Turning Fact Into Fiction—How to Craft A Novel from First-hand Sources with Gin Phillips

Please join us on Saturday, October 24th at 11am in the Arrington Auditorium for a talk by Gin Phillips. She will explore how archival materials can inspire compelling stories, authentic characters, and richly detailed settings. Participants will learn how to find and interpret primary sources—such as letters, photographs, newspapers, maps, and oral histories—and transform real historical materials into imaginative fiction while balancing creativity with historical accuracy. No prior research experience is required.
Born in Montgomery, Al., Gin graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a degree in political journalism. After time spent in Ireland, New York, and Washington, D.C., she currently lives with her family (plus a schnoodle and a mini golden mountain doodle) in Birmingham. Gin Phillips has written seven novels, and her work has been sold in 29 countries.