The American Library Association’s Booklist named Katharine Ashe among its “New Stars of Historical Romance.” She is a two-time nominee in the Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Awards, and her novella, A Lady’s Wish, launched Harper Collins Publishers’ e-book imprint, Avon Impulse, to rave reviews.
Katharine lives in the wonderfully warm Southeast with her husband, son, two dogs, and a garden she likes to call romantic rather than unkempt. A professor of European history, she has made her home in California, Italy, France, and the northern US. She loves hearing from readers!
Many of my heroes and heroines have secret identities. There may be a reason for that…
In the third grade I dreamed of being a veterinarian when I grew up and spent every extra minute walking my best friend’s dog. That year I wrote a sequel to Margret Rey’s Pretzel, ‘the longest dachshund in the world,’ featuring a much friendlier love interest than poor Pretzel’s wretchedly snobbish girlfriend.
As a high-schooler I still intended to be a vet, but of large animals, and I longed to live by the ocean—‘down the shore’ as they say in my hometown, Philly. Over vacation, on a yellow legal pad I penned the story of a horse-crazy girl summering at the beach who discovers the magical allure of that unique animal, the teenaged lifeguard. (My little sister sat next to me reading each page as I produced it. God bless every writer’s first fan.)
By the time I graduated from Duke University with my bachelor’s degree, I had a yen to teach. About then I delved into another writing project: a novel about a young English teacher learning a breathtaking new language in the arms of her soccer-coach colleague.
A decade or so later I found myself finishing up a PhD in History. While allegedly taking notes on ancient texts in the Vatican Library, I furtively filled my laptop with steamy chapters about a heretic priestess and the inquisitor-knight to whom she burns to surrender.
Eventually, I got the picture. I love romance—the high adventure, pure emotion, and rich sensuality of a hero and heroine’s journey together. Whatever else I'm doing, I simply must write romance.
