American Book Festival – Wayne Turmel

Romance in the Mohawk Valley- Lizzie Jenks

Those who know me know I may be a romantic but one wouldn’t know it from my writing. Other writers make romance the THING. Case in point, American Book Festival finalist for Historical Romance, Lizzie Jenks.

Lizzie, who are ya and what’s your story?

I am a multi-award-winning author of historical romance by night, and a historian by day. Needless to say, those two callings weave together delightfully. In grad school, I never paid much mind to any historians who poo-poo-ed historical fiction authors or re-enactors. Historians tend to be focused on how all the pieces fit together to create the big picture, but histfic authors and re-enactors are often much more attuned to the tiny details that bring the era to life. And believe me, I have been grilling re-enactors to get the details right for my current series.

How else are you going to learn about the good, the bad, and the ugly of running through the woods during a sticky summer heatwave in a wool breechcloth? That is NOT something they teach you in grad school!

What is the book about?

Passion’s Duty is the first book in a series about a group of New Yorkers from the Mohawk Valley during the French and Indian War. This first story belongs to James Carroll, a barely literate former indentured servant from Ireland, working for William Johnson, and Faith Richmond, the daughter of an English colonel, and expected to marry her father’s lieutenant in order to further her family’s fortunes. They are helping Johnson’s preparations during his grand conference with the Iroquois and get caught up in French raids before they can even join the army proper for the first Crown Point campaign. And it is a steamy romance, so they fall in love and into each other’s arms along the way.

What is it about that time period or character that appealed to you? What are the roots of the story?

This period has always been a favorite of mine because it is so much richer and more complex than we all learned in high school. As I was brainstorming the story, I attended an open-house at the home William Johnson lived in during the war. The museum caretaker let me go up into the attic of the house, even though it wasn’t technically open that day. As he was showing me around, and telling me about what was stored up there, and how it was defended—two-pounders on swivels in the attic, facing the river—I looked up at a rather unsteady ladder and envisioned myself falling off it (because I am a klutz), and I suddenly had my inciting incident and was off to the races.

What is your favorite scene in the book?

So many favorites! Here is one that is early enough not to contain any spoilers. James is on patrol with his best friend and encounters Faith and her father in the woods, so the couple first meets at gunpoint. Once they have sorted out that they are all on the same side in the coming war, her father becomes belatedly concerned for Faith’s safety and asks James to escort them back to the road and their hired carriage. In the process of doing so, they encounter some uniquely North American wildlife. The Richmonds can’t understand why James and his friend are so very intent on avoiding it when they learn it isn’t likely to injure them.

Where can we learn more about you and your book(s) Goodreads, Amazon links, twitter, Facebook, website etc.

You can find me at LizzieJenks.com, on Amazon, and on Goodreads. I am also on Instagram and Facebook, but I am an absentminded professor, so I forget to check my notifications for months at a time. The best way to get in touch is via my website and my Readers’ List. And if you join my Readers’ List, you will receive a $0.00 copy of Passion’s Return, which is an award-winning six-chapter story that is part of this same French and Indian War series. And at roughly 30 pages, it is a smaller commitment to try out a new-to-you author. I hope you enjoy it!

Check out The Deserter- a Tale of the Foreign Legion. “Wayne Turmel’s The Deserter manages to feel both old fashioned and strikingly original. While it possesses qualities of the adventure tales of old—whether that be those of daring from Scott and Cooper or stoical Hemingwayesque figures or most directly P.C. Wren of Beau Geste fame with even a bit of T.E. Lawrence. “– Michael Harnett, author, Windmill Bluff

It’s an American Book Festival 2026 Winner for Best Adventure/Historical Novel!

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Two Prize-Winning Novels, One Author: Jillian Forsberg

When I won the American Book Fest award for The Deserter, I was pretty full of myself. Along comes Jillian Forsberg who wrote two novels, one of which was a finalist for general Historical Fiction, The Rhino Keeper. The other, The Porcelain Menagerie, was a finalist. Despite being a big-old showoff, I interviewed her anyway. Her books are fascinating tales that aren’t retelling of the same old stories.

