Isn’t it wonderful that God gives us spring to follow cold, dreary winter? We are accustomed to spring coming. It happens every year at the same time. We don’t doubt it. We accept it. God promised as long as the earth remains we would have seed time, and harvest, summer, and winter.
We accept it because He has proven it for thousands of years. We know that we know. What would happen if we treated every problem in our lives with the same faith? It will come to pass because God says it will. Nothing happens to us that does not go through God’s hands first. If we are chosen to walk through a difficult place. We should realize that God knows our strengths and weaknesses and trusts that we will come through said place stronger. He will never put us in a place we cannot come out of victorious.
I once saw a mama dog take her litter of six puppies into a patch of tall grass and leave them. The mama dog came out of the tall grass and sat on our lawn watching the place she left them. The puppies cried and whined wanting her to come get them. She sat there waiting until they used the senses God gave them to pick up her scent and follow it back to safety. I am happy to say all the puppies made it out, AFTER they quit crying and whining.
God stretches and grows us to mold us in His image because He knows if we look, sound and act like Him, nothing can defeat us. When we go through the winters in our lives we have the promise that spring will come. Everything is cleaner and greener and bluer in spring. It is filled with new life and joy. One must realize that as wonderful as spring is, if we didn’t have the winter to keep the insect population down and the rains to replenish the earth we wouldn’t have the beautiful colors of spring to enjoy. If we look at our daily lives in the same way we will understand if it never rains we’ll never grow. Next time your life seems like winter will never end and the rains will never cease, remember Gods promise in Genesis 8:22. Winter will die and spring will be birthed without fail.
Every glass that is half empty is also half full. What matters is the way we see it. It is cold and rainy in the winter but the tiny seeds underneath the ground need it to grow. How many times have we unconsciously prayed on a rainy day, “Lord please let the rain stop.”? If we controlled the weather, would we ever let it rain? Unless we are having hot flashes, would we ever let an ice storm develop? I think I am very glad God hasn’t asked me to be in charge of the seasons. I am afraid my selfish love for spring would end up destroying the world He made.
You wrote the book. You poured months, maybe years, into every page. But in today’s publishing landscape, that’s no longer enough. Can you prove you wrote it?
Every author—and everyone who loves one—needs to know how to protect themselves.
Receipts Please
The AI Witch Hunt And You’re Already Guilty
The headlines are rough right now.
Books are still being banned. Independent bookstores are struggling. Publishers are grappling with higher paper, printing, and shipping costs.
We’re living in a political climate where books that tell fuller histories—or simply allow readers to imagine beyond rigid stereotypes—are increasingly treated as the problem.
Now we’re all a part of the new witch hunt. We are watching as everyone from TikTok to the New York Times digs deeply into authorship and asks questions. The cross we now bear: “The author must have used AI.”
As a writer who loves words and her job, I don’t fall into crab-in-a-barrel cynicism. I celebrate every book deal. I don’t care whether it’s a debut novelist who lands a six-figure contract or a veteran writer signing another multi-book deal. I want everyone’s story out there in the venue of their choosing, be it Indie or traditional, podcast, TV, film, or stage.
The creative industry is hard enough without anyone rooting against another.
Every contract or act of publishing represents years of sacrifice, rejection, revisions, and hope.
And what I refuse to accept is the growing assumption that when certain authors succeed, they must have cheated.
The New AI Witch Hunt
Over the past year, we’ve seen a troubling pattern emerge.
Debut authors have found themselves publicly accused of using AI. Publishers have withdrawn books. Agents have pulled manuscripts and representation. Yet on what basis are these devastating actions being taken? AI detectors. Isn’t that sort of like the fox watching the hen house?
Some of the most widely used AI detectors are:
There are many more, each with opaque rules and algorithms and methodologies that are used to determine what is human and what is AI. Their judgement is being held up as a holy Grail. But it’s still just the fox guarding the henhouse.
Influencers and bloggers have accused works of being AI-generated for having tropes, similar fantasy settings, etc. Newsflash: genre fiction like romance, thrillers, romantasy, is supposed to use tropes to meet reader expectations.
The evidence- some screenshots and attitude is being treated as definitive.
The result?
Authors are increasingly expected to prove they wrote their own books. That should concern everyone.
The Latest Targeted Authors: Is there a pattern?
Following online accusations that BiPOC author Mia Ballard’s novel Shy Girl contained AI-generated text, Hachette investigated, didn’t stand by the author or the series of editors involved in acquisition, and canceled publication.
BiPOC author Ballard has maintained that she did not use AI to write the novel, though she has acknowledged that an early edited version may have included AI-assisted edits introduced by someone else. But the buzz isn’t about editing; it’s about cheating to write the book.
Black debut author Jerry Falade, whose thriller reportedly sparked a 14-publisher auction and a proposed $2 million deal, had his manuscript withdrawn after questions arose about its creation. Black author Falade has denied using AI to write the novel, while his agent, Marc Gerald of Europa Content, stated they could no longer authenticate the manuscript’s development.
