Straight from the Source: Tina Athaide on Writing Historical Fiction

Why does historical fiction matter? 

Okay, let’s be real—history sometimes gets a bad reputation. 

Maybe you were forced to memorize dates in school (yawn), or maybe it felt like a collection of old stories that had nothing to do with you. But here’s the thing—history is us. It’s where we come from, it’s the choices people made that shape the world we live in today. And that’s why historical fiction matters. It doesn’t just tell us what happened—it lets us live it.  

In Orange for the Sunsets, I wanted readers to feel the tension of 1972 Uganda, when President Idi Amin expelled the Asian community. I didn’t want history to be a dry fact in a textbook—I wanted you to stand in the streets with Asha and Yesofu, to feel the weight of their friendship being pulled apart by forces bigger than them.  

In Wings to Soar, history isn’t just the backdrop—it’s Viva’s reality. She’s living in a resettlement camp in England after being kicked out of Uganda with her family. She’s figuring out who she is when everything she knew has been taken away. That’s what historical fiction does—it takes those big, world-changing moments and brings them down to a single beating heart.  

And let’s not forget, history repeats itself. When we read historical fiction, we start to notice patterns. We see injustices, struggles, and acts of resistance that mirror what’s happening today. The past teaches us how to navigate the present—and maybe even shape a better future.  

History matters. And historical fiction? It’s like a time machine with a front-row seat to the past—just with more emotion, more action. 

What’s one of the most interesting things you’ve learned while researching?

When I was researching Wings to Soar, I had the chance to speak with a police officer who had worked at a resettlement camp in England during the 1970s. Up until that moment, my focus had been entirely on the families—on the people, like Viva’s, who had been forced to leave Uganda with nothing and had to start over in a foreign land. But here was someone experiencing the same event from a completely different perspective.  

This officer shared what it was like to be on the other side of that chaos—not as someone being displaced, but as someone responsible for keeping order in a camp full of exhausted, grieving, and sometimes angry people. He talked about the tensions, the fear, the small moments of kindness he witnessed. It completely shifted how I thought about that part of history. It made me realize that no story—no moment in time—is ever just one story.  

That conversation inspired a character in Wings to Soar, a police officer caught in the complexity of it all. That’s what I love about research—it surprises you. It reminds you that history isn’t just about big events. It’s about real people, each with their own perspective, their own struggles, and their own humanity.

What kinds of sources do you use? 

Everything!  

Researching historical fiction means casting a wide net—because the best details often come from unexpected places. Here’s a look at some of the sources I use to bring my stories to life:  

1. Firsthand Accounts – The Real Goldmine  

Nothing beats talking to people who were there. For Wings to Soar, I interviewed Ugandan Asians who lived through the 1972 expulsion, as well as, people who worked at resettlement camps in England. Their stories weren’t just about the big events but the everyday details—how people felt, what they missed, what life smelled like in those moments. 

2. Newspapers & Archival Documents – The Details No One Remembers  

Old newspapers are incredible time capsules. I dug into archives of The East African Standard and The Uganda Argus to see how different communities reacted to Idi Amin’s decree in real-time. British government documents about the resettlement camps also gave me insight into how refugees were received, what they were given, and what policies shaped their new lives.  

3. Books, Memoirs & Academic Papers – Deep Dives into History  

4. Music & Pop Culture of the Era– Bringing the Time Period Alive  

Music is huge in my books. Diana Ross songs play a big role in Wings to Soar because music was a lifeline for so many people in the 1970s—especially displaced communities. I listened to ‘70s radio playlists, watched vintage commercials, and read about what kids in England were watching on TV at the time.  

5. Site Visits & Photos– When You Can’t Time Travel, Walk the Land  

I couldn’t go back to 1972 Uganda, but I poured over photos of Entebbe Airport from that time, studied aerial shots of the city, and looked at old maps to get the geography right. I also walked through places in my book to feel the environment that my characters would have experienced.  

6. Food Blogs & Cookbooks – Because You Can’t Write About Culture Without Food  

Food is everything in my books. I used old Goan and East African cookbooks to recreate the meals my characters would have eaten. I also read food blogs from second-generation Ugandan Asians reminiscing about their parents’ cooking. 

7. Oral History Projects & Documentaries – People Telling Their Own Stories  

Oral history projects like the Ugandan Asians Archive at the British Library and the Uganda Collection at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, gave me access to recordings of people who lived through the expulsion. Listening to their voices—the pauses, the emotions—was everything. I also watched documentaries, which featured interviews with people reflecting on their past.  

The Bottom Line? If it helps me understand the world of my characters, it’s a source. Historical fiction isn’t just about getting the facts right—it’s about getting the feeling right. That means pulling from every possible source because when readers step into my books, I want them to feel like they’ve been there.

What is your favorite thing about research?

I love research because it’s basically a treasure hunt—except instead of coins, I’m digging up forgotten stories, surprising details, and those little gems that make a book feel real.  

For Orange for the Sunsets, I spent hours combing through old news reports and personal accounts of Ugandans who lived through Idi Amin’s expulsion. 

But the best part? 

Talking to people who were there. There’s something electric about hearing firsthand stories, the little details no history book will tell you—like the exact sound of a crowded marketplace or the way people clung to hope even when everything was crumbling.  

For Wings to Soar, I fell down a rabbit hole researching resettlement camps in England, and I found myself fascinated by the everyday struggles—what food was served, what the beds looked like, how kids found ways to still be kids in the middle of uncertainty. That’s the magic of research: it turns history from something distant into something alive.  

And, let’s be honest—sometimes research takes me places I never expected. One day I’m looking up 1970s British pop songs (Diana Ross, anyone?), the next I’m knee-deep in government documents about immigration policies. 

It’s unpredictable. 

It’s messy. 

And I love it!

If readers take one thing away from your books, what do you hope it is?

I hope readers take away the power of courage—the courage to stand up, to hold on, and to find their way even when the world feels unsteady. Both Viva in Wings to Soar and Asha and Yesofu in Orange for the Sunsets face impossible