Join us for What’s New in Historical Fiction, a vibrant panel series celebrating bold new voices and fresh perspectives in historical storytelling. Moderated by Colin Mustful, founder of History Through Fiction, this special event features four powerful authors whose novels spotlight untold stories, intergenerational resilience, and the enduring strength of women across time and place.

Hazel Gaynor, author of Before Dorothy
Kristina McMorris, author of The Girls of Good Fortune
Kelli Estes, author of Smoke on the Wind
Susan Wiggs, author of Wayward Girls

Hazel Gaynor presents Before Dorothy, a moving prequel to The Wizard of Oz told through the eyes of Dorothy’s aunt, Emily Gale. From 1920s Chicago to the Dust Bowl plains of Kansas, Emily’s story explores love, loss, and the search for home in a landscape of hardship and hope.

Kristina McMorris shines a light on a dark corner of Portland’s past in The Girls of Good Fortune, a gripping novel set in 1888. When Celia awakens in an underground cell, she must untangle the web of betrayal that led her there—and fight to reclaim her identity in a world that refuses to see her.

Kelli Estes’s Smoke on the Wind bridges centuries in a dual-timeline novel set in the Scottish Highlands. When modern-day Keaka begins to experience visions of a woman from 1801, she uncovers a haunting connection that links two mothers across time—each willing to risk everything for their sons.

Susan Wiggs draws from real-life accounts in Wayward Girls, a wrenching yet life-affirming novel set in a Catholic reform school in 1968 Buffalo. Through the stories of six teenage girls condemned to forced labor, Wiggs unearths the injustices of the past and the unbreakable bonds of friendship and survival.

Don’t miss this unforgettable conversation with four compelling authors who are reshaping how we see the past—and ourselves. Register now to secure your spot!