Behind the Publisher's Desk

In this episode of Behind the Publisher’s Desk, Colin Mustful shares a candid update from a season of rapid growth at History Through Fiction. After a surge of submissions driven by conference momentum and wider outreach, he reflects on the challenge of keeping up with acquisitions while still giving each submission the time and care it deserves. He also shares why that growth has led him to hire an operations manager and begin building the systems needed to scale the press without losing sight of its mission, quality, and values.

Colin also gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at several major initiatives moving forward at once: the launch of The Working Writer community with Melissa Makarewicz, the upcoming Historical Fiction Virtual Book Festival, and the close of the short story contest that will help shape a new anthology. Along the way, he offers updates on current editorial work, including Captain M and Operation Okapi, as well as plans for special book boxes tied to the November release of All Different Kinds of Free.

He closes with a more personal creative note, reflecting on the value of stepping away from words long enough to sketch a character from his work in progress. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to manage growth, protect quality, and keep creating at the same time, this episode offers an honest snapshot of the work in motion.