Meanwhile, Nobel Prize-winning Polish Woman author Olga Tokarczuk openly discussed using AI as part of her creative process—not to write her prose, but to explore character development, ask questions about fictional people, even what music they might listen to. The backlash was swift. She had to issue an apology and clarification, stating that her use was strictly for research.
The latest banshee torches were raised to celebrated Black novelist H. M. Wolfefor her dark dystopian romance, Daggermouth. An Atlantic investigation questioned whether portions of the novel appeared AI-generated. Black author Wolfe denies using AI, and her publisher, Scarlett Press (an imprint of Simon & Schuster), stood behind the book.
As an engineer with plenty of data training and modeling, there’s not enough here to say there is a trend, but if you are a Black author, a BiPOC author, or a woman author, be aware. We seem to be entering an environment where, if accused of AI Generation, we will be presumed guilty until proven innocent.
Who Gets the Benefit of the Doubt?
According to The Independent, Male Caucasian author Anthony Horowitz, a New York Times bestselling author, says ChatGPT has become part of his research process. He says, “I have absolutely no shame about using it at all. It would be crazy to give up an incredible resource.”
He has also made clear that he does not use AI-generated prose in his novels and the Atlantic has not accused him of AI Generated text in any novel.
Prominent white male nonfiction author and former TED curator, Chris Anderson has discussed experimenting with AI as part of his writing process. The Atlantic has not run an accusatory article about his books.
White male author, Stephen Marche is not shy about his use of AI. He claims to The Guardian that , he published “the first AI-generated novel reviewed in the New York Times.” He continues to write articles for The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Esquire.
His latest novel, The Last Election (2023), a political thriller co-written with Andrew Yang, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. The Atlantic has written no major articles complaining about Marche’s use of AI.
None of these authors are being scrutinized despite their admission and attitudes concerning AI. None have lost publishing contracts. And none were publicly required to produce years of drafts, notebooks, and revision histories to prove they wrote their books.
I do have an example of what I call “White Male” controversy with consequences.
James Frey starts out as a screenplay writer who then moves to memoirs. By 2003, A Million Little Pieces (Doubleday) is a bestseller followed up in 2005 by My Friend Leonard (Riverhead Books) another bestseller. Million Little Pieces becomes an Oprah’s Book Club selection in September 2005. This memoir became the fastest-selling Oprah Book Club selection up to that point, millions of copies moved.
By 2006, Frey’s embroiled in controversy that many parts of both memoirs are made up. He apologized to Oprah on live TV, got dropped by his literary agent, and his publisher agreed to refund readers who felt cheated. Several high profile media veterans weighed reported on it including David Carr and Maureen Dowd of the New York Times, Larry King on Larry King Live and Richard Cohen of the Washington Post.
Yet, Frey’s career wasn’t over. In 2007, (the very next year) he signs with HarperCollins to a new seven-figure, three-book deal. His next book, Bright Shiny Morning (2008) is a best seller. Today’s he’s still publishing and getting movie option deals.
Recently, James Frey has spoken openly about using AI creatively. For the Centre Pompidou, he says, he uses “AI for help in creating a work of art and I have no problem with it. Who cares whether I (James Frey) found this information in a book, on Google or using AI!”
He’s actively listing AI usage in all forth coming books. I guess when a lack of disclosure or making up stuff, has been a problem, you make sure to disclose everything. There’s no slowing James Frey down, as I don’t think there should be. But I must point out that there are no articles by the Atlantic accusing Frey of cheating by using AI.
As I said before, I’m clapping for everyone who gets the publishing deals that they want. But I cannot ignore that several of the most visible public controversies involve writers who have the least institutional power to defend themselves. That pattern should make all of us uncomfortable.
Moreover, I hope the Black, BiPOC, and women who’ve taken a beating because of AI allegations become as brazen about their publishing careers as James Frey. Come back stronger. Come back fighting.
Back to Business – The Wrong Question
The publishing gatekeepers, zealous fans who saw that em dash usage, and unfortunately jealous writers will keep asking:
“Did you use AI?”
As a writer who has had 28 of her 31 books stolen for AI training, I’m telling you that you’re asking the wrong question.
I’m dictating portions of this essay on my iPhone. Apple uses AI to convert my speech into text.
When I open Microsoft Word, many of its writing tools now live inside the Copilot ecosystem. I can’t use dictation without letting Copilot stalk me in the background.
Google Search increasingly serves AI-generated summaries before I even reach traditional search results.
Grammarly sits on my browsers. It uses AI to recommend grammar and spelling corrections to make sure I don’t sound illiterate.
