Heather Rose Jones
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heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Heather Rose Jones
@heatherrosejones.bsky.social
1.7K followers 250 following 3.2K posts
Author of queer historic fantasy, amateur historian, Hugo finalist. I blog and podcast as The Lesbian Historic Motif Project, with resources and discussion about sapphic historical fiction.

For more info, see my website alpennia.com
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heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Like this
Image of a goat standing on a store counter, but the goat image is also duplicated floating in the air above it.
November 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Oh, let's throw in one more graph, focusing on words most likely to be used as nouns referring to the supernatural entities: fairy, faerie (though this is sometimes used in a locational sense), fae, and the French fée. As before, see alt text for discussion. I leave interpretation as an exercise.
N-gram covering the period from 1600 to 2020 comparing frequency of fairy, faerie, fae, and fée. During the 17th century, the French word fée shows the highest (though variable) frequency. In the early 18th century it is replaced by "fae" but with "fairy" gradually rising to become most frequent through the long 18th century. Fae drops significantly in the early 19th century. See previous graphs for a clearer picture of its use in the 19-20th centuries. "Faerie" has a low but traceable frequency in the 17th century but then lays low until the 21st century.
November 20, 2025 at 9:28 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
The n-gram viewer detaults to starting at 1800, but just for fun, I limited the graph to "fae" and set the starting date at 1600. (With caveats about the types of texts likely to be included for the early centuries.) See alt text for discussion.
Viewing frequency for "fae" alone for the period from 1600-2020, we see a period of significant (if variable) frequency during what we might call the "long 18th century." This doesn't address the question of frequency relative to other terms for supernatural creatures, or the specific contexts in which "fae" was being used. These are topics for further examination using other means.
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
This graph focuses in on the three short forms, and cuts off at 2010 to show more detail in the earlier period. (See alt text for discussion.)
In this n-gram comparing fay, fae, and fey during the period between 1820 and 2010, we see "fay" (probably mostly in an adjectival sense?) gradually decreasing in frequency up through the early 20th century, but with isolated bumps around 1930 and around 1960-1980, after which it begins to rise again. "Fey" (which, when used properly, is not related to fairies) is consistently low-frequency until around 2000, the point when all three rise in parallel. "Fae" the term of primary focus had a brief limited surge in frequency around 1960, but then begins to rise around 2000. Although "fae" is lower in frequency than the other two during the parallel rise around 2000, as seen in earlier figures it then significantly outstrips them, crossing above them around 2010.
November 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Having removed "fairy" to show more detail for the other terms, we get the following. (See alt text for discussion.)
Focusing on the original question, "fae" starts a sharp increase in frequency around 2010. while "fey" and "faerie" also rise (but not as high) starting around the same time. Addressing the question of when "fae" might have started in significant use, the next graph will chart fay, fey, and fae against each other and cut off at 2010.
November 20, 2025 at 9:07 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
By starting the analysis in 1820, we get to see more detail. I should have mentioned that the commentary on the previous is in the alt text. I'll continue that as there's more room.
N-gram as in the previous image. Now we clearly see "fairy" as most frequent overall, decreasing in the mid-late 20th century but then rising sharply starting around 2000. "Fay" has occasional variations in frequency, but the other terms are consistently low frequency until around 2010. To distinguish better, the next graph will omit "fairy."
November 20, 2025 at 9:03 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Following up on this idea: Here's the first take, comparing fairy, faerie, fey, fay, fae.
An n-gram graph comparing the terms in the post. "fay" starts massively higher than the others in 1800 but drops to almost nothing in the next couple decades. "Fairy" is relatively consistent in frequency, but to distinguish the others, the next graph will narrow the timeframe to exclude the peak for Fay.
November 20, 2025 at 8:57 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Convincing you to read my novelette with the first sentence (ok, 1st two). Share yours!

You can get the story in my collection Skin-Singer here: books2read.com/u/bMMqp8
The Marchalt of Wilentelu had taken it into his mind to marry. That was why I was freezing on a mountainside looking for ravens.
November 11, 2025 at 9:22 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
The saffron harvest begins!
A hand is holding a small container and a pair of tweezers. Next to it is a purple saffron crocuses flower.
November 5, 2025 at 12:04 AM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
What's it like inside your head?
Bookshelves in the Trinity College old library in Dublin. A two-story open hall lined with rows of shelves of books.
October 24, 2025 at 9:43 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Today’s adventures reminded me that, for my corporate retirement gift, I’d chosen a wet/dry shop vac. So now I’ve unpacked and assembled it and am taking it for a spin.
October 8, 2025 at 9:01 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
I take it back the leaking refrigerator is not today’s most exciting thing. That would be the collision and fight in the street in front of my house that currently is up to 6 police cars, a fire truck and an emt vehicle (not counting the ambulance present during the original incident).
October 8, 2025 at 7:52 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
I was in Moe’s Books today and stumbled across this gem. A Paris guidebook written in 1828. And I just happen to have some characters heading to Paris two years earlier.
A book titled Guide de Paris 1828
October 8, 2025 at 2:17 AM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
New Zealand landscape (sort of):
Tree ferns in New Zealand
October 5, 2025 at 3:37 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Hey, look who’s helping me with the gardening today!
Disturbed soil with a large green praying mantis.
October 4, 2025 at 9:43 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Otters on the bike ride! (There are three of them, but I was having a hard time getting a good shot of even one.)
A concrete-lined canal with an otter.
October 3, 2025 at 5:12 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
We have graduated to fire-suppression sheep! First time I’ve seen this version.
Half a dozen sheep in various colors grazing on overgrown vegetation in a river valley.
September 23, 2025 at 6:26 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Spending the day selling books at the Martinez Pride Festival.
A grassy lawn, with two tables holding books. Signs on the tables say “Bay Area Queer Writers Association.”
September 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
It’s fire-suppression goat season!
Goats grazing in the Walnet Creek channel. Goats grazing in the Walnet Creek channel.
September 14, 2025 at 4:07 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
From the Hobbiton movie set, these are for @greenleejw.bsky.social
A large jar labeled “North Farthing Eels”. A millpond in which an eel is barely visible b
September 4, 2025 at 1:49 AM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
I am totally in love with New Zealand’s tree ferns.
View looking up into a cluster of giant tree ferns
September 3, 2025 at 4:09 AM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Kayaking out to see the glow-worm caves.
Two women wearing warm jackets and personal floatation devices.
September 2, 2025 at 8:33 AM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
Ok I give up, it’s some sort of shag but the color pattern doesn’t match anything in my ID app.
August 31, 2025 at 11:16 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
New bird: Pukeko
August 31, 2025 at 9:01 PM
heatherrosejones.bsky.social
New Zealand: I’ve owed you a visit since 2020. Making up for it now. I figured the t-shirt was appropriate.
August 29, 2025 at 11:50 PM