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 away to Edwardian England, where an unlikely duo—an underground investigator and a silent-film actress—join forces to uncover secrets and solve cases. But the most baffling case still remains. Dive into the past for a whimsical and layered tale that will leave readers breathless but craving more of Politano's mesmerizing tales. Peter Driscoll, an underground investigator to the wealthy, has been tasked with uncovering the legendary Briarwood Teardrop, an exquisite sapphire, which is currently in the possession of beautiful silent film actress, Lily Temple. In order to stay closer to her, he employs Lily on one of his cases, which leads to a useful partnership. Lily is both charming and quick-witted, but behind her costumes and make-believe world is a woman with a murky past—that includes the Briarwood Teardrop, which she will neither part with nor explain its presence. As she continues to work with Peter, her own story weaves in and out of their encounters, and hints about her background begin to surface. As Peter draws closer to the truth about Lily's past, danger draws closer to both of them. It is soon obvious that he needs her help as much as she needs his, especially when his life is dependent on Lily's ability to spin a believable tale. Purchase The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Joanna's website, and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list (email newsletter) here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 what led them to write these novels together. Here's a description of the duology: A sweeping and epic duology in which Troy's strong, yet misunderstood women take center stage in the most famous war in history. Andromache is cast as the doting wife of Prince Hector, yet her Amazon warrior name means “battler of men.” The only one with the cunning to outwit the invading Greeks, she must gather a band of outcasts and become the military commander she was born to be before the life she and Hector have built is reduced to ashes. Rhea is a war refugee and a horse whisperer who finally earns a place and sense of belonging in Hector's stables. To save her new home, she must become an unlikely spy and face down a forbidden love that will test all her loyalties. Helen is blamed by all for starting the Trojan War, but no one knows her real story. To escape her tormentor and foil a plot to undermine Hector, Helen must find the healer within and risk everything by revealing her true face to the one who despises her most. Set in the wider landscape of the late Bronze Age collapse, this realistic and immersive Troy is a perilous battleground for warriors and politicians alike, not a playground where the fate of men and women make sport for gods and goddesses. It's a harrowing novel of palace intrigue, the transcendent bond of female friendship, and the everyday bravery of invisible heroes in times of war. The women of Troy are threads spinning on a single loom. Can they reweave the tapestry of fate? Purchase Horses of Fire on Amazon (affiliate). Check out A.D. Rhine's website, and follow them on Facebook, and Instagram. Follow Ashlee on Instagram and Facebook and find her website here. Follow Danielle on Instagram and find her website here. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 is forever tied to his. And the family whose history is still being written. Toulouse, France—1879 Catalan orphan-turned-fugitive Viviana Torrens has found sanctuary serving in the home of an aging artist in Southern France. It is in his studio that she meets Francisco Vella, a Gibraltarian merchant who sells artists' pigments. When her past catches up to her, she is compelled to pose as Vella's sister and join him on his travels or be deported back to Spain to stand trial. Along the way she will discover that the many parts she has been playing in order to hide her identity have far-reaching implications she never could have foreseen. East Lansing, Michigan—Present Day Esther Markstrom and her artist mother have always been proud of their ancestor, painter Francisco Vella. They even run a small museum and gallery dedicated to raising awareness of his scandalously underappreciated work. But when Esther reconnects with her former art history professor, she finds her once-solid family history on shaky ground as questions arise about Vella's greatest work—a portrait entitled The Lady with the Dark Hair. This dual-timeline story takes you on a captivating journey across time and continents, where past and present converge in a relentless search for truth, identity, and the freedom to follow one's dreams. Purchase The Lady with the Dark Hair on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Erin's website, and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 and how real historical figures morph into a characters in her novels. Here's a description of the novel: Massachusetts, 1836. Young, brazen, beautiful, and unapologetically brilliant, Margaret Fuller accepts an invitation from Ralph Waldo Emerson, the celebrated “Sage of Concord,” to meet his coterie of enlightened friends shaping a nation in the throes of its own self-discovery. By the end of her stay, she will become “the radiant genius and fiery heart” of the Transcendentalists, a role model to young Louisa May Alcott, an inspiration to Nathaniel Hawthorne's character of Hester Prynne and the scandalous Scarlet Letter, a friend to Henry David Thoreau as he ventures into the woods of Walden Pond . . . and a muse to Emerson himself. But Margaret craves more than poetry and interpersonal drama, and she finds her restless soul in need of new challenges and adventure. And so she charts a singular course against a backdrop of dizzying historical drama: From Boston, where she hosts a women-only literary salon for students like Elizabeth Cady Stanton; to the editorial meetings of The Dial magazine, where she hones her pen as its co-founder; to Harvard's library, where she is the first woman to study within its walls; to the gritty New York streets where she spars with Edgar Allan Poe and reports on the writings of Frederick Douglass. Margaret defies conventions time and again as an activist for women and an advocate for humanity, earning admirers and scathing critics alike. When the legendary Horace Greeley offers an assignment in Europe, Margaret again makes history as the first female foreign news correspondent, mingling with luminaries like Frederic Chopin, Walt Whitman, George Sand, and more. But it is in Rome where she finds a world of passion, romance, and revolution, taking a Roman count as a lover—and sparking an international scandal. Evolving yet again into the roles of mother and countess, Margaret enters a new fight for Italy's unification. With a star-studded cast and epic sweep of historical events, this is a story of an inspiring trailblazer, a woman who loved big and lived even bigger—a fierce adventurer who transcended the rigid roles ascribed to women, and changed history for millions, all on her own terms. Purchase Finding Margaret Fuller on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Allison's website, and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 become an author. Here's a description of the novel: When new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn't the bustling hub she's expecting, she becomes determined to breathe life back into it. But can she show the men in charge that a woman is up to the task of running it, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her? Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she's only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her beau on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret with no one to turn to for help. Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe. When a slew of bombs destroys the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city's residents shelter nightly, determined to lend out stories that will keep spirits up. But tragedy after tragedy threatens to unmoor the women and sever the ties of their community. Will Juliet, Kate, and Sofie be able to overcome their own troubles to save the library? Or will the beating heart of their neighborhood be lost forever? Purchase The Underground Library on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Jennifer's website, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 novel: A propulsive and piercing debut, set ten years before the events of Shakespeare's historic play, about the ambition, power, and fate that define one of literature's most notorious figures: Lady Macbeth. Scotland, the 11th Century. Born in a noble household and granddaughter of a forgotten Scottish king, a young girl carries the guilt of her mother's death and the weight of an unknowable prophecy. When she is married, at fifteen, to the Mormaer of Moray, she experiences firsthand the violence of a sadistic husband and a kingdom constantly at war. To survive with her young son in a superstitious realm, she must rely on her own cunning and wit, especially when her husband's downfall inadvertently sets them free. Suspicious of the dark devices that may have led to his father's death, her son watches as his mother falls in love with the enigmatic thane Macbeth. Now a woman of stature, Lady Macbeth confronts a world of masculine power and secures the protection of her family. But the coronation of King Duncan and the political maneuvering of her cousin Macduff set her on a tragic course, one where her own success might mean embracing the very curse that haunts her and risking the child she loves. Purchase All Our Yesterdays on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Joel's website, and follow him on Instagram. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 through the roiling events of the 20th Century. Irving Friedman and his big sister Miriam struggle to survive in the savage sweatshops of the early garment industry. Then Marxist firebrand Leo Hirsch comes into their lives, drawing Irving into the dangerous world of union building and Miriam into a bittersweet romance. As the decades pass and the family weathers war, a Depression, and war's aftermath, Irving becomes the sole custodian of a haunting family secret that will put him on a collision course with Miriam's ambitious daughter Shelly. Purchase Across Seward Park on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Gail's website, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 Inquisition, a Jewish doctor makes an impossible choice between home and faith, then struggles to lead his family on a journey for a new life. GRANADA, SPAIN, 1492. Vidal ha-Rofeh is a Jewish physician devoted to his faith, his family, and his patients. When Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand conquer Granada they sign the Alhambra Decree, an edict ordering all Jews convert to Catholicism or depart Spain in three months' time under penalty of death. Against his wife's belief that converting is safer than exile, Vidal insists they flee. Unwillingly leaving behind their oldest daughter with her Catholic husband, Vidal's family joins a caravan of 200 Jews journeying to start their lives anew across the sea in Fez. On the caravan, Vidal struggles to balance his physician duties of caring for the sick while struggling to mend strained relationships with his family. At the same time, his daughter back home finds herself exposed to the Spanish Inquisition living as a converso in a Christian empire. Presenting readers with a painful but important part of Jewish history, South of Sepharad is a heroic, heart-breaking story of a father who holds tightly to his faith, his family, and his integrity all while confronting the grief of the past and the harsh realities of forced exile. Purchase South of Sepharad on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Eric's website, and follow him on Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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's other books, and how she balances her writing life with her teaching career. Here's a description of Nellie: Finances are tight for the O'Dwyer family who live on a mountain outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1931. Life gets even harder when their beloved Dadaí must cease work as a coal miner to become a patient at the West Mountain Sanitarium. Nellie is her preferred name, but family and friends have heard Mam shout “Fenella Aileen O'Dwyer!” all too often with the countless predicaments she got herself into throughout childhood. So, it's not altogether surprising when Nellie impulsively accepts a job as an assistant cook at the Clarinda House in a case of mistaken identity—though she's the last person her family would ask to prepare a meal. Fortunately, along with determination, a talent for acting, and the gift of blarney, Nellie has Mrs. Canfield's Cookery Book, a treasure she discovered at a Red Cross drought relief sale. As her reluctant admiration for her employer grows, Nellie wishes she could be the truthful woman of faith that Mr. Mason Peale esteems. If she confesses all, will she lose her job along with the friendships she's formed at Clarinda House? Purchase Nellie on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Amy's website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Find her "Character Café" blog here and join the "Wisdom, Whimsy, & Wordsmithing" Group here. Ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 the bystander into his story, and the role that music played in this novel. We also discussed how and why Dean turned from his former pursuits and began writing novels. Here is a description of Finding Home: The war is over, but hatred has not surrendered. Eighteen-year-old Eva Fleiss clung to sanity during nine months in Auschwitz by playing piano on imaginary keyboards. After liberation, Eva and the five remaining Jews of Laszlo, Hungary, journey to their hometown, seeking to restart their lives. Yet the town that deported them is not ready to embrace their return. Their homes and businesses are legally in the hands of former neighbors and friends, who resist relinquishing their new-found wealth and status. Eva longs to pursue her dream of being a concert pianist, all that remains of her past life. She is forced to clean her own home in exchange for practice time on the piano. Her profound experiences in Auschwitz allow Eva to access music at a depth she did not know existed. Her performances begin to affect those around her, with unexpected consequences. Purchase Finding Home on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Dean's website, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. To enter the GIVEAWAY of Dean's novel, sign up for both Dean's mailing list and my mailing list by Sunday, February 11. (Instructions below). Subscribe to Dean's mailing list "Dispatches from Dean" by going to this link and scrolling to the bottom of the page to enter your email. Subscribe to my mailing list here. Then email me at alison@alisontreat.com to let me know that you subscribed! Deadline: Sunday, February 11 at midnight (Eastern Time) We'll email you if you're the winner!   Other ways you can help the show: Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 seamstress and lover of romance novels, falls in love with a Jewish man who seeks shelter at the château where she works. Their whirlwind and desperate romance before he must flee leaves her pregnant and terrified. When the Nazis invade the Free Zone shortly after the birth of her child, the disabled Claudette is forced to make a heartbreaking choice and escapes to Spain, leaving her baby in the care of his nursemaid. By the time Claudette is able to return years later, her son has disappeared. Unbeknown to his anguished mother, the boy has been rescued by a Youth Aliyah agent searching for Jewish orphans. 1968:  When Israeli naval officer Daniel Yarden recruits Sharon Bloomenthal for a secret operation in Cherbourg, France, he can't imagine that he is the target of her agenda. The twenty-year-old is grieving the recent loss of her fiancé in a drowned submarine, and also suspects that Danny's past in Youth Aliyah may reflect that of her mysterious late mother. She sets out to track her boss's extraordinary journey as an orphan in a quaint French village all the way to Israel. As Danny focuses on the future of his people and on executing a daring, crucial operation under France's radar, he is unaware that the obsessed Sharon follows the breadcrumbs of clues across the country to find her answers. But she is wholly unprepared for the dilemma she must face upon solving the puzzle. Purchase The Boy with the Star Tattoo on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Talia's website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 description of Of Love and Treason: Valentine defies the emperor and becomes a hero . . . and the most wanted man in the empire. Compelled by his faith, he has nothing to lose, until a chance encounter with the daughter of a Roman jailor changes everything.  Rome, AD 270. In the wake of the emperor's marriage ban, rumors swirl that there is one man brave enough to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. A public notarius and leader of an underground church, Valentine believes the emperor's edict unjust and risks his own life for the sake of his convictions. But as his fame grows, so do fears for his safety. Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailor, believes regaining her sight will ease the mounting troubles at home. Her last hope rests in searching out Valentine and his church, but the danger of associating with people labeled a threat to the empire is great. Still, as Iris's new friends lead her to faith in God, Iris is drawn to Valentine and they both begin to hope for a future together beyond the treacherous empire. But when a past debt and a staggering betrayal collide, Valentine, Iris, and everyone they love must fight for their lives . . . and wrestle with trusting a God who can restore sight yet does not always keep His followers from peril. Purchase Of Love and Treason on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Jamie's website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 about another "unsinkable" woman. Jenni's loves sharing the stories of little-known women who've made remarkable contributions to history. Here's a description of Unsinkable: The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend. Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable. After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own. Daphne has survived calamity of her own. Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father's approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father's expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict—if she can survive it. ​ Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one's own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever. Purchase Unsinkable on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Violet Jessop's memoir on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Jenni's website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 Longfellow which first brought attention to the sad tale of Acadia. Here's a description of The Seamstress of Acadie from Revell: Gifted seamstress Sylvie Galant and her Acadian family desire to live peacefully and remain neutral in the upcoming war between the French and the English. But the proximity of their land on Acadie's rugged shores makes them an easy target. While tensions escalate, Sylvie encounters Major William Blackburn. Although he is a British Army Ranger, Blackburn warns her that the British are poised to invade. But the warning cannot counteract the plans or stop the tide of English soldiers. William Blackburn has seen firsthand the atrocities that the British have done to the Acadian families and their villages. Rather than participate in the heinous expulsion, Will resigns his commission before a charge of treason is brought against him. When Sylvie is forcibly removed from her homeland, she finds herself on a ramshackle ship headed to Virginia, where she crosses paths once again with Will. Together they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past to navigate the present and forge an enduring future. Purchase The Seamstress of Acadie on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase the journals of L.M. Montgomery on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Laura's website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 True Account: In Boston, as the Golden Age of Piracy comes to a bloody close, Hannah Masury – bound out to service at a waterfront inn since childhood – is ready to take her life into her own hands. When a man is hanged for piracy in the town square and whispers of a treasure in the Caribbean spread, Hannah is forced to flee for her life, disguising herself as a cabin boy in the pitiless crew of the notorious pirate Edward "Ned" Low. To earn the freedom to choose a path for herself, Hannah must hunt down the treasure and change the tides. Meanwhile, professor Marian Beresford pieces Hannah's story together in 1930, seeing her own lack of freedom reflected back at her as she watches Hannah's transformation. At the center of Hannah Masury's account, however, lies a centuries-old mystery that Marian is determined to solve, just as Hannah may have been determined to take it to her grave. A True Account tells the unforgettable story of two women in different worlds, both shattering the rules of their own society and daring to risk everything to go out on their own account. Purchase A True Account: Hannah Masury's Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Katherine's website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Listen to my episode about my Top Ten Reads of 2023! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 butterflies to Australia, and the horrible business of "baby farming." Here's a description of The Butterfly Collector: 1868 Morpeth NSW Theodora Breckenridge, still in mourning after the loss of her parents and brother at sea, is more interested in working quietly on her art at the family's country estate than she is finding a husband in Sydney society, even if her elder sister Florence has other ideas. Theodora seeks to emulate prestigious nature illustrators, the Scott sisters, who lived nearby, so she cannot believe her luck when she discovers a butterfly never before sighted in Australia. With the help of Clarrie, her maid, and her beautiful illustrations, she is poised to make a natural science discovery that will put her name on the map. Then Clarrie's newborn son goes missing and everything changes. ​ 1922 Sydney NSW When would-be correspondent Verity Binks is sent an anonymous parcel containing a spectacular butterfly costume and an invitation to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball on the same day she loses her job at The Arrow, she is both baffled and determined to go. Her late grandfather Sid, an esteemed newspaperman, would expect no less of her. At the ball, she lands a juicy commission to write the history of the Treadwell Foundation - an institution that supports disgraced young women and their babies. But as she begins to dig, her investigation quickly leads her to an increasingly dark and complex mystery, a mystery fifty years in the making. Can she solve it? And will anyone believe her if she does? Purchase The Butterfly Collector on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Téa's website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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.The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows 2. Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luessej 3. When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer 4. Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner 5. The Queen's Secret by Karen Harper 6. The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz 7. The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh 8. The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy 9. The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky 10. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger If you'd like to listen to the episodes in which I discuss some of these books with the authors, click to hear me talk with Valerie Fraser Luesse, Gabrielle Meyer, Laura Frantz, Kimberly Duffy, and Carrie Turansky. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Alison's historical novel, One Traveler, is 20% off on Black Friday only on her website! Click this link and scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase an autographed copy with free shipping to the contiguous United States (while supplies last). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 all. Here's a description of The Fugitive King: One king desperately on the run...One king in vengeful pursuit...One nation in dire turmoil. David is broken off from the realm. The world behind him is destroyed. The world before him is dangerous and unpredictable. He flees from the royal household of King Saul as a fugitive with a death sentence on his head. In his last days, the prophet Samuel passes the prophetic mantle to his proteges, instructing Nathan and Gad to serve Yahweh and the future king of Israel. But David is king only of caves and deserts, and his subjects are nothing but the dregs of society that flow to the lowest point of the land and stop at his feet. Mercenaries, adventurers, spies—or worse, assassins with no apparent loyalty. David, who once thought of himself as "an olive tree flourishing in the house of Yahweh," desperately appeals to the One who can save him: "You are my rock, my fortress. Into Your hands I commit my spirit." The Fugitive King continues the tale of triumph and tragedy, of deepest love and burning rivalries. The new epoch is given a voice . . . and it is The Song of Prophets and Kings. Purchase The Fugitive King on Amazon (affiliate). Also mentioned: Henry's role in The Hiding Place with Rabbit Room Theater. Check out Henry's website, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 this book and through my conversation with Amanda. Here's a description of The Warsaw Sisters: On a golden August morning in 1939, twin sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their cherished city and shattering the world of their youth. When her beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw's Jewish population, Antonina knows she cannot stand by and soon becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Meanwhile, Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland's secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation. But the secrets both are forced to keep threaten to tear the sisters apart—and the cost of resistance may prove greater than either ever imagined. Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties. Purchase The Warsaw Sisters on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase My Dearest Dietrich on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Amanda's website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 Heart series. We discuss the themes of racism, forgiveness, and finding yourself, as well as her research process and the gift she has for collaborating with various coauthors. Here is a description of Knowing You: Could a captivating art exhibit hold the key to truth—and love? Budding artist May Parker is captivated by the Japanese exhibits at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition and longs to know more about her mother's heritage--which her mother refuses to speak of because of the heartache she left behind in Japan. Wanting to experience more of the exhibits, May works as a Camera Girl—but her curiosity leads her into danger when a suit of samurai armor becomes the target of an elusive art forger. After ten years apart, May is reunited with her childhood friend Lee Munro, a police detective assigned to keep a watchful eye on the exposition. Their friendship immediately begins to blossom with hints of something more, but when they become entangled in a dangerous heist involving the samurai armor and their love is threatened, can they overcome the odds against them? Purchase Knowing You on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Tracie's website, and follow her on Facebook Also mentioned: Browse some of the old Heartsong Presents books (affiliate) Read more about the Kodak Brownie camera. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 Monroe travels to England's Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she becomes acquainted with David Bradley—the owner's handsome grandson—who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by selling Longdale's art and antiques. When Gwen stumbles upon an intricately carved shepherd's staff similar to one in a photo of her parents and a one-hundred-year-old journal, she uncovers a connection to the father she never knew.  In 1912, after her father's death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte's grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and heartrending secrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust in love again.  Two women, a century apart, are taken on a journey to healing, faith, and forgiveness in this heartfelt dual-time Edwardian romance from bestselling author Carrie Turansky.  Purchase The Legacy of Longdale Manor on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Carrie's website, follow her on Facebook and Instagram, and join her Facebook group Carrie's Reading Friends. Also mentioned: The social reformer Josephine Butler will make an appearance in Carrie's next novel. Find out more about her here. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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, the prominence of the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado, and her call to write at the intersection of faith and race. Here is the description of Double the Lies: On a cold spring night in 1924, Annalee Spain offers her new fancy lace handkerchief—a gift from her pastor boyfriend Jack Blake—to a young woman crying in a Denver public library. But later that night, when police find the handkerchief next to the body of the young woman's murdered husband, Annalee becomes the number one suspect, and her panic doubles when she learns that Jack has gone missing. With just days to solve the murder before the city's Klan-run police frame her for the crime, Annalee finds herself hunting for clues in the snowy Colorado mountain town of Estes Park. She questions the victim's wife and her uncle, a wealthy Denver banker—at their mountain lodge—desperate for leads. Instead, she finds a household full of suspects and even more burning questions. Who keeps threatening her, why can't she find Jack, and will a dangerous flirtation be her undoing? Her answers and prayers plumb the depths of the human heart, including her own, exploring long-buried secrets, family lies, and the nature of deceit—all of which could cost the young detective her fledgling love . . . and perhaps even her life. Purchase Double the Lies on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Patricia's website and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Join Patricia's Reader's Circle here. Also mentioned: Purchase the Father Brown Mysteries on Amazon (books) or purchase the television series (affiliate). Find the Bessie Coleman doll on Amazon (affiliate). The devotional Patricia mentioned: Our Daily Bread. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 moves to the mountains with her new husband. Among their few possessions is a small box that he claims holds gold. On his deathbed, he makes her promise to keep his secret, telling no one of the box or its supposed treasure. Thirty years later, Minerva has kept that secret, even as she nears the end of her own life. Rumors still find a way to spread, however, and Minerva finds herself the subject of interest for Del Rankin, a reporter with a desire for the truth. By his side is a friend who wants to know where the gold is hidden. Neither of them can even begin to guess the challenges they will face by trying to get what they want from Minerva. Despite her dedication to keeping her late husband's secret, Minerva finds herself thinking about sharing what she knows with Del. Can she truly bring herself to break such a long-held promise? Even if she does, the truth of what's really in the box may be hidden even from her. Purchase This Is Where It Ends on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Cindy's website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 three years ago when I started the show. It was so fun to host her again! Here's the description of A Beautiful Disguise: Left with an estate on the brink of bankruptcy after their father's death, Lady Marigold Fairfax and her brother open a private investigation firm marketed to the elite . . . to spy on the elite. Dubbed The Imposters, Ltd., their anonymous group soon becomes the go-to for the crème of society when they want answers delivered surreptitiously. But the many secrets Marigold learns about her peers pale in comparison to her shock when she and her brother are hired to investigate her best friend's father as a potential traitor. Sir Merritt Livingstone has spent a decade serving the monarch in the most elite guard, but when pneumonia lands him behind a desk in the War Office Intelligence Division just as they're creating a new secret intelligence branch, he's intent on showing his worth. He suspects a man of leaking information to Germany as tensions mount between the two countries but needs someone to help him prove it, so he turns to The Imposters, Ltd. No one knows who they are, but their results are beyond compare. Lady Marigold is determined to discover the truth for her friend's sake, and she's more determined still to keep her heart from getting involved with this enigmatic new client . . . who can't possibly be as noble as he seems. Purchase A Beautiful Disguise on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Roseanna's website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

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 Mother's Secret from Amazon: With his dying breath, Lena's father asks his family a cryptic question: "You couldn't tell, could you?" After his passing, Lena stumbles upon the answer that changes her life forever. As her revolutionary neighbor mysteriously disappears during Josef Stalin's Great Terror purges, 18-year-old Regina suspects that she's the Kremlin's next target. Under cover of the night, she flees from her parents' communal apartment in 1930s Moscow to the 20th century's first Jewish Autonomous Region, Birobidzhan, on the border between Russia and China. Once there, Regina has to grapple with her preconceived notions of socialism and Judaism while asking herself the eternal question: What do we owe each other? How can we best help one another? While she contends with these queries and struggles to help Birobidzhan establish itself, love and war are on the horizon. Purchase My Mother's Secret on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Alina's website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