All of this is AI usage. AI isn’t outside. Someone let the vampire in, and he’s not going away until his fangs are in each one of our necks. AI touches every workflow. On my latest contract, I had to agree to allow my publisher to use AI:
The Author acknowledges and agrees that Publisher may use the Works in connection with AI-powered tools and technologies utilized in the normal course of Publisher’s operations, provided that Publisher will not use any Work in AI-powered tools to generate new published works in the style of that Work.
That’s a lot of words, but I have essentially given this publisher the ability to do their work that involves AI.
So instead of asking whether AI was used, we should ask what role AI actually played in the creation of your work, whether fiction or nonfiction.
Thinking Like a Robot, Act Like a Human
While researching this episode, I bit the bullet and spent time questioning ChatGPT. I must say, He’s quite social.
ChatGPT, when asked what he thinks about AI in writing, said to compare it with human job replacements. I said—that’s cold. He clarified by identifying the two ends of the spectrum: the proofreader vs. the ghostwriter.
If AI is acting like a proofreader, that’s a level 0 involvement. If it’s acting like a ghostwriter, that’s at the top of the scale; basically, AI wrote the content.
Here’s the framework that my research and interviews have developed.
This framework is far more meaningful than simply asking, “Did you use AI?”
In our daily lives, we’re all living somewhere between Levels 0 and 1, whether we realize it or not. Difficult ethical questions arise around Levels 3, 4, and 5, between Editing, Collaboration, and Generation. That’s where publishers, authors, and readers need to have much more honest conversations.
Authors Protect Yourself
We are in a situation where you are presumed guilty rather than innocent. We can’t all have James Frey’s luck either. Whether you use AI at Level 0 or refuse to use it entirely, authors should begin documenting their creative process now.
* Keep physical and digital research folders.
* Save multiple drafts throughout the writing process.
I am very conscious of saving my Scrivener project files before I make major structural changes, or even before I delete my trash folder or my Not Using for the Manuscript folder.
* Scrivener users: Preserve snapshots and project backups.
* Maintain version histories in Word, Google Docs, or Pages.
I used to do this for technical reports, particularly in software development. Welcome to the wild side.
* Keep notebooks, outlines, timelines, and character sketches.
* Save editorial letters, and you must use Track Changes in your files.
If your editor doesn’t, insist that they do. It will protect you when recollections may vary.
* Archive emails with beta readers, editors, and agents.
* Retain metadata showing when files were created and revised.
* Don’t automatically empty deleted scenes or writing “trash” folders.
* Keep a simple writing journal documenting research, discoveries, and milestones.
None of this guarantees you’ll never face questions, but it creates proof of your blood, sweat, and tears. This is additional uncompensated labor, but it may help in quelling doubts about your success. They never come for average and ordinary work. Remember that.
Final Thoughts
I refuse to stop using dictation as much as I refuse to give up em dashes. If I had to handwrite every novel, I’d never finish half the stories living in my head.
Technology has always changed how writers work, but it doesn’t dim your light or creativity. And if we are brutally honest, that is the central question: how dare you be outstanding and creative beyond measure? How dare you make something better than the norm? How dare publishing and readers throw money at you? The critics dare to ask because they dare you to be great.
So build your proof and don’t stop writing your next novel.
And may we all be gifted to fail upward and perform better than mediocrity.
This week’s book list is filled with writer friends with books coming out or just released:
The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller — Inspired by the real lives of Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, and Ida Gibbs Hunt, this novel follows the three at Oberlin College as they forge an enduring sisterhood while confronting racism, sexism, and the fight for equality.
Writer in Residence by Rhonda McKnight — A burned-out novelist escapes to a Lowcountry writers’ retreat, where family secrets, Gullah Geechee history, and unexpected romance, help her reclaim her voice and her writing life.
Murder at First Slice (A Baker Street Mystery #5) by Valerie Burns — As bakery owner Maddy Montgomery prepares for her wedding, a murder at her rehearsal dinner turns celebration into sleuthing as she races to clear an innocent family member before saying “I do.”
Check out my latest “done” release: A Deal at Dawn – Katherine’s lies have been exposed, but the duke has a plan.
And it’s still Pirate Season. Check out the women pirates in Fire Sword and Sea.
Get these books from Eagle Eye Book Shop. They have a few signed copies of Fire Sword and Sea and A Deal at Dawn.
You can also try one of my partners in the fight, bookstores large and small, who are in the trenches with me.
You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com, under the podcast link in the About tab.
Hey. Let’s keep rising and creating together. I need you. That is the truth. Like, share, subscribe, and stay connected to Write of Passage.
Thank you for being here.
I want you to come again. This is Vanessa Riley.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe
Thirty days hath September, April, June and November; All the rest have thirty-one, Excepting February alone Which hath but twenty-eight, in fine, Till leap year gives it twenty-nine.
Just as young people desiring to bypass all the rigmarole to get married in Regency England could hightail it to Scotland, women could also thank the Scots for making it a law allowing women to propose to men one day a year, every four years on Feb. 29.