Okay, Jill. Tell us about the wonder that is you.

I’m a unique soul for sure — I have a master’s degree in public history from Wichita State University and worked in museums for years, but went back to my college job in the bridal industry and now own a bridal store. I exercise my history brain with historical fiction novels. I’ve often compared the landscape of my brain to a old-school library. Think marble floors and rich wood card catalogs, which, for me, contain everything from wedding dresses to 18th century royals. I have always had a fascination with historical animals, artifacts, and ordinary people. I’d say I live a pretty fulfilling life!

Now tell us about your book (s!)

THE RHINO KEEPER is about the first animal celebrity: an Indian rhino named Clara who travelled 18th century Europe with a Dutch ship captain. She became a sensation, but also became a really important moment in animal history. People learned how to care for rhinos in captivity and her legacy continues today in art, animal husbandry manuals, and in capturing the imagination of people who stumble upon her unique story.

THE PORCELAIN MENAGERIE is a companion to THE RHINO KEEPER — Clara went to

a porcelain factory in Germany to be turned into a figurine. In doing research on Meissen porcelain, which is still in operation today, I became obsessed with the fact that porcelain was more valuable than gold, that artists were held captive to produce for a mad king, and that a 10th century castle was the factory in which they worked. I was struck, too, that the porcelain artist Johann Kaendler has one or two images of his likeness and yet even today is considered the finest porcelain sculptor in history, nailing the details of peoples likenesses in astounding detail. I simply had to know more about him, and a novel emerged.

What is it about that time period you found so fascinating?

The 18th century is a time of absolute contrasts: royals are more wealthy than ever

before, yet common people are waking up and realizing that they, too, deserve a piece of the pie. By the end of the century, dozens of revolutions sprang up around the world. I truly love the art and grandeur of the century, mixed with the raising of fists and torches. I write about the early to mid-century period, which I think are overlooked in fiction. There aren’t many novels that take place in 1710, especially in Germany, nor in the 1740s on a wild road trip with an animal. But truly, both novels were must-writes (and hopefully to this audience, must-reads) because I had too many unanswered questions and my imagination would not leave a rhino or a one-eyed lion alone.

I get wanting to write about something that hasn’t been done to death. That’s what is behind most of my historical fiction as well. What are your favorite scenes, since you have two books to talk about (and sell)?

In THE RHINO KEEPER, my favorite scene is when the Dutch ship captain Douwe Mout van der Meer sees Clara the rhino for the first time. He is awe-struck. In THE PORCELAIN MENAGERIE, my favorite scene is when a shipwreck is revealed to hold more than just devastation.

Where can we learn more?

My novels are both published through History Through Fiction, an amazing independent publisher of historical fiction. You can order signed copies from my website: https://www.jillianforsberg.com, and they’re available wherever books are sold. I’m on social media @jillianforsberg on all platforms.

Okay, it only one ONE American Book Fest award, but it’s still a damned good read. Check out The Deserter- a Tale of the Foreign Legion. “Wayne Turmel’s The Deserter manages to feel both old fashioned and strikingly original. While it possesses qualities of the adventure tales of old—whether that be those of daring from Scott and Cooper or stoical Hemingwayesque figures or most directly P.C. Wren of Beau Geste fame with even a bit of T.E. Lawrence. “– Michael Harnett, author, Windmill Bluff

The Deserter is the ABF Historical Adventure of the Year!

Among all the spam and hustles sent to authors, it’s easy to skip the good news. I just found out that The Deserter- a Tale of the Foreign Legion is the 2026 American Book Fest winner for Adventure/Historical books. You can read about it here.

If you haven’t read it yet, what’s keeping you?

The Deserter- a Tale of the Foreign Legion, is “a remarkable, thoroughly researched, gripping tale. A two-fisted adventure set in the African desert.” Available in paperback anywhere, and on Kindle.