✧ Book in the Spotlight ✧ Mrs R. Pacheco by Rose Ann Woolpert

 

Mrs R. Pacheco
 Rose Ann Woolpert

Publication Date: May 26th, 2026
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 252
Genre: Historical Fiction / Literary Fiction

It is 1859, and the glittering promise of the California Gold Rush has faded into dust, leaving behind a land suspended between ambition and uncertainty.

Into this shifting world steps Mary Catherine "Molly" McIntyre, a young woman newly unmoored by loss, carrying both the weight of family duty and the quiet, persistent call of her own dreams.

Based on the remarkable life of Mary McIntyre Pacheco, Mrs. R. Pacheco unfolds as an intimate portrait of a woman caught between cultures, expectations, and the fragile hope of self-determination. When Molly marries Romualdo Pacheco, a Californio statesman destined to become California's first Hispanic governor, her life is swept into a world both foreign and exhilarating, where love must contend with tradition, and identity is shaped by forces beyond her control.

As Molly navigates the complexities of marriage, society, and a rapidly changing California, she discovers within herself a fierce creative spirit that refuses to be silenced. Her journey from grieving daughter to pioneering novelist and playwright becomes a testament to resilience, illuminating the quiet strength required to carve a voice in a world not yet ready to hear it.

Rich in historical detail and alive with emotional depth, this novel evokes the textures of nineteenth-century California, from its sunlit landscapes to its deeply rooted cultural divides. Through Molly's eyes, readers are drawn into a story of longing, reinvention, and the delicate balance between belonging and becoming.

Both sweeping and deeply personal, Mrs. R. Pacheco is a story of love shaped by circumstance, ambition tempered by sacrifice, and the enduring courage it takes to stand between worlds and claim a life as one's own.

Praise for Mrs. R. Pacheco:

"Based on a real story in the mid 1850’s during the California Gold Rush. Well researched and very enjoyable to read. Highly recommend."
~ Amazon Review, 5*

"The detail of the descriptions of all makes the reader part of the story: fellow travelers, the boats and trains, the food, the clothing, the housing. And then Mary meets Romualdo Pacheco and the story takes off again, drawing the reader into Romualdo's courting of Mary. the wedding, birth of their children and premature passing of one while Romualdo takes on offices from State Senator, State Treasurer, Lt. Governor, Governor and member of congress. All the while, from the beginning, we see Mary's nascent desire to write being nurtured by many people in many ways. This book catches the readers interest and keeps it. Highly recommended."
~ Amazon Review, 5*

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Rose Ann Woolpert

Rose Ann Woolpert is drawn to questions history leaves unanswered. As an author whose work is grounded in fact and shaped by imagination, she writes stories that explore how individuals navigate change, loss, ambition, and identity.

Her writing is often inspired by California history, particularly the lives of women whose stories risk being lost to memory. Family recollections, historical records, and careful research inform her work, while fiction allows space to imagine motives, choices, and inner lives beyond the historical record.

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✧ Book in the Spotlight ✧ The Spirit of the Times by Justin Newland

 

The Spirit of the Times 

Justin Newland

Mondays, July 6th - 27th, 2026

Publication Date: July 28th, 2026
Publisher: Troubador Publishing
Pages: 264
Genre: Historical Fiction

From a land of milk,

And a Road of Silk,

To a ring of roses,

And a dance of posies,

Comes the tale of the spirit of the times!

In fourteenth-century Central Asia, Karia is a young woman living under the yoke of Mongol occupation. But she’s different. She’s a fighter with supernatural powers. She could use them to keep the Black Plague at bay and solve the mystery of the purple skies at dawn – if only she could overcome her self-doubt.

Travelling in caravans on the Silk Road, she faces dangers seen and unseen – from sandstorms and slave traders to the desert djinn and folk who believe she’s a witch. She fears losing Abi, her little cousin, who’s fascinated by roses and the dance of the Whirling Dervishes of Bukhara.

When Karia falls in love with an English sailor fleeing the Knights Hospitaller, they sail to England with Abi to unravel the meaning of the purple skies, a dance, a posy tree, and a ring of roses.

The Spirit of the Times is part history, part fiction and part speculation: on the origin of disease; the power of innocence; the unfortunate aspects of custom and dogma; and humanity’s ability to respond to the governing influence or spirit of the times.

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Justin Newland

Justin Newland's novels represent an innovative blend of genres, from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. 

Undeterred by the award of a doctorate in mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies. Next came The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

The Coronation (Matador, 2019) features the Great Enlightenment and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution. The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

At this point in his writing career, after four self-published books, Justin was offered a part-funded contract with the Book Guild.

