“James Stejskal is an author, military historian, and conflict archaeologist. To gain inspiration and research his writings, he spent 35 years serving with the US Army Special Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency in interesting places like Africa, Europe, the Balkans, the Near and Far East. He is the author of the “Snake Eater Chronicles,” a Cold War military & espionage thriller series as well as the non-fiction books “Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army’s Elite, 1956–1990” and “Masters of Mayhem: Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz.” See more: https://www.facebook.com/pg/James-Stejskal-Writer-100225315040351/posts/

Claire Hobson established a freelance career in proofreading in 2007 and branched into copywriting over the next few years, often for the Icelandic tourism industry. However, pursuing writing as a hobby in the 2010s, she embarked on historical fiction and quickly developed a big interest in Stuart history. This drew her to research and nonfiction. As a fundraiser for mental health charity Mind, Claire has organised and promoted Restoration-themed events involving leading historians. Through these, she produced regular history content on social media and scripted features for talks, but she now devotes more time to books, delving deeper into the seventeenth century.

Elisabeth Storrs has a great love for history and myths. A former lawyer,she is the founder of the Historical Novel Society Australasia and the $155,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize. Her obsession previously lay with Rome and the Etruscans but now she is absorbed with Trojan treasure and twisted Germanic history with her new release, Fables & Lies: A World War II Novel endorsed by Olivia Hawker and Kate Forsyth. She lives in Sydney with her husband in a house surrounded by jacarandas. She is also a member of the History Girls.

Based on a true story, Fables & Lies explores WWII through the eyes of Freyja, a German museum assistant striving to protect her nation’s treasures while navigating love and loyalty amid the horrors of Nazi Germany. The book blends romance, suspense, and ethical dilemmas as Freyja discovers the moral corruption of the Regime, dark family secrets, and personal transformation in a world built on lies.

Told from the perspective of German civilians, the novel highlights the bravery of museum curators and Gentiles married to Jews, while uncovering untold stories of resistance, and the dangers of twisting history and myth to justify conquest and genocide.

In essence, the book show history is never neutral and that courage can be found in the quietest acts of defiance. A must for readers who love thought provoking WWII historical fiction exploring the complexities of survival, moral conflict and impossible choices which feature thwarted love and a journey to enlightenment. Perfect for fans of Kelly Rimmer, Laura Morelli and Anthony Doer.

Elisabeth’s ‘A Tale of Ancient Rome’ series includes The Wedding Shroud, The Golden Dice and Call to Juno. The Wedding Shroud was endorsed by Ursula Le Guin, and named by Ben Kane as one of the top three books set in the classical world. Call to Juno was endorsed by Kate Quinn and was an Editor’s Choice in the Historical Novels Review. An archaeologist loved the saga so much she created an audio-visual exhibition featuring Elisabeth’s characters voicing votive statuary at the Museo dell’Agro Veientano near Rome.

“Charles Cordell, a former soldier, writes with bravura confidence.” The Times

Charles Cordell is the author of English Civil War historical fiction series Divided Kingdom. A former soldier, he is an author with experience on the ground in the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa – witnessing humanity at its best, its worst and its most desperate. His writing draws on time spent in the fraying margins of civilisation, as well as a deep study of The General Crisis of the 17th Century and its parallels today.

Jenni Keer lives in the glorious Suffolk countryside with her antique fair organiser husband, three of her four grown-up sons and a clowder of cats. She writes quirky historical novels set in the late Victorian and early twentieth century period. They often include murder, romance and a speculative element. Her 1920s sliding doors novel, No. 23 Burlington Square, has now sold over 100,000 copies.