
History Through Fiction: The Podcast
Featuring Interviews with Historical Novelists Talking About Their Books and Their Craft

Season 7, Episode 1 - Madeline Martin
In the Season 7 premiere of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful chats with Madeline Martin, author of "The Booklover's Library."

Get Excited for a New Season of History Through Fiction: The Podcast!
Season 7 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast kicks off on September 16th! Join us for weekly episodes featuring authors who mix history with fiction. Madeline Martin starts the season, followed by Aurélie Thiele, Alix Rickloff, Kimberly Brock, and others. Catch our special episode with Jillian Forsberg too. Subscribe to your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss out. Let's uncover history's secrets together, one story at a time!

Bonus Episode - Ciera Horton McElroy
In this special bonus episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, we dive into the world of literature, business, and entertainment with the multi-talented Ciera Horton McElroy. As the CEO of Clover & Bee Communications and author of "Atomic Family," Ciera shares the intriguing literary reference that inspired her company's name and her journey from freelance writer to successful business owner.

Season 6, Episode 13 - Jill George
The final episode of season 6 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features Jill George, author of the novel A Hopeless Dawn. During the interview, host Colin Mustful chats with George about the painting that inspired her novel, what life was like for the people of Cornwall—the 19th century fishing village featured in her novel—, and the character profiles she creates before starting any novel. Don’t miss it!

Season 6, Episode 12 - Ezra Harker Shaw
Season 6, Episode 12 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features our very own Ezra Harker Shaw, author of the novel The Aziola’s Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys. During the interview, host Colin Mustful chats with Harker Shaw about the values and ideals extolled by Mary and Percy Shelley during their lifetimes, the influence of Lord Byron on the lives and writings of the Shelleys, and the story behind the title of The Aziola’s Cry. Don’t miss it!

Season 6, Episode 11 - Yangsze Choo
Season 6, Episode 11 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features Yangsze Choo, author of the novel The Fox Wife. During the interview, host Colin Mustful chats with Choo about the mythology of the fox in east Asian culture, the tradition of detective novels in Chinese literature, and the years Choo spent writing her first manuscript that was never published. Choo also talks about the joy and challenges of narrating her own audiobook. Don’t miss it!

Season 6, Episode 10 - Marthese Fenech
Season 6, Episode 10 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features Marthese Fenech, bestselling author of historical novels set in 16th-century Malta and Turkey. During the interview, host Colin Mustful chats with Fenech about the rich history of the island country of Malta, her dedication to her craft, and the inspiration that led her to write her Knights of Malta series. Don’t miss it!

Season 6, Episode 9 - Jenny Quinlan
Season 6, Episode 9 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features historical fiction editor and founder of Historical Editorial, Jenny Quinlan. During the interview, host Colin Mustful chats with Quinlan about when she discovered her love for historical fiction, how and why she started Historical Editorial, what advice she has for authors when working with an editor, and the challenges and rewards of chairing the Historical Novel Society North American Conference. Don’t miss it!

Season 6, Episode 8 - Jennifer Ryan
Season 6, Episode 8 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features Jennifer Ryan, author of the novel The Underground Library. During the interview, host Colin Mustful chats with Ryan about how she creates authentic characters, how the Bethnal Green Library became an underground library during The London Blitz, and how Ryan’s grandmother inspired this and other stories. Don’t miss it!

Season 6, Episode 7 - Robin Oliveira
Season 6, Episode 7 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast has Robin Oliveira, the author of A Wild and Heavenly Place. Host Colin Mustful talks with Oliveira about immigration to Seattle in the late 1800s, her dedication to the facts and extremely thorough research, and how she combined her ancestry with her love of the Pacific Northwest to write this novel. Don't miss!

Season 6, Episode 6 - ReShonda Tate
Season 6, Episode 6 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features ReShonda Tate, author of The Queen of Sugar Hill. Host Colin Mustful chats with Tate about the challenges, personally and professionally, Hattie McDaniel faced after becoming the first black woman to win an Oscar, the relevance of Hattie’s story today, and the reasons behind Tate’s decision to write historical fiction. Be sure to tune in!

Season 6, Episode 5 - Candace Simar
Season 6, Episode 5 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast has Candace Simar, the author of Sister Lumberjack. During the interview, host Colin Mustful talks with Simar about how her own family history inspires her stories, what life was like for 19th century lumberjacks, and the history behind the Benedictine Health System. Don't miss this great chat!

Season 6, Episode 4 - Elizabeth R. Andersen
Season 6, Episode 4 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features Elizabeth R. Andersen, author of The Alewives. Host Colin Mustful chats with Andersen about beer vs. ale, how her tech and journalism experience helped her write historical novels, and her choice to go for independent publishing right away. They also discuss the stunning Pacific Northwest, where Elizabeth lives and enjoys hiking. Be sure to tune in!

Season 6, Episode 3 - Brock Meier
Season 6, Episode 2 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast has Brock Meier, the author of The Stone Cutter. Host Colin Mustful talks with Meier about the history of the Nabataean Kingdom, the biblical origins of his main character Nahor, and the unique rock-cut architecture of Petra. Don't miss this great chat!

Season 6, Episode 2 - Angie Elita Newell
Season 6, Episode 2 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast has Angie Elita Newell, the author of All I See is Violence. Host Colin Mustful talks with Newell about the history of the American Indian Wars and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, how to make historical events into a compelling fictional narrative, and what it means to infuse history with emotion so we don't repeat the mistakes of the past. Don't miss this great chat!

Season 6, Episode 1 - Eric Z. Weintraub
Season 6, Episode 1 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast has Eric Z. Weintraub, the author of South of Sepharad. Host Colin Mustful talks with Weintraub about developing his characters Vidal and Bonadonna, the Jewish diaspora after the Alhambra Decree, and how his MFA program helped him craft his first novel. Don't miss this great chat!

Get Excited for a New Season of History Through Fiction: The Podcast!
History Through Fiction: The Podcast is about to launch its thrilling 6th season! Starting on Monday, February 19th, we're kicking things off with a lineup of authors who have mastered the art of weaving historical facts with riveting fiction. Every week, you'll get to meet these talented writers and hear about their experiences turning the rich tapestry of history into spellbinding stories.

Season 5, Episode 14 - J.L. Oakley
In our final episode of the season, Season 5, Episode 14 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features J.L. Oakley, author of the novels The Quisling Factor and The Jøssing Affair. During the interview, host Colin Mustful talks with Oakley about the Norwegian resistance movement during WWII, the important reason her main character can speak in sign language, and how her own family history helped make her into a storyteller. Don’t miss it!

Season 5, Episode 13 - Marlie Parker Wasserman
Season 5, Episode 13 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features Marlie Parker Wasserman, author of the novel Path of Peril. During the interview, host Colin Mustful talks with Wasserman about why President Theodore Roosevelt was the first U.S. president to travel abroad while in office, the career of White House Secretary Maurice C. Latta who served for nine different presidents, and how she went from a university press publisher to writing historical crime fiction. Don’t miss it!

Season 5, Episode 12 - D.G. Schulman
Season 5, Episode 12 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast features D.G. Schulman, author of the novel Anna’s Promise. During the interview, host Colin Mustful talks with Schulman about the circumstances facing Poland during WWI, her extremely positive experience working with Wild Rose Press, and what it means to hold tight to one’s faith, religious or otherwise. Don’t miss it!