
Part of Series
Can a ghost show Agatha the way to life’s happiness? Years after the death of her husband, Lady Agatha Wendt has become a surly, cold-hearted miser, increasingly left to her own company, particularly during the holiday season. Childless and with little family, the wealthy widow fears falling into unexpected poverty and spurns even the smallest gestures of Christmas giving. A determined spirit visits Agatha and forces her to see how others regard her. He warns her change must happen. Charles Bentley, her butler has been the one constant in a revolving household of embittered staff. Charles sees goodness in her, a trait she takes pains to hide, and finds himself attracted to the real Agatha—despite knowing he could never be with her, given the class difference between them. Can the spirit awaken Agatha to her real fears and help her to overcome them in time to realize the gift she has always wanted? The Rakes of Mayhem The Earl of Excess The Marquess of Mischief The Duke of Disorder A Gift for Agatha (Novella) ( This story was first published as part of the Dragonblade Publishing Boxed set O' Night Divine, December 2020)
Author

Who knew I’d become an author? Not me. But when the opportunity knocked, I answered the door and welcomed it in. I approach life with as much positivity as I can—celebrating the hits and laughing at the misses. Nothing worthwhile is easy, and that includes everything in my life. But I have much to smile about—my lovely mother, a beautiful daughter, two precious granddaughters, my adorable dogs, and my sweet husband of over thirty years. He has always supported me—including uprooting to move to the other side of Charlotte, N.C. for a life change, just when we thought we were settled. If settled means not going after my dreams, then I never want to be settled. I give my all to things I enjoy—and that includes writing. In 2021, I hit the USA Today Bestselling Author list, and recently, two of my books were named RONE Finalists! I love to express myself to the point that my daughter avoids going to the movies with me because I’m that woman in the row in front of you who gleefully munches her popcorn and laughs at every hilarious scene. Loudly. Besides my family, I love chocolate, popcorn, laughter, and animals. I love animals so much that I frequently sprinkle them in my stories as secondary characters. They usually steal the show! British and American history have always interested me, so writing historical romances set in the U.K. and the US is where my passion is. When I was barely three years old, my parents divorced, and my mom moved my sister and me from New York to South Carolina to live near her parents. Juggling a full-time job and full-time school, my mother became my first genuine hero—she never waved the white flag when things were tough. And things quickly got tough. My grandmother, who helped care for my sister and me while my mother worked, became ill with cancer, and didn’t survive the surgery, dying before I was seven. Losing Grandma devastated me. She read to me and taught me to read before I started first grade. I credit her for inspiring my love of reading, and I credit my mother for encouraging me to turn my ideas into stories. When I was ten, my neighbor gave me her book club copy of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and it remains one of my favorite books. But it was Kathleen Woodiwiss’ Shanna and Ashes in the Wind, that hooked me on historical romance and sparked my dream of becoming a published author. While I primarily write Regency Romance, I enjoy almost any period in American and British history. I love hearing from readers. To get in touch, email me at annastclaireauthor@gmail.com. To keep up to date on my new releases, special promotions, contests, giveaways, and more, sign up for my newsletter by clicking here. You can also follow me on BookBub, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.