A Lady Most Entangled – A Sweet Rumpelstiltskin  Retelling in the Regency Era 

Jenni Ward : 11th October 2024

Interview with Mary-Celeste Ricks

1) What inspired you to write your novel?
I love retellings, and I was inspired by a side character in the BBC miniseries of Gaskell's North and South who referred to the dirty cotton mills of Northern England as making fabric that "no one wants to wear. . . . I am sure we shall always wear linen." That got me thinking about the difference between how traditional linen is made and how common cotton fabric was becoming by the late Regency period. It made sense to me, if we're removing magic as we pay homage to the Grimm fairytales, to try to make linen from cotton instead of flax!

2) What is your favorite part of your story?
My favorite part was writing Rupert's character. I love writing the male perspective in Regencies! For one thing, men could go places and do things women simply couldn't back then, so their storylines can often be a bit more action-packed. I also wish I knew more of what my husband is thinking sometimes (he is decidedly not a chatty person), so sometimes I pretend I do and then write it down and put it in a book. :)

3) What is one thing you love about the Regency era?
What is one thing you love about the Regency era I love how restrictive it is! Everyone knows the rules are what make board games fun. The strict societal rules and lack of modern technology in the Regency period make it a fun challenge to work within them to get people together.

4) What was your favorite fairy tale as a child and why?
I've always loved Sleeping Beauty because of the Walt Disney version. The concept of knowing someone "Once Upon a Dream," before meeting them has always been close to my heart. But I loved reading all fairytales as a kid. We had a big book of traditional fairytales that I'm sure has been out of print for half a century and I would spend hours flipping through the stories, pausing for extra time on those with a bit of romance.

5) What is one thing readers can expect from you?
I always aim for Heyer-style accuracy and wit in my stories and have been known to hit the mark on occasion. I look forward to hearing whether you think I succeded or not in A Lady Most Entangled!

Explore the A Grimm Regency Tale Collection 

The A Grimm Regency Tale series is a multi-author collaboration.
Each story is written and published by its respective author; external links are provided for reader convenience. 

Stay Connected

👉 Want updates on future Regency Fairytales or other sweet romances? Join my newsletter
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime 

Other Posts to Explore