Historical Fiction Episodes

In this interview, I chat with Elizabeth Letts about Fallen for France, her inspiration for and connection to the story and setting, her love of horses and how they help create an entry into a story, the research she conducted, the title and cover, imagining the past, writing both fiction and nonfiction, and much more. Elizabeth's recommended reads are: The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Sharak Miss Lambert Steps Aboard Danger by Kazuo Ishiguro Lookin...

In this interview, I chat with Thao Thai about The Seekers of Deer Creek, her inspiration for the story, incorporating Vietnamese art and culture, creating a strong sense of place, the stunning cover, and much more. Thao's recommended reads are: Son of Nobody by Yann Martel Between You a River by Kimberly Garza Understory by Chloe Benjamin Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a...

In this interview, I chat with Ethan Joella about The Top of the World, how this story came about, setting a book in the 1970s, handing Chip's death, his research, the stellar cover, Bookstagram, writing this book and how much it changed over the years, our love for nostalgia, and much more. Ethan's recommended reads are: The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout Heart the Lover by Lily King When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printab...

In this interview, I chat with Christina Baker Kline about The Foursome, her personal connection to this story, her research and trying to learn more about the sisters who marry Cheng and Eng, having Sarah narrate the story, telling the tale without sensationalizing it, drawing on today's divisions to inform the past, The Foursome's publishing journey, and much more. Christina's recommended read is The Original by Priya Parmar. Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 17-pag...

In this interview, I chat with Rachel Hochhauser about Lady Tremaine, writing an untelling versus a retelling of a classic fairy tale, tackling such a well-known character, wanting her book to read like historical fiction, how she decided to write this book, her beautiful cover , and much more. Rachel's recommended reads are: Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard Scavengers by Kathleen Boland One Bad Mother by Ej Dickson Looking for some great...

In this interview, I chat with Saara El-Arifi about Cleopatra, researching Cleopatra and the time period, how daunting it was to write about Cleopatra and wanting to give her her dignity and her voice back, the stunning cover and her requests for it, deciding what to include and what to leave out, and much more. Saara's recommended read is The Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this interview, I chat with Catherine Chidgey about The Book of Guilt, how she came up with the ideas for this one, choosing who would tell the story, the hardest part of writing the book, her multiple covers, creating an alternative world, and much more. Catherine's recommended reads are: Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood Haven by Emma Donoghue Thanks so much to those of you who have donated to the show. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Ve...

In this interview, I chat with Hazel Gaynor about ⁠⁠Before Dorothy, why this story appeals to everyone not just The Wizard of Oz fans, The Wizard of Oz book is celebrating 125 years, how she was a fan of the book first, the title and cover, why she chose the setting she did, and much more. Hazel's recommended reads are: Elphie by Gregory Maguire The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printa...

In this interview, I chat with Joanna Miller about The Eights, creating a strong sense of place, how she decided to write this book, her focus on the small details, including the Timeline, Glossary, and Author's Note at the end of the book, her covers and all of the meaning in them, incorporating eights throughout the book, and much more. Joanna's recommended read is Mere by Danielle Giles. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 ne...

In this interview, I chat with Elise Hooper about The Library of Lost Dollhouses, how she decided to write about dollhouses, her great-grandmother's dollhouse and what it has taught her, her focus on women lost to history, her research for this novel, connecting timelines together, her title and cover, and much more. Elise's recommended reads are: Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton Storybook Ending by Moira McDonald California Dreamers by Amy Mason Doan Looking for some great winter reads? Check o...

In this interview, I chat with Shara Moon about Let Us March On, highlighting an unsung heroine, her research, bringing Lizzie McDuffie to life, deciding what and what not top include, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more. Shara's recommended reads are: Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan Becoming by Michelle Obama Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new t...

In this interview, I chat with Patti Callahan Henry about The Story She Left Behind, the real life inspiration for this book, exploring how humans deal with the unknowing, digging up literary themes, including Beatrix Potter, how she determined who would tell the story, her title and cover, and much more. Patti's recommended reads are: Playworld by Adam Ross Go As a River by Shelley Read The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 202...

In this interview, I chat with Penny Haw about Follow Me to Africa, how and why she decided to write about Mary Leakey, writing about a real person, drafting a dual timeline story, creating a fictional character to help tell Mary's story, a strong sense of place, and much more. Penny's recommended reads are: The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander by Denny S. Bryce The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas Happy Is the One by Katie Allen Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my...

In this interview, I chat with Renee Rosen about Let's Call Her Barbie, the story of how Barbie came to be, why Barbie looks like she does, what Renee couldn't include, the editing process, her title and cover, and much more. Renee's recommended reads are: The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn The Many Lives and Loves of Hazel Lavery by Lois Cahall Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide gre...

In this interview, I chat with Karissa Chen about Homeseeking, the interesting way she landed on the format for this book, her research, how the trauma of war impacts citizens, the way she handles language in this book, names and they can change over time in certain cultures, and much more. Karissa's recommended reads are: The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames We Lived on the Horizon by Erica Zwyler What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses Lookin...

In this interview, I chat with Fiona Davis about The Stolen Queen, how she came up with the ideas for this one, her research in Egypt and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art including the behind-the-scenes storage areas, focusing on women lost to history, her title's multiple meanings, her stunning cover, and much more. Fiona's recommended reads are: By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman Want to know which new titles are publishing in January...

In this interview, I chat with Eileen Garvin about Crow Talk, the inspiration for Adam, writing a book during COVID, creating her own field guide, the characters that were the easiest and hardest to write, the title and cover, and much more. Eileen's recommended reads are: Solito by Javier Zamora Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Inciting Joy: Essays by Ross Gay Want to know which new titles are publishing in May - October of 2024? Check out our second Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensiv...

In this interview, I chat with Michelle Collins Anderson about The Flower Sisters, inspired by an actual event from 1928, her daily family newsletter, how she decided to structure the story, the highlights of writing the book, the title and cover, and much more. Michelle's recommended reads are: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith Murder Bot by Martha Wells Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of...

In this interview, I chat with Piper Huguley about American Daughters, writing about the secret friendship between Portia Washington and Alice Roosevelt, how she learned about their relationship, her research, how her book cover came to be, why she chose the time period she did to write about, and much more. Piper's recommended reads are: The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe In a League of Her Own by Kaia Alderson Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2024? Check o...

In this interview, I chat with Jo Piazza about The Sicilian Inheritance, how this book is inspired by a family story, Sicily as a setting, why she chose for Sara to be a chef, plotting versus pantsing, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more.

In this interview, I chat with Allison Pataki about Finding Margaret Fuller, how she learned about Margaret Fuller and decided to write about her, why her goal is to educate and entertain, visiting Concord, her in-depth Author's Note, Fuller's rivalry with Edgar Allen Poe, and much more.

In this interview, I chat with Jennifer Ryan about The Underground Library, writing a book about books and libraries, how her role as book editor informed her writing, what surprised her the most when writing this one, her stunning cover, and much more.

In this interview, I chat with Stephanie Dray about Becoming Madam Secretary, why she decided to write about Frances Perkins, her research and how she chose what to include and what to leave out, drafting a comprehensive Author's Note, what she is working on next, and much more.

In this interview, I chat with Eliza Knight and Denny S. Bryce about Can't We Be Friends, how they learned about the friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe, writing a book together and how they approached it, using song titles for chapter headings, how the title and cover came about, and much more. Eliza's recommended read is The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang. Denny's recommended reads are: Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz Endless Vessel by Charles Soule All the Sinne...