The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book ‘The Island of Angels’ series. It tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era. The second in the series, The Midnight of Eights (Book Guild, 2024), charts the uncanny coincidences of time and tide that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada.

His latest novel, The Spirit of the Times (Matador, 2026), is to be published in July. It tells the story of a young Kyrgyz woman’s journey westwards along the Silk Road. With purple skies at dawn, and a supporting cast of Genghis Khan, the Black Plague, a perplexing rhyme, a ring of roses, it explores the greatest mystery of all – the spirit of the times. 

Justin’s enduring passion is to explore the origins of our current time. This prompted a broad research into what we’ve inherited from history – encompassing Egypt, China, Prussia and Tudor England.

He also writes entertaining talks which he gives to the WI, U3A, Probus, Rotary and local historical associations. Please visit his website for a current list of the talks.

Alongside the talks, Justin promotes his work with regular book signings at TG Jones (ex. WH Smith) high street stores, selling over 3,500 books since 2019. He has sponsored over 40 UK and US blog tours, given frequent radio interviews and penned many guest posts.

His current book signing motto is: Enjoy, Imagine, Discover.

As a member of the Society of Authors, he has Public and Products Liability Insurance.

Born in Essex, England, three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his lady in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

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✧ Book in the Spotlight ✧ Unbelonging by David J. Jepsen

Unbelonging by David J. Jepsen

Publication Date: April 15th, 2026
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 270
Genre: Historical Fiction

Seattle, 1945. The war is ending-but for many, the hardest battles are just beginning.

In a city transformed by global conflict, four families struggle to find their place amid rising tensions, buried prejudice, and shifting identities. Victory overseas has brought hope, but at home, fear, suspicion, and inequality continue to shape everyday life.

A female defense worker, newly awakened to injustice, risks everything as she steps into the dangerous world of labor activism-threatening not only her future, but the safety of those she loves. A decorated Black war hero returns home expecting honor and opportunity, only to face a different kind of battlefield, where racism and exclusion deny him the freedoms he fought to defend. A Japanese American, released from internment, discovers that the end of war does not mean the end of hatred, and that rebuilding a life in a community that no longer trusts him may be the greatest challenge of all. A hopeful British war bride arrives chasing the promise of a new beginning, only to learn that the American dream is complicated, fragile, and not equally shared.

As labor strikes ripple through the city, racial tensions simmer, and the first shadows of Cold War hysteria begin to take hold, Seattle reveals itself as a place both beautiful and deeply divided. Old prejudices harden even as new voices rise, demanding change.

This powerful, emotionally charged novel strips away the myth of an open and enlightened city, exposing the human cost of exclusion and the quiet courage of those who refuse to accept it.

A sweeping story of resilience, identity, and the search for belonging-welcome to the City on the Sound, where no one is quite sure where they belong.

✧ ✧ ✧ 

Excerpt

✧ ✧ ✧ 

To help clear the way, Frank Sasaki obtained permission to return to Seattle in April to check on the status of their restaurant and their home on Fourteenth and Yesler. He was relieved to learn about a drop-off in violence against Japanese. But with war still raging in Asia at that time, anti-Japanese sentiment was ever present. At the invitation of his pastor at the Japanese Congregational Church, he’d attended a public hearing at Seattle City Hall on resettlement. Seattle Mayor William Devin and Washington Governor Mon C. Wallgren presided. They sat behind a table on the stage flanked by three members of the city council.

Organizations opposed to allowing Japanese to return before war’s end dominated the discussion early. Frank sat quietly in the back. Fallacious accusations and groundless speculation alarmed him. Particularly offensive was the Remember Pearl Harbor League. They represented the interests of white farmers in the Kent Valley who took possession of fields once leased to Japanese. The speaker was the League’s president, Ed Phelan, who appeared to be about fifty. He stood and looked at the crowd of two hundred. 

“From my experience, you can’t trust these Japs,” he declared. As he spoke, he seemed to zero in on Frank, one of the few Japanese present. “During the Depression, they worked for a buck fifty a day in the fields and turned around and gave twenty-five cents of that to some Jap who is now a captain in the Japanese army. Those two-bit pieces are now punching holes in our boys.”

A member of the equally despicable Japanese Exclusion League stood and called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to deport all Japanese who were noncitizens. Another criticized the court ruling that only “loyal” Japanese were to be freed. “Sure, most Japanese are loyal, but one out of a hundred may not be. You can’t tell if a Jap is loyal just by looking at him. The only way to be sure is keep them all out. Let them go back to Japan or move off the coast.”

“If they’re not American citizens, throw them out,” one woman demanded. “The only people who will benefit are the social reformers with their impossible aims.”

The barrage of hate speech droned on.

