What's New in Historical Fiction

What’s New in Historical Fiction brings together four acclaimed authors whose latest novels take readers across continents and centuries—from the horrors of Auschwitz and the upheavals of wartime Korea to the American West and the railroad boom of nineteenth-century New England. Moderated by Colin Mustful, the conversation will explore how historical fiction brings overlooked stories to life, examines the forces that shape families and communities, and reveals the enduring questions of freedom, identity, belonging, and resilience.

Featured Authors and Novels:

Tim Schooley, Circus of the Vanishing Elephant
Jane D. Cairns, Exalted Objects
Rosa Kwon Easton, Red Seal
Anna Stuart, The Last Baby in Auschwitz

Tim Schooley — Circus of the Vanishing Elephant

In 1974, the struggling King Minos Circus hopes to attract audiences with a spectacular new act: an elephant that seemingly vanishes. But when Henrietta disappears during a parade, the illusion becomes something far more serious. Suspicion falls on Minos's estranged daughter, Randi, an activist determined to free circus elephants, and Ainge, a young clown carrying the wounds of his father's rejection. As the characters journey across the American West, they are forced to confront questions of family, freedom, loyalty, and who has the right to decide where an animal—or a person—belongs. Circus of the Vanishing Elephant is a compelling story of unlikely alliances, shifting loyalties, and the complicated bonds between people and the creatures they love.

Jane D. Cairns — Exalted Objects

In 1869 New Hampshire, railroad magnate George Stark faces an impossible choice: commit his eccentric brother Will—a poet, prankster, and zookeeper—to an asylum or risk his career and family name after a disastrous train crash and public scandal. Reaching back to 1846, Exalted Objects follows the Stark brothers along increasingly divergent paths. George's ambition carries him into the rapidly expanding railroad industry, while Will transforms the family estate into a sanctuary for exotic animals and unconventional ideas. As the Civil War approaches, their story explores the tension between ambition and freedom, order and creativity, and duty and compassion. With wit and heart, Cairns brings a fascinating chapter of American history to life through the complicated bond between two brothers.

Rosa Kwon Easton — Red Seal

In 1943, as the Pacific War rages, Miyoung, a Korean-born single mother and nurse, refuses an order to serve in the Imperial Japanese Army and flees with her six-year-old son, Ko-chan. Their journey takes them through Japanese-occupied Manchuria and eventually into a decades-long odyssey shaped by war, displacement, sacrifice, and the search for identity. As Ko-chan grows up, he begins to question where he belongs, while Miyoung hopes that returning to her homeland will allow both of them to reclaim a part of themselves. Spanning generations and three countries, Red Seal is a powerful story of family bonds and the struggle to define oneself amid cultural upheaval and a constantly changing world.

Anna Stuart — The Last Baby in Auschwitz

After surviving three years in Auschwitz, Naomi Demetriou discovers she is pregnant. With the help of Ana, a courageous midwife, and the other mothers in Barrack 24, she gives birth to a baby boy named Isaac and vows to protect him at any cost. But as liberation approaches, Naomi is forced onto a death march, leaving her newborn behind. Inspired by incredible true stories, The Last Baby in Auschwitz explores a mother's extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable darkness. Through Naomi's story, Anna Stuart shines a light on the women who fought to protect their children and preserve hope during one of history's most horrific chapters.