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Blog
![Cover Reveal! - The Aziola’s Cry by Ezra Harker Shaw](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1704044879666-6PKV5JRWEEELC996VC56/Cover+Reveal+TAC.png)
Cover Reveal! - The Aziola’s Cry by Ezra Harker Shaw
History Through Fiction, author Ezra Harker Shaw, and cover designer Christine Horner of The Book Cover Whisperer, are proud to share with you the cover design for our forthcoming title, The Aziola’s Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys (May 7, 2024).
![Best New Historical Fiction - January 2024](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1703116739885-ZJCMX7XGRG65QXKUYV9D/Best+New+Historical+Fiction.png)
Best New Historical Fiction - January 2024
Looking to start the new year with some new books? We’ve got you covered! Check out our list of the best new historical fiction this January.
![Demystifying History with JSTOR – A Guest Blog Post by E.Jax Willoughby](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1703009104248-8U1GHUWXE2X9LEOQACLQ/Demistifying.png)
Demystifying History with JSTOR – A Guest Blog Post by E.Jax Willoughby
Historical novelists need good resources to tell historically detailed narratives. But outside of Google and Wikipedia, where can they go to find valuable and informative sources? In this guest blog, author E.Jax Willoughby introduces writers to JSTOR, an academic catalog with access to more than 12 million journal articles, books, images, and primary sources in 75 disciplines.
![Layers and Layers of Chewy Goodness - An Interview with Author Jo Carthage](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1702045996298-8NS4OHWPZAZ6UE7HCU5A/Layers+and+Layers+of+Chewy+Goodness.png)
Layers and Layers of Chewy Goodness - An Interview with Author Jo Carthage
Jo Carthage is the debut author of Nuclear Sunrise, a historical romance / atomic age historical fiction about two queer men at working at a top-secret atomic energy research facility in Idaho in 1951. We talked with Carthage about her craft, her genre, and about the value of sharing queer histories.
![History Through Fiction Signs Author Jillian Forsberg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1701305744532-92Q9ID7RE7GWYKGDDJ05/for+immediate+press+release.png)
History Through Fiction Signs Author Jillian Forsberg
History Through Fiction is proud to announce the signing of debut author Jillian Forsberg, whose novel, The Rhino Keeper, is the true story of a Dutch sea captain who traveled with an Indian rhinoceros named Clara across 18th century Europe.
![Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant - Monthly Donation Update (November)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1698956451224-KGAQ67SJVQCATFMMB2M5/RMS+Monthly+Update.png)
Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant - Monthly Donation Update (November)
From June through December, History Through Fiction and author Colin Mustful are fundraising for the Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant, a literary diversity initiative to raise $10,000 for one Indigenous Writer from Minnesota. Learn more and check up on our progress with this monthly update!
![Best New Historical Fiction - December 2023](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1701007119244-IRI4ELLFIN50PKO8E6LV/Best+New+Historical+Fiction+December+2023.png)
Best New Historical Fiction - December 2023
Looking for some great December reads? Look no further! We’ve got five best new historical fiction titles right here.
![Boosting Empathy and Compassion in Storytelling - Promoting Diversity in Literature](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1700846776249-ZP3FGWX3MA62YU7IS4E1/Boosting+Empathy+and+Compassion+in+Storytelling+%281%29.png)
Boosting Empathy and Compassion in Storytelling - Promoting Diversity in Literature
Underprivileged and underrepresented writers have a much harder time breaking into the publishing scene, so literary diversity initiatives are not only helpful, but necessary. Ultimately, diversity initiatives assist in making publishing and storytelling a more empathetic and compassionate space. That’s why we’d like to share diversity grants and initiatives that have made a positive impact on writing and storytelling.
![Writing Fiction from History: How a Historian Became a Novelist](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1700429135117-AUZMD4B23PKINO4GA4UF/Writing+Fiction+from+History.png)
Writing Fiction from History: How a Historian Became a Novelist
I came to historical fiction as an academic historian. It took many years and many hard lessons to transition from history to fiction. In this blog post, I share one very important lesson from my writing journey.