There's been so much buzz about Gabrielle Meyer's new Timeless Series that I jumped at the chance to have her on the show! We had a great conversation about the first two installments of this series, When the Day Comes and In This Moment. We talked about God's sovereignty over our place in history, the fulfillment of Gabrielle's dream of writing for Bethany House, how she manages to write six books a year, and what's coming in books three and four—yes, there's going to be a book four! Here's the description of In This Moment from Bethany House: Maggie inherited a gift from her parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until, that is, she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives—and everyone she knows in them—forever. • In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of an influential senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. • In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she's asked to join a hospital ship being sent to Pearl Harbor. • And in 2001, she's a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon, yet unable to use her modern skills in her other paths. While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era. The mysterious British gentleman. The prickly, demanding doctor. The charming young congressman. She's drawn to each man in different ways, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose? Purchase When the Day Comes on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase In This Moment on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Gabrielle's website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recommendations and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Today's episode features Canadian author and historian Andrew Varga. His time hopping series is off to a smashing start with the first two installments, The Last Saxon King and The Celtic Deception. We talked about the importance of historical accuracy in books for young people and how pivotal the year 1066 (the setting for The Last Saxon King) was in English and world history. Andrew also shares some fascinating stories from his life as well as reading to us in Old English! Here's a description of The Last Saxon King: Sixteen-year-old Dan Renfrew comes from a long line of time jumpers—secret heroes who travel to the past and resolve glitches in the time stream that threaten to alter history. There is just one problem; Dan has never been told any of this. So when Dan accidentally transports himself to England in the year 1066, he becomes trapped in the past. His only hope of returning home is to set history back on its proper course in the Anglo-Saxon age. But Dan finds that fixing history is not that easy—chaos has descended upon England. A Viking horde is ravaging the north while an army of Normans is threatening to invade from the south. And in between them both, desperately struggling to maintain his throne, is the newly-crowned English king, Harold Godwinson. Dan must do everything in his power to return history to its proper path, but he soon discovers an even bigger challenge—a war has broken out in the time jumping community, and a band of malicious time jumpers is threatening the very future of the world. Purchase The Last Saxon King on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase The Celtic Deception on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Andrew's website and follow him on Instagram and Twitter! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recs and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

I'm back at long last with Season Six! Valerie Fraser Luesse joins me on the show today as we talk about her latest novel, Letters from My Sister. Here's the description from the publisher: Sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life. As the only daughters of a wealthy Alabama cotton farmer, they are surrounded by a close-knit family and share a fierce bond with two Black women—Tirzah Randolph, who delivered both of them into the world, and her daughter, Hepsy Jordan, who runs the Bullock household. But when Hepsy's beautiful granddaughter, Lily, arrives in town, she draws the wrong kind of attention. This sets in motion a chain of events that shakes not only the Bullocks' well-ordered household but the whole community. After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something that she can't explain. But her memory is just a haze—an image of her beloved sister, Emmy, standing by a darkened riverbank with Lily's baby girl. As Callie tries to come to terms with what she deems an unthinkable act, it will take letters from her sister to reveal hidden truths leading back to a chilling September night that changed them both forever. Appealing to readers of various genres, Letters from My Sister will take book lovers on a life-altering journey they won't soon forget. Purchase Letters from my Sister on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Valerie's website and follow her on Facebook! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recs and samples of my writing! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

After much anticipation, we are finally releasing our episode with Tosca Lee and Marcus Brotherton! I talked to Tosca and Marcus about their latest book, The Long March Home, which features three friends from Alabama fighting in the Philippines during World War II. This conversation makes a spectacular finale to season five. Here's a description of the novel from Revell: Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Jimmy “Propper” Propfield is determined to leave his home behind and see the world with his best friends Billy Crockett and Hank Wright. The Army is his way out. Plus, it will help him forget his high school sweetheart, Claire. At first, life in the Philippines seems like paradise—until the morning of December 8, 1941. Within hours of bombing Pearl Harbor, Japanese Imperial forces turn their attention to the Philippines. For the next four and a half months, the three friends are plunged into a battle for control of the Pacific theater that ends with the largest surrender of American troops in history. Jimmy, Billy, and Hank are rounded up and marched sixty miles up the Bataan Peninsula en route to Camp O'Donnell in what will become known as the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive heat, disease, hunger, and life as POWs. The Long March Home is a riveting coming-of-age tale of friendship, courage, sacrifice, and love as three friends struggle to survive unthinkable odds. Purchase The Long March Home on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Tosca's website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram! Check out Marcus's website and follow him on Facebook and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recs and samples of my writing! Attend the Montrose Christian Writers Conference where I'll be teaching this summer! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Today I'm sharing one of my most popular episodes of all time! This one released last summer. Often called the “Queen of Historical Fiction,” Tracie Peterson is an ECPA, CBA and USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 books, most of them historical. In this episode, we talk about her series, Love on the Santa Fe, and specifically the second installment, Beyond the Desert Sands, which released last July. We discuss her love for the railroad, her mission in writing books, and how her books have touched the lives of readers. I'll be back next week with the last episode of Season Five! Purchase all the books from the Love on the Santa Fe series on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase The Heart's Choice, the new book by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse on Amazon (affiliate). Listen to my episode with Kimberley Woodhouse earlier this season. Check out Tracie's website and Facebook Page! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recs and samples of my writing! Attend the Montrose Christian Writers Conference where I'll be teaching this summer! