As you all know by now, I am part of a boxed set of novels and novellas (Rite to Reign) that's about royal witches. The stories are an eclectic collection--a retelling of the "Little Mermaid," an intriguing take on a familiar Oz figure. The minute i heard the theme of the boxed set, I knew I wanted to write a story about the German princess who became Catherine the Great.My interest in the empress was partly kindled by Eva Stachniak's wonderful historical novels about her. But I also have a long-standing fascination with Russian popular culture. I love that beautiful
