Historical Fiction: Unpacked

On the final episode of Historical Fiction: Unpacked, I talk with Joanna Davidson Politano about her latest novel, The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple . We had a wonderful conversation about the silent film industry, the part gardens play in this story, and Joanna’s research and writing process. Here’s a description of the novel: In her newest narrative, Politano once again whisks readers...

This week’s episode features a fun conversation. Ashlee Cowles and Danielle Stinson make up A.D. Rhine. They met as military “brats” when they were kids and stayed close over the years. They’ve united to write a duology, Horses of Fire and Daughters of Bronze . I sat down with Ashley and Danielle to talk about their friendship, their mutual love of Homer’s Iliad , and...

Award-winning author Erin Bartels joins me on the show to talk about her latest novel, The Lady with the Dark Hair . We discuss the barriers women historically faced when they wanted to pursue a career as an artist as well as the recent emergence of female artists from history. Here is a description of the novel: A charismatic man with a legacy that long outlives him. A forgotten woman whose fate...

New York Times Bestselling author Allison Pataki joins me on the show today to talk about her latest release, Finding Margaret Fuller . We discussed Margaret’s place in history, the many famous transcendentalist writers she was connected to, and her influence on the U.S. feminist movement. We also talked about Allison’s research process, including her visit to Concord and Walden Pond a...

I had a wonderful conversation with Jennifer Ryan about her newly released novel, The Underground Library . It’s based on the real Bethnal Green Library, which went underground to service the bomb shelters beneath the streets of London during the Second World War. Jennifer and I chatted about the roles women played during World War II, how research inspires her stories, and what lead her to...

This week’s episode brings you a conversation with Joel H. Morris. His debut novel, All Our Yesterdays , releases next week, and it’s the origin story of the famous lady featured in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth . Joel and I discussed his love of Shakespeare and how he became fascinated with one of the most studied female literary figures. Here’s a description of Joel’s...

I spoke with Gail Lehrman about her love for New York City, how she came to become a writer later in life, and what’s so special about her debut novel, Across Seward Park . Here’s a description of the novel: Unions. Strikes. War. Depression… Set in the crowded tenements and teeming streets of New York’s Lower East Side, Across Seward Park follows one family’s journey...

Eric Z. Weintraub spoke with me about his newly released novel, South of Sepharad: The 1492 Jewish Expulsion from Spain . Eric and I talked about what we’re writing, the role of Eric’s Jewish heritage in his decision to write about this topic, the research his project required, and how he found a publisher. Here’s a description of South of Sepharad : Fleeing death by the Spanish...

Amy Lynn Walsh joins me on the show today to talk about her new release, Nellie . It’s part of the Apron Strings Series, a string of heartfelt inspirational stories by various authors featuring different women through the decades. Amy and I talked about the book’s setting of Northeastern Pennsylvania, which is the area where we both live! We also discussed tuberculosis treatment, Amy&#...

Dean Cycon is an author, lawyer, human rights advocate and internationally renowned social entrepreneur. His debut novel, Finding Home , released last June. We talked about this tale of survivors of Auschwitz returning to their former town following World War II, why Jews in Hungary had a slightly different experience from those in other European countries, how Dean incorporated the perspective of...

Talia Carner’s bio calls her an activist, a feminist, and a humanitarian who gives a voice to those without one. She’s also a bestselling author. Today we talk about her latest novel, The Boy with the Star Tattoo , which released Tuesday. Here’s a description of the novel: 1942:   As the Vichy government hunts for Jews across France, Claudette Pelletier, a young and talented seam...

Today’s episode features debut author Jamie Ogle. Her novel, Of Love and Treason , released Tuesday! It’s a compelling novelization of the story of Saint Valentine of Rome. Jamie and I discussed her research process, the years she spent writing this story, and what she learned from learning about the persecution faced by Roman Christians during the third century. Here’s a descrip...