Tradition has it that this law came on the books back in 1288—and that if a man turned a woman down, he must pay a fine, anything from a kiss to a pair of gloves or even a silk dress. Another tradition has it that the spurned woman must be wearing a visible red petticoat if she wanted the fine paid. Tradition aside, there is no written evidence on the books of Scottish Parliament’s having passed such a law.
Another legend has it that it was over in fifth century Ireland that St. Brigit asked St. Patrick to allow women to propose to men, since, supposedly, men were laggards in this area. After a bit of negotiating, St. Paddy allowed it every four years on Leap Year Day.
The American Farmer, published in 1827, quotes this passage from a 1606 volume entitled Courtship, Love and Matrimonie:
Albeit, it is nowe become a parte of the Common Lawe, in regard to the social relations of life, that as often as every bissectile year doth return, the Ladyes have the sole privilege, during the time it continueth, of making love unto the men, which they may doe either by wordes or lookes, as unto them it seemeth proper; and moreover, no man will be entitled to the benefit of Clergy who dothe refuse to accept the offers of a ladye, or who dothe in any wise treate her proposal withe slight or contumely.
So, wherever or however the tradition developed, by the time of the regency, Leap Year as a year or a day of female initiative in the romantic sphere was well-known. 1812, 1816 and 1820 were all leap years. Even though the Gregorian calendar had made the bissextile year (having an extra day) official back in 1582, Britain ignored the date of Feb. 29, so legally it didn’t exist. British law conveniently “leaped over” the date, probably because of so many negative superstitions associated with it, especially concerning livestock and crops. Ignoring this day resulted in a tradition of “anything goes”—hence women proposing to men. According to the Encyclopedia Americana2004 Edition (Volume 17), King Henry VIII’s reign had an English law passed making February 28 the official birthday of “leaplings” or “leapers,” those born on Leap Year Day .
LEAP YEAR, OR JOHN BULL’S PEACE ESTABLISHMENT
[Published March, 1816, by S. W. Fores, 50, Piccadilly]
This British political cartoon satirizes the royal marriage of Princess Charlotte of Wales (the Prince Regent’s daughter) to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg on May 2, 1816.
The British Parliament settled £60,000 on the newlyweds, with £50,000 more for the prince should his bride pass away. The cartoon depicts the English nation on its hands and knees, a bit in his mouth, driven by Her Royal Highness with a horsewhip.
John Bull is the national personification of England, the way “Uncle Sam” is to the United States. He is loaded down with packages labeled with all the heavy tax burdens imposed on the populace at the time. After more than a quarter century of war with France, Britain’s people were financially exhausted. The Prince Regent’s extravagant lifestyle and building projects only filled them with disgust and caused a growing number of riots (one reason the Prince Regent preferred spending time at his seaside retreat, the Royal Pavilion at Brighton).
In the cartoon, Prince Regent George supports himself on crutches formed of dragons from his Brighton money pit. “Push on!” he shouts, “Preach economy! And when you have got your money, follow my example.” “Oh! my back,” groans John, crawling under the weight of his heavy burdens. “I never can bear it! This will finish me.”
Sources: English Caricaturists and Graphic Humourists of the Nineteenth Century/Chapter 3, Wikisource.org; Smithsonian Magazine.com; http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Society/leap-year.html; http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Leap-Year-Superstitions/; http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/historical/a/leap_year_2.htm; http://voices.yahoo.com/leap-year-2008-history-facts-798349.html?cat=37
What does the word “diverse” mean to you when you see it in relation to books and publishing? For some, it is joy. It means being seen. It’s a celebration. For others, it is a tag to “otherize” and foment hate. In publishing, it means a journey fraught with both peril and joy. Today, I’m going to give you a state of affairs. In true fashion, I will present the history of diverse publishing in the U.S., work through some of the issues, and then invite you to be a part of the conversation.
Vanessa Riley standing on her porch being diverse, holding two genres: mystery and romance… with Black people.
Let’s Unpack the Word Itself
“Diverse” is often used in publishing as shorthand for books that feature nonwhite characters, non-Western settings, LGBTQ+ protagonists, or disabled representation. But here’s the thing: diverse only exists in contrast to what’s considered “normal”—a category still largely defined by whiteness, heterosexuality, and able-bodiedness.
The term can unintentionally center whiteness as the default, as seen in publishing practices where diverse books are often marketed as niche or special interest, rather than universal. For example, promotional materials might highlight the diversity of a story as its primary selling point, rather than focusing on its universal themes or compelling narrative, subtly reinforcing the notion that these stories are “different.” Similarly, books featuring nonwhite protagonists are frequently segregated into separate categories, making them less visible to mainstream audiences. When someone says, “This book is so diverse,” what they’re often implying is, “This book is not about the kind of people or places I usually read about.” And if the word diverse causes discomfort, it’s worth asking why. What is it about encountering other perspectives that feels threatening, or so unfamiliar it warrants a disclaimer?
