Catherine Kerrigan, Author
@catherinekerrigan.bsky.social
Historical romance author ✍️ Writing strong-willed women who would’ve been called “difficult” in their time. Regency rebel wrangler. Tea drinker. Resurrecting forgotten heroines, one scandalous chapter at a time. 📚👑
Currently writing a heroine who forges her father's signature. Inspired by the fact that women did this ALL THE TIME. Legal personhood wasn't happening, so they improvised. #HistoricalRomance
November 14, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Currently writing a heroine who forges her father's signature. Inspired by the fact that women did this ALL THE TIME. Legal personhood wasn't happening, so they improvised. #HistoricalRomance
Just realized my heroine's personality is 60% research, 30% my rage at historical injustice, 10% what the plot requires. Perfect recipe. #WritingProcess #HistoricalRomance
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Just realized my heroine's personality is 60% research, 30% my rage at historical injustice, 10% what the plot requires. Perfect recipe. #WritingProcess #HistoricalRomance
Jeanne de Clisson, 14th century: When France executed her husband, she sold everything, bought ships, became a pirate. Hunted French nobility for 13 years. Revenge arc GOALS. #Medieval
November 14, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Jeanne de Clisson, 14th century: When France executed her husband, she sold everything, bought ships, became a pirate. Hunted French nobility for 13 years. Revenge arc GOALS. #Medieval
Hatshepsut declared herself Pharaoh around 1478 BCE. Wore a false beard, ruled Egypt for 22 years, built incredible monuments. Then someone tried to erase her from history. Failed. #AncientEgypt
November 13, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Hatshepsut declared herself Pharaoh around 1478 BCE. Wore a false beard, ruled Egypt for 22 years, built incredible monuments. Then someone tried to erase her from history. Failed. #AncientEgypt
Character inspiration today: Émilie du Châtelet, who translated Newton while having an affair with Voltaire. My heroine can have THREE skills minimum. #18thCentury #WomenScientists
November 13, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Character inspiration today: Émilie du Châtelet, who translated Newton while having an affair with Voltaire. My heroine can have THREE skills minimum. #18thCentury #WomenScientists
Khutulun, Mongolian warrior princess, would only marry a man who could beat her in wrestling. She remained undefeated and accumulated 10,000 horses. Icon. #HistoricalWomen
November 13, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Khutulun, Mongolian warrior princess, would only marry a man who could beat her in wrestling. She remained undefeated and accumulated 10,000 horses. Icon. #HistoricalWomen
Today's writing challenge: My 1815 heroine has 2025 feminist ideas but must express them in Regency parlance. Basically, I'm translating rage into propriety. #HistoricalRomance #WriterStruggles
November 13, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Today's writing challenge: My 1815 heroine has 2025 feminist ideas but must express them in Regency parlance. Basically, I'm translating rage into propriety. #HistoricalRomance #WriterStruggles
Final edit stage: Ensuring my strong-willed heroine has flaws, fears, and vulnerability. Strength isn't absence of weakness—it's persistence despite it. Learned from history's bravest. #WritingTips
November 13, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Final edit stage: Ensuring my strong-willed heroine has flaws, fears, and vulnerability. Strength isn't absence of weakness—it's persistence despite it. Learned from history's bravest. #WritingTips
Harriet Tubman wasn't just Underground Railroad. She was a Union spy, scout, and armed expedition leader. First woman to lead a military raid in US history. Freed 700+ people. #CivilWar
November 12, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Harriet Tubman wasn't just Underground Railroad. She was a Union spy, scout, and armed expedition leader. First woman to lead a military raid in US history. Freed 700+ people. #CivilWar
Hester Stanhope dressed as a Bedouin man, explored Middle East, crowned herself Queen of Palmyra. In the 1800s. While women supposedly couldn't travel alone. #Regency #Adventure
November 12, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Hester Stanhope dressed as a Bedouin man, explored Middle East, crowned herself Queen of Palmyra. In the 1800s. While women supposedly couldn't travel alone. #Regency #Adventure
The more I research, the more I realize "proper" Regency ladies were absolutely FERAL. The affairs! The gambling! The secret political influence! #RegencyEra #HistRom #Inspiration
November 12, 2025 at 5:28 AM
The more I research, the more I realize "proper" Regency ladies were absolutely FERAL. The affairs! The gambling! The secret political influence! #RegencyEra #HistRom #Inspiration
Research rabbit hole: Regency contraception methods. Yes, they had them. No, they weren't reliable. Yes, this affects my plot. Why isn't this taught? #HistoricalRomance #Research
November 12, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Research rabbit hole: Regency contraception methods. Yes, they had them. No, they weren't reliable. Yes, this affects my plot. Why isn't this taught? #HistoricalRomance #Research
