Join us on Sunday, June 21, 2026, author Suzanne Stauffer, Ph.D., explores how historical fact becomes compelling historical fiction while maintaining accuracy and authenticity.
The program will be held at the Albuquerque Museum at 2000 Mountain Rd. NW in Old Town. Parking is free in the lot south of the Museum. Admission to the Museum and the AHS program is also free.
How does an author turn historical fact into historical fiction, while maintaining accuracy and authenticity? This presentation will use her 2025 New Mexico Book Award winning historical mystery, Fried Chicken Castaneda, and later works in the series to illustrate the process of moving from historical fact to historical fiction. Set in 1929, Fried Chicken Castaneda incorporates historical material about the Fred Harvey Company, the Santa Fe Railroad, and the city of Las Vegas, New Mexico. Later works include the Fred Harvey Indian Detours, various ruins and Pueblos in Northwestern New Mexico. and the cities of Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
Suzanne Stauffer (MLS, 1986; Ph.D. 2004) is a retired librarian and professor emerita of library history. She worked as a public and academic librarian in the New York City and Los Angeles County areas for 20 years, then as a professor of library and information science at Louisiana State University for another 20. She retired to Albuquerque in 2024. She is currently editing the 2nd revised edition of Libraries, Archives, and Museums : An Introduction to Cultural Heritage Institutions Through the Ages. Her second historical mystery, French Toast a la Santa Fe, is scheduled for release October 13, 2026. A third mystery in the series, Cold Vichyssoise Cream, is in process. It is set in Albuquerque and features the KiMo Theater, Route 66, and the Alvarado Hotel.
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