Christy Matheson

Fairy tales — Regency Romance
Christy Matheson

Christy Matheson

Christy Matheson writes uplifting romantic fiction about friends, family, and finding one's place in an ever-changing world. She is the author of the "Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tale" novellas, and editor and contributor for "Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women." Her Regency novels are represented by Kristina Sutton-Lennon, on submission with publishers, and have won pre-publication awards. Christy is an embroidery artist, classically trained pianist, and sews all of her own clothes. She lives in Oregon, on a country property that fondly reminds her of a Regency estate (except with a swing set instead of faux Greek ruins), with her five children, three Shelties, a bunny, and an improbable quantity of art supplies. 

Books

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Feisty Deeds II: Historical Tales of Batches and Brews

From the series: Feisty Deeds Anthologies

Concoctions, treats, brews, and potions from another batch of feisty characters

Whether cooking for solace, scrounging for food, concocting medicine, or brewing poisons, the feisty women in these stories will keep you thirsting for more. Twenty-five tales will transport you far afield in time and place: third century Ireland, medieval Europe,...

Where Kindness Lives: A Women’s Fiction Anthology

Where Kindness Lives is a moving collection of nine original stories that celebrate the quiet power of compassion, generosity, and connection.

From strangers who reach out in unexpected moments, to loved ones offering grace when it’s needed most, these stories explore how even the smallest acts of kindness can ripple outward—shifting hearts,...

The Horned Women and Other Stories: Contemporary Retellings of Irish Fairy Tales (The Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales)

Being a single mother is hard enough without murderous Fae in your living room.

The only things that American folklorist, Maura Robinson, wanted from her contentious divorce was custody of her two young children—and an Irish castle. She ends up with her ex’s teenage kids, plumbing problems… and an unexpected doorway from the Fae world.

First...

Series

The Horned Women and Other Stories: Contemporary Retellings of Irish Fairy Tales (The Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales)
The Knight and His Magical Armlet (The Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales Book 5)
The Boat on the Lake of Regret (The Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales Book 6)
The Squire and His Magical Library (The Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales Book 4)
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The Castle in Kilkenny: Fairy Tales

Being a single mother is hard enough without murderous Fae in your living room.

The only things that American folklorist, Maura Robinson, wanted from her contentious divorce was custody of her two young children—and an Irish castle. She ends up with her ex’s teenage kids,...

Feisty Deeds : Historical Fictions of Daring Women
Feisty Deeds II: Historical Tales of Batches and Brews

Feisty Deeds Anthologies

Historical short stories of ordinary women who confront life’s challenges

in ways uplifting, bold, and risky.

"...these globe-spanning tales of dauntless women are pitch-perfect, timely, and meticulously crafted. As the editor sagely notes, "women live closer to the line...

Praise

What a fun, witchy little read! The Horned Women takes a creepy old Irish fairy tale and spins it into something fresh, smart, and totally charming. I loved Maura — she’s got that “holding it together with duct tape and coffee” energy I can seriously relate to — and seeing her face off against twelve different horned witches with nothing but folklore, stitching skills, and pure mom grit was just so satisfying.
Christy Matheson writes with a cozy, heartfelt vibe that makes even the spookiest moments feel grounded and real. It’s a quick read, but it really sticks with you. If you like your fairy tales with a bit of chaos, a little magic, and a lot of heart, you’ll love this one.

– -Gina Rae Mitchell Reviews

Christy Matheson takes ancient folklore and breathes wild, bloody life into it, conjuring up a story of grief, anger, magic, and survival.

The atmosphere is thick with shadow and myth: dark woods, whispered warnings, the gleam of horns; I was spellbound. The characters are raw, fierce, and painfully real.

– -Claire Hill, Claire’s Reviews

…this is something completely different.

– -Sarah Reads, Book Reviews

Latest Updates

Long List for the Chanticleer Awards "The Horned Women & Other Stories"

"The Horned Women & Other Stories" is on the Long List for the Chanticleer Awards, in the Collections & Anthologies category. This book contains three novellas and a...

Phase 2 of the Author Shout Awards The Squire & His Magical Library has

The Squire & His Magical Library has moved to Phase 2 of the Author Shout Awards! Semi-finalists will be announced mid-December.

Best Novelette "The Horned Women" is the Finalist in the American Writing

"The Horned Women" is the Finalist in the American Writing Awards for Best Novelette.

Blog

Why “cozy fantasy” isn’t cozy

Do you define yourself as a cozy fantasy reader—or perhaps you think cozy sounds boring? Some of you are women’s fiction or historical readers and maybe haven’t thought about it at all. I’ve taken a deep dive into the genre, and what I’ve found in the books themselves is not what I expected.

In this newsletter:

  • What surprised me about “Cozy Fantasy”
  • Two free books for you: love letters and dogs
  • What I’m working on
  • Bibliography

Cozy Fantasy: What surprised me

I have...

Events

I will have all paperbacks plus gift bundles available at the Eugene Holiday Market, December 23-24th.