KJ Charles
Charles in 2021
Other namesK.J. Charles
Years active2013–present
Websitekjcharleswriter.com

KJ Charles is a British author of historical and fantasy romance. She has authored over 30 novels, mostly queer romances set in 19th and early 20th-century England,[1] beginning with The Magpie Lord (2013), which won a 2014 Rainbow Award. More recently, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award.


[2]

[3]

Personal life

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Charles lives in London with her husband. They have two children.[4] Her influences include Georgette Heyer, Charles Dickens, TS Eliot, Beverly Jenkins, and Terry Pratchett.[5]

Charles worked in publishing for over twenty years, including a stint at Mills & Boon. She began her writing career as a self-publisher. Despite the challenges that come with self-publishing, she felt it would allow her more creative freedom and ability to publish on her own schedule. In addition, at the time, she knew major publishers were unlikely to pick up the kinds of queer romances she wanted write.[6]

Bibliography

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A Charm of Magpies

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[7] The Magpie Lord was nominated for the 2014 Gaylactic Spectrum Award for Best Novel.

  • The Magpie Lord (2013)
  • A Case of Possession (2014)
  • Flight of Magpies (2014)

Shorts

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  • "The Smuggler and the Warlord" (2013) (0.5)
  • "Interlude with Tattoos" (2013) (1.5)
  • "A Case of Spirits" (2015) (2.5)
  • "Feast of Stephen" (2014) (3.5)
  • "Five for Heaven" (2019) (3.6)

The Charm of Magpies World

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  • Jackdaw (2015)
  • "A Queer Trade" (2016) (novelette, Rag and Bone 0.5)
  • Rag and Bone (2016)

London Sequence

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Society of Gentlemen

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[8]

  • A Fashionable Indulgence (2015)
  • A Seditious Affair (2015)
  • A Gentleman’s Position (2016)

Society shorts

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  • The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh (2015) (0.5)
  • "A Confidential Problem" (2016) (2.5)
  • "A Private Miscellany" (2016) 3.5)

Sins of the Cities

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[9]

  • An Unseen Attraction (2017)
  • An Unnatural Vice (2017)
  • An Unsuitable Heir (2017)

The Lilywhite Boys

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  • Any Old Diamond (2019)
  • Gilded Cage
  • Masters in this Hall

Lilywhite extras

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[10]

  • The Ratcatcher's Daughter (prequel)
  • (Lily) White Wedding

Green Men

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Spectred Isle was a finalist for the 2018 RITA Award for Paranormal Romance.[11]

  • Spectred Isle (2017)
  • Last Couple in Hell

England World

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Think of England[12] Proper English [13]

  • Think of England (2014)
  • Proper English (2019) (prequel)

The Will Darling Adventures

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[14]

  • Slippery Creatures (2020)
  • The Sugared Game
  • Subtle Blood

Shorts

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  • "Song for a Viking" (Think of England epilogue)
  • "To Trust Man on his Oath" (Will Darling 2.5)
  • "How Goes the World?" (England 2.5/Will Darling 3.5)

Gentlemen of an Uncertain Fortune

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It was originally self-published before being picked up by Orion Publishing Group.[6]

  • The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (2021)
  • A Thief in the Night
    • "A Rose by Any Name" (epilogue)
  • The Duke at Hazard

The Doomsday Books

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Set in Romney Marsh, the character Gareth is based on parson-naturalist Gilbert White. The second novel takes place 13 years after the first.[5][15] The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen was nominated for the 2024 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Romance.

  • The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen
    • "If He Had His Legs We'd be in so Much Trouble"
  • A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel

Jonathan'verse

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  • Wanted, A Gentleman
    • "Wanted, an Author"
  • Band Sinister
  • Unfit to Print

Standalones

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  • The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal (2015)[16]
  • The Henchmen of Zenda
  • The Price of Meat
  • Death in the Spires
  • Come to Dust [17][18]

References

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  1. ^ Maclean, Sarah (28 June 2016). "Love is love: The best LGBT romance novels". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  2. ^ Devaney, Beulah Maud (29 March 2019). "Reading Pathway: K.J. Charles". Book Riot. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  3. ^ Berlin, Marina (16 November 2018). "History, Queer Romance, and Fantasy Combine in the Work of KJ Charles". Reactor. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  4. ^ "What's on Your To-Be-Read Pile? With Author KJ Charles". Brookline Library. January 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  5. ^ a b Maxwell, Daryl (20 April 2023). "Interview With an Author: KJ Charles". Los Angeles Public Library. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b Tacye (12 January 2024). "KJ Charles On The Dialogues In The Gentle Art Of Fortune Hunting". United by Pop. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  7. ^ Bourke, Liz (5 July 2017). "Sleeps With Monsters: Entertaining Boys With Magical Problems". Reactor. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  8. ^ Grinnan, Dabney (8 November 2015). "Queer Regency romance: a chat with Ava March and KJ Charles". All About Romance. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  9. ^ Owens, Caz (21 February 2017). "An Unseen Attraction By K.J. Charles". All About Romance. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  10. ^ Jayne (1 November 2019). "REVIEW: The Rat-Catcher's Daughter (Lilywhite Boys) by KJ Charles". Dear Author. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  11. ^ Nicholas, Sarah (24 July 2018). "Romance Writers of America RITA Award Winners and Suzanne Brockmann's Boat-Rocking Lifetime Achievement Speech". Book Riot. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  12. ^ Kearney, Emma; Haymond, Beth (18 March 2024). "Think of England". Reformed Rakes. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  13. ^ Coqui, Anna (8 May 2019). "Review: Proper English, by KJ Charles". Love in Panels. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  14. ^ Rodale, Maya (19 June 2021). "For June, 3 Romances That Prove Love Is Love Is Love". NPR. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  15. ^ Owen, Greg (26 August 2023). "Gay romance novels are all the rage & author KJ Charles has written your next favorite". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  16. ^ Jansen, BJ (28 November 2016). "The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal By K.J. Charles". All About Romance. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Bestselling romance writer and former editor KJ Charles signs with Storm Publishing". Storm Publishing. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  18. ^ Brown, Lauren (6 September 2023). "Former editor Charles signs with Storm Publishing". The Bookseller. Retrieved 23 October 2024.