Meet Katharine

Katharine Ashe is the USA Today bestselling author of the deliciously bingeable Devil’s Duke series and more than a dozen other novels reviewers call “intensely lush” and “sensationally intelligent.”  Breathtaking sensuality blends with epic adventure in historical romances so decadently satisfying that fans reread them again and again.

Katharine’s books have been honored far and wide.  Her novels The Prince, The Duke and How to Be a Proper Lady appeared on Amazon’s Best Books of the year lists.  She is a two-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America’s most prestigious award, and a four-time nominee in the Reviewers’ Choice Awards, including winner for Best Historical Romantic Adventure.  Her novels have been recommended by Woman’s World Magazine, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many others, and translated into languages around the world. 

Wearing her other hat (rather, tam), as a professor of history and popular culture at Duke University, Katharine taught the history of the romance fiction industry, as well as courses on history and religion in film and fiction.  She co-founded and hosted Duke’s UNSUITABLE Speakers Series about women, history, and popular fiction, and she wrote publicly and taught workshops on women’s history, feminism, and writing.

After taking a short hiatus from writing, Katharine recently bid fond farewell to academia so she can return to her greatest love: writing fiction. Sign up for News Updates to be the first to hear about her next binge-worthy books.

The Backstory

Many of my heroes and heroines have secret identities. There might be a reason for that…

In the third grade I dreamed of being a veterinarian when I grew up and spent every extra minute walking my best friend’s dog.  That year I wrote a sequel to Margret Rey’s Pretzel, “the longest dachshund in the world,” featuring a much friendlier love interest than poor Pretzel’s wretchedly snobbish girlfriend.

As a high-schooler I still intended to be a vet, but of large animals, and I longed to live by the ocean—”down the shore” as they say in my hometown, Philly.  Over vacation, on a yellow legal pad I penned the story of a horse-crazy girl summering at the beach who discovers the magical allure of that unique animal, the teenaged lifeguard.  (My little sister sat next to me reading each page as I produced it. God bless every writer’s first fan.)

By the time I graduated from Duke University with my bachelor’s degree, I had a yen to teach. About then I delved into another writing project: a novel about a young English teacher learning a breathtaking new language in the arms of her soccer-coach colleague.

A decade or so later I found myself finishing up a PhD in History.  While allegedly taking notes on ancient texts in the Vatican Library, I furtively filled my laptop with steamy chapters about a heretic priestess and the inquisitor-knight to whom she burns to surrender.

Eventually, I got the message.  I love romance—the high adventure, pure emotion, and breathtaking sensuality of a hero and heroine’s journey together.  Whatever else I’m doing, I simply must write romance.

Heartfelt thanks to…