Turning a Passion into a Profession

Updated September 2026.

Author and speaker Rosemary Griggs has been researching Devon’s sixteenth-century history for years. Now, she is the award-winning author of three historical fiction novels and one biography, with her books regularly stocked by bookshops across the UK (including Waterstones!) What's more, through her ebooks and audiobooks she has a growing worldwide readership, especially in the USA. Alongside this, Rosemary is a popular West Country speaker, often appearing in full period costumes she creates herself.

So how did Rosemary’s lifelong passion for history turn into a thriving career? 

Where it Began: A Lifelong Love of History

Rosemary first discovered her love of history in primary school. ‘Although my career in the Civil Service took me in a very different direction,’ she says, ‘in my retirement I’ve been able to indulge my passion for history to the full. The Tudor and Elizabethan eras have always held a special fascination for me.'

'It was a time of extraordinary religious, political, and social upheaval. Everyone was affected; lives were transformed. So, while the tales of the royal court, Henry VIII and his wives, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I, still captivate me, I also wanted to explore the lives of the women in England beyond royal circles. I’ve discovered some fascinating characters who deserve to have their stories told.’

As well as researching a prominent Devon family, the Champernownes, Rosemary has also delved deep into the clothing of the time. A skilled seamstress, she dresses in authentic Tudor style when she speaks to audiences all over the west of England. Rosemary has found the late Dame Hilary Mantel’s advice to aspiring authors of historical fiction incredibly helpful.

‘Dressing as they did is one of the ways I follow Dame Hilary’s advice to ‘inhabit their world’. Studying clothing and fashion has led me to research health, hygiene, fabrics, dyes, and the people involved in making clothes, like weavers, dyers, tailors, lace makers and embroiderers. I’ve also discovered the guilds overseeing their crafts and along the way, I’ve met Devon merchants who made fortunes selling wool and woollen cloth. I’ve even followed links to politics, international relations, and piracy.’ This detailed research underpins Rosemary’s Daughters of Devon novels.

While volunteering with the National Trust at Compton Castle, where she first dressed in Elizabethan splendour in the outfits she creates, Rosemary discovered Katherine Champernowne, the main character in her first book. 

‘We hear so much about the men of history, yet women played their part too. Katherine was the mother of two famous Elizabethan adventurers: Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter Raleigh. When I found her mentioned in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, which was published during her lifetime, I knew I had to tell her story.’

Next Rosemary discovered Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery, who married into the Champernowne family after a traumatic childhood during the French Wars of Religion. She found the challenges faced by this young French Huguenot woman, who essentially arrived as a refugee in Elizabethan Devon, so fascinating that two more novels, The Dartington Bride and Mistress of Dartington Hall, followed.

From Aspiring Writer to Award-Winning Self-Published Author 

For Rosemary, the decision to self-publish was inspired by a desire to maintain control over her publication. ‘I didn’t want a publisher to push me towards trends like murder, mystery or time-slip romance,’ she says. 

 ‘I wanted to tell the stories of the women of sixteenth-century Devon my way. Time was also a major factor. At my age, I couldn’t wait for months to be noticed by an agent and then wait again for a publisher.’ 

In the time it might take for a traditionally published author to enquire, pitch and publish a book, Rosemary was able to self-publish three books across a range of different formats: A Woman of Noble Wit (2021), The Dartington Bride (2024), and Mistress of Dartington Hall (2025).

Rosemary opted for Troubador and full-service self-publishing because of the creative freedom it offered her. ‘I’ve really enjoyed working with Troubador on my three Daughters of Devon novels,’ she says, ‘they did all the technical work, leaving me to focus on my writing.’

She also values the retail availability that Troubador offers. ‘Troubador have helped me get my books into both mainstream and independent bookshops. A highlight of my self-publishing journey so far has definitely been seeing copies of A Woman of Noble Wit regularly placed on the Historical Fiction table in Waterstones, alongside books by famous writers like Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory.’

I encountered Rosemary's book at Waterstones in Exeter, surrounded by many famous historical fiction writers. 

And winning the awards? That has been phenomenal for Rosemary. 

'I was overwhelmed by the positive reaction to A Woman of Noble Wit. People wrote to me saying how much they had enjoyed it, and I had some amazing reviews,' she says. 'To receive a silver medal in an international competition for historical fiction, the Coffee Pot Book of the Year Awards, with my first book, was icing on the cake. Both of my subsequent novels also won medals. I was also thrilled when Mistress of Dartington Hall was featured as an “Editor’s Choice” in the magazine of the Historical Novels Society in February 2026.'