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A Timeline of Diverse Movements in Publishing
The truth is, the push for diverse stories is nothing new. Starting as early as 1965, one can track the movement or small earthquakes that have changed the publishing industry:
* 1965: Formation of the Council on Interracial Books for Children, challenging racist stereotypes in children’s literature and advocating for inclusive stories.
* 1969: Launch of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, recognizing outstanding African American authors and illustrators.
* 1975–1990s: A handful of authors break through (or are allowed to breakthrough), leaving a lasting impact on readers:
* James Baldwin – The Devil Finds Work (1976)
* Mildred D. Taylor – Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976)
* Toni Morrison – Song of Solomon (1977)
* Maya Angelou – And Still I Rise (1978)
* Octavia E. Butler – Kindred (1979)
* Lucille Clifton – Two-Headed Woman (1980)
* Audre Lorde – The Cancer Journals (1980)
* bell hooks – Ain’t I a Woman? (1981)
* Angela Davis – Women, Race, & Class (1981)
* Alice Walker – The Color Purple (1982)
* Gloria Naylor – The Women of Brewster Place (1982)
* August Wilson – Fences (1985)
* Virginia Hamilton – The People Could Fly (1985)
* Rita Dove – Thomas and Beulah (1986)
* Walter Mosley – Devil in a Blue Dress (1990)
* Terry McMillan – Waiting to Exhale (1992)
* Eva Rutland – The House Party (1991)
* Beverly Jenkins – Night Song (1994)
* Brenda Jackson – Tonight and Forever (1995)
One of my beloved bookshelves.
* 2000s: The #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement emerges, pushing publishers to examine their rosters. The next remnant of influential writers and works come to the forefront of publishing:
* Edwidge Danticat – The Dew Breaker (2004)
* Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Half of a Yellow Sun (2006)
* Toni Morrison – A Mercy (2008)
* Jesmyn Ward – Salvage the Bones (2011)
* Marlon James – A Brief History of Seven Killings (2014)
* Ta-Nehisi Coates — Between the World and Me (2015)
* Colson Whitehead – The Underground Railroad (2016)
* 2018: The Cooperative Children’s Book Center reports that books by or about Black, Indigenous, and People of Color make up only 10% of published books. (This has improved but remains a concern.)
* 2020: The murder of George Floyd spurs demand for anti-racism literature. Publishers pledge to diversify catalogs and increase representation in leadership. The #PublishingPaidMe movement highlights disparities in compensation for BIPOC authors.
Present Day
Initiatives like Blackout Bestsellers Week have faded, with sales and visibility campaigns showing diminishing participation. On June 25, 2025, Publishers Weekly headlined: “Layoffs Hit Little, Brown Editorial; Tracy Sherrod, More Depart.” The article states: “With the departure of Sherrod, the trade publishing industry has now seen three high-profile Black women depart from top positions since the big publishers made a public commitment to increase their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Lisa Lucas was dismissed from Pantheon Schocken last month after three years at the imprint, while Dana Canedy left her role as SVP and publisher of the Simon & Schuster imprint in 2022, after two years.”
In August, the New York Times followed up with, “‘A Lot of Us Are Gone’: How the Push to Diversify Publishing Fell Short.” It detailed a system that allows trailblazers to become fatigued, new entrants discouraged, and emphasized the emotional toll of continuously advocating for inclusion in a resistant system.
Why This Matters to Me
Critics argue that many efforts remain performative. A lot of discourse feels performative. I remember a widely circulated screed on illustrated covers, advocating for photography instead. I sat there, quietly eating my lunch, knowing my most widely circulated and bought romance books are with illustrated covers—like A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby. Its sales dwarf my photorealistic covers, which showcase beautiful Black characters instead of race-ambiguous caricatures.
The trade cover of A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby.
I, a Black female writing disruptive stories about the true history of Black women and women of color—of Black folks finding love and dignity within systems that discourage anything but conformity—sometimes feel lost. A recent comment on my 2025 historical romance, A Wager at Midnight, read: “Love the diverse characters in this book. It doesn’t take away the romance or the fun. It actually enriches the romance.”
Say What?
I want to make something clear: reviewing is hard. Putting your thoughts out there, especially in today’s fraught cultural climate, takes guts. I have no intention of criticizing this reviewer personally. In fact, maybe they’re doing a service by signaling to nervous readers that diverse stories won’t accidentally make them “woke.”
A reader made a Funko Pop of Scarlet from a Wager at Midnight. That’s a reader’s excitement for the story.
But comments like these invite a larger conversation about how we perceive books by and about people who exist outside of the dominant narrative. While I deeply appreciate the kind words, the phrasing raises questions: Do readers, particularly white readers, still need reassurance that stories with diverse characters are “safe” to enjoy? Is the word diverse itself triggering? Does it bring hesitation?
