After more than two decades as an attorney, I wrote Butterfly Games, my debut novel, a tragic love story about two star-crossed lovers, a countess and a prince. It’s based on real-life characters who lived in Sweden, and is perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, Outlander, and Bridgerton. 

I was inspired to write this story several years ago, when I was writing a legal brief at 3:00 a.m. while my family slept. I took a break and one of my favorite historical novels popped into my mind. It was Désirée by Annemarie Selinko. As a teenager, I had pulled it off my mother’s shelf and read it again and again, fascinated by the story of the French silk merchant’s daughter who was jilted by Napoleon and ultimately became Queen of Sweden. It swept me away.

That night, I did some internet searches about Désirée’s family, the Bernadotte dynasty, which still occupies Sweden’s throne. I discovered epic stories of passion and tragic love.  While Napoleon’s army marched across the Continent and young Englishwomen danced at lavish Regency balls, a lot was happening in Sweden.  And I fell in love with a young Swedish countess named Jacquette. I knew hers was the story I had to tell.

I quit law and started to write my novel. But I had a lot to learn.

I had never been to Sweden, knew little about its history, and couldn’t speak the language. Now, ten years later, I am taking language classes, have a collection of antique Swedish books (my lovely Swedish antiquarian booksellers can’t understand why I buy so many), and have traveled to Sweden more than a few times. I’ve walked the same halls as my characters, read their letters, translated their heartaches word by word.

Butterfly Games will publish in January 2026. From my U.S. homes on the Connecticut Shoreline and in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, I am banging away on my MacBook Pro to write the sequel (whenever my Shih Tzu cooperates).