Storytelling is at the heart of Honest History, and we are lucky enough to work with an incredible group of writers. Inspired by their own love for history, they help bring stories about the past to life. We wanted to highlight four writers who have contributed to several issues of our kids magazine: Bethany Shedrick, Grace MaGee, Ben Shawn Ho, and Alexandria Petrocelli. We hope you enjoy getting to know our writers as much as we have!
Meet Bethany
Bethany Shedrick is an African American writer from San Diego, California. She has a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from San Diego State University. When Bethany isn’t reading or writing, she can be found playing video games, having picnic dates with friends, or planning her next vacation. She lives with her partner, who loves to cook, and their little rascal of a dog, Darla.How long have you been writing or when did you start?
I have been crafting stories since the age of six, starting out in the form of comics. I used to draw my characters like cartoons, and write series based on talking animals and their adventures. I often used notebook paper or printer paper, and would staple the sheets together to make a little booklet. My young imagination was always going and I couldn't wait to go home and write the next episode of my comics.
What made you want to write for Honest History?
I am a huge history geek. I find research so fascinating and love bringing to light lesser known stories from various cultures around the world. When I discovered an ad for Honest History while scrolling through Instagram, I knew I had to shoot my shot in their comment section. I proposed my idea, and the person who runs the Honest History Instagram account suggested I pitch it in an email, so I did. One thing led to the next, and I ended up writing several feature stories. The rest is history!
Are there any people, places, books, or films that have influenced your work?
I take inspiration from a lot of different people and places, but I would say studying the African Diaspora in college really helped me hone my passion for writing historical literature. In my free time, I consume lots of historical fiction and non-fiction, with elements of mythology sprinkled in. I also like to play historical video games like Assassin's Creed Origins or Ghost of Tsushima, because I like to feel immersed in the ancient world.
Do you have a favorite childhood book?
My favorite childhood book series was the Meet Addy: American Girl books. I remember feeling very connected to Addy's story. I could see myself in her character, and in reading those books, I also learned a lot about slavery and the post-Civil war era.
Do you have a favorite person and/or moment from history?
Oh, there are so many. But I would say, someone who inspires me greatly, but not many people know about, is Mary Ellen Pleasant. She was an activist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and multi-millionaire mogul from the early 1800s. Mary Ellen Pleasant was known for funding John Brown’s rebellion, rescuing slaves through the underground railroad, disguising herself as a jockey to steal and free slaves from plantations, and becoming one of the first black woman multi-millionaires in America. She may have been illiterate, but she was extremely sharp-minded and, in her words, “full of smartness.” Unfortunately, toward the end of her life, people grew spiteful of her success and formed terrible rumors to tear down her reputation. She died a pauper.
Meet Grace
Ever since she was a little girl, Grace MaGee loved stories—both reading them and writing them! She studied literature in college, and now she gets to write for a living (which makes her feel like one of the world’s luckiest people). As a Chicagoan, she can probably be found admiring a van Gogh painting at the Art Institute, eating non-deep-dish pizza, or walking somewhere along the lakeshore.
How long have you been writing or when did you start?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember; my earliest stories were almost always about horses, and I wrote and illustrated them in pencil on paper that I took from my parents’ printer!
What made you want to write for Honest History?
As someone with very little cousins, I have seen how eager and capable young minds can be—so I love how Honest History shares real, important stories with kids. Sometimes I still can’t believe I get to help tell those stories! I also love how they work with such talented illustrators to make every issue a beautiful work of art.
Are there any people, places, books, or films that have influenced your work?
Anything that I write is influenced by these three things: Ireland (where I spent a semester sometimes studying and always being awestruck by how green and ancient it is), Vincent van Gogh (whom I admire for seeing things both as they are and as they could be), and Miss Rumphius (a very small book that reminds me to make the world more beautiful).
Do you have a favorite childhood book?
Yes! Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney—my mom read it to me many times many years ago, and the whimsy of it has stuck with me to this day.
Do you have a favorite person and/or moment from history?
My favorite moment in history is odd: it’s the burning of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt. It makes me sad, but it also makes me curious! How would history look different if people hadn’t lost all that knowledge? What kinds of books were destroyed? Questions like this remind me just how important it is to keep writing stories—and protecting the ones we already have.
Meet Ben
Ben Shawn Ho is an animator and writer based in Fullerton, California. He’s currently hard at work on a fairytale novel for young adults. He also produces a YouTube channel, which features video lessons on American history hosted by Bigfoot, the Jackalope, and El Chupacabra.
How long have you been writing or when did you start?
As a child, I loved reading about U.S. presidents. I wrote a “book” about them when I was in second grade, using a stack of stapled paper and information from a set of presidents flash cards. Nobody ever read it besides me, but I loved making it! I’ve been writing fiction since the same time. I wrote a book in the third grade about a clumsy teddy bear that comes to life.
What made you want to write for Honest History?
History has been my favorite subject since elementary school. I also really enjoy the ballet. Coincidentally, the first story I had a chance to write for Honest History was about Tchaikovsky and the Russian ballet. It was a perfect match!
Are there any people, places, books, or films that have influenced your work?
I’m a big fan of science-fiction/fantasy books and films like Lord of the Rings, the Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and Dune. I also love just about anything from the 19th century, especially the work of Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, and Victor Hugo.
Do you have a favorite childhood book?
The first chapter book I ever read was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. I loved it and went to the library afterward to check out the next book in the series.
Do you have a favorite person and/or moment from history?
One of my favorite history books is Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals, about Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet during the American Civil War. If I had to choose one moment from history as my favorite, it would be when Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.
Meet Alexandria
Alexandria Petrocelli is a writer and archaeology student, with a background in social advocacy. When she isn’t putting thoughts to paper, Alexandria can usually be found gardening or bird watching on her small farm in the Appalachian Mountains.
How long have you been writing or when did you start?
Poetry was my first love. When I was 10 years old, I bought my first poetry journal. It was my most prized possession, purple and plush with an all-important lock on the side. I haven’t stopped writing since. My first professional job was as a journalist in my early twenties.
What made you want to write for Honest History?
We use Honest History to help supplement my kid’s curriculum as well as inspire conversations and ideas. Having the opportunity to combine my love of writing and history for a publication I trust has truly been the best gig ever!
Are there any people, places, books, or films that have influenced your work?
I loved The Royal Diaries and Dear America series as a young girl. When I am writing about the past, I am constantly trying to encapsulate the same feeling of wonder I had when reading The Royal Diaries: Kristina, the Girl King by Carolyn Meyer. Before I sit down to write, I will usually jam out to some Paul Simon. All I need is one brazen belt to “You Can Call Me Al”, and I am set! If I am truly in a writing slump, I will watch an adaptation of Little Women to help inspire. It hasn’t failed me yet!
Do you have a favorite childhood book?
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carol is dear to my heart. Honorable mention would have to be Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.
Do you have a favorite person and/or moment from history?
Hypatia of Alexandria who lived around the early 5th century CE in Roman occupied Egypt. She was a scholar, mathematician, philosopher, and astronomer. Hypatia was passionate about making things like early algebraic equations easier to understand. She was also one of the leading experts on the assembly of the Astrolabe; a navigation tool that was used all the way up till the 18th century!
Interested in writing for Honest History? Don't be shy and send us an email! We're always looking for stories that inspire kids to make a positive impact on history.