Current status: Third cup of tea, second existential crisis, first draft of a chapter where she refuses to apologize for being right. #AmWriting #AuthorLife
November 12, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Current status: Third cup of tea, second existential crisis, first draft of a chapter where she refuses to apologize for being right. #AmWriting #AuthorLife
The spectrum of historical heroines: Quietly subversive → Loudly defiant → Accidentally started a revolution. I write all three. #HistoricalRomance #StrongWomen
November 11, 2025 at 5:33 PM
The spectrum of historical heroines: Quietly subversive → Loudly defiant → Accidentally started a revolution. I write all three. #HistoricalRomance #StrongWomen
Margaret Cavendish published science fiction in 1666. "The Blazing World" featured a female emperor ruling a utopia. While wearing fantastic gowns. Sci-fi queen. #WomenWriters #History
November 11, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Margaret Cavendish published science fiction in 1666. "The Blazing World" featured a female emperor ruling a utopia. While wearing fantastic gowns. Sci-fi queen. #WomenWriters #History
The duke was supposed to be brooding. Instead he's emotionally available and communicates clearly. I've failed as a Regency writer. Or succeeded? Confused. #AuthorLife
November 11, 2025 at 3:52 AM
The duke was supposed to be brooding. Instead he's emotionally available and communicates clearly. I've failed as a Regency writer. Or succeeded? Confused. #AuthorLife
Plot inspiration: Lady Hester Stanhope abandoned society, explored Middle East, lived in a monastery. My heroine's plan to open a bookshop suddenly seems tame. #Regency #StrongWomen
November 11, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Plot inspiration: Lady Hester Stanhope abandoned society, explored Middle East, lived in a monastery. My heroine's plan to open a bookshop suddenly seems tame. #Regency #StrongWomen
Another day, another scene where I make my characters dance around their feelings because "propriety." Meanwhile I'm yelling "JUST KISS" at my laptop. #RegencyProblems
November 11, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Another day, another scene where I make my characters dance around their feelings because "propriety." Meanwhile I'm yelling "JUST KISS" at my laptop. #RegencyProblems
Historical romance is teaching modern readers that women have ALWAYS been fierce. We just weren't allowed to write it down. Until now. #HistRom #StrongWomen #AmWriting
November 10, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Historical romance is teaching modern readers that women have ALWAYS been fierce. We just weren't allowed to write it down. Until now. #HistRom #StrongWomen #AmWriting
Today's writing fuel: Thinking about all the brilliant women erased from history. My job? Writing them back in, one scandalous chapter at a time. #HistoricalFiction #WomenWriters
November 10, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Today's writing fuel: Thinking about all the brilliant women erased from history. My job? Writing them back in, one scandalous chapter at a time. #HistoricalFiction #WomenWriters
Reminder: When they call your historical heroine "ahead of her time," they're erasing the REAL women of that era who were equally fierce. They existed. We're just finally writing them. #HistRom
November 10, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Reminder: When they call your historical heroine "ahead of her time," they're erasing the REAL women of that era who were equally fierce. They existed. We're just finally writing them. #HistRom
Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer algorithm in 1843. For a machine that didn't exist yet. While society said women couldn't do math. Coding's first queen. #WomenInSTEM #History
November 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer algorithm in 1843. For a machine that didn't exist yet. While society said women couldn't do math. Coding's first queen. #WomenInSTEM #History
Stage of writing: Angry at everyone. The characters, the plot, the Regency era itself. Why did they have so many RULES? *returns to writing ball scene* #AuthorMood #AmWriting
November 9, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Stage of writing: Angry at everyone. The characters, the plot, the Regency era itself. Why did they have so many RULES? *returns to writing ball scene* #AuthorMood #AmWriting
Him: "You're too stubborn." Her: "I prefer 'determined.'" Him: "You climbed a trellis in a ballgown." Her: "I stand by my word choice." This is why I love her. #AmWriting #StrongHeroines
November 9, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Him: "You're too stubborn." Her: "I prefer 'determined.'" Him: "You climbed a trellis in a ballgown." Her: "I stand by my word choice." This is why I love her. #AmWriting #StrongHeroines
Coffee count: 4. Words written: 237. Arguments with imaginary people: 12. Just another Tuesday in historical romance writing. #AmWriting #AuthorLife
November 9, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Coffee count: 4. Words written: 237. Arguments with imaginary people: 12. Just another Tuesday in historical romance writing. #AmWriting #AuthorLife