![How History Gets Passed On](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1699368212083-JH3AFZSAZZV9X5EQXUTQ/How+History+Gets+Passed+On.png)
How History Gets Passed On
George Orwell’s 1984 states, “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.” So who does control the past and why is it important to think about? Learn more by reading this amazing blog post by History Through Fiction intern Ellie Clennon.
![An Interview with Susan Perabo, Runner-up in HTF’s Short Story Contest](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1698275427382-XZ8HHAI695AZR00ISJRZ/Susan+Perabo.png)
An Interview with Susan Perabo, Runner-up in HTF’s Short Story Contest
Susan Perabo’s short story “The Third Match” was the runner up in History Through Fiction’s first annual short story contest. In this interview, we asked the author what inspired her story, how being a teacher helps her become a better writer, and more!
![Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant - Monthly Donation Update (October)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1698956451224-KGAQ67SJVQCATFMMB2M5/RMS+Monthly+Update.png)
Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant - Monthly Donation Update (October)
From June through December, History Through Fiction and author Colin Mustful are fundraising for the Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant, a literary diversity initiative to raise $10,000 for one Indigenous Writer from Minnesota. Learn more and check up on our progress with this monthly update!
![Best New Historical Fiction - November 2023](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1698272603131-ATO61JQ6EJUGB2RW2XRG/Best+New+Historical+Fiction+%281%29.png)
Best New Historical Fiction - November 2023
As winter approaches, it’s time to curl up on the couch with a blanket and a good book! Why not pick up one of these brand new historical fiction titles?
![Little Crow and Hole-in-the-Day: Two Prominent Native American Leaders](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1697801358607-Z4BPPRCV8AM71O4K4IH6/Little+Crow+and+Hole-in-the-Day.png)
Little Crow and Hole-in-the-Day: Two Prominent Native American Leaders
Little Crow and Hole-in-the-Day were two influential Native American leaders that played key roles in diplomacy between the U.S. government and their respective tribes. Both also met tragic ends but left behind lasting legacies.
![Clarifying His Message - The Author’s Note in Reclaiming Mni Sota](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1697117941186-TM8Q69T5RM339V89RREU/Aaron+Loeb.png)
Clarifying His Message - The Author’s Note in Reclaiming Mni Sota
At History Through Fiction, we believe there is not quite so valuable as the Author’s Note. In this audio excerpt from the author’s note in Reclaiming Mni Sota, author Colin Mustful describes the goals he has for his novel while being honest about who he is and the process he used to create his story.
![Short Story Contest Winners](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1696711412809-30PAXS4UOA5KC0N9MORO/Short+Story+Contest+Winners+%281%29.png)
Short Story Contest Winners
History Through Fiction is proud to announce the winners of our first annual short story contest!
![Meet the Intern: Ellie Clennon](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1696296696004-T6BH885FKOGH34NR4NRZ/Meet+Ellie.png)
Meet the Intern: Ellie Clennon
Meet Ellie, the fall 2023 intern at History Through Fiction! Ellie is an English major at Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota, and she’s excited to start a career path in publishing and editing.
![Book Recommendations for Indigenous People’s Day](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1696592082013-73WGNNIDLEIVRNGDSSUG/Book+Recommendations.png)
Book Recommendations for Indigenous People’s Day
On Indigenous People’s Day we celebrate the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples. With that in mind, we’d like to recommend five amazing books by Indigenous authors.
![Settler Colonialism - Who’s to blame for a system of genocide](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1695401421095-DUS1TRDTNR4N6VQEO53M/Settler+Colonialism.png)
Settler Colonialism - Who’s to blame for a system of genocide
Between 1850 and 1860, the white settler population grew from 6,077 to 172,023, all of them encroaching on the homelands of Indigenous populations. But were the settlers to blame for the resulting genocide caused by settler-colonialism, or were they simply innocent people in pursuit of their dreams?
![Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant - Monthly Donation Update (September)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dc21d198c1cfd4ef901f025/1691071603769-EIMQ3M0BG8TN9Q2FES3L/RMS+Monthly+Update.png)
Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant - Monthly Donation Update (September)
We’re inching closer to our goal of raising $10,000 for one Indigenous writer from Minnesota. Learn more about this important literary diversity initiative by checking out this monthly update.