Content welcomes Northfield author and poet Rob Hardy in conversation with publisher Colin Mustful about the new anthology, THE BLOOD OF ENGLISHMEN. Please join us on Thursday, April 23rd at 7 pm.
Winners of the History Through Fiction Short Story Contest, THE BLOOD OF ENGLISHMEN uncovers the hidden histories that shape us all.
Across continents and centuries, the stories in THE BLOOD OF ENGLISHMEN illuminate lives lived at the margins of official history—moments of crisis, courage, and quiet transformation that ripple outward through families, communities, and nations. From the aftermath of earthquakes and wars to the intimate revolutions of faith, art, and survival, these award-winning tales bring forgotten voices into sharp, unforgettable focus.
A detective searches for meaning in a city consumed by fire. A mother and son cross the desert, haunted by memory and belief. Pioneers, musicians, aviators, and dreamers confront injustice, loss, and the shifting tides of history. Each story offers a window into a world both familiar and strange, revealing resilience and hope in the face of overwhelming odds.
THE BLOOD OF ENGLISHMEN is a celebration of storytelling’s power to recover what has been overlooked and to connect us across time and place. This anthology invites readers to encounter history not as a distant past, but as a living presence—urgent, intimate, and enduring.
Rob Hardy grew up in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, where his story in THE BLOOD OF ENGLISHMEN is set; majored in History and Latin at Oberlin College; and served as the first Poet Laureate of Northfield, Minnesota. He has published fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, including two nonfiction pieces in Minnesota History.
Colin Mustful is an author, historian, editor, and publishing professional. He is the founder and editor of History Through Fiction, an independent press dedicated to publishing historical narratives that are both authentic and engaging. As a novelist, Mustful has written five works of historical fiction exploring the complex histories of settler-colonialism and Native displacement in Minnesota. His novel Reclaiming Mni Sota won the Midwest Book Award for Literary/Contemporary/Historical Fiction. Alongside his writing, Mustful has built a career helping authors navigate the publishing process through editing, book coaching, and education. He holds an MA in history and an MFA in creative writing, and he frequently speaks on the craft and business of historical fiction. Residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he balances his professional work with running, playing soccer, and advocating for the importance of history in shaping a more just and sustainable future.