In today’s episode, I’m talking with Jenni L. Walsh. Her latest novel, Unsinkable , tells the story of Violet Jessop, a stewardess who survived the sinking of the Titanic as well as maritime disasters aboard Titanic’s two sister ships! We talked about Jenni’s desire to tell Violet’s story along with her decision to write a dual timeline novel with a parallel story abo...

The first episode of season seven features well-known author Laura Frantz. This is her fourth time on the show! Today she shares about her latest novel, The Seamstress of Acadie , which released Tuesday and is the #1 New Release in Christian Historical Fiction on Amazon! Laura and I talk about everything from Prince Edward Island and Lucy Maud Montgomery to the poem Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth L...

This last episode of the season features New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe and her latest release, A True Account: Hannah Masury’s Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself . Katherine and I talked about the Golden Age of Piracy, how fiction tends to romanticize and sanitize piracy, and how we curate our own image in all kinds of ways. Here’s a description of A Tru...

Today’s show features a conversation with international bestselling author Téa Cooper about her latest novel to release in North America, The Butterfly Collector . Téa and I talked about her fascinating life story, how she comes upon her story ideas, as well as the themes and historically accurate events in this novel. These include the sinking of the SS Cawarra , the migration of Monarch bu...

Hey friends, I’m coming to you solo this week (and about 12 hours early) because I want to share with you my favorite books of the year! Many of these books released this year, but all of them I read this year. Listen to the episode to hear detailed explanations of why I loved each novel and who they’d make great gifts for! Here are the affiliate links to purchase them on Amazon: 1. Th...

Henry O. Arnold is an actor and audiobook narrator as well as an author. In this delightful episode, we talk about his new book, The Fugitive King . It’s the latest installment in his series “The Song of Prophets and Kings” and focuses on an exciting and trying time in the life of King David. We also discuss some of the other facets of Henry’s career and how he balances it...

Today’s episode features my conversation with bestselling, Christy Award winning author Amanda Barratt. Her latest novel, The Warsaw Sisters , released on Tuesday. Along with the new book, Amanda and I discussed the Polish Underground, the Warsaw Uprising, the Wola Massacre, and the network of women that worked together to rescue Jewish children in Warsaw. There is so much to learn through t...

Often called the “Queen of Historical Christian Fiction,” Tracie Peterson is an ECPA, CBA and USA Today best-selling author of more than 110 books, most of those historical. Her work in historical fiction has earned her a myriad of awards. On today’s show, Tracie and I talk about her upcoming novel, Knowing You , which releases next week and is the final installment in her Pictures of the He...

Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of more than twenty inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the ACFW Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the Holt Medallion. She loved traveling to England to research her latest Edwardian novels including the one we’re discussing today, The Legacy of Longdale Manor.  Here’s a description: In 2012, art historian Gwen M...

Patricia Raybon was a journalist and journalism educator for most of her adult life. Now she writes historical mysteries! Her novel All That Is Secret won the Christy Award for Best First Novel in 2022. Patricia and I talked about the second in her mystery series, Double the Lies. We also discussed what it was like for her growing up under Jim Crow, the role the Black church played in her life, th...

Cindy K. Sproles is an author and speaker, a “mountain gal” who writes about her home country of rural Appalachia. She came on the show to talk about her latest novel, This Is Where It Ends , which was inspired both by her love of the Appalachian Mountains and by her love for the elderly. Here is a description of the novel from Revell: At only fourteen years old, Minerva Jane Jenkins m...

Today I’m sharing a conversation I had with bestselling, Christy Award winning author Roseanna M. White. We talked about her latest novel and the first in her Imposters series, A Beautiful Disguise. We also discussed the spy mania that took over England in the early 1900s and the creation of the United Kingdom’s Military Intelligence, Section 5. Roseanna was my very first interview thr...

I learned so much from this conversation with New York Times Bestselling Author Alina Adams about her latest novel, My Mother’s Secret . We discussed the Jewish autonomous region of Birobidzhan established by Stalin in 1931 and Alina’s own childhood and immigration story as well as her long and winding road to writing books in her favorite genre. Here’s the description of My Moth...