My debut historical fiction novel Stage Mouse is a true labor of love. If you’re an avid reader of Fiona Davis and Kate Quinn, fascinated with the untold stories of the Gilded Age, or if you’ve ever wondered “what if we did Gangs of New York but put a bunch of vaudeville on it?”, you’re going to love this book.
In 1891 Ireland, quiet and dreamy Belle Malone would rather be sketching in notebooks than boarding a ship to America alone. In order to procure a better life for her and her mother, Belle puts County Cork forever at her back and sails across the ocean to a promised—predictable, sensible—job in a textile mill.
After a fiery twist of fate, Belle is offered a paintbrush instead of a practical weaving job, working as a scenic painter at a small theater in the Bowery. While in the wings, Belle discovers someone from her homeland with a rakish smile and a secret that lurks in the shadows. When Belle is thrown center stage into a world of secrets and danger, will she be brave enough to sketch together a better future in a new country?
Stage Mouse won the distinct honor of the Maggie Award for Excellence (Georgia Romance Writers) in 2021 in the prepublished Historical Romance category.
Stage Mouse will be available worldwide on 7.22.26, including at your favorite indie bookstore. Head here to see how you can get a copy!