The Spark Behind the Story: His by Opening Day

Kat Sterling — Mon, 9 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Like all my books, my novella His by Opening Day is full of heart, heat, humor...and real history! In fact, the plot was carefully crafted around a major event in Seattle's history: the 1909 World's Fair.

The inspiration began when I came across a wonderful book on the fair: Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, Washington's First World's Fair: A Timeline History by Alan J. Stein and Paula Becker and the HistoryLink staff.

Almost four million people attended the Exposition from June to October, 1909, and it played a huge part in putting the growing city on the national and international map.

Further research introduced me to Henry Broderick, the youngest board member of The Exposition Company at age twenty-nine and a major real estate success. He would become the inspiration for Theodore Townsend.

Enjoy this assortment of images that sparked inspiration for my story!

A page from The Entomologist (1899), the magazine in which Rosie aspires to publish her research. (Photograph: Biodiversity Heritage Library)

Hope you enjoyed taking a tour around Seattle with me!

Look here for more information about getting your copy of His by Opening Day!

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Character Inspiration: A Female Lepidopterist

Kat Sterling — Mon, 2 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

When I began writing His by Opening Day, I knew I wanted to write about a young woman who was more interested in her studies than in finding love. Because the story would take place in the summer of 1909, I wanted a science-minded character who loved the outdoors. Butterflies popped into my head, and so I began researching famous lepidopterists, or those who study butterflies and moths.

Research introduced me to Margaret Fountaine (1862-1940), an English lepidopterist who was a collector, researcher, and illustrator during that time period. She was a remarkable woman, and my heroine, Rosie Fountaine, is named in honor of her.

A few fun facts about Margaret:

She kept a diary from the age of 16 until her death, offering a wonderful view into a Victorian and Edwardian woman's mind.
She visited over 60 countries on 6 continents to collect specimens.
Her four sketch books of butterfly life-cycles are held at the Natural History Museum in London.
The butterfly genus Fontainea was named in her honor!
Her collection of 22,000 butterflies, called the Fountaine-Neimy collection, is housed at the Norwich Castle Museum.

And here are a few photographs to enjoy!

This photograph has several colorful butterflies from the Fountaine-Neimy collection. This inspired the first scene, where Rosie talks to a butterfly in her own collection.

And that, dear reader, is how a character is born!

Look here for more information about getting your copy of His by Opening Day!

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Kat Sterling | Updates

The Spark Behind the Story: His by Opening Day

Character Inspiration: A Female Lepidopterist