Heather Moll's Blog 
Excessively Diverted 

Do you ever read a regency romance or JAFF and come across a word that sounds too modern for Georgian England? Well, it's always a good idea to check your assumptions! This article delves into my words and phrases I've found that might sound mdoern, but were actually appropriate for regency-set books.

I've been keeping track of some of the modern sounding words that come up while writing historical fiction. Sometimes, I look up words...

Without Undue Pride  won silver in romance in The Independent Publisher Book Awards for 2025! The IPPY Awards is an affiliated awards...

There is a difference between the software Vellum used to format books and the entirely unrelated platform Vellum AI used to develop LLM apps.

This is my commitment to not using AI as a productivity tool in writing Jane Austen variations.

I think a lot about word choice and language use during era I'm writing and my goal is to be as accurate as possible. That often means...

While researching another book, I came across a reference to a handbill from about 1820 that described a subscription matchmaking service...

I’m back with more modern sounding words that are actually regency-setting appropriate. Check out my first post about the “Tiffany...

I'm excited to announce that Rising Courage is a 2024 Bronze IPPY winner for romance! The Independent Publisher Book Awards is a...

A challenge with writing historical fiction is getting the word usage right. I like putting in as many regency era details as...

I love the creative control of being a self-published author. The higher royalty rates aren't bad either and I'm in charge of my own...

If you look at my Goodreads shelf, you’ll see I read a ton of mysteries, far more than romance or Jane Austen variations. After my mother...

Ever wonder how I decide if a word or phrase is appropriate for 1812? Watch the video to see one of the ways I check. P.S. There's a...

Research is a big part of writing historical fiction, especially if you value authenticity as much as I do. My background is in...

As someone who writes Regencies, someone who enjoys a dive down the historical research rabbit hole, why would I write a story like Nine...

I have a brand new Pride and Prejudice novella ebook! It's called A Hopeful Holiday and it imagines a resolution for Darcy and Elizabeth...

I'm looking for a few good readers...and reviewers. Is your Goodreads to-read shelf filled with JAFF or do people follow your JAFF...

Several years ago, I wrote a few scenes just for fun, and I recently set to work on them to see if they could be expanded. Long story...

All the writing advice out there discuss the importance of that opening line—that hook—that gets your potential reader to sit down, pay...

My first drafts tend to be long. Way too long. I've gotten better at trusting readers to know what I mean without hitting them over the...