PHOTO: Marsha Canham, celebrated author of historical romance, at home in Toronto with her beloved dogs.
Historical Romance With Heart Adventure And Heroism
Marsha Canham explores her passion for fearless heroines, pirate lore, and historical drama, revealing the emotional depth and creative spark behind her award-winning, swashbuckling romantic adventures.
Marsha Canham writes with the kind of wild-hearted passion that brings entire centuries roaring to life. Her stories are not merely set in the past—they are forged in it, shaped by firelight and cannon blasts, secret rendezvous and untamed landscapes. Whether charting the storm-swept journeys of pirates or the bloodied paths of Highland warriors, her novels are always alive with risk, romance, and a reverence for history’s beating heart.
At the centre of Canham’s storytelling is a deep-rooted belief in heroines who don’t wait to be rescued. Characters like Juliet Dante in The Iron Rose defy expectation—fierce, intelligent, utterly formidable. Their strength is neither ornamental nor convenient; it is hard-earned, honest, and complex. The emotional weight they carry is matched only by the adventures they dare to survive.
It is rare to find a writer whose love for historical detail matches their gift for narrative momentum, but Canham does exactly that. From the War of 1812 to the Jacobite Rebellion, the historical moments in her books are never mere scenery; they pulse with consequence, becoming as crucial to the story as any flesh-and-blood character.
Despite personal heartbreak and the creeping silence of grief, Canham has found her way back to the page, rekindling her voice with The Black Wind. It is a testament not only to her enduring talent, but to the kind of resilience that has always defined her characters—and, undeniably, the author herself.
What inspired you to revisit the world of pirates and high-seas adventure in your upcoming release, The Black Wind?
My own taste inspires me. Something about fearless pirates and tall ships and sea battles, fiery wenches and grand adventure appeals to me.
How do you balance historical accuracy with the romantic and adventurous elements in your novels?
I always try to base my stories around a real event, like the War of 1812 or the Jacobite Rebellion, or the lost princess of Brittany, using history as a character rather than just wallpaper in the background or an excuse to put characters in period costumes.
Among the Dante family in the Pirate Wolves series, which character has been the most challenging — or the most rewarding — to write, and why?
Juliet Dante from The Iron Rose was probably my biggest challenge because she had to be stronger than most of the characters and realistically portray a female pirate who took no nonsense from men, could fight better, strategize better, plus make life and death choices with her head not her heart.
The Pride of Lions and The Blood of Roses are steeped in Scottish history. What drew you to this particular period and culture?
Oddly enough, an old Scottish neighbour who told me the possible origin of the song line:“you take the high road and I’ll take the low road” She said the words were written on a scrap of paper found on a dead Highlander’s body, meant for his lover who had been sent to the Highlands by a different route after the retreat from Derby. Well, that was all I needed for my imagination to take fire.
You’ve written strong, complex heroines like Juliet Dante and Catherine Ashbrooke. How do you go about crafting such vivid female leads?
I base a lot of my characters on real people in my life, choosing characteristics I admire in four or five women and combining them into one. And of course, I throw in a lot of what I would like to see in myself too, if I could wield a sword or shoot a longbow.
Your books are known for their sweeping adventures and layered plots. What does your research and planning process look like before you begin writing?
Pretty much looks like confused chaos, no better way to describe it. I don’t work from an outline, so I often start with a scene that I’d like to see somewhere in the book and then build a story around it. The Wind and the Sea was the absolute toughest to untangle all the plot points because I kept killing off potential villains if I though the reader could easily figure out who was to blame.
With your impressive list of accolades and decades of success, what has kept you motivated to continue writing, especially now with The Black Wind on the horizon?
To be perfectly honest, I’ve had a rough few years and thought more than once I would not be able to pick up a pen again. Divorce soured me on writing romance. Then loss of my son was the worst moment of my life and I could not imagine ever being able to climb up out of my depression again. I had written 100 or so pages of The Black Wind before that, and for some reason, one day, just read through those pages again that I hadn’t looked at in two years, and a little spark came to life. Will I keep going and write more? I honestly don’t know.
What advice would you offer to aspiring historical romance authors hoping to bring their own swashbuckling tales to life?
My best advice is to do what I said above. Make the history aspect of the story one of the characters, not just a colourful backdrop. Find a little gem that opens up some incredible discoveries while researching because if it intrigues the writer, it will intrigue the reader. And best advice of all: don’t be predictable. If the reader can figure out on page 10 who everyone is and what is going to happen, then you’ve lost their interest already. Write a book they can’t put aside to go wash dishes.
