This Isn't New: Women's Historical Stories

An 1880s theologian. A 1940s high school principal. A 1970s, first-ever-anywhere (she's pretty sure) female take on Bozo the Clown.

In this collection, Cynthia Swanson explores the lives of nine women, including several ancillary figures from Swanson's beloved, bestselling novels. Covering more than a century of American history and landscapes, these stories examine recognizable struggles: gender presumptions, body image, gaslighting, and abuse, among others. The women's lives differ from one another, but they share a singular trait: their sex dictates the expectations stamped onto them. Each woman, in her time, must fight for who she is against the forces working to constrain her.

This Isn't New asks: What can uniquely female history teach us about our own lives-and how can the power of story inform our choices going forward?

Author: Cynthia Swanson
Publisher: Columbine York
Published: 05/21/2026
Pages: 170
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.25w x 0.39d
ISBN: 9798990807457

About the Author
Swanson, Cynthia: - Cynthia Swanson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the psychological suspense novels The Bookseller, The Glass Forest, and Anyone But Her, as well as the short story collection This Isn't New: Women's Historical Stories. Cynthia was named 2025 Indie Author of the Year by the Indie Author Project, has received the Colorado Book Award (twice) and the WILLA Literary Award, won the Indie Author Project contest, and been a finalist for the High Plains Book Award, the WILLA Literary Award, and the CAL Award. She is also the editor of the award-winning anthology Denver Noir. She lives with her family in Denver.