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RowanArtistry.com

@rowanartistry.bsky.social
219 followers 642 following 235 posts

Home of authors Emma Jane Holloway and Sharon Ashwood. Serving a heady brew of fantasy, steampunk, PNR/UF romance and occasional outbursts of silliness.

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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Breaking free of the relentless doomscroll is an obvious reason to take up, well, just about any hobby. A pastime that hones life skills is even better. Read about practical alternatives at: www.rowanartistry.com/grandmacore-f…
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Now there's a sudden resurgence of “analog” crafts, aka Grandmacore hobbies, especially among younger consumers. Sewing, knitting, quilting, baking, gardening, and canning are trending like mad. See more at: www.rowanartistry.com/grandmacore-f…
Tranding Grandma
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
When I was in school, the subject of home economics was, to put it politely, considered past its prime. Homemade clothes were uncool, and scratch cooking was woefully 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/grandmacore-f…
The Lost Art of Home Economics
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Good art challenges our assumptions and makes us think. Tearing away our carefully-constructed self-image is uncomfortable, and good horror does that gently, insidiously, or with a force of eleven out of ten. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/oh-the-horror…
Good Horror in Writing
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The gift the ghost can offer will demand a new weaving, a manifestation built from fresh imagination. That was the blood bargain made in the moment the past touched the living. Once summoned, the haunt is in pursuit of you. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/autumn-haunts
When the Story Finds the Writer
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
If I am lucky, I will come away with a voice, an image, or an emotional thumb print to build on. One unwanted distraction, however, and it dissolves back into the autumn dusk. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/autumn-haunts
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
If I pursue, the tale will vanish. Autumn shades must be coaxed with offerings of stillness, by lingering among books and in coffee houses. There the story may visit ... Find out more at: www.rowanartistry.com/autumn-haunts
Inviting a Tale to Tell
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A half-remembered idea took me to the older part of town, where the past seeps through the soot-stained bricks. A story hides there, around the corner. What next? Find out at: www.rowanartistry.com/autumn-haunts
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The weather is hinting at the spooky season. It's the mood, the mist on spider webs and the call of geese at sunset. It is the time to hunt ghosts. See more at: www.rowanartistry.com/autumn-haunts
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
My thoughts turn to new creative projects in the fall. Perhaps it is the golden-syrup light, or the sense of turning inward. This is the time of quiet reflection, not the intoxication of riotous bloom. Read more about the seasonal mood change at: www.rowanartistry.com/autumn-haunts
Changing with the Seasons
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
I looked into Mary Somerville as research for “𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘛𝘪𝘥𝘦” since my protagonist is also a student of mathematics. However, Olivia has far more exciting adventures, while Mary led a life free of ravening monsters. Read more...
Victorian Life vs Steampunk Fantasy
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Mary was skilled at navigating societal norms, but the social delicacy that brought her freedom in life may explain why she was crowded from history. While she was far from self-effacing, she was just too normal. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/victorian-sci…
A Female Scientist in the Victorian Age - Just Too Normal
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Though Somerville's writings examined everything from astronomy to the microscopic and her name is attached to a college in Oxford, she is not known for any “great discovery” that perpetuates her memory. Read more about Mary...
Mary Somerville - An "Ordinary" Female Scientist
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
In 1840, Mary Somerville was the first woman honored with a bust in the Royal Academy of Science - for her translation and interpretation of Pierre-Simon Laplace's mathematical tome, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘴. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/victorian-sci…
Victorian Science through a Feminine Lens
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
At the height of Somerville's influence, science had not yet professionalized as it would later in the Victorian period. One could know about the cosmos as well as microscopy, calculus, ferns, and geology. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/victorian-sci…
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Mary Somerville (1780 – 1872) was a mathematician and author of several books on science that were important in their day. Largely self-educated, she rose to play a leading role among the literati. Read more about Mary at: www.rowanartistry.com/victorian-sci…
Victorian Science through a Feminine Lens
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
The newbie author is told to a) write to market and b) develop a unique brand and c) pray that these two directives do not collide in a shower of exploding adverbs. How can one be unique and replicate a niche trend at the same time? Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/mysterious-my…
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Fiction writing requires more in the toolbox than what I've mentioned here, but I had an excellent starter kit when I got serious about constructing novels. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/lessons-from-…
Toolkit for Writing
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Writing for the papers, I learned to pick through a mountain of information and tell a story in a set number of words. The process is all about sifting, connecting, and bringing the most impactful narrative to life. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/lessons-from-…
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
People are layered, complex, contradictory, brilliant, and breathtaking. They contain the gloriously unexpected, and so should characters in fiction. Read more about it at: www.rowanartistry.com/lessons-from-…
Writing Authentic Characters
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Writing for newspapers, I learned how to ask questions and, better yet, how to listen. The art of the interview is essentially digging for gold while under a time pressure. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/lessons-from-…
Digging for Interview Gold
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Going through the old articles reminded me of how that work informed my fiction career. I learned to write in terms of content, length, style, and anything else the editor asked for, including deadlines and revisions. See more at: www.rowanartistry.com/lessons-from-…
Lessons Learned When Writing
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Recently, I was excavating a closet and discovered a long row of binders containing the many, many articles I wrote as a freelancer for various newspapers. They covered 13 years of work and took up far too much space. See more at:https://www.rowanartistry.com/lessons-from-the-back-of-the-closet/
Closet Achives
