From the Archives: Historical Fiction and Hidden Women in History with Janet Skeslien Charles (E163)
In today’s episode, I am chatting with Janet Skelsien Charles. Janet is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade and the audiobook The Parisian Chapter. Janet was born and raised in Montana. After graduating from the University of Montana, she got a job teaching English in Ukraine. She later when to France intending to teach for a year, and has been there ever since. Place is at the heart of every story she has ever written. She loves traveling, spending time with friends and family, and reearching stories of forgotten people and places. We are here today to discuss her latest multicast audiobook, The Parisian Chapter.
We dive into her latest work, The Parisian Chapter, a rich, immersive story that connects to Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade and The Paris Library. Each can be enjoyed as a standalone, but together they form a tapestry of interconnected characters and the many roles within a library.
Episode Highlights:
- How teaching English in France led Janet to stay.
- The highs and lows of researching historical fiction.
- Why she avoids reading in her own genre while writing.
- The real history behind the women she brings to life on the page.
- How small contributions can still create a lasting impact on a community.
Whether you’re drawn to historical fiction, fascinated by research deep-dives, or simply love a good literary journey through time and place, this episode is full of stories, insight, and inspiration.
Connect with Janet:
Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
- Fiona Davis books
- Kristin Harmel books
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- The Bookbinder’s Secret by A.D. Bell (coming 01/13/2026)
- The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
- The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger
Book Flight
- The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gilman
- How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent by Julia Alvar
✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.
Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmap
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
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