Pride Month is a whirlwind of activity for queer romance authors, and my experience this past June was no exception. Even so, it came with an enormous and wonderful surprise that I could never have anticipated.
As a big research nerd into history, medicine, botany, and increasingly more obscure fields with every book I write, I cannot begin to express the elation I felt when Dr. Markéta Šmídová tagged me on bsky alongside the illustrious names of KJ Charles, Arden Powell, Freya Marske, Lee Welch, Emily Tesh, and Harper Fox, to announce that they had just successfully defended their doctoral dissertation, promisingly titled, “Kissing for Dear Life in a Dead Land: English Folkloric Liminality in Queer Paranormal Historical Popular Romance.”
In a further extremely generous gesture, their post also links to a free download of said dissertation.
Not since “The Philomena of John Bradmore and its Middle English derivative: a perspective on surgery in late Medieval England” by S.J. Lang have I so swiftly, feverishly, and delightedly read an academic work. It is a fascinating read for anyone interested in queer romantasy, and an incredible honour to be included. Highly recommend checking it out if you’ve enjoyed the oeuvre of any of the authors cited within.
That’s all for this Nothwell newsletter, but keep a weather eye on the horizon for September! And as always, thank you for reading.
—Sebastian
Sebastian Nothwell 
Dear Sebastian, this made my day! Thank you for sharing my dissertation ❤
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Thank you so much for your insightful analysis! I really enjoyed it.
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I’m in KJ Charles discord with them, and they’ve just mentioned you sent out an email! They were really pleased/proud/overwhelmed.
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