Why I Write under H.R. Crittenden

There’s something about the past that calls to me.

Not because it was perfect—it wasn’t.
Not because it was easier—it wasn’t that either.

But because it was… different.

More structured.
More restrained.
More intentional.

And within that structure, something remarkable happened:

Romance felt bigger.
Choices carried more weight.
And love—when it came—felt like something worth fighting for.

That’s the world I step into when I write under H.R. Crittenden.

One of the things I love most about historical romance is the beauty of it.

The architecture.
The interiors.
The fashion.

Those grand manor houses with sweeping staircases.

The carefully designed rooms filled with character and craftsmanship.

The gowns—layered, detailed, elegant in a way we rarely see today.

As someone with a background in interior and fashion design, this world isn’t just interesting to me—it’s immersive.

It’s a place where design wasn’t rushed.
Where beauty mattered.
Where elegance was something people lived in.

Historical romance may be built on classic tropes—but that doesn’t mean the stories have to feel old.

I love taking those familiar elements and reshaping them into something that feels fresh.

Not modern.
Not rewritten to fit today.

But told in a way that makes you see them differently.

Because even timeless stories can still surprise you.

Historical settings come with something we don’t often see today:

Structure.

Rules.
Expectations.
Boundaries.

And while some of those rules were excessive—or even unjust—they also created something unique:

They gave weight to choices.

When emotions had to be restrained…
When actions had consequences…

Romance didn’t feel casual.

It felt earned.

H.R. Crittenden stories often sit between my other pen names.

They’re more intense than Alicia Jane…
but far less explicit than A.J. Strickland

They may explore war, social injustice, or difficult realities of the time.

But they do so within the lens of the historical world—where much was implied, restrained, or quietly understood.

👉 And if you ever see H.R. Crittenden paired with A.J. Strickland…

it simply means that some elements—particularly intimacy—will be portrayed more explicitly.

Historical romance allows me to do something I can’t always do in modern settings:

Go bigger.

More dramatic.
More adventurous.
More sweeping.

These are the kinds of stories where:

Love crosses boundaries,
Journeys span countries or oceans,
And the stakes feel larger than life

It’s storytelling that pulls you out of your world… and into another one entirely.

H.R. Crittenden isn’t just a pen name.

It’s a quiet nod to where I come from.

The “H” comes from my grandfather, Harry—who loved history and once dreamed of writing a book of his own.

The “R” is for my mom, Ruth, whose love for historical dramas—especially those rich, gothic romances—helped shape my own.

I didn’t set out to write historical romance because of them.

But when it came time to name this part of my writing life…

It felt right to carry that legacy with me.

If you pick up an H.R. Crittenden novel, you’re stepping into more than just a story.

You’re stepping into:

📜 another era
📜 another way of life
📜 another kind of romance

One where love unfolds more slowly…
But often more deeply.

Because sometimes…

The past reminds us of things we’ve forgotten.