Historical Fiction by Joan Koster
Joan Koster is Zara West’s alter-ego. She writes historical fiction and writing craft books. She is here today to share her brand-new release That Dickinson Girl.
Hi everyone,
I am so excited to be here today to tell you about my debut historical fiction novel.
How much research do you do for each book you write?
Because I am writing biographical fiction featuring real people from the past, I do extensive research before I begin to write. For That Dickinson Girl, I began by reading the two biographies that have been written about Anna Dickinson. Then I searched the internet. I did not find too much about her that wasn’t in the biographies. But I did discover that her three books were available in Google Books so naturally I devoured them.
It was reading them that convinced me that I needed to write Anna’s story and share it with the world. I set out to bring to life this feisty woman who wrote a book about interracial marriage in 1869, was one of the first women to scale the Rockies (there is even a peak named after her), and who thought riding on a locomotive’s cowcatcher through mountain passes was the best of fun.
Further research led me to the treasure trove of her letters and scrapbooks stored in the Anna E. Dickinson Collection at the Library of Congress. Holding in my hand Susan B. Anthony’s letters to Anna was the ultimate thrill. Her albums containing news clippings and photos were so delicate I couldn’t believe I was allowed to turn the pages and study them to my heart’s content.
I collected all my research into a “Story Bible,” (I give workshops on how to make one), reviewed it several times, and then like Phillipa Gregory and Hilary Mantel, I set it all aside and began to write. I added a fictional companion to represent the unnamed women who accompanied her on her tours and a villainous reporter to represent the many newsmen who sought to bring her down. That is how That Dickinson Girl was born.
What would one of your characters say about your writing/book?
Anna Dickinson would pleased, I think, to have her name broadcast across the world again. The one thing she feared the most was to be forgotten by history. And she deserves to be remembered. As the most celebrated orator of her time, she was the Republicans biggest vote getter, helping them win the 1862 midterm election and so help the Union win the war and free the slaves. She was instrumental in recruiting men, especially Black men, to join the Union army, and in getting the 14th amendment written and passed.
As one of the first women to play Hamlet on Broadway, she not only made the point that women could play any role, but she also demonstrated naturalistic acting at a time when melodrama ruled. Only ten years later, her style of acting became popular with introduction of Ibsen to American theater goers. Some writers have called her the Mother of Modern Theater.
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
I have written nonfiction works most of my life. But when I learned Anna’s story I knew it would be best told in a novel. So, I set out to learn how to write fiction. Even though my dissertation was praised for its narrative style, nonfiction and fiction are very different. Mastering fiction took much longer than I expected.
Second, when I pitched my novel to the Big 5 editors, I was met with the response that since it was set in the North and featured a northern point of view, it would only have half a market as it would not sell well in the south, which I hope is not true. Anna’s story is more than a war story. It is a story about love and sacrifice and the price of fame.
Other editors found Anna to be too selfish and arrogant to be believable. But don’t we find many contemporary celebrities and politicians to be the same?
Eventually, I was lucky to find an agent who believed in the story and loved Anna, even with her egotistic personality. We have since parted ways, but her encouragement has been the spur to get the book published and into readers’ hands.
Can you tell us about any other upcoming books, series, or writing plans?
Throughout history, women have done amazing things that deserve to be remembered. They have lived lives of acclaim, of achievement, and of struggle against injustice. The Forgotten Women series brings these women alive through thrilling historical fiction. That Dickinson Girl is book one in the series. Book 2 features Ida Craddoc, a mystic marriage counselor hounded by Anthony Comstock. The third book is about Vinnie Ream, the sculptress of the Lincoln statute in the Rotunda of the Capitol, often called the Prairie Cinderella
Do you have any websites, blogs, or books about writing that you would recommend?
I am famous for my extensive number of websites and blogs. My main website, joankoster.com, features the writings of forgotten women from history. There are naturalists, novelists, suffragettes, spiritualists, and more. Be sure to visit to learn more about Anna Dickinson.
I have also published the Write for Success series. These compact writing guides include Fast Draft Your Manuscript, Revise Your Draft, Research Your Subject, and Power Charge Your Language. I am currently working on book 5, Zig Zag Plotting for Novelists.
That Dickinson Girl
by Joan Koster
Eighteen-year-old Anna Dickinson is nothing like the women around her, and she knows it. Gifted with a powerful voice, a razor-sharp wit, and unbounded energy, the diminutive curly-head sets out to surpass the men of her day as she speaks out against slavery and for women’s rights. Only two things can bring her downfall—the entangling love she has for her devoted companion, Julia, and an assassin’s bullet.
Forced to accompany the fiery young orator on her speaking tour of New England, Julia Pennington fights her growing attraction to Anna while protecting her from the onslaught of the press. When a traitor sets out to assassinate Anna, Julia must risk her life to save the woman she loves.
Loosely based on the life of forgotten orator, feminist, and lesbian, Anna Dickinson, That Dickinson Girl is the story of one woman’s rise to fame and fortune at the expense of love during the political and social turmoil of the American Civil War.
AMAZON ~ B&N ~ APPLE ~ KOBO
Learn more about Joan Koster
Joan – I didn’t even finish reading your blog before I clicked the BUY button. WOW – this book sounds amazing. Now back to finish reading about your research. I was a woman’s study major in college – so … Can’t wait to read everythign!