As an independent literary historian, I began a case study on Canada's first romance author, Julia Beckwith Hart. With my current focus being on early romances by Canadian authors, I hope to bring more awareness about the genre in Canada. I am the first researcher to look at Hart's book from an "entertainment point of view" as Douglas Lochhead would put it. The book that got me hooked on Canadian romance was Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson, and my life's never been the same.  (It was #stepbacksaturday on Instagram that had me look into the history of the genre in particular). Romance novels and my faith helped me heal from difficult personal experiences, so my research is my way of saying thank you to Romancelandia.

 

Further influences include Dr. Pamela Regis, Dr. Carole Gerson, Lucy Worsley, Carolyn Meyer (author), and Peter Mansbridge (journalist). While I have had insightful interactions with Dr. Regis and Dr. Gerson, the others have shaped my enthusiasm for reporting my research. I hold a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Victoria and have prior work experience as a Library Technician.