Season 8, Episode 12 - Billie Hanson-Dupree

Written By Colin Mustful

In Season 8, Episode 12 of "History Through Fiction: The Podcast," host Colin Mustful welcomes Billie Hanson-Dupree, author of the upcoming novel Still Kicking. Inspired by her father, a World War II veteran, Billie shares the journey of crafting a historical fiction narrative that explores themes of trauma, resilience, and racial inequality. Set in post-war California, the novel follows Bill and two women navigating personal struggles and societal challenges. Billie also reflects on her writing process, historical research, and the importance of storytelling in addressing complex histories.

About the Authors

About the Author

Billie Hanson-Dupree completed her first manuscript, Still Kicking But Not High, set just after WWII. She was born and raised in California's San Joaquin Valley, relocated to the Bay Area to attend San Francisco State University (BA English) and has never looked back, although she returns to the Valley to visit relatives and attend her annual family reunion. She co-authored a biography of her grandmother, A Little Piece of Leather Well Put Together and had a poem published in Spectrum 18. Her essay on racism aired on Perspectives on KQED public radio can be heard on her website billiehansondupree.net. She is currently completing her second novel Some Greens for My Blues set in Oakland, California in the early 1950's. Billie is a member of the California Writers Club, and an active participant in a critique group of accomplished and talented Bay Area writers. An educator, literacy coach and avid mystery reader, Billie spends her free time writing, exploring Bay Area trails alone and with her Girl Trek sisters, attending book, blues and jazz concerts, and traveling abroad as frequently as possible.

Colin Mustful

Colin Mustful is the founder and editor of History Through Fiction, an independent press dedicated to publishing historical narratives rooted in factual events and compelling characters. A celebrated author and historian whose novel “Reclaiming Mni Sota” recently won the Midwest Book Award for Literary/Contemporary/Historical Fiction, Mustful has penned five historical novels that delve into the complex eras of settler-colonialism and Native American displacement. Combining his interests in history and writing, Mustful holds a Master of Arts in history and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. Residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he enjoys running, playing soccer, and believes deeply in the power of understanding history to shape a just and sustainable future.

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Season 8, Episode 11 - Sarah Penner