Explore the regency

Welcome to my new site

Welcome to my new site

Last weekend, my name was Pamela Hart. During the week, my name was Pamela Freeman. Today…I’m Elizabeth Leydin.

How can this be true? Well, last weekend I was at the Romance Writers of Australia conference (I was shortlisted for an award) as Pamela Hart. This week, I’ve been Pamela Freeman, my normal name and the one I teach writing under at the Australian Writers’ Centre. Elizabeth Leydin is a new pen name I’ve chosen especially for my Regency romances.

I’m afaid I write in far too many genres. As Pamela Freeman, I write epic fantasy, children’s fiction and non-fiction (have a look here). As Pamela Hart, I write murder mysteries plus historical novels set in World War I and the Roaring Twenties (look here) – adding one more genre onto either name just seemed like it might break the camel’s back. So, enter Elizabeth Leydin. The name comes from my great-grandmother, and my middle name also comes from her. To tell you the truth, I always wanted to be called Elizabeth rather than Pamela, and planned to name any daughter I had Elizabeth. But I had a son instead, so this is the first opportunity I’ve had to really use the name. And I’m taking it!

I’ve even made a logo for the site! What do you think? (Yes, corset fans, I know that’s not a Regency corset…but that will be the only bit of anachronism you will find in my stories – promise!

I’ll also be blogging over on Substack about all things Regency. Sign up for my newsletter/blog there and you receive a free Regency novella, Lost & Found, a story I really love, about second chances and unrequited love and how much better a new frock can make you feel (don’t worry, the love gets requited in the end).

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author elizabeth leydin

About Elizabeth Leydin

My story

I write Regency stories because I love them. I decided to get serious about writing these when my Regency novella, A Generous Heart, won the RWA Ruby Award (maybe the universe was sending me a message). I came late to writing in this genre, and for many years before that I wrote for children as Pamela Freeman and mystery novels plus early 20th Century novels as Pamela Hart. I started out in the Regency writing romances. Now I’m bringing my mystery writing together with a thread of romance in a Regency murder mystery which will be out in 2026. A classic country house mystery set in 1814: Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie, you might say!

Elizabeth Leydin was my great-grandmother, and I have her dressing table in my bedroom. Elizabeth is my second name, and it was my mother’s middle name too; a family tradition. My plan was to name any daughter I had Elizabeth, but I had a son, so the name was free for me to use when I decided to write Regencies.

Why the Regency for both mystery and romance? Well, when I first started reading adult books, my wonderful local librarian steered me towards Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer. I loved them both, and it’s so much fun bringing those two genres together!