History That Never Was

Home of Dawn Vogel: Writer, Historian, Geek

Horror and Dark Fantasy

| July 15, 2021

If you’re looking for some dark reads for your to be read pile, I’ve got a couple of options for you! Camp Haunt is an epistolary young adult horror novella, which is only available on Channillo (which requires a subscription). It uses letters home from campers, campers’ journals, camp documents, and newspaper clippings to tell […]

Review of The Silence of Bones by June Hur

| July 14, 2021

The Silence of Bones by June Hur (Feiwel & Friends, 2020) is a historical young adult mystery set in early nineteenth century Korea, full of rich detail and wonderful characters. The mystery is also phenomenal, and it will keep you guessing all the way to the reveal! Damo Seol is an indentured servant, bound to […]

“Grandmother Firebird” in Old Legends and New Fables

| July 13, 2021

My story “Grandmother Firebird” was originally written for an online contest. It’s been long enough ago that I don’t recall what the prompt for the story was, or how I got from point A to point B in terms of writing this story. But I definitely loved this story from the beginning, as it’s one […]

Coming This Fall: Chrysanthemum and Marigold Marsh, Girl Detectives

| July 1, 2021

If you enjoyed my middle grade detective mystery, The Trouble with the Tick-Tock Tabby, you’re going to enjoy the book I’m putting out this fall: Chrysanthemum and Marigold Marsh, Girl Detectives. This book will collect three Marsh sisters stories: “The Recondite Riddle of the Rose Rogue” (their first appearance, and the first story I ever published) […]

“A Balance of Power” in Unfixed Timelines 2

| June 29, 2021

I feel like I’ve always had an interest in Jack the Ripper, and I have no idea what started it, though it’s likely the mystery of who he was that has kept me interested over the years. When I finally decided to write a Jack the Ripper story of my own, however, I didn’t want […]

Convention of Heroes Recap

| June 28, 2021

Last week was the Convention of Heroes, an online event hosted by Superhero-Fiction.com. There were a ton of great panels, and the best news is that you can watch recordings of all of them on YouTube! I particularly found the “How to Craft a Hero” and “Captivating World Building” panels useful for someone who writes […]

Looking for Some Fantasy Reads?

| June 24, 2021

If your idea of a great summer read is something from a world of fantasy, I’ve got a couple of books that might fit the bill! What If I’m a Merfolk? spans traditional fantasy and more modern fantasy, but presents a load of interesting merfolk poetry and a handful of short stories, all dealing with […]

Have You Checked Out Old Legends and New Fables?

| June 17, 2021

Have you had a chance to check out Old Legends and New Fables yet? It’s got a wide variety of poetry and a handful of short stories, and the topics wind their way through familiar and unfamiliar mythology, legend, and other stories. Here’s the blurb for the book: The gods of old have become stories, as […]

Intercity Illusions Out Today!

| June 15, 2021

My latest collection, which is all urban fantasy stories and poetry, is out today! You can find Intercity Illusions in print and ebook formats. This collection is primarily previously published stories, but there are six new stories that are currently exclusive to this collection. Several of the poems are also previously published, while a few […]

Review of Thornwood by Leah Cypess

| June 2, 2021

Thornwood by Leah Cypess (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2021) is a delightful retelling of the Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of her sister. Written for a middle grade audience, the book is a wonderful read for kids and adults alike. The book begins with the premise that Sleeping Beauty’s story went mostly as the […]