Literature is one of the safest ways to explore unfamiliar perspectives. It costs nothing to empathize with characters who look different from you. In fact, it enriches you. Diverse or diversity shouldn’t trigger you. Ask why it does.
Moving Forward
Below are my personal thoughts on how we can reach a point where any book can excite any reader without clauses or pauses:
* Books by authors of color should be marketed as universal stories.
* Readers should challenge themselves to read widely all year, not just in February.
* Reviewers should recognize that their willingness to review, as well as the words they use, are invaluable in shaping narratives about what stories matter.
And if you want to read a “diverse” romance, check out A Wager at Midnight. I promise it’s a terrific read, full stop.
Be A Part of the Conversation
Add your comments and share your experiences. Authors, feel free to contribute your insights as well. I’ve posted a poll on Spotify to explore where readers stand. There’s no judgment—having open discussions is key to moving forward.
This is Vanessa. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe
For those of us immersed in the Regency time period, the year 1812 holds numerous significant incidents–incidents that set history on a course from the old world and into the new. Power changed hands in government and wars, the Industrial Revolution dug in its heels, and Great Britain, for all it became the most far-flung empire in history, began to receive its first glimpse of a shocking truth—they would not always rule the waves.
George, Prince of Wales
By 1811, few people denied that the king was permanently mad and could no longer be head of state. The Regency bill passed making his eldest son, also a George, the Prince Regent, or the head of the government. The king, however, still showed enough glimpses of restoration to health that “Prinney” didn’t assume full powers of his role until 1812.
A gamester and profligate spender, the Prince Regent was forever petitioning Parliament for money. This placed him in the power of Parliament and the role of royalty in actually running the government of the kingdom began to diminish.
While Prinney assumed his role as head of Great Britain, a man known as Captain Ludd assumed a different kind of leadership role mostly in the north. The Luddite Rebellion fills books it is such a complex subject, a small war that ultimately took soldiers into Nottingham and York and Lancashire to put it down. Many men died.
The simplest way to explain the Luddite Rebellion is that the weavers, mostly those making stockings, couldn’t make a living. They usually had to rent their looms, the prices for their products were controlled, and they couldn’t change a thing. The Industrial Revolution was bringing in steam looms, machines that were too much competition. So the Luddites started smashing up looms and not letting people work. They sabotaged the industrial looms and spinning machines. Violence reigned powerfully for several months and took about a year to put down in full.
Smashing of the Looms
A way of life was coming to an end. The cottage industry of weaving with one or maybe three looms at home was no longer viable in a world quickly becoming mechanized through steam power.
May 11, 1812 saw a horrendous incident when a man stormed into Parliament and shot the prime minister in front of witnesses. Many thought this a French plot, but it was a disturbed individual who thought he hadn’t been served justly by the government. Although the consequences of this assassination weren’t to be known for many years, it brought in a different government that delayed necessary reforms in laws and taxation that would have happened sooner had Perceval lived.
Wellington and George Overlooking Waterloo
On a brighter note, the war with France, that had been dragging on for nearly twenty years and not going all that well for Great Britain, finally took a turn for the better. Arthur Welsley, AKA Wellington, won the Battle of Salamanca in Spain and the tide was turning against the French at last. Of course, Napoleon didn’t help himself by invading Russia. Tremendously weakened his forces and, I think had a damaging psychological effect on the French people. The emperor was no longer invincible.
Finally for the purposes of this article, is the War of 1812, as we know it here in the United States. In England, it’s a blip on the radar, not even taught in advanced history classes. I once laid out some facts about it to a British friend who said I had to be mistaken. In no way could this fledgling country with about eighteen naval vessels, none great, have beaten down the most powerful maritime power the world had known.
But it happened. Great Britain was impressing our men because the war with France had so decimated their supply. On the smallest pretext, they boarded our ships and took away anyone they could pretend was really English and didn’t’ care about the rest. They also tried to tell us where and with whom we could trade. We said, Uh, no way, you don’t rule us any more, and did as we pleased. We declared war in June, which was kind of stupid of us rather like a domestic tabby taking on a Siberian tiger.
USS Constitution vs. HMS Guerriere by Anton Otto Fischer
But we had our privateers. We built the best small, fast, and maneuverable vessels in the world. We armed them and ripped apart the British merchant fleet, taking hundreds of merchantmen until the merchants put pressure on Parliament and the United States signed the Treaty of Ghent on Christmas Eve 1814 and got everything we wanted, including the Northwest Territory. Interestingly, we didn’t win a single land battle, most of them in Michigan and Canada. Not to mention the British burned our national capital.
Britain faced the fact that she could be defeated on the high seas. Although we had a long way to go to be as powerful as England in the maritime realm, we showed our claws and made this powerful nation back down. To be fair to Great Britain, they were a bit preoccupied with France.
