This interview is in two parts, because Colin is both an author and a publisher. This week, we hear from Colin the author:
Colin Mustful is an independent author, historian, editor, and publisher. His writing helps readers learn and understand the complicated and tragic history of settler-colonialism and Native displacement in the Upper Midwest. He has a Master of Arts degree in history and a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing. He is also the founder of History Through Fiction, an independent press that publishes high-quality fiction that is rooted in historical research. Mustful is an avid runner and soccer player who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He believes that learning history is vital to understanding our world today and finding just, long-lasting solutions for the future.
- What would you most like readers to know about your books?
My books focus on a complicated and tragic era of United States history when Indigenous peoples were forcibly removed from their homes through federal Indian policy and settler-colonialism. I’m particularly interested in what happened in the Upper Mississippi River Valley and Great Lakes area because that’s where I was born and now live. Specifically, my books, such as Fate of the Dakota and Resisting Removal, examine the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862 and the Sandy Lake Tragedy of 1850. My goal—my passion—is to discover why these events happened and what we can learn from them. I’m also interested in how this tragic history contributes to the world we live in today and the role I play in perpetuating its legacy—for better or for worse.
- What advice would you give to writers that you wish you had gotten earlier?
You’ll need help. Find writers who have done what you want to do and learn from them. Accept criticism and advice and be willing to pay for expertise when you need it.
- What is some advice that you think writers should ignore?
Just don’t let anyone stop you from pursuing your goals. Listen to them, take what you can, but then move on. Every author’s journey is unique. You’ll get where you want to go if you just keep working at it.
- Where can readers find out about you and your next project?
Readers can learn more about me at my website, ColinMustful.com. The best way to keep up with what I’m doing is to subscribe to my monthly newsletter which readers can do here: http://eepurl.com/h7O_wb
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