Next up on History Through Fiction: The Podcast is historical novelist and writer of women’s adventure stories set in the West, Ashley E. Sweeney. Her novels include Eliza Waite, which tells the story of widow who heads north during the Alaskan gold rush of 1898, and Answer Creek, a gripping tale of adventure and survival based on the true story of the ill-fated Donner Party on their 2,200-mile trek on the Oregon-California Trail from 1846 to '47. In this episode, Sweeney talks about the importance and challenge of adhering to historical accuracy, the value of having deadlines, and the discoveries she made traveling along the Oregon trail.

About the Author

Ashley Sweeney is a Washington-based historical novelist whose long been enamored with underserved women’s voices. She defines her stories as Women’s adventures set in the American West. Ashley is a seasoned journalist, teacher, and community activist. She served as a VISTA volunteer in the late 1970s and continues community service today as a member of Soroptimist International, one of the largest women’s advocacy organizations in the world. Her first novel, Eliza Waite, won the 2017 Nancy Pearl Book Award. Her newest novel, which tells the story of 19 year old Ada Weeks as she travels the Oregon Trail with the ill-fated Donner party, is titled Answer Creek.