The Regency is a fascinating turning point in history. 1812 may have the most collective number of those turns of any year of this short but significant time period.
I love chocolate. I love my husband. I don’t love these things in the same way, though. It’s one of the frustrating things about the English language. We have the word like and we have the word love and there’s nothing in between. I used to think we should introduce the word “loke” into our vocabulary to establish a level between like and love. Then I could say I loke chocolate and I love my husband.
We toss the word love around a lot in the United States. That can’t be said for every other country in the world. I had a friend from England once that got a bit fed up with our usage of it. When someone said, “I love chocolate” my friend would make a face and say “Why don’t you marry it then?” Not terribly original, but it gets the message across.
The thing is we use the same word when we say we love God, and I think that’s a problem. We have just equated God with chocolate. That’s not good. When we take a concept, like love, and weaken it, we begin to lose the power that word can have.
Photo by Jen Smith
How many times have you seen someone say something like this in a book or a movie: “I love him. Well, I don’t love love him. I love him like a brother or a friend or in that I love my dog kind of way. Not that he’s a dog, I just think of them the same.”
Okay, so the part about the dog isn’t ubiquitous, but you get my point.
Jesus had several words for love when He walked the earth. Unfortunately, this distinction is often lost when we translate the Greek into English. Take the following passage from John 21 verses 15-17.
When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Feed My lambs,” He told him. A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Shepherd My sheep,” He told him. He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.” “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said.
Two different forms of the word love are used in this passage. Agape and phileo. Agape referred to deep, true, unconditional love while phileo was used more for general love more akin to loyalty and affection. If we take those differences into account, the passage above reads more like this:
When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I am your friend.” “Feed My lambs,” He told him. A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I am your friend.” “Shepherd My sheep,” He told him. He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, are you My friend?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Are you My friend?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I am your friend.” “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said.
Peter was saddened because he had to own up to the fact that he wasn’t giving Jesus the true love that his savior wanted.
What kind of love are we offering Jesus? Do we love Him like chocolate? Our dogs? Our family? Or are we giving Him the ultimate love that He offered to us? Let’s start thinking about the meanings behind our usage of the word “love” so that when we say “I love you, God” we really mean it.
I can wax on about the lovely aspects of the Regency era and the fiction it has spawned, but to reign in my thoughts, I’ll limit my reflections to four elements, each beginning with a letter of LOVE.
L … The Language is delightful. Where else can you read such bits of “slang” as charming as the cant of the Regency? Aren’t there a few celebrities today about whom it could be said “She has more hair than wit”? Referring to someone as “attics to let” wouldn’t be kind, but it is a rather smile-provoking turn-of-phrase. I’ll leave this topic with one more of my favorites: “Stepping into parson’s mousetrap”, which reflects some gentlemen’s views on marriage.
O … Society had Order and structure which is lacking today. When’s the last time most of us had an “at-home day” upon which your friends knew you’d be at home and expecting visits. Have you gone to a tea, musicale, ball, or garden party of late? The fascinating protocol of hosting, attending, making guest lists, sending invitations, and subtle gradations of how deep one shall bow or curtsey; these bygone rules are distinct and keep our interest.
V … Feminine Virtue was the order of the day. The unmarried maiden’s virtue was carefully guarded, so as to bring a pure virgin to the marriage altar. This virtue is sadly absent today, and reading about a day in which purity was guarded can be an inspiration. Reading Christian Regency fiction allows one to recapture the thrill of a first kiss, perhaps at the altar, without the seamy pages that follow in secular romances.
E … If you read for Escape, Regency England is a delightful place to visit. Most of us will never make it over to intriguing Bath, Brighton, or Tunbridge Wells. We won’t tread the ground of Northumberland, Sussex, or the like. But, ahh, flip open the typical Regency, and you’re transported to a lovely place and time, all bound within the pages of the book in your hands.
This past weekend, I had the honor of spending three days in Albuquerque with the Women’s Fiction Writers Association at their West Retreat. Three days to talk about the things I love most—our craft and the business of publishing.
There’s nothing quite like being surrounded by writers, people who understand the struggle and the joy of creating stories. And there’s no better moment than seeing that spark in someone’s eyes when something you’ve said helps unlock their story in a brand-new way.
One of the sessions conversationsI led centered on the Hero’s Journey and its counterpart, the Heroine’s Journey. These structures aren’t just tools for making sure your story moves forward or that the middle doesn’t sag—they’re also frameworks that allow us to dig into what makes heroes and heroines truly special. We looked at the communal aspects of the heroine’s return, the healing wisdom mentors pass on, and how both journeys can be reimagined for today’s storytelling.
