History That Never Was

Home of Dawn Vogel: Writer, Historian, Geek

Fun for Friday: The Big Pink Book Prompt 11, Blue Doors

| September 4, 2026

On Monday, I shared the eleventh prompt from the Big Pink Book. If you guessed that I was going to do something with blue doors, you’re absolutely correct. (It was probably pretty obvious.) Even though the image at the top left is a birdhouse, it had a similar shape and dimensions as the door at […]

Review of Death Valley Blooms by S. M. Mack

| September 2, 2026

S. M. Mack’s Death Valley Blooms (Neon Hemlock, 2025) is a contemporary fantasy novella that poses questions about family curses and inheritances when some members set out to break the curses by not continuing their family line. With gorgeous, lush, surreal descriptions and a relatable protagonist, it’s a quick and fascinating read. Mar knows that the […]

“Hollow” in This Book Has Ghosts in It

| September 1, 2026

“Hollow” is a flash fiction story that plays with how our perceptions can color the idea of “the end of the world.” In this case, it’s a little bit horror, a little bit apocalyptic, and definitely dark contemporary fantasy. I wrote this story as part of a horror writing course I was taking from Nino […]