Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background.
I was born and raised in Ohio and currently live in New York. I’ve just completed my Ph.D. in English, with a focus on 19th c. British and American literature. My dissertation brings together literature and psychology as I examine characters from 19th c. fiction that have dual selves. Outside of my research, I have a wide range of interests, from outer space and astronomy, to movies and TV, to genealogy, to (of course) Tudor history. I love cats, own many more books than I have room for on my bookshelves, and could eat Italian food every day.
What ignited your passion for Tudor history?
When I was about 10 or 11 years old, I read a book from the Royal Diaries series about the young Elizabeth I, along with all of Carolyn Meyer’s Tudor-themed books in her Young Royals series. These books sparked my interest, and since then I’ve continued to learn all I can about this fascinating time period and the people who lived in it.
What’s something you love about where you live?
There are all kinds of adorable little towns around where I live, and New York City is just a train ride away!
What are your hobbies?
When I’m not hunting for books, documentaries, and podcasts about the Tudor and Victorian eras, I indulge my love of theater by seeing as many Broadway shows (especially musicals) as I can, learning behind-the-scenes facts and stories about my favorite shows, and keeping up with what my favorite actors are doing. If I’m not at the theater, I’m probably at home reading a good book – usually historical fiction or Young Adult – or possibly watching a Disney movie. I also enjoy scrapbooking and watching crime/police procedural dramas.
What’s been one of your favourite episodes of ‘Talking Tudors’, and why?
I really enjoyed the recent episodes with Sarah Morris and Dr. Alice Hunt about Anne Boleyn’s coronation. When people talk about Anne Boleyn, they tend to focus on her fall and execution, so hearing about this high point of her life instead was a refreshing change of perspective.
Share a brief story. It can be inspiring, funny, spooky, heartwarming or historical. Anything you like!
A friend of mine lives in North Carolina and comes to New York City a few times a year to see Broadway shows. We were talking about one of her upcoming trips, and she told me she’d bought a ticket to see Hamilton. The day she was going to see it was my birthday, so I jokingly said to her, “If anything would happen and you’d end up not being able to use your ticket, let me know!” Then, just a couple of weeks before she was supposed to come to New York, she texted me: “Remember how you said to let you know if I couldn’t use my Hamilton ticket?…” She had broken her leg badly enough that she needed surgery and couldn’t make the trip! I felt awful that she had to cancel her plans, but I bought her Hamilton ticket from her and saw the show for my birthday. It’s the single most expensive theater ticket I’ve ever bought, and it was worth every penny!
When do you listen to Talking Tudors?
I listen while I’m getting ready in the morning and in my car while I’m driving.
Finish this sentence: I’d like to learn more about…
…education in Tudor times. How did education differ between genders and social classes? What subjects did people think it was important to study? What were learning environments like – were students taught in a classroom setting like we would think of it today, or by private instruction, or by some other method? How long did formal education usually last? What opportunities were there for higher education?
Tell us about someone you admire.
In my own life, I admire my parents. They’ve always loved and respected and supported each other, and they’ve always made me feel loved and respected and supported as well. Raising a family is not easy, and I think they’ve done a fantastic job.
Historically speaking, I’ll stick to the Tudor era and say it’s a tie between Anne of Cleves and Katherine Parr. Anne might not have had the education that some of Henry VIII’s other wives did, and Henry disliked her from the beginning, but ultimately she walked away with a generous settlement and the king’s goodwill, which is no small accomplishment. And I admire Katherine’s formidable intelligence and her commitment to education (especially for women) and to the Protestant religion. It’s also pretty impressive that she managed to talk Henry out of arresting her!
What’s something you’re looking forward to in the next twelve months?
As a theater lover, I’ve really been struggling with Broadway being closed for so long due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The moment I can, I’m going to buy a ticket to see (what else?) Six!
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