April at the Academe
A Quick Look at the Academe classes coming up next month.
Writing Regency fiction involves taking all the historical evidence of the era and choosing what to use to draw the reader into one’s vision of a time and place in order to immerse them in the story. Creating one’s own Regency world is a personal endeavor and can be quite freeing when one has the tools and knowledge available to choose and design the setting they imagine their characters inhabiting. At the center of one’s Regency world are the stately homes, the manor houses, the castles, the cottages, and yes, even the humble farmhouses and Seven Dials hovels where one’s characters live, visit, entertain, and act out the tales an author hopes will leave the reader wanting more.
The aim of this class is to provide the information necessary to create an insightful, thorough, and immersive description of the interiors of every Regency home that exists in a writer’s imagination. From the ever-changing trends in decorating to the names of the designers, to the styles of décor in use in the era, to the color names used, to the materials and modes of furnishings, carpets, drapes, and myriad other aspects of décor this class will endeavor to inform the mind and incite the imagination when it comes to Regency décor and design.
With the correct terms and a few well-placed adjectives, one can make any room in fiction come to life. It is hoped this class will allow attendees to become Regency interior designers who can create exact and vivid descriptions and aspects of setting unique to this era. With that knowledge a writer can paint a Regency world that surrounds and seduces the reader to believe their dream of living in Regency England has come true.
Registration closes April 11, 2026
If you want to get published but are not sure how to go about it and whether to go via a publisher or self-publish, then this course is for you. You’ll leave this course with a clear understanding of your routes to publishing so you can make an informed choice about your preferred publishing path. We’ll go step-by-step on pros and cons of each route, explain how to find an agent and walk you through self-publishing. Very successful authors now frequently mix and match publishing routes, so whichever way you’ve been published so far, come along and examine your other options. And if you’re brand-new and still working on your manuscript, you can start planning for your preferred approach right away.
Course Dates: Saturday April 4th, 11th, April 18th and 25th, 2026 (Format is 1hr session + 1hr Q&A time on each date).
Melissa will share a wealth of resources, contacts and practical personal experience. She will cover DIY options for self-publishing as well as how to commission professionals to work with. We’ll talk about important commercial decisions authors need to take and where to find additional advice for every stage.
You will leave inspired and with a clear set of steps to take to self-publish. Specific contacts will be provided (e.g. where to find agents, book cover designers, formatters and editors).
Registration closes April 14, 2026
