Season 5, Episode 1 - Vanessa Riley
Season 5 of History Through Fiction: The Podcast kicks off with Vanessa Riley, author of Queen of Exiles. During the interview, host Colin Mustful talks with Riley about the history of the Haitian Revolution, the rise to power and then exile of Queen Marie-Louise Christophe, and the issue of reparations for Haiti. Riley also delves into her past, going from a mechanical engineer to a prolific and successful novelist. Don’t miss it!
About the Author
Vanessa Riley is an award-winning author of Island Queen, A Good Morning America Buzz Pick and her newest novel Queen of Exiles. Riley's historical novels showcase the hidden histories of Black women and women of color, emphasizing strong sisterhoods and dazzling multicultural communities. Her works encompass historical fiction, historical romance, and historical mystery and have been reviewed by the Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Publisher Weekly, and the New York Times. Her most recent novel, Queen of Exiles, is based on the life of an extraordinary Black woman from history: Haiti's Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid, who escaped a coup in Haiti to set up her own royal court in Italy during the Regency era, where she became a popular member of royal European society.