'That sort of recognition has encouraged me to go on writing.’

Self-Publishing Paperbacks, eBooks and Audiobooks

For many self-publishing authors, deciding what format(s) will be best for your book is a very important decision. 

Rosemary’s advice is to consider your target audience and where they are likely to buy books. ‘In my case, I knew my novels would appeal to older women readers,’ she says. 

‘Many of them prefer to buy physical books from local bookshops. That is why I opted to release as a paperback, not just an ebook’. 

‘Thanks to Troubador’s supported self-publishing model, my novels are now available in many local bookstores as a paperback.’ 

Although her primary readership opt for paperback, Rosemary has seen great value in having her book as an ebook and audiobooks. 

‘ebooks have helped me to widen my readership to include people overseas. Troubador’s ongoing support has helped me manage special offers on my ebooks and BookBub features, which have helped me reach many more readers.’ 

Rosemary's books are available across paperback, ebook and audiobook. 

‘At first, I didn’t realise the popularity of audiobooks. For some reason, people seem to like my voice, so I decided to narrate my audiobooks myself. The audio versions of my first two books have been well received, and I’m currently recording my third book.’

Events, Promotion and Connecting to Readers

Rosemary's managed to turn her passion into her profession. Something that is absolutely vital to that, she says, is engaging with your readers and building relationships. 

'Through my talks and appearances for community groups like Local History Societies, U3A’s and WI’s, I meet readers face to face and offer my books for sale direct.'

'My speaking commitments have grown, and I now have around sixty bookings each year. It’s hard work, but I meet lots of lovely people and really enjoy sharing my passion for history.' 

Using online resources is also essential for connecting to readers nowadays, she says. 'The best decision I made in my author’s journey was to set up a website.' 

'It provides a ‘one-stop shop’ for my books, my research, and my wider work as a speaker.'

Rosemary Griggs uses her website to promote and sell her books, showcase videos, store blogs, market her events, and more. 

'I chose Troubador to help me design my website and to host it too. Their ongoing technical support is simply wonderful. They have just helped me to set up an online bookshop so that I can sell my books direct to readers.' 

'Along with my website, I’ve also embraced social media and have a strong following on Facebook, Instagram, and most recently on Substack. This has put me in touch with many other authors and historians, and has led to many opportunities to speak on history podcasts and to write guest posts for bloggers. I also keep in touch with readers through a regular newsletter to around 1000 subscribers. I’ve found Facebook advertisements combined with special offers particularly good for leveraging a good volume of sales.'

'Local radio, including interviews on BBC Radio Devon. has helped raise my profile. I also recorded a series of short snippets of local history for their Secret Devon programme last year.'

Getting Her Books into Bookshops 

For many self-published authors, the dream is to see your books in bookshops. But competition can be fierce, and it can be difficult to know where to get started. So how did Rosemary do it? 

'As my novels are based in Devon, there’s a lot of local interest. By visiting whenever I’m passing, I’ve built relationships with local independent bookshops,'

Events are also another great way for authors to get their books stocked in bookshops. 'I’ve given a number of talks to their readers and they now stock my books regularly,' Rosemary says. 'Because Troubador supplies the wholesalers, Gardners, it’s easy for smaller booksellers to obtain copies. The branch of Waterstones in my hometown has been very supportive, hosting book signings and even giving me a window display.'

How Self-Publishing Helped Her Secure a Traditional Publishing Contract 

In August 2026, Rosemary published her first work on non-fiction, Queen Elizabeth I's Governess: The Real Kat Ashley, published with Pen and Sword Books. 

'I’m sure the success of my novels helped me secure a contract with a mainstream publisher,' Rosemary says. 

'When I started out with my first novel, I was a complete novice and had little idea how the publishing world worked. Nor did I have any experience of working with editors and proofreaders to polish a manuscript. I’ve learned such a lot with Troubador, which has stood me in good stead when working with Pen and Sword Books on my first biography.'

Rosemary Griggs with members of the Troubador team, and copies of her publications. 

'Signing up with Troubador was the start of an amazing journey. I’ve now turned my passion for history into an incredibly rewarding career.'