About the Book

Book: The Bird of Bedford Manor

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction / Regency

Release Date: February, 2026

Bedfordshire, England, 1820: Ruined by the sins of her father, Juliet Finch is cast into a life of self-reliance. Survival is a harsh taskmaster, but she is a quick learner and excels at tracking and snaring wild game to feed herself. Juliet embraces her new identity until the day Henry Russell catches her poaching on his land—a crime punishable by death. Henry, however, has other offenses on his mind: namely, the troublesome stalker who’s making a misery of his sister’s life. To try to put a stop to her torment, Henry charges Juliet with tracking the elusive villain so he can be brought to justice. Using her skills, Juliet hunts down the rogue. . .but may just become the prey herself.

Reader favorite Michelle Griep has penned yet another masterpiece with this page-turning adventure that has it all:

swoon-worthy romance
clever turn-of-phrase
colorfully memorable characters
charming British setting

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at http://www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

More from Michelle

The Waltz: The Dance That Shocked Regency England

I’ll be the first to admit it…I can’t dance a lick. Not a jig, not a reel, and certainly not anything that requires turning in rhythm without stepping on someone’s toes. If you ever spot me on a dancefloor, it’s because someone shoved me there or I lost a bet. Which is probably why the waltz both fascinates and terrifies me. A dance that actually expects you to glide gracefully while holding someone close? Absolutely not. And yet in Regency England, it became the talk of the town.

When the waltz swirled onto the dancefloors of England in the 1790s, it caused more shock than delight. Imported from Austria and southern Germany, it was a turning, closely-held dance—far too close for the comfort of polite society. Many called it indecent, warning that no respectable couple should stand chest-to-chest before a room full of onlookers. Some critics even claimed the dance “ignited dangerous feelings” and threatened to erode proper English restraint.

Shocking, right?

But fashions shift, and all it took was the Prince Regent giving the dance his approval in 1814. Overnight, the waltz transformed from scandal to sensation. By the 1820s, it was everywhere.

Here are a few fun bits of waltz trivia from the era:
• Some etiquette books warned that too much turning could cause “disorientation” or “undue excitement.”
• Early chaperones sometimes counted the number of turns, convinced it reflected a couple’s level of impropriety.
• A lady’s hemline was said to act like a “barometer” of a gentleman’s behavior—if it swayed too wildly, he was holding her too tightly.

In The Bird of Bedford Manor, set in 1820, this same world of rigid rules and whispered scandals forms the backdrop for Juliet Finch—resourceful, determined, and driven into the woods by her father’s downfall. When Henry Russell catches her poaching on his land, everything changes. What begins as a crime punishable by death becomes something far more dangerous as he charges her with tracking the stalker tormenting his sister.

Juliet can track anything. But this time, she may become the hunted.

Interview with Michelle

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

When did I first realize I wanted to be a writer?
Probably the moment I discovered a blank wall and a box of Crayolas. Pure destiny… and mild vandalism. I even made my friends play ‘writing games’ as kids. Frankly, it’s a miracle any of them stuck around.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Well, in a perfect world I’d take nine months and treat it like a civilized literary gestation. But life happens, deadlines loom, and I’ve been known to pop one out in four months—no epidural, just caffeine and panic.

What is your real-life work schedule like when writing?

First, I brew a heroic cup of coffee—something strong enough to resurrect the dead. Then I ‘commute’ upstairs to my office, where I crank out new pages for about four hours… unless a squirrel, dust mote, or suspiciously shiny object derails me. After that, I wrangle social media for an hour, answering comments and pretending I’m not still in pajamas. Then it’s on to edits for whatever other projects are hollering the loudest.

What are your favorite books to read?

I read all across the board. Anything with great writing is a win. Regency and Victorian historical romance are my happy place, though. Give me cravats, corsets, and a dash of scandal, and I’m good for the evening.

When did you write your first book and how old were you?

Well, my mom kept a stash of my early ‘works’—tiny folded-paper epics about dogs—so apparently I was pounding out literary masterpieces at about six. Professionally, though, I wrote my first full-length manuscript at 38. It never saw the light of day, but it did teach me how to survive the writing process without setting my desk on fire.

How do you create your main characters?

Honestly, it varies. Sometimes a random Pinterest picture ambushes me and—bam—I’ve got a new imaginary person living rent-free in my head. Other times I dream up some spectacular fiasco and then decide who would be foolish enough to get tangled in it. No matter where I start, I always pin down their goals, motivations, and conflicts first—inside and out—because even fictional people need a good dose of emotional baggage.

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?

The hardest part? Convincing the characters to stop acting like feral cats and do what I actually planned for them. Plotting is easy. Wrangling fictional humans with minds of their own?That’s the real spiritual discipline.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Oh, you know—run off the local armadillo mafia from pillaging my garden, consume irresponsible amounts of chocolate, and dote on my grandbabies until they’re good and properly spoiled. And when all that’s done? I read. Then I read some more.

What does your family think of your writing?

Honestly? I’m still just the resident oddball. No one’s impressed unless I’m in the kitchen conjuring up a braised chicken with white wine sauce—in which case I briefly ascend to ‘family favorite’ status before reverting to the weird one.

Do you base your characters on real people?

Most of the time, no. My imagination is perfectly capable of concocting its own troublesome humans. But every now and then, someone in real life says or does something so spectacularly interesting that I can’t resist borrowing a trait or two. So yes, it happens. Consider yourself warned.

Have you experienced writer’s block, and how do you handle it?

I don’t have time for such a luxury. But if I did, my plan is to fling myself into something wildly productive—like scrubbing grout or alphabetizing the spice cabinet—until my characters get lonely and drag me back to the keyboard. Stay tuned. I’ll let you know if it works.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

That the story on the page never—not once—matches the cinematic masterpiece playing in my head. My imagination hands me ‘award-winning drama,’ yet my fingers deliver something less so. It’s a humbling experience, let’s put it that way.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Twenty-five and counting!

A favorite? Honestly, that’s like choosing a favorite child—impossible and guaranteed to start a family feud. But if I absolutely must pick, I’ll give you my two favorite heroes. James from Man of Shadow and Mist and Samuel from The Captive Heart. Those two stole my heart and refused to give it back, though the current hero I’m working on is probably going to steal the show for me.

Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Pop over to my website www.michellegriep.com and be sure to sign up for my newsletter. Don’t worry. I won’t bombard you. I’m lucky if I get out one a month, and even that is a little iffy.

But also find me on Facebook and Instagram where I have a lively bunch of followers who are loads of fun.

Any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

Always! I’ve got The Bird of Bedford Manor on deck—a Regency romp about a lady poacher who gets nabbed by the lord next door. Sparks fly. Trouble follows. It’s delicious.
And keep an eye out this fall for my next Victorian Christmas novella, starring none other than Belle, the girl who dumped Scrooge. Yes, that Scrooge. It’s going to be a festive little firecracker.