Keeping the Countess received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Helena P. Schrader.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Keeping the Countess was published June 24, 2025.
What’s the book’s first line?
It had not occurred to Reverend Jonah Sinclair that traveling in the dark on a rain-soaked country road might lead him to his death.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
A passionate clergyman must overcome his forbidden desire for a scandalous countess to uncover his father’s killer.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
This book was heavily inspired by Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. I read the novel for the first time when I was twelve and I imprinted on it!
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
So many people are looking for escape right now, and they can find that within the pages of Keeping the Countess. Readers seeking a historical gothic mystery full of twists and forbidden romance will enjoy this story.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Jonah Sinclair, the male main character, is both compassionate, and driven towards justice. For Masterpiece Mystery fans, he’s a combination of Sidney Chambers from Grantchester and William Wellington from Miss Scarlet and The Duke.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Keeping the Countess is my first published historical romance novel. I’ve written several other manuscripts that I hope will find their way to readers in the future.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
By day, I work on policy advocacy for a large conservation organization.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I aim for 60-90 minutes of morning pages three to four days a week. I carve out time for longer writing sessions on the weekends, depending on what stage of the writing / revising / editing process I’m working on.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best AND the hardest part of being an indie is that you, as the author and publisher, are in charge of everything. You are able to define and execute your creative vision, set your own pace, and decide how you will package and present your books to readers. But that means you’re responsible for all of it too! You have to find a balance between the creative side (dreaming and writing your books) and the business side (formatting, designing, publishing and promoting.)