Tess LeSue writes romance novels set against sweeping historical backdrops. A perennial student with a passion for history, Tess has degrees in English and History, Communications and Film, and a PhD in Creative Writing. She also writes award-winning fiction under the name Amy T Matthews, is a lecturer in English and Creative Writing at Flinders University, and a member of the JM Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice. Her research interests include the intersections of feminism and romance fiction, and the representation of place. In a past life she was a wedding coordinator. Tess lives in Adelaide with her partner, children, and a cat who doesn't act much like a cat. When not writing she loves food, gardening, dancing, skiing, and is learning the trumpet.