“The Japanese have been indoctrinated with sadistic philosophy of emperor worship.”

“For every Japanese our soldiers destroy, you shield and protect the fanatically dangerous

here at home.”

“Humanitarian gestures in behalf of the Japs is parallel to the historical Trojan horse.”

“My grandfather fought to take away this land from the Indians, and now the Japs are trying to take it away from us.”

Suddenly a man seated in the front stood and raised his right hand. “Mr. Mayor and Governor how long do we have to listen to this nonsense?” The speaker was Arthur Barnett, an attorney with the Seattle Council of Churches. The Council and multiple other civic organizations vigorously opposed internment. Since then the council remained a constant source of support for the Japanese. They traveled to Minidoka repeatedly to deliver supplies and offer legal services. He looked directly at Mayor Devin and Governor Wallgren, both of whom showed only lukewarm support for resettlement. 

“I ask you, sirs, what other group on the home front has suffered more than the Japanese?” He looked around the suddenly quiet hall. “They’ve been deprived of their civil and constitutional rights. They’ve been socially and economically ostracized, and treated with unwarranted suspicion. They’ve lost their homes and businesses. The least we can do is help them to get back to normal.” 

The crowd appeared split on this notion. Some nodded in agreement, others shook their heads, shifted in their seats. 

 “You bring them back, we won’t be responsible for how many are hanging from lamp posts,” yelled a man from the back. 

“Where is your decency sir?” Barnett pleaded, looking back at the man. He turned to face the men on the stage. “Have we not learned anything from the atrocities in Europe? he asked. “The thing most lacking in the early days of Hitlerism was civic righteousness.” He stretched the word into three syllables, right-eous-ness. “The atrocities committed against the Jews were tolerated for years by groups that feared to speak out until it was too late. Where is our civic righteousness? We must speak out now on behalf of our fellow citizens and Christians before it’s too late. Surely, Mr. Mayor,” Barnett concluded, “Seattle will respond as a truly American city. They will grant the returning American-Japanese citizens all the rights to which they are legally entitled.” 

✧ ✧ ✧ 

Praise 
✧ ✧ ✧ 

"Just a great read and anyone who picks it up is guaranteed to learn a thing or two: from Guadalcanal to local labor disputes."

Mr. K, Amazon 5* review

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David J. Jepsen

David J. Jepsen is a historian, writer and educator teaching Pacific Northwest and U.S. history at Tacoma Community College. His novel about racial and labor conflicts in Seattle following WW II, titled Unbelonging, was released in April 2026.

He was lead author of Contested Boundaries: A New Pacific Northwest History (John Wiley and Sons, 2017), and he wrote and directed the award winning documentary Labor Wars of the Northwest, nominated in 2019 for Best Feature Film Made in Washington by the Gig Harbor Film Festival.

David writes a weekly post for the Washington State Historical Society titled “This Day in Washington.” He holds a master’s degree in history and a bachelor’s in communications from the University of Washington.

He lives with his wife, Jackie, in Gig Harbor, WA.

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✧ Book in the Spotlight ✧ The Making of Marigold McGrath by Carrie Hayes

The Making of Marigold McGrath

By Carrie Hayes

Publication Date: April 29th, 2026
Publisher: HTPH Press
Pages: 332
Genre: Historical Fiction

New York City, 1937. Seventeen-year-old Marigold McGrath is coming undone.

Her mother is dead. Her father is drawn to dangerous politics. The only place she feels joy is behind a camera — where she can frame the world on her own terms.

After a series of her own missteps, she reinvents herself in London: mentored by a celebrated émigré photographer, photographing Kindertransport children, working alongside Edward R. Murrow. She falls in love with Joop, a charming Dutch student, and shrugs off the war gathering around her.

Then the Blitz begins.

Joop vanishes into the Dutch Resistance. And Marigold — who has always preferred to photograph the world as she wishes it were — must finally decide what kind of woman, and what kind of witness, she is willing to become.

A sweeping WWII coming-of-age novel set in wartime London.

For readers of Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn, and SL Beaumont's The War Photographers

Praise for The Making of Marigold McGrath:

I read a lot of historical novels ... this one was one of my favorites. From the characters to the setting to the actions depicted I thoroughly enjoyed the journey—I really didn’t want it to end!
~ Netgalley Review, 5*

"The Making of Marigold McGrath by Carrie Hayes is the tale of a well to do American seventeen year old sent to Europe just prior to World War II. The book is exquisitely written with a well paced dialogue. The characters are well formed and interesting. Sprinkled throughout the book are bits from news outlets that help set the larger context for the reader - they are well timed and helpful. Great read, well worth it!"
~ Goodreads Review, 5*

"The Making of Marigold McGrath explores a rarely examined aspect of WWII: the complex journeys to maturity of young adults in war-torn Europe as they seek human connection and meaning. Marigold finds both, using her skills as a photographer to document the stories of refugee children. With gobs of historical references and vivid imagery, interlaced with intrigue and romance, The Making of Marigold McGrath is a great read!"
~ Goodreads Review, 5*

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Carrie Hayes

Carrie’s first two novels, Naked Truth or Equality and Well Dressed Lies, follow the lives of the iconoclastic suffragist sisters, Victoria Woodhull and Tennessee Claflin.