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Today, Crystal Caudill joins me on the show for the second time! We discuss the third and final novel in her Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series. It's entitled Counterfeit Faith, deals with the Secret Service, and is set in Philadelphia. Crystal and I discuss this newest book (which releases on Tuesday, May 16), the theme of faith and doubt that plays a role in the novel, the 19th century opiate epidemic, houses of refuge, and how an unromantic person can write historical romance! Here's a description of Counterfeit Faith: As matron of Final Chance House of Refuge, Gwendolyn Ellison has dedicated her life to serving the children deemed delinquents by society. She'll protect them with everything she has. So when she suspects someone is using Final Chance for criminal deeds, she's determined to investigate and put a stop to it. But villains don't like to be crossed--and they're willing to kill to get their way. Gwendolyn knows she can't quit fighting. More than her own life is on the line if counterfeiters go free. She must find someone she can trust to help her expose the criminals and protect the children under her care. Charming and chivalrous Secret Service operative Josiah Isaacs has never been able to turn his back on a woman in trouble--and capturing counterfeiters is his job, after all. The danger he's truly worried about is his growing attraction to Gwendolyn when his heart wants to remain faithful to his deceased wife. As both peril and interest grow, he begins to consider whether a second love may be possible--if they can live through this case. At the same time, he's put off by her faith in a God he no longer trusts. How can a future together even be possible when their beliefs are at odds? Purchase or preorder Counterfeit Faith on Amazon (affiliate). Preorder We Three Kings novella collection on Amazon (affiliate). Download the free novella, Counterfeit Truth, by signing up for Crystal's newsletter. Crystal's first episode on Historical Fiction: Unpacked. Check out Crystal's website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recs and samples of my writing! Attend the Montrose Christian Writers Conference where I'll be teaching this summer! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

In the midst of technological difficulties and scheduling snafus, I bring you a solo episode a mere 32 hours late. This is something I would only notice in a podcast I listen to daily, so if any of you missed me, I am beyond flattered and grateful. I'm also grateful for the latest review, which I forgot to mention two weeks in a row! What do I actually talk about in this episode? I share some surprising news about this season. There are only two more episodes left before I break for summer. I tell you about the interviews you still have to look forward to before that break. (You won't want to miss them!) I also share where I'll be, in case you're looking for a writing retreat or conference. And I tell you about an easy and free way to sample my writing. Enjoy this short episode featuring yours truly! Mentioned in this episode: Come and join us at the Inspire Writing Retreat next week!   Hear me teach at Montrose Christian Writers Conference July 16–21. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive free book recs and samples of my writing! As always: Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Laura Frantz came back on the show to talk about her latest novel, The Rose and the Thistle. Inspired by her own family history, Laura wrote this story set in the Scottish Lowlands during the Jacobite uprising of 1715. Laura is a Christy Award winner and the ECPA bestselling author of more than a dozen novels. More importantly, she's a kind soul, and always a delight to have on the podcast! Here is a description of the novel from Revell: Amid the Jacobite uprising in 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies. Forced to flee her home, Blythe is secreted away to Wedderburn Castle in the Scottish Lowlands to stay with longtime allies of her powerful Northumbrian family. While she awaits the crowning of the new king, she becomes acquainted with the Humes, the “Spears of Wedderburn,” who call the castle their home. Of the seven sons, it is Everard, Lord Fast, who intrigues Blythe the most. But their faith and their politics divide them. Everard is also grappling with his own problems—a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing their father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible. In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.   Purchase The Rose and the Thistle on Amazon (affiliate). The author Laura mentioned: Elizabeth Goudge Laura's first and second episodes on Historical Fiction: Unpacked. Check out Laura's website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive the next newsletter! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Kim Vogel Sawyer is known for writing "gentle stories of hope." Her latest novel, The Tapestry of Grace, is a perfect example of that legacy. On this episode, we discuss this novel and Kim's use of her own Mennonite background in her characters, why she was compelled to include orphaned children in her story, and the historical details she incorporated (including how her characters brewed coffee in 1895!). Here's a description of The Tapestry of Grace from Kim's website: When a group of Kansas women start a Frauenverein, a benevolent society devoted to aiding widows and orphans, life changes for more than just the hurting people they seek to help in this heartwarming romance inspired by historical events. With classes paused for the planting season, Alexandertol's schoolteacher Augusta Dyck is glad for some meaningful work to occupy her time. She even knows exactly who their town's benevolence society should help first: quiet, reserved widower Konrad Rempel and his young twin sons. Konrad Rempel, however, is adamant that he doesn't want help. His boys are mischievous but good-hearted. And though Konrad may be struggling, he doesn't want anyone else sticking their nose in and telling him what his sons need. Or what he needs. For her part, the charity's founder Martina Krahn is relieved to have a reason to spend time outside her unhappy home. It even occurs to her that she may, through her work, encounter a boy in need of a family and so find a son for her husband since they have no children of their own. Augusta, Konrad, and Martina each have deep needs and desires, and each imagines how they should be met: by reaching out or by being left alone. But God, indeed, knows best. Will the competing agendas of Alexandertol's residents prevent them from receiving God's help? Or will the members of this small Mennonite community find the answers to their prayers in the very last place they expect—in one another? Purchase The Tapestry of Grace on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Kim's website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive the next newsletter! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Karen Heenan's novel Coming Apart released in October, but the sequel, Coming Closer, is out next week! These books, set during the Great Depression, portray family relationships with such beautiful, raw honesty. They're also set in my home state of Pennsylvania, which adds to the appeal for me. However, any reader of historical fiction will find them fascinating. Listen to my conversation with Karen to learn more! Here's the description of Coming Apart: No one knows you like a sister. Ava has always been poor, so she doesn't think the Great Depression will change anything. But when her mother dies and her coal miner husband loses his job, Ava's certainty falters. The last thing she needs is a letter from her estranged sister, asking for the impossible. Claire has everything she could ever want, except the child she promised her husband. When her sister's life falls apart, she reaches out to help—and finds the missing piece of her own marriage. With everything at stake, Ava must choose: give up one child to save the rest or keep the family together and risk losing it all? If you like strong, resourceful women, well-developed historical themes, and heartfelt family drama, then Coming Apart is your next rainy-day read. Purchase Coming Apart on Amazon (affiliate). Preorder Coming Closer on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Karen's website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive the next newsletter! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Jaime Jo Wright is the queen of all things macabre in the Christian Historical Fiction world. Her latest book, The Vanishing at Castle Moreau, is no exception. It's set at a mysterious castle–which takes on a life of its own—in the midwestern United States. In this episode, Jaime and I discuss why she writes dark stories and how she brings redemption into them. Here's a description of the book from Bethany House: In 1865, orphaned Daisy Francois takes a housemaid position and finds that the eccentric Gothic authoress inside hides a story more harrowing than those in her novels. Centuries later, Cleo Clemmons uncovers an age-old mystery, and the dust of the old castle's curse threatens to rise again, this time leaving no one alive to tell its sordid tale. Purchase The Vanishing at Castle Moreau on Amazon (affiliate).   Also mentioned: Novels— Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (affiliate) Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (affiliate) Podcasts— "Smooches and Stabs" with Jaime and Pepper Basham "MadLit Musings" with Jaime Jo Wright My most recent episode with Sarah Sundin. My episode with Kimberley Woodhouse. My episode with Pepper Basham. Check out Jaime's website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive the next newsletter! