Did You Know Shakespeare Invented the Name Jessica?

CEDAR PARK, Texas - Feb. 11, 2021 - PRLog -- From the best-selling author of Her Daughter's Eyes comes a romance novel for the ages, The Play's the Thing will be released May 18.

In the middle of staging a performance of The Merchant of Venice, English professor Jessica Randall finds herself transported back in time, into the chambers of none other than William Shakespeare himself. Not quite famous yet, the down-on-his-luck playwright has been tormented by a steady stream of Jessicas apparating into his home from every time period in history. (Our) Jessica's appearance is the last - but can she go back? And will she want to, as she and Shakespeare kindle a passionate romance?

A perfect blend of steamy and smart, this epic romance by Jessica Barksdale Inclán was inspired by the history of her own name. What if Shakespeare's invention of a name touched every woman in history who possessed it? Inclán envisioned a web of connections stretching through time, connecting the past to the present. This is historical romance at its finest: providing a vivid picture of the past through a modern lens, and creating these invaluable ties to the influences of our favorite classical works.

And no one produced a more iconic set of works than William Shakespeare. With everything that Shakespeare created, the man himself still remains a mystery. And so Inclan has delivered something we did not know we needed this badly: a sexy Shakespeare. What was he like? Could he ever live up to the beautiful romances that he himself penned? Our heroine Jessica - and readers of her adventures - are destined to find out.

If you love Shakespeare, literature, romance, time travel, or all of the above, The Play's the Thing is the historical romance you've been waiting for.

About the Author
Jessica Barksdale Inclán studied Shakespeare's poetry and plays intensely while obtaining her MA in English literature and her MFA in creative writing. Inclán heavily researched Elizabethan England and Shakespeare's life in order to create The Play's the Thing, including travels to London and deep dives into Elizabethan English. Many of the characters are based off of real people, and Inclán worked hard for authenticity in her novel.

Inclán has written fifteen novels to date, including Her Daughter's Eyes, The Matter of Grace, and When You Believe. She teaches novel writing for UCLA Extension and in the MFA program at Southern New Hampshire University. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, she now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.