Valerie Spanswick earned her BA in art history from the University of Washington, Seattle, with a special interest in Classical and Roman baroque art and architecture. She then moved to the UK and, subscribing to the saying "When in Rome do as the Romans do" changed her focus to 18th and 19th century British art for her MA, which was granted by the University of York. She currently resides in mid-Wales and is a freelance editor and writer.