Anita Tiemeyer

Hey there! I'm Anita Tiemeyer, and I write historical fiction that dives into the messy, complicated relationships we never talk about. You know those stories that make you squirm a little but you can't look away? Yeah, those are my jam.

I grew up surrounded by history books and family stories that were always a little too sanitized, a little too neat. The real stories—the ones whispered about at family reunions after too many glasses of wine—those were the ones that fascinated me. I spent years working as a high school history teacher (talk about seeing human nature at its most raw and unfiltered!), and let me tell you, teenagers haven't changed much since 1950.

Which brings me to my debut novel, "Sentence of Death Denied." I know, not your typical romance title, right? But I've always been drawn to those uncomfortable moments in history where desire and propriety clash head-on. The 1950s weren't all poodle skirts and sock hops—there was this whole undercurrent of rebellion and sexual awakening that nobody wants to acknowledge. (And trust me, as someone who's spent way too many hours in dusty archives reading old school records and local newspapers, the "good old days" were anything but innocent!)

When I started writing Joe and Alyssa's story, I knew it would raise some eyebrows. A ninth-grade boy caught in an obsessive, one-sided relationship with a classmate in 1950s small-town America? It's not exactly Hallmark movie material. But these are the stories that actually happened, the ones that got buried under layers of social propriety and selective memory.

My writing style? Well, I don't sugarcoat things. (My editor sometimes sends me notes that just say "ANITA, NO" in all caps—I consider that a badge of honor.) I believe in showing historical periods as they really were, warts and all. That means exploring the dark corners of human nature, the complicated mess of teenage sexuality, and the social dynamics that everyone pretended didn't exist.

When I'm not writing or doing deep-dive research that makes my browser history look seriously concerning, I'm probably annoying my husband with random historical facts or trying to convince my cat that my laptop keyboard is not, in fact, the most comfortable spot in the house. (Spoiler alert: I'm losing that battle.)

Fair warning: my books aren't for everyone. If you're looking for sweet, clean historical romance, I'm probably not your girl. But if you want stories that make you think, that challenge your assumptions about "simpler times," and that explore the kinds of relationships history books glossed over? Pull up a chair. We're going to get along just fine.

I'm currently working on my next novel (which is making my beta readers very uncomfortable in the best possible way), and I love connecting with readers who aren't afraid to look at the past through an unfiltered lens. You can find me on Instagram posting way too many pictures of my research materials and vintage finds, or on Facebook where I regularly share the weird historical tidbits that don't make it into my books but are too good not to share.

Just remember: history isn't always pretty, love isn't always healthy, and the most interesting stories are usually the ones that make us uncomfortable. That's where I live as a writer, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Want to join me in exploring the darker side of historical fiction? Grab a copy of "Sentence of Death Denied" and buckle up—it's going to be an interesting ride. (Just maybe don't read it at your book club if your group tends toward the pearl-clutching side of things. Trust me on this one.)