History That Never Was

Home of Dawn Vogel: Writer, Historian, Geek

“The Experiment” in Unfixed Timelines 3

| February 1, 2024

“The Experiment” is a very brief flash fiction piece in which a young girl conducts a magical experiment during the Dust Bowl era, much to her mother’s chagrin. I can’t say much more than that without giving too much  of the story away. If you’re not familiar with the Dust Bowl era, you can check […]

“Memento Mori” in Unfixed Timelines 3

| January 11, 2024

“Memento Mori” is an unusual combination of the Old West and science fantasy. It’s a story about Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, and aliens, and it purports a history that isn’t even remotely true. But all that being said, it’s based on some real history, so it fits perfectly into Unfixed Timelines 3. This story was […]

Review of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

| October 18, 2023

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey, 2022) is a reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau, set in Mexico during a period of civil strife in the nineteenth century, and focusing on Doctor Moreau’s daughter and an overseer of his hybrid creations. Carlotta Moreau has grown up with a strange sickness, but […]

Review of The Red Palace by June Hur

| February 8, 2023

The Red Palace (Feiwel and Friends, 2022) is the second of June Hur’s historical fiction young adult mystery novels set in Korea that I have read and enjoyed. This book, set in the mid-eighteenth century, again features wonderful characters and a great mystery. And while you might guess the culprit earlier in this book than […]

My Historical Fiction Publications, New, Old, and Coming This Year!

| January 24, 2023

I’ve got one recent historical fiction publication out recently. My story “Memento Mori” appeared in Queer Weird West Tales and tells a potential story about a weird bit of trivia related to Calamity Jane! I’ve published a lot of my fantastical history stories in Unfixed Timelines and Unfixed Timelines 2. Later this year, I plan to publish the third […]

Review of The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

| October 26, 2022

The Hacienda, Isabel Cañas’s debut novel (Berkeley, 2022), is a gorgeous Gothic novel set post-Mexican War of Independence. Far removed from the typical Gothic settings of Western Europe, this novel draws upon the universal language of dread and presents a world filled with chilling horror. Beatriz is the second wife of a wealthy landowner, having […]

Reading Alternate History

| June 30, 2022

My published alternate history (which I prefer to call fantastical history) can primarily be found in two collections: Unfixed Timelines and Unfixed Timelines 2. Both of these collections include stories along with brief essays on the history that inspired them. I’ve got plans for an eventual third volume in this series, and at that point, I plan […]

Unfixed Timelines 2 Complete on Channillo

| March 22, 2022

Have you checked out Unfixed Timelines 2 on Channillo? At this point, the entire book has been posted! You just need a Channillo subscription to read my stories and essays, and you can read other books there as well! A Russian pilot using a bit of magic and music to rescue her compatriot. The family impacts […]

Unfixed Timelines 2 on Channillo

| January 20, 2022

Have you checked out Unfixed Timelines 2 on Channillo? Each Tuesday, I’m publishing a story or essay related to the historical elements of the story there. You just need a Channillo subscription to read my stories and essays, and you can read other books there as well! A Russian pilot using a bit of magic and […]

Unfixed Timelines 2 Launching on Channillo!

| December 14, 2021

It’s been a little while since I’ve launched a book on Channillo, but as of today, you can read the first story in Unfixed Timelines 2, “Nochnaya Serenada,” on Channillo with a subscription! Each Tuesday through the middle of March, I’ll post a new story or essay on some of the historical elements of the stories, […]