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Brian C. Johnson honors the struggles and accomplishments of the ordinary citizens who launched the Civil Rights Movement by committing himself to the advancement of multicultural and inclusive education. On the show today, he shares his foray into writing historical fiction in his slave narrative Send Judah First, which was inspired when he took his students on an educational trip to Belle Grove Plantation. One of the park rangers at the plantation shared about an enslaved woman named Judah. Only two documents prove Judah ever lived, so Brian decided to tell her story. Purchase Send Judah First: The Erased Life of an Enslaved Soul on Amazon (affiliate). Also mentioned: Belle Grove Plantation The Belle Grove Plantation Cookbook (affiliate) Check out Brian's website and follow him on Twitter and Instagram! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive the next newsletter! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Jen Turano has been called one of the funniest voices in the inspirational genre. She's a USA Today bestselling author of historical romantic comedies, set during the Gilded Age. They usually revolve around the New York Four Hundred. If you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to the episode! We discuss the Four Hundred, as well as Jen's latest novel, A Match in the Making, how she uses real historical figures in her novels (carefully), and the value of walking the trail with her rescue dog. Here's a description of A Match in the Making from Bethany House: When Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a paid companion position for the Newport Season, she never imagined she'd be expected to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with finding a wife for the Season's catch, Walter Townsend, her assignment becomes increasingly difficult when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her.   Purchase A Match in the Making on Amazon (affiliate). Also mentioned: The Four Hundred Society as I Have Found It by Ward McAllister (affiliate) The Glitter and the Gold by Consuelo Vanderbilt (affiliate) Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe (affiliate) Check out Jen's website and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Listen to the 100th episode of Historical Fiction: Unpacked! Scroll to the bottom of the show notes to enter a celebratory giveaway! This episode features Jocelyn Green's twentieth book, The Metropolitan Affair. Jocelyn and I talked about Egyptology, forgery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the roaring twenties setting of her latest novel. Here's a description from Bethany House: With a notorious forger preying on New York's high society, Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Lauren Westlake is just the expert needed to track down the criminal. As she and Detective Joe Caravello search for the truth, the closer they get to discovering the forger's identity, the more entangled they become in a web of deception and crime. Purchase The Metropolitan Affair on Amazon (affiliate).   Find out more about the inspiration for Jocelyn's main character. Find out more about the real historical character in Jocelyn's book. Check out Jocelyn's website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support! Finally, enter the 100th Episode Giveaway!   a Rafflecopter giveaway Photos of two of the items in the prize pack! One Traveler by yours truly and bookish earrings made by Jessica Baker of Bakers Blessed Designs (Click the photos for more information on these items.)

I so enjoyed this conversation with Julie Klassen. She loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. Her books have sold over a million copies, and she is a three-time recipient of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's Best Award and has been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full-time. She and her husband live in St. Paul, Minnesota. Julie and I talked about her research process, her fascination with England, and her newest novel, The Sisters of Sea View. Julie also asked me about my own writing, so that was a fun twist to this episode! Here's a description of The Sisters of Sea View from Bethany House Publishers: When their father's death leaves the Summers sisters impoverished, Sarah Summers hatches a plan to open their seaside home to guests to provide for their ailing mother. Younger sisters Emily and Georgiana are on board, but Viola, physically and emotionally scarred, is distressed at the idea. Left with no other choice, the four sisters begin their new venture with the help of family and friends. But instead of hosting elderly invalids in need of fresh sea air, the sisters find themselves in the company of eligible gentlemen and a mysterious Scottish widower. Some guests have come for a holiday, others for hidden reasons of their own. As Sarah is torn between a growing attraction to the mysterious stranger staying at Sea View and duty to her family, their new situation also threatens to expose Viola's scars—both the visible and those hidden deep within. The Sisters of Sea View is a story full of faith, intrigue, and the unbreakable bonds between sisters. Readers will be eager to escape into this new series set on the charming Devonshire coastline. Purchase The Sisters of Sea View on Amazon (affiliate). Check out Julie's website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook! Purchase Alison's historical novel, One Traveler (affiliate). Purchase the best screen adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth (affiliate). Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

We titled this episode "Women's Suffrage in Wyoming" because that's what Mary's latest book, Forged in Love, deals with. But this conversation encapsulates so much more than that! Mary and I discussed marriage roles, memory loss, and other aspects of her new novel. And then we moved on to her career, how she became an author, and what her writing process is like. Spoiler: this is her 73rd book, but she wrote twenty books before she got published! Forged in Love is the first book in Mary's Wyoming Sunrise series. After being left for dead with no memory, Maria Stover attempts to rebuild her life as she takes over her father's blacksmith business, but the townspeople meet her work with disdain. She and the new diner owner are drawn together by similar trials they face in the town, and when danger descends upon them, will they survive to build a life forged in love? Purchase Forged in Love on Amazon (affiliate).   Check out Mary's website and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Today's episode features an interview with Sarah Sundin about her newest book, The Sound of Light. From the publisher (Revell): Sarah Sundin's name has become synonymous with her captivating and historically accurate World War II novels. In a recent starred review of Until Leaves Fall in Paris (February 2022), Library Journal stated that Sundin is “a master at her craft” and that she “rises to the top of World War II fiction.” In her newest novel, The Sound of Light, Sundin explores one of the lesser-known facets of WWII, this time taking readers to Nazi-occupied Denmark. Inspired by real-life events, The Sound of Light offers a captivating story about ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances with faith, fortitude, and hope for a brighter future. When the Nazis occupy Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt is determined to exchange his dissolute life for a life filled with purpose. He assumes the identity of Hemming Anderson and swaps his nobility for mobility and anonymity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden under the code name Havmand—the merman. American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to abandon her research in Copenhagen work that means more to her than freedom. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement's legendary Havmand and wonders if the silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide. When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence. And can they hear each other's voice before it's too late? Purchase The Sound of Light on Amazon (affiliate). Listen to Sarah's first and second episodes on Historical Fiction: Unpacked! Check out Sarah's website and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

