Authors

MEET the DAMSELS

Jennifer, Emilie, and Tricia met while they were graduate students in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction program. They bonded over their love for children’s and young adult fiction, especially all types of historical fiction, and their desire to see their books in print. This blog will feature posts by all three authors on a rotating basis, including reviews of historical novels, interviews with other authors, writing and research tips, and short articles about the time period of their current work in progress.  We can be contacted at damselsinregress [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Emilie Bishop

Emilie now lives near Seattle, but she grew up in Ohio and Indiana in cities surrounded by rows of corn fields. She’s still getting used to things like mountains and the infamous Northwest rainy season, but has enjoyed the opportunities children’s writers have in a major metropolitan area.

Emilie graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s in creative writing in 2005 and from Seton Hill University’s Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction program in 2008. In the middle, she married her college sweetheart, Mike Bishop, who keeps her computer in line. They live with their two cats, Gwenyth and Blue.

Emilie’s favorite historical period is World War II because her grandfather served in the American Army and told her stories about his service time since she was seven years old. A trip to London in 2005 inspired a story of two evacuated British sisters who must adjust to the rural Midwest in 1940, and this idea eventually became three novels, the first of which was her SHU thesis.  Emilie had great fun researching and writing these three books during the last four years, but she’s ready for something completely different.  Her current work in progress is a contemporary YA novel set in the suburbs of Seattle, called I Will Never Leave You.  A teen girl going through a rough time in her life realizes that her group of girlfriends has some eerie similarities to her grandmother’s high school crowd, and it’s up to her to figure out what that means for the present day.

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Jennifer Marie Hofmann

As the daughter of a retired LTC in the Army, Jennifer spent most of her life moving from one place to another. For ten years, she lived in Germany and France where she acquired a love for two things: architecture and reading. Her parents took advantage of their proximity to the great Western architectural landmarks, and books were her only link to the English language when she lived in Europe.

When Jennifer returned to the States, she pursued her love of architecture by earning a Bachelor’s degree in the field. While in college, her love of reading morphed into a love for writing, and she began taking writing classes as well. Even after graduating, Jennifer continued to take classes and seminars until two years ago she decided to go for her Masters. Jennifer received her Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in June 2008.

Jennifer currently works in an architectural firm during the day and teaches at night. She often refers to herself as “crazy” because she has so much on her plate, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She thrives on being busy.

Jennifer has a love for dystopian literature, especially when it’s well done in children’s books. The Giver by Lois Lowry is one of her favorite books. She also really enjoyed Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The Thief, The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia by Megan Whaler Turner are novels in one of her favorite fantasy series. They’re a great example of fantasy, adventure and history all mixed in one.

Jennifer’s current novel is part of a middle grade time travel series. The Abigail Wenworth series follows the adventures of three best friends as they travel through time on different adventures.

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Patricia B. Tighe

Tricia is a homeschool mom who has been writing fiction off and on for the past 20 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University in 1980 and a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2008.

Like Jennifer, Tricia is the product of a military family and lived in Europe as a child. Her travels there may be why she’s fond of stories with a foreign setting. She loves to read fiction of all types–young adult, fantasy, mystery, romance–and if they’re set in the past, all the better.

Tricia is currently writing the sequel to a young adult historical fantasy set in 1890s Belgium. In An Inherited Evil, 18-year-old Mathieu Korsten must discover the secrets of his grandmother’s past to end a curse that could take his life. The sequel, Magic’s Lure, tells the story of how Mathieu’s friend Elise Badeau struggles with the consequences of her newfound magic ability.

In the fall, Tricia can be found in front of a TV watching football.  The rest of the time, when not reading, writing, or playing World of Warcraft, Tricia allows the family dogs to take her for walks.

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