BY AVELLINA BALESTRI

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

I grew up in western New York where I still live with my husband and our two daughters. I have been making up stories since I was a little girl, but I also love science and chose to focus on that in my academics. I studied biology in college and spent several years doing research in a lab before becoming a high school teacher. Now I am a stay-at-home mom and author—both of which are roles I always dreamed of and am so thankful to have. I love to read, be outdoors, play the French Horn, and have adventures with my family. My stories are filled with deep faith, rich history, and sweet romance.

What first inspired you to start writing?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t imagining stories and dreaming up characters. So much so that I thought that was normal for everyone! I saved notebooks and computer files with book ideas and snippets of scenes over the years, but it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to stay home with my kids that I began to truly pursue writing.

How did you first become interested in history, and what are your favorite time periods?

Confession—I didn’t like history in school. I know it sounds bad, but it always felt kind of dull or forced to me. I much preferred looking at history as a story weaving through time, which is what I found when I read historical fiction as I was growing up, or when I visited living history museums. The American Revolution has been my favorite time period since I was gifted a Felicity American Girl Doll as a child, but I’m also a big Jane Austen fan, so the Regency era holds a special appeal as well.

What started you on the journey of historical fiction writing in particular?

I read so much of it growing up and loved being immersed in history through fiction, so I think I always knew that if I became a published author, I wanted to write historical fiction myself.

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of working within the historical fiction genre?

My favorite part is learning new things as I research and bringing the era to life through my characters’ eyes, hopefully in a way that feels authentic to readers. The least favorite, or maybe I’d say the most challenging or restrictive, is working within the confines of a real timeline from the past. Sometimes my characters want a little more leeway, but I have to keep them on track with the actual events! 😉

How have you chosen which historical characters to feature in your books, and what made their stories resonate with you?

For my Harbor of Spies series, I have chosen several significant events centered around Boston as the backdrop for my stories, so some of the historical people that were present and involved in those events will show up on the side. I am so inspired by the Patriots especially—their bravery and spirit.

What is your process in terms of research and bringing historical characters to life?

My research process is kind of like using a microscope. Since my background is science, I think I can get away with this analogy. 😉 I start with a wide lens (podcasts and basic online sources) to get a feel for the time period and events, then narrow my focus with research books and museum sources, finally getting the closest view on the most important details through primary sources like journals, newspapers, and letters. When it comes to actual historical characters, I have purposefully chosen to keep real people as very minor characters in my stories. While I love learning about their lives, my personal preference is to allude to them, or have their on-page appearances be limited, and keep the focus on my fiction characters.

What is your method to integrate fictional characters and situations into the historical setting?

I always have a strong sense of who my characters are before I begin a new book. I especially focus on their spiritual journey, which is of huge importance to me in their character arc. I also put a lot of thought into their relationships, both with family, as that is a key feature in my stories, and with the love interest, since I write historical romance specifically. I’ve found that once I know who my characters are, I can place them in the backdrop of the historical setting much more authentically and, to the best of my ability, do justice in my portrayal of the time period and events.

If you had the chance to convey a message to your favorite historical characters, what would it be?

If I could say something to the historical people I have researched, I would probably say thank you! Thank you for their conviction and courage and determination that helped bring life to a brand-new country which I am grateful to live in over 200 years later.

What do you find more enjoyable/difficult: First drafts or editing/rewriting?

I tend to be an edit-as-I-go person, which makes the drafting process significantly slower, but results in a fairly clean “first” draft. So I guess I’d say that drafting and editing kind of blur together for me, and there are things I enjoy about both, with difficulties mingled right in there too of course.

How have you gone about publicizing yourself and your works?

I have found wonderful support amongst my newsletter subscribers and my close author friends to help spread the word about my books. I love my publisher—Wild Heart Books—and they are wonderful at marketing as well. It’s been fun to find an audience who is truly enthusiastic about the kind of stories I write.

What are some of the main themes/morals you would like readers to take away from your works?

The spiritual themes are integral to every book I write, and each book has a different focus that I hope will encourage and inspire readers in their own faith. Thus far, this series has explored themes such as forgiveness, trusting through hard times, and finding your true belonging in God as your Heavenly Father. Even though my characters are fictional, the truth of God’s Word is woven throughout their stories.

What is some advice you would give aspiring authors, especially those focusing on the historical fiction genre?

Don’t be afraid to get started! It seemed intimidating to me at first, both to try writing an entire book and to attempt historical fiction when I have no official background in history. But the best way to learn and grow is through actually doing it. Putting in the work to research and write. Investing in your craft, whether through courses and conferences, books, or critique groups. Getting words on the page, no matter how long it takes, is so worth it. And find a writing community to help you along. The journey is much more fun with friends by your side!

Plug your socials, published works, and current projects!

The best way to stay connected with me is through my newsletter, which you can sign up for on my website: megansoja.com. I am also on Instagram and Facebook.

Spark of the Revolution and Secrets of the Revolution, books one and two of my Harbor of Spies series, are available now. Book 3 releases in January of 2026, and I’m currently researching for book 4 in the series.