The women history remembers are often the ones it misunderstood.

That’s where Jacquette’s story begins.

#historicalfiction #bookstagram #books #royalty

I’ve always been fascinated by the moment when a small decision changes everything.
History is full of them—turns taken or avoided, conversations started or avoided, paths chosen almost without thinking.
In Butterfly Games, that moment comes in the castle park at Drottningholm.
Jacquette is on an errand. At a fork in the path, a flash of light from the opposite direction catches her eye, and she turns left.
And there he is.
A prince she should avoid at all costs.
It’s a simple decision—barely a decision at all. But it places her in a life she could never have imagined, where attention brings consequences, and every step forward binds her more tightly to forces she cannot control.
That is where her story begins.
#historicalfiction #books #royalty

Cocktails and book talk at the Kimpton Rowan. Tomorrowat 5!

One of the best things about being a writer is meeting new friends.

Thursday at @talltalesbooks in Atlanta, @vicky_alvear_shecter and I had such a wonderful conversation about 𝘽𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙡𝙮 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 and her new release, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈—a powerful novel set in the Roman Empire.

It’s a fast-paced, deeply researched story about a young woman, Mia, who is manipulated by the powerful men around her, forced into the role of a Vestal Virgin, and later scapegoated when the patriarchy closes ranks to protect its own interests. Naturally, they label 𝐡𝐞𝐫 immoral and manufacture a sex scandal. Some things, sadly, haven’t changed nearly as much from Roman times as we might like to think.

A heartfelt thank-you to @talltalesbooks for hosting such a warm, welcoming event, and especially to owner Rebekah Hagedorn for creating such a lovely space for readers and writers to come together. I’m so grateful for the conversation and the new connections.

If you`re from the ATL, check out Tall Tales and Vicky`s great new book, which was published on January 20 by @hypatiapress. Find out more here: https://vickyalvearshecter.com/adult-historical-fiction/the-cleansing-a-novel-of-ancient-rome/.

#historicalfiction #atlantabookstores #booktour

The line is long, probably more than an hour, but the staff at @atlairport is so helpful and friendly. #flydelta