Carrie lives with her husband and two spoiled dogs in a rambling Victorian house just outside of New York City.

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✧ Book Review ✧ Voices on the Wind (A Novel of Malta in WWII, Part I — Assault) by Helena P. Schrader

 

Voices on the Wind 
(A Novel of Malta in WWII, Part I — Assault) 
By Helena P. Schrader

Publication Date: 11th June 2026

Publisher: Cross Seas Press

Pages: 448

Genre: Historical Fiction

Early 1942: the fate of the Suez Canal and access to Middle East oil hangs on the fate of an island just 17 miles long by 9 miles wide: Malta.

 Determined to destroy the British forces threatening Rommel’s supply lines, the Axis powers drop more bombs on Malta than London endured throughout the Blitz. The population is forced underground, while the RAF struggles with inadequate resources to fend off defeat. Meanwhile, Britain’s Atlantic lifeline is fraying....

Voices on the Wind follows the fate of four of Malta’s defenders: Senior Intelligence Officer and former Battle of Britain ace, W/Cdr “Robin” Priestman; WAAF SigInt Officer Candice Weld, sent out from Bletchley Park to “man” the only X-machine outside the UK; F/O “Ned” Nettleton, a Beaufort torpedo bomber pilot engaged in suicidal attacks against enemy shipping; and Chief Officer Stevie Mackay of the British Merchant Navy, fighting to keep Britain’s own lines of supply open.

Book Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Before reading “Voices on the Wind: Part One – Assault”, Malta's role in the Second World War was one of those things I knew was important without actually knowing much about it. This book completely changed that. Rather than feeling like a history lesson, it drops you into the middle of events and lets you experience them through the people living and working there. By the end, I had a much better understanding of what Malta endured and why holding the island mattered so much.

The characters were what kept me turning the pages. Candice quickly became a favourite. She arrives in a world where some men have already decided she can't possibly know what she's talking about simply because she's a woman. Watching her prove them wrong again and again was enormously satisfying. I also loved the appearances of Adrian "Warby" Warburton. The man was clearly a character. The RAF eventually fitted an ashtray in his aircraft because they gave up trying to stop him smoking, yet this was also the same pilot carrying out some of the most dangerous reconnaissance missions of the war. The fact that he was apparently a terrible landing pilot just makes him even more memorable.

What stayed with me after finishing the book was how human it all felt. The air raids, the shortages, the tension, the uncertainty of not knowing what would happen next—it all feels very real. The novel never loses sight of the fact that behind every operation and every headline were ordinary people trying to get through another day.

I finished the book knowing far more about Malta than when I started and immediately wanted to know what happened next. That's usually a good sign.

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Helena P. Schrader

Helena P. Schrader is the author of 21 historical novels and six non-fiction history books. She earned a PhD in History from the University of Hamburg and served as a U.S. diplomat in Europe and Africa. She has won numerous literary awards, and two of her titles—Cold Peace, the first book in the Bridge to Tomorrow series on the Berlin Airlift, and her Battle of Britain novel, Where Eagles Never Flew—achieved Amazon #1 Bestseller status in aviation and military historical fiction.

Schrader masterfully blends meticulous historical research with compelling storytelling. Her success can best be measured not by the many awards or positive reviews, but by the fact that witnesses of the history she describes praise the authenticity of her works. Battle of Britain ace, W/Cdr Bob Doe enthusiastically declared that Where Eagles Never Flew got it “smack on the way it was for us fighter pilots.” Traitors for the Sake of Humanity: A Novel of the German Resistance won recognition for its extraordinary sensitivity to a complex topic from the survivors of the military conspiracy against Hitler and the widows of some of those executed.

The dramatic siege of Malta in WWII attracted Schrader’s attention years ago, and she has visited the island several times to conduct research, visit the important sites, and gain a greater understanding of the people. As she became drawn deeper into the material, the temptation to combine a novel about the siege of Malta with another of her lifelong loves, the British Merchant Navy, became irresistible. Schrader has been an avid sailor all her life and served as a petty officer in the British Merchant Navy on sail training ships in her youth.

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