, Interviews

I joined Kim Monaghan of Books Uplift for an author Q&A about my debut historical novel, Butterfly Games, the research behind its Swedish royal setting, and my journey from law to fiction.

We talked about the real historical figures who inspired the novel, my approach to archival research, and how I balance historical accuracy with storytelling. Kim also asked thoughtful questions about writing routines, influences, and what draws me to stories rooted in European history.

If you enjoy behind-the-scenes conversations about historical fiction — especially the craft, the research, and the real people behind the novel — I hope you’ll enjoy this interview.

👉 Read the full interview at Books Uplift →
https://booksuplift.com/author-qa-with-kelly-scarborough/

This interview originally appeared on Books Uplift and is shared here with permission.

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I’m so excited (and a little awed) to celebrate the launch of Butterfly Games at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord, NH. I’ll be in conversation with former NPR host and historical fiction author Laura Knoy, followed by Q&A and a signing.

🍪 Light refreshments + book cookies#ButterflyGames
🎁 Two Gibson’s gift card giveaways

📍 Wed. Jan 21 at 6:30pm
👉 Details: https://gibsonsbookstore.com/event/kelly-scarborough and in link in bio

#KellyScarborough
#HistoricalFiction
#BookLaunch

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From the Pages of Butterfly Games

Oscar learns about betrayal long before he ever betrays.
Raised in a world where loyalty is conditional, he repeats what he was taught.
No one escapes their inheritance.

#ButterflyGames
#KellyScarborough
#HistoricalFiction
#BiographicalFiction
#WomensFiction
#RoyalFiction
#ForbiddenLove
#WomenInHistory
#BookLaunch
#NewHistoricalFiction

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“Suddenly, Jacquette wasn’t a scandal or a symbol. She was real.”

I’m honored to be featured by LibraryThing this month in an author interview about Butterfly Games, research, and the real woman behind the novel.

🔗 Link in bio to read the full interview.

#LibraryThing #ButterflyGames #HistoricalFiction #WomenWriters #Bookish #AuthorLife

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Open post by kellyscarboroughwrites with ID 17945436203961588

“Suddenly, Jacquette wasn’t a scandal or a symbol. She was real.”

I’m honored to be featured by LibraryThing this month in an author interview about Butterfly Games, research, and the real woman behind the novel.

🔗 Link in bio to read the full interview.

#LibraryThing #ButterflyGames #HistoricalFiction #WomenWriters #Bookish #AuthorLife

So great to see my favorite Swedish history writer @annalenaberg_forfattare on this list. Vitt gift, set in 1845 at Attarp Manor, is true crime focusing on a murder mystery where a poisonous substance (likely arsenic, "white poison") is used, involving both gentry and servants, blending historical details, societal class dynamics, and a suspenseful whodunit as lives are disrupted by the sinister event. Check it out, and vote for your favorite. #truecrime #swedishhistory #bookstagramsverige

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Open post by kellyscarboroughwrites with ID 18099934288873217

So great to see my favorite Swedish history writer @annalenaberg_forfattare on this list. Vitt gift, set in 1845 at Attarp Manor, is true crime focusing on a murder mystery where a poisonous substance (likely arsenic, "white poison") is used, involving both gentry and servants, blending historical details, societal class dynamics, and a suspenseful whodunit as lives are disrupted by the sinister event. Check it out, and vote for your favorite. #truecrime #swedishhistory #bookstagramsverige

Who You’ll Meet in Butterfly Games — Carl Löwenhielm

Meet Carl Löwenhielm.

He believes integrity should matter more than charm—and that belief costs him dearly.

At a royal court built on performance, Carl chooses restraint, truth, and duty. He does not bend easily, and he does not recover quickly.

His fault is not ambition, but sincerity. And sincerity, in the Butterfly Game, is a liability.

#ButterflyGames #KellyScarborough #HistoricalFiction #Bookstagram #CharacterReveal

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Who You’ll Meet in Butterfly Games — Carl Löwenhielm

Meet Carl Löwenhielm.

He believes integrity should matter more than charm—and that belief costs him dearly.

At a royal court built on performance, Carl chooses restraint, truth, and duty. He does not bend easily, and he does not recover quickly.

His fault is not ambition, but sincerity. And sincerity, in the Butterfly Game, is a liability.

#ButterflyGames #KellyScarborough #HistoricalFiction #Bookstagram #CharacterReveal

Places You’ll Go in Butterfly Games—Haga Pavilion

A jewel box of a royal retreat.
Sunlight on water. Gold trim gleaming.

In Butterfly Games, Haga Pavilion becomes a backdrop for moments that are anything but casual — where intimacy and watchfulness share the same small palace.

Beautiful spaces, dangerous conversations.

Butterfly Games · January 20, 2026
#ButterflyGames #HistoricalFiction #HagaPavilion #RoyalIntrigue

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Open post by kellyscarboroughwrites with ID 17997792161891576

Places You’ll Go in Butterfly Games—Haga Pavilion

A jewel box of a royal retreat.
Sunlight on water. Gold trim gleaming.

In Butterfly Games, Haga Pavilion becomes a backdrop for moments that are anything but casual — where intimacy and watchfulness share the same small palace.

Beautiful spaces, dangerous conversations.

Butterfly Games · January 20, 2026
#ButterflyGames #HistoricalFiction #HagaPavilion #RoyalIntrigue

Thanks @cozy.coffee.reads! Made me think of this song by David Bowie.

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Thanks @cozy.coffee.reads! Made me think of this song by David Bowie.

From the Pages of Butterfly Games

Before power, before betrayal, before the rules of the Butterfly Game were fully revealed—there was a moment when everything still felt possible.

This is Jacquette at the edge of innocence, wishing for a simpler kind of love than the world will allow her.

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Open post by kellyscarboroughwrites with ID 17985399446923344

From the Pages of Butterfly Games

Before power, before betrayal, before the rules of the Butterfly Game were fully revealed—there was a moment when everything still felt possible.

This is Jacquette at the edge of innocence, wishing for a simpler kind of love than the world will allow her.

The Butterfly Game isn’t about love.

It’s about proximity to power — and what you’re willing to sacrifice to keep it.

This is the quiet mechanism that draws Jacquette in.
Not romance. Not rebellion.
But access — and the cost of staying close enough to matter.

Butterfly Games · January 20, 2026

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Kelly Scarborough

News & Events

Interview with Kim Monaghan of Books Uplift (1/2/26)

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