History That Never Was

Home of Dawn Vogel: Writer, Historian, Geek

“At Least No One Else Will Suffer” in Conceits of Whim and Fancy

| October 19, 2023

My story “At Least No One Else Will Suffer” is a brief flash fiction piece about an evil fae king and his new queen. I can’t say too much else without giving away spoilers, but the set up plus the title might give you a clue about what happens. “At Least No One Else Will […]

Unfixed Timelines 3 and Omnibus Out Today!

| October 17, 2023

Today is the release day for both Unfixed Timelines 3 and Unfixed Timelines Omnibus. The former includes seven stories and poem, some of which have been previously published, along with essays that explain the history that each piece is twisting or referencing. The latter collects the first three volumes of Unfixed Timelines into a single volume, allowing it […]

Some Newer Spooky Reads

| October 10, 2023

If you’re looking for something spooky to read for Halloween (or leading up to it), here’s a few of my recent dark publications. My drabbles, “The Problem with Schematics” and “Litany,” appeared in the Dark Stars anthology, which is a collection of dark sci-fi drabbles from Shacklebound Books. One involves a ship that should not […]

September 2023 Publications

| October 5, 2023

I had two new publication in September of this year, both fantasy stories. My short story, “Kick in the Door and Improvise,” appeared in volume 11 of Tales from the Magician’s Skull. The title is taken from the common “plan” we use in a lot of our tabletop RPGs, to the point that I cross-stitched […]

Kickstarter Recommendation: The Bell Ringer and Other Holiday Tales

| October 4, 2023

My friend Raven Oak is currently running a Kickstarter for The Bell Ringer and Other Holiday Tales, a collection of art and short stories with a holiday theme. The art is absolutely gorgeous, and having read some of Raven’s stories in the past, the stories are certain to be equally great! This Kickstarter is a very […]

“Just Smile” in Doorways in the Gloom

| September 28, 2023

“Just Smile” is one of a handful of yokai stories I’ve written, generally during Drawlloween (an October art challenge that I use for writing prompts). I really love the different types of monsters that different cultures develop, because it gives a bit of insight into that culture’s fears that people might not otherwise talk about. […]

“Aethervirales” in Droplets from the Universe

| September 26, 2023

Of the stories in Droplets from the Universe, “Aethervirales” appears on first glance to be the least suited to collection of joyful and humorous sci-fi. After all, it begins with a murdered person. But I included it in this collection because the protagonist of the story solves the case and has a happy ending. As the […]

Have You Checked Out Dead-Starred Futures?

| September 21, 2023

Have you had a chance to check out Dead-Starred Futures yet? It’s filled with very short stories and poems, all along the theme of dystopian sci-fi. The stories are generally dark, though there’s occasional humor interspersed with the darkness. Dead-Starred Futures is available in ebook only, wherever you like to buy ebooks!

Books for Kids

| September 19, 2023

I’ve got several books for kids, including steampunk and fantasy! The Trouble with the Tick-Tock Tabby is a middle grade book featuring girl detectives Chrysanthemum and Marigold Marsh. The setting is a steampunk Victorian era. The characters are 9 and 12 years old, which skews toward the younger end of middle grade, but the reading level […]

Unfixed Timelines 3 and Omnibus Available for Pre-Order!

| September 12, 2023

On October 17, I’ll have two new books out! Unfixed Timelines 3 is the third in my series of alternate/fantastical history stories accompanied by essays about the history that each story alters. A Wild West icon meets her match, a budding scientist tests a theory in a dust storm, fashion turns deadly, a daughter learns the […]