“It must be strange, writing a story set medieval England and Scotland one month and then hopping to contemporary times? They are so different.”
I get this question a lot. And yes, my home state of Pennsylvania, the setting of Bridgewater in Boys of Bridgewater, is quite different than the places I write about in my books. Of course, I’ve never been to the Anglo-Scottish border in the 13th century, although I did visit it a few years ago for book research purposes (see left).
On the other hand, as an author of Scottish and medieval romance novels, as well as contemporary romance under the pen name of Bella Michaels, I can attest to one thing that stays very much the same. Love.
But wait? It did not! Nobles married for advantage, not love, in the middle ages. Right?
“I think the most widespread impression of medieval marriage is that of a cold, loveless, and practical union, made simply for the purpose of transferring real estate. This could certainly be a frequent occurrence, especially among the elite, but was not always the case,” says Danièle Cybulskie of Medievalists.net.
Years after the setting of my book, William Shakespeare wrote a prologue to a little play called Romeo & Juliet. In it, he sets the stage for a story of love, betrayal, sex and tragedy. Do those themes sound familiar? If so, it’s probably because you just watched a Netflix show with some or all of them, just as the hero and heroines of my novels would be familiar in their time with the ideas lust or love.
If I’m able to seamlessly navigate between a medieval woman who feels jealousy at the prospect of her intended being in love with another woman and a book heroine who feels stuck in her career it’s because the human condition is timeless, as evidenced by a study of literature. Take Lays by Marie de France (yes, a medieval woman writer!) which offers readers stories of love won and lost by knights and ladies. Cool, right?
Looking to read a bit of love through the ages?
Since it’s nearly Valentine’s Day, check out The Chief to wet your palate. It’s a novella, so a quick read, with a fun Valentine’s Day theme. Although it is the final book in my Order of the Broken Blade series, it’s a standalone HEA. Or, if modern day love is more for you, jump into the world of big city billionaire Enzo DeLuca, a sexy small town romance (yes, it’s both!) with a best friend’s little sister twist.
Download The Chief on Amazon or read in Kindle Unlimited
Download Billion Dollar Date on Amazon or read in Kindle Unlimited
Brand new to me? Start here with free stories!
Get a free medieval romance prequel or a free contemporary romance prequel