History Through Fiction: The Podcast
Featuring Interviews with Historical Novelists Talking About Their Books and Their Craft
History Through Fiction: The Podcast
Where the past comes alive through story.
History Through Fiction: The Podcast explores the art, craft, and power of historical storytelling. Hosted by Colin Mustful—author, historian, and founder of History Through Fiction—this show features conversations with novelists, historians, and publishing professionals who are passionate about bringing the past to life.
Whether you're a writer, reader, or lifelong history enthusiast, this podcast offers insight into how stories illuminate the human experience across time.
About the Host
Colin Mustful is an author, historian, editor, and founder of History Through Fiction, an independent press dedicated to publishing compelling historical narratives. Through this podcast, he continues his mission of elevating historical fiction and the storytellers who shape our understanding of the past.
Want to Be a Guest?
Are you a historical novelist, historian, or publishing professional with a story to share? Please complete our Podcast Guest Request Form. We sincerely appreciate your interest, but because we recive a large number of requests, we will not be able to answer them all.
Season 10, Episode 7 - Carol M. Cram
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful sits down with Carol M. Cram, author of The Choir. Set in 1890s Victorian England, this compelling novel explores the lives of two estranged friends, Eliza Kingwill and Ruth, against the backdrop of a fictional mill town and the vibrant world of choir competitions.
Season 10, Episode 6 - Mirta Ojito
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful talks with Mirta Ojito, author of Deeper Than the Ocean. Mirta shares the real-life shipwreck that inspired her novel and discusses the dual timelines of her story, following Catalina, an early 20th-century immigrant, and Mara, a modern journalist.
Season 10, Episode 5 - Loretta Ellsworth
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful talks with Loretta Ellsworth about her novel, The Jilted Countess.
Season 10, Episode 4 - Deepa Anappara
In this episode of History Through Fiction, host Colin Mustful interviews Deepa Anappara, author of "The Last of Earth." Anappara discusses her historical novel set in 19th-century Tibet, exploring themes of colonialism, cartography, and identity through the perspectives of Balram, an Indian schoolteacher turned explorer, and Catherine, a determined female adventurer.
Season 10, Episode 3 - Lynn Cullen
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful interviews Lynn Cullen, author of When We Were Brilliant. Cullen discusses her inspiration for the novel, focusing on the unique relationship between photographer Eve Arnold and Marilyn Monroe.
Season 10, Episode 2 - Gabriella Saab
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful interviews Gabriella Saab, author of The Star Society. Inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s early life, the novel follows Ada, a Dutch resistance survivor who reinvents herself in postwar America.
Season 10, Episode 1 - Vanessa Riley
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful interviews Vanessa Riley, author of Fire, Sword, and Sea. Riley discusses the chaotic world of 17th-century Caribbean piracy, the challenges faced by women and Black pirates, and the research behind her heroine, Jacquotte Delahaye.
Season 9, Episode 15 - Karen Essex
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful interviews author Karen Essex about her two-volume novel on Cleopatra. Essex reveals the real Cleopatra—an intelligent, multilingual ruler—contrasting her with the seductive figure from pop culture. She discusses her extensive research, including graduate studies and travel, and shares insights into the challenges of both traditional and independent publishing.
Season 9, Episode 14 - Herb Williams-Dalgart
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful talks with Herb Williams-Dalgart, author of the novel "Jingle Boys." Set in Brooklyn during World War II, the story follows Wally Lipkin, a young man facing the draft and struggling with anxiety neurosis—a condition that could either send him to war or to a sanatorium.
Season 9, Episode 13 - Wendy Holden
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful talks with Wendy Holden, author of "The Teacher of Auschwitz." Holden shares the remarkable story of Fredy Hirsch, a Jewish youth leader who became a beacon of hope for children during the Holocaust.
Season 9, Episode 12 - J. Susanne Wilson
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful interviews J. Susanne Wilson, author of The Death and Life of Iphigenia. Wilson shares her inspiration for reimagining the myth of Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon, and discusses her journey from academic study to crafting historical fiction.
Season 9, Episode 11 - Dennard Dayle
In this episode of History Through Fiction: The Podcast, host Colin Mustful interviews Dennard Tyler Dayle, author of How to Dodge a Cannonball.
Season 9, Episode 10 - Meagan Church
Colin Mustful speaks with with Meagan Church, author of "The Mad Wife." Meagan begins by reading a powerful excerpt from her novel, setting the stage for a deep dive into the story’s themes and historical context.
Season 9, Episode 9 - Katherine Reay
In this episode of History Through Fiction the podcast, host Colin Mustful welcomes back Jillian Forsberg to discuss her new novel, The Porcelain Menagerie, a companion to The Rhino Keeper. Jillian shares the real history behind her characters, the challenges of writing about dark truths, and the importance of artistic legacy.
Season 9, Episode 8 - Jillian Forsberg
In this episode of History Through Fiction the podcast, host Colin Mustful welcomes back Jillian Forsberg to discuss her new novel, The Porcelain Menagerie, a companion to The Rhino Keeper. Jillian shares the real history behind her characters, the challenges of writing about dark truths, and the importance of artistic legacy.
Season 9, Episode 7 - Angela Shupe
Host Colin Mustful speaks with author Angela Shupe to discuss her debut novel In the Light of the Sun, inspired by her own family history.
Season 9, Episode 6 - Kristen Loesch
Host Colin Mustful speaks with author Kristen Loesch to discuss her novel The Hong Kong Widow, a sweeping historical mystery set across 1930s Shanghai, 1950s Hong Kong, and modern-day Hong Kong.
Season 9, Episode 5 - Sarah Landenwich
In this intriguing episode of History Through Fiction the podcast, host Colin Mustful interviews Sarah Landenwich, author of The Fire Concerto. Discover the story of Clara Bishop, a former piano prodigy drawn into a historical mystery after inheriting a 19th-century metronome linked to a famous composer’s death.
Season 9, Episode 4 - Joy Callaway
In this intriguing episode of History Through Fiction the podcast, host Colin Mustful interviews Joy Callaway, author of The Star of Camp Green, a novel inspired by Broadway star Elsie Janis and set in a World War I army training camp.
Season 9, Episode 3 - Charles Bush
In this episode of History Through Fiction the podcast, author Charles Bush joins host Colin Mustful to discuss his novel The Boy with the Jade, a reimagining of the Chinese classic Dream of the Red Chamber.