I got to talk with Amy Lynn Green again today! Her wonderful book, The Blackout Book Club, released in November, and it's a great read! Amy and I talked about how wonderful book clubs are because of the community aspect, as well as what she learned about the Hooligan Navy and how writing this book taught her to look at historical events from various perspectives. Enjoy this fascinating episode! Purchase The Blackout Book Club on Amazon (affiliate). Here's a link to the historical information regarding this book on Amy's website. Check out Amy's website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Kimberly Duffy joins us again today to talk about her latest release, The Weight of Air. While Kim's first three books featured the mystical setting of India, a country near and dear to the author's heart, her fourth novel takes place mostly in her home state of New York. The story centers around a strong woman in the circus and her quest to find the mother she thought had died. Kim and I had a wonderful conversation about flipping various stereotypes in this book. We also talked about how Kim's former struggle with Postpartum Depression and OCD surprised her by showing up in this novel, as well as what it's like to write when you're facing current trauma or grief. Purchase The Weight of Air on Amazon (affiliate). Learn more about the real "Strongest Woman that Ever Lived," Katie Sandwina. Check out Kim's website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Today's episode features a fantastic conversation that I know you're all going to love. Kimberley Woodhouse has been writing seriously for more than twenty years. She is a best-selling author of more than two dozen books. She has won the Carol Award, the Reader's Choice Award, the Holt Medallion, and has finaled in the Selah Awards and the Spur Awards. In this conversation, we talk about her latest novel, A Mark of Grace. It's the third book in her "Secrets of the Canyon" series, which features the Grand Canyon's El Tovar Hotel and some fictional Harvey Girls who worked there. If you've never heard of the real Harvey Girls, you're going to have to listen to this episode. I learned so much talking with Kim—both about history and writing! Purchase A Mark of Grace on Amazon (affiliate). Check out the 1945 film The Harvey Girls (affiliate). Learn more about Fred Harvey, the Kolb Brothers' Studio, and Tracie Peterson. Listen to my episode with Tracie Peterson. Check out Kim's website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

What a terrific kick-off to season five! This is a wonderful conversation with Mariah Fredericks about her latest novel, The Lindbergh Nanny. Here's a description from the publisher: When the most famous toddler in America, Charles Lindbergh, Jr., is kidnapped from his family home in New Jersey in 1932, the case makes international headlines. Already celebrated for his flight across the Atlantic, his father, Charles, Sr., is the country's golden boy, with his wealthy, lovely wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, by his side. But there's someone else in their household—Betty Gow, a formerly obscure young woman, now known around the world by another name: the Lindbergh Nanny.   A Scottish immigrant deciphering the rules of her new homeland and its East Coast elite, Betty finds Colonel Lindbergh eccentric and often odd, Mrs. Lindbergh kind yet nervous, and Charlie simply a darling. Far from home and bruised from a love affair gone horribly wrong, Betty finds comfort in caring for the child, and warms to the attentions of handsome sailor Henrik, sometimes known as Red. Then, Charlie disappears. Suddenly a suspect in the eyes of both the media and the public, Betty must find the truth about what really happened that night, in order to clear her own name—and to find justice for the child she loves. In this episode, Mariah and I discussed the person of Betty Gow, Charles Lindbergh, Sr.'s strange childrearing ideas, Mariah's own theory regarding the case, and how she began writing historical fiction. Purchase The Lindbergh Nanny on Amazon (affiliate). Check out the 1974 film Murder on the Orient Express (affiliate). Scott Berg's biography of Charles Lindbergh, Lindbergh (affiliate). Susan Hertog's biography, Anne Morrow Lindbergh: Her Life (affiliate). Check out Mariah's website and follow her on Twitter and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

We're bringing you a special Christmas episode today! My daughter Camilla joins me on the show as we talk about the best novels we've read this year. Just in time for any last minute Christmas gift purchases you may want to make. Listen to me talk with Kimberly Duffy about her novel Every Word Unsaid here. Purchase Every Word Unsaid on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase The Thread Collectors by Shaun J. Edwards and Alyson Richman on Amazon (affiliate) Purchase These Hallowed Halls by Kirk Battle on Amazon (affiliate) or find the podcast here.  Purchase Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon on Amazon (affiliate).  Purchase Coming Apart by Karen Heenan on Amazon (affiliate). Listen to my episode with Janyre Tromp here. Purchase Shadows in the Mind's Eye on Amazon (affiliate). Listen to my episode with Jocelyn Green here.  Purchase Drawn by the Current on Amazon (affiliate). Listen to my episode with Sarah Sundin about her book Until Leaves Fall in Paris here. Purchase Until Leaves Fall in Paris on Amazon (affiliate). Listen to my review of Until Leaves Fall in Paris at the end of this episode of Historical Bookworm! Purchase The Fountains of Silence or Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys on Amazon (affiliate). Sign up for my newsletter at this link to get monthly updates! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Today's episode is a very special one! It's been two years since I started Historical Fiction: Unpacked. To celebrate this milestone, Michelle Ule is hosting the show! I'm in the hot seat as she interviews me about my life, my writing, my favorites (and least favorites) when it comes to historical fiction, and what gave me the idea of starting a podcast at all! Join us to hear more about us and how learning about history through story has impacted our lives. Important links: The episode in which I interview Michelle Ule. More about John Eldredge, the professor/author who taught me that I am God's beloved. Episode with Wendy Voorsanger. Latest Episode with Laura Frantz. Episode with Sarah Loudin Thomas. Episode with Kerry Chaput. Episode with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer. Kate Quinn's book about a Ukrainian sniper, The Diamond Eye (affiliate). Find out more about Thomas Umstattd Jr. and his podcast here. Purchase Michelle Ule's books here (affiliate). Purchase my novel, One Traveler, here (affiliate). Check out Michelle's website and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

Today's conversation is a perfect way to wrap up Season Four. I spoke with Elena Gorokhova about her debut novel, A Train to Moscow, which released in March. Elena's insight was enriching. We discussed how her own family's story inspired her novel, what it was like to grow up in Soviet Russia, her immigration story, and her perspective on what's happening in Russia today. Purchase A Train to Moscow on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase A Train to Moscow on Bookshop (affiliate). Purchase Elena's memoirs on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Elena's memoirs on Bookshop (affiliate). Check out Elena's website and follow her on Twitter and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

I'm thrilled to have author and screenwriter Owen Pataki on the show today. Last year, his Historical Fiction adventure novel Searchers in Winter released. It continues the story begun in the novel Where the Light Falls, which Owen wrote with his sister, Allison Pataki. In this conversation, we discuss his latest novel (set during the Napoleonic Wars), his work in the film industry, and what it was like to cowrite a book with his sister. Purchase Searchers in Winter on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Searchers in Winter on Bookshop (affiliate). Purchase Where the Light Falls on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Where the Light Falls on Bookshop (affiliate). Check out the Searchers in Winter book trailer we talked about here. Follow Owen on Instagram, and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

In today's episode, I'm happy to host engineer-turned-mystery-writer Lisa E. Betz for the second time. We're talking about the latest installment in her Livia Aemelia Mystery series, Fountains and Secrets, which released in January. We spoke about Rome's elaborate water system, Lisa's love of Ancient Rome, the roles of women in that time period, as well as the Roman concept of honor (aka dignitas) and how it conflicted with the teachings of Jesus.  Purchase Fountains and Secrets on Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Fountains and Secrets on Bookshop (affiliate). Check out Lisa's website, Instagram, and Facebook! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Follow the show on Instagram! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!