July 17, 2024

For Immediate Press Release

HTF Publishing to publish short story cycle by Chad Towarnicki

Mpls, MN - HTF Publishing, the hybrid arm of History Through Fiction, is proud to announce the signing of debut author Chad Towarnicki. Based on surviving accounts, Towarnicki’s short story cycle Notes from a Deserter chronicles the harrowing odyssey of William Henry Howe, a Civil War soldier whose perilous escape from service ends in a historic execution, told through snapshots of 1860s America.

Chad Towarnicki becomes just the second author signed to a contract by HTF Publishing. He is a father, writer, and educator living in Perkiomenville, PA. He holds an MFA from Arcadia University where he began drafting his first novel following a research subject, William Henry Howe, who left a neighboring property to enlist in the Civil War. He writes historical fiction short stories as well as nonfiction articles in the field of education. His work appears in Education Weekly, Sundial Magazine, Fly Culture Magazine and others. He is currently working on his second novel which is set to focus on the Pennsylvania Lumber Era of the late 1800s. He and his wife are founders of a Learner-Driven School called Seeds Academy in Green Lane, PA.

In Notes from a Deserter, a short story cycle set during the American Civil War, a humble farmer named William Henry Howe leaves his expecting wife and children to join the ranks of the Pennsylvania 116th regiment, lured by the promise of pay and honor. His harrowing experiences are chronicled through a series of vignettes, capturing the essence of a country in chaos. After a brutal defeat at Fredericksburg, Howe, weakened by dysentery, endures a perilous trek back to his family. The reunion with his family is short-lived when he's hunted down for desertion, leading to a tragic confrontation that ends with his capture. His fate sealed by the hangman's noose, Howe's final resting place becomes a poignant symbol of love and sacrifice, marked by a last, tender missive to his beloved Hanna.

Towarnicki’s Notes from a Deserter will be the first narrative that is not a full-length novel published by HTF Publishing or its parent imprint, History Through Fiction. Established in 2023 by Colin Mustful, founder of History Through Fiction, HTF Publishing extends History Through Fiction’s brand commitment of publishing compelling historical narratives rooted in meticulous historical research. HTF Publishing’s mission is to meet the needs of authors and readers alike by providing a professional publishing experience while creating high-quality, engaging historical narratives. Narratives by both imprints breathe life into history and provide invaluable historical insights through masterfully crafted novels. Towarnicki's cycle of short stories debuts on March 1, 2025, coinciding with History Through Fiction's first-ever anthology release.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact the editor at editor@historythroughfiction.com.

####