Jessica Tvordi’s debut indie novel, The Schoolmaster (June 2024), transports readers to the court of King James VI of Scotland, delving into the political intrigues of his early reign after the arrival of his first lover-favorite at court, his French-raised cousin, Esmé Stewart. Jessica is an associate professor of English at Southern Utah University, where she teaches courses in Shakespeare and early British women writers and co-organizes the Wooden O Symposium. Her academic publications include articles on Shakespeare’s plays, the Stuart court masque, and the poets John Milton and Robert Herrick.