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Every so often I'm asked how one learns to write. I picked up techniques by writing as an academic, for newspapers, and eventually as a fiction writer, and blended them together. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/lessons-from-…
Learning to Write
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Felines are nowhere as enthusiastic about shifters. Any creature who would voluntarily assume human shape is suspect at best. Werewolves are far better off with their doggy companions. See why at: www.rowanartistry.com/dead-mice-tel…
Best Pets for Vampires, Shifters amd Other Supernatural Beings
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
No sense of supernatural dread ever ruffles a cat's fur. They consider themselves the best hunter in the room and will occasionally bring their vampire a mouse treat to prove it. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/dead-mice-tel…
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
An unlikely alliance leads to more than adventure when historian-witch Tamsin Greene meets the legendary Sir Gawain of the Round Table. “Enchanted Warrior” is free for now – get your copy today! www.rowanartistry.com/lp/enchanted-…
Start This Fantasy Series for Free!
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
There's always room for romance. Today only, choose from over 1000 titles and add to your collection – for free! www.romancebookworms.com
Today Only - More than 1000 Romance Titles for Free
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
What's better than one free romance? How about a thousand? Offer starts (and ends) tomorrow! www.romancebookworms.com
Stuff Your e-Reader Day August 10, 2026
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Most people assume vampires do not keep pets, but a feline's predatory and nocturnal nature makes them good companions. Besides, a creature with nine lives pairs better with an immortal, who appreciates the more enduring bond. Read more about it...
Why Vampires May Prefer Cats
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Contest ends soon – enter today! clcannon.net/giveaways/fairytalerea…
Fairy Tale Fan Giveaway - Enter to Win!
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
The feline reputation as a familiar comes from their ability to mediate between the realms of the living and the dead. They also walk between worlds, disappearing and reappearing at random moments. See more at: www.rowanartistry.com/dead-mice-tel…
The Supernatural Cat in Fiction
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Cats are customary companion to witches, who aren't bothered by a pussycat prancing on the rooftop, yowling with spine-shuddering volume at 3:00 am. If they are, the cat doesn't care. Read more about cats in literature...
Cat Companions in Fantasy and Paranormal Fiction
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Cats often feature in the history of painting and music. Perhaps it is because of their sleek beauty and unmatched grace. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/dead-mice-tel…
Feline Grace
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
I recently browsed through a book celebrating the link between cats and literature. Many famous writers had feline companions and I agree that furry company makes the long hours of word-wrangling more pleasant. Read on...
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
These aren't your childhood fairy tales. Enter to win them all! clcannon.net/giveaways/fairytalerea…
Fairy Tales for Grownups Giveaway
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Time's running out on these hot summer reads. Sale ends soon! www.rowanartistry.com/lp/smolder www.rowanartistry.com/lp/scorched
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Once upon a time, department stores gave women a playground—and public freedoms—that we badly needed. This should not be forgotten as we retire to our couch to spend time with shopping apps. www.rowanartistry.com/requiem-for-a…
Online Shopping and the Demise of the Department Store
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
It's no coincidence that many women's clubs—hotbeds of outrageous notions such as female suffrage—were situated in London's West End shopping district. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/requiem-for-a…
Shopping and Suffrage in Victorian Era London
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
“Smolder has everything I love about fae romances – a dangerous yet sweet hero, a richly imaged world, and a strong heroine.” – Amazon reviewer. 𝘚𝘮𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 is now on sale. Get your copy today! www.rowanartistry.com/lp/smolder
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
The critics deemed this new practice of department store shopping immoral. The era's innocent angel of the hearth was now mobile and publicly engaging in commerce unattended! Society was doomed … but there was also money to be made. Read more...
Department Stores: Cash vs Society in the Victorian Era
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Designed to attract middle-class women, department stores once had tea rooms, fashion shows, and elegant change rooms. Visiting them was an occasion to be shared. They had a societal role as much as a commercial one. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/requiem-for-a…
Shopping in Victorian Society
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Stay ahead of the forecast with fiery heroines and tormented heroes, now on sale! www.rowanartistry.com/lp/smolder www.rowanartistry.com/lp/scorched
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Department stores were one of the first places women could legitimately go without a chaperone. With the advent of the railway, resident in the newly established suburbs of London could easily hop a train and go for a day of shopping. Read more...
History of Departent Store Shopping
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Department stores were a natural descendant of London's Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851, where eye-catching goods from everywhere in the world were displayed under one roof. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/requiem-for-a…
Department Store History
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Fairy tales for grownups? Yes, please! Enter now to win a trove of them: clcannon.net/giveaways/fairytalerea…
Enter to Win Fairy Tales for Grownups
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Constance is a vampire who has never tasted blood. Will Mac be her first kiss or her first kill? Get “Scorched” on sale today! www.rowanartistry.com/lp/scorched
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
These days, alas, department stores are giving the dinosaurs a run for their money in extinction's greatest hits. Mall rats have jumped ship for online shopping, and their elders worship at the altar of Big Box. Read more about it at: www.rowanartistry.com/requiem-for-a…
Big Box Store Shopping
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
I grew up during the era of mall rats. My high school was across from the local mall, which boasted two major department stores and scores of boutiques. I snuck out of more than one gym class to window-gaze with my friends. Read more at: www.rowanartistry.com/requiem-for-a…
Department Store Demise
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RowanArtistry.com @rowanartistry.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Morran is the mightiest of the fire fae, but cursed to serve the Shades. Leena is a healer and keeper of the Flame, enslaved by the same enemy. Can she reignite his stone cold heart to save them both? Get Smolder on sale today! www.rowanartistry.com/lp/smolder
Fae Fantasy Books on Sale
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