If you’ve been feeling stuck in your own writing, I want to encourage you to consider a writing retreat. A retreat takes you out of your ordinary world and places you in an environment designed for creativity. This particular hotel in Albuquerque, called Hotel Albuquerque, was perfect—full of quiet corners to write in, with the gentle sound of a water feature trickling in the background. The temperature was just right, and the breeze seemed to carry with it a rhythm I needed as I started drafting a new manuscript. Finding that rhythm is essential—especially when facing the hardest part of writing: the beginning. As we talked about during the retreat, the beginning has to do so much work. It must pull the reader in, set the tone, and launch the story forward. That challenge can feel overwhelming, but when you’re sitting among other writers, sharing the struggle, the rhythm comes easier.
For me, the joy of being with this group of women writers was in the way we each gave something to one another. We shared, we encouraged, and we carried each other forward. Writing can be isolating, and even now, years after the height of the pandemic, many of us are still recovering from that deep loneliness. Yes, Zoom calls and late-night chats kept us connected, but nothing replaces being physically together—hearing voices, exchanging ideas, and being present in the same space.
That’s why I encourage every writer listening to this: put a writing retreat in your budget for 2026. No matter where you are in your career—whether you’re drafting your first book or publishing your thirtieth—invest in yourself and your craft. Retreats give you knowledge, community, and the reminder that you’re not alone in this work.
At this retreat, I was honored to teach three workshops: Write Fast, Write Now: Unveiling Character Arcs, The Substack Strategy: Building an Author Platform That Works, and Rethinking the Hero’s Journey for Today’s Storytelling Trends. Teaching craft is one of my greatest joys, because no matter how many books I’ve published—Fire Sword and Sea is my twenty-ninth—there is always more to learn. Every retreat, every conversation with another writer, teaches me something new.
And to those of you who were in Albuquerque with me: thank you. Thank you for giving me your attention, your questions, and your trust. Thank you for letting me be fully myself in that space. You gave me as much as I gave you. I left inspired, energized, and dreaming of hundreds more books—your books—coming into the world.
That is the magic of retreats, the magic of community, and the magic of the writer’s journey itself.
The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger — a modern, approachable exploration of the heroine’s path and how it differs from Campbell’s.
The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler — a practical, writer-focused guide to adapting mythic structure for storytelling.
Bird by Birdby Anne Lamott — reflections on the writer’s life and craft, with humor and heart
Big Magicby Elizabeth Gilbert — embracing creativity, fear, and joy in the artistic process.
We are three and half months away from Fire Sword and Sea—Get those preorder in, and help build the momentum for this historical fiction. Please spread the word about lady pirates in the 1600s.
They are women, many our Black and Indigenous. All want a better way of life. Piracy is legal. It’s their answer. This novel releases January 13, 2026.
The link on my website shows retailers large and small who have set up preorders for this title.
Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast.
You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.
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Dancing and travel: two of the joys of the Regency. My picture of that elegant period of history is full of flowing dresses and swiftly-moving carriages.
But the balls and the journeys didn’t always end as planned, and on two memorable occasions the frivolity of the English was brought to a shocking halt not by a lame horse or a torn hem, but by the intrusion of soldiers, terror, and war.
Storm in the Strait of Dover by Louis Meyer (public domain)
The Breaking of the Peace of Amiens
In 1802, there was a halt to the hostilities between France and England and as a result thousands of British visitors poured into Paris. Englishmen of means had always been fond of visiting the continent, but war had stopped them from indulging in this fondness for some time. When the Peace of Amiens was signed, many of then crossed the Channel to see the sights.
In fact, a gentleman named Edmund John Eyre went over to France and wrote an account of his journey, hoping to sell it as a guidebook to other English travelers. (You can read an electronic copy here.) Alas, he was not to make much money on his endeavor, because in May of 1803, just a little over a year after peace was declared, war broke out again between the two countries.
The problem for our British travelers? When war recommenced, the French declared that all male British citizens between the ages of 18 and 60 currently in France were to be arrested. Many English tourists were trapped on the wrong side of the Channel, most of them unable to return home to England for over a decade. They went to France to see the sights, but they ended up seeing the entire war – from the wrong side.
The Duchess of Richmond's Ball, by Robert Hillingford (PD-Art|PD-old-100)
The Duchess of Richmond’s Ball
At the other end of that long decade of war came another surprise for some pleasure-seeking English ladies and gentlemen. Once again, those who thought that the war was over were in for a shock.
In Brussels, in 1815, Lady Richmond was holding a ball attended by Wellington and many of his soldiers. There was dancing and drinking, but in the middle of the party Wellington received a message, a confirmed report that Napoleon had escaped and was coming to meet them with an entire army marching at his heels.
The people dancing at the ball didn’t know it, but they were scarce days away from one of the most famous military encounters of all time: the Battle of Waterloo. Some men even went directly from the ball to the battle at Quatre Bras still wearing their evening dress.
It’s hard to picture this happening today, with the nearly instant communication offered to us by telephones and the email. But back then, news traveled only as fast as a boat might sail or a horse might ride. In an instant, a holiday might become an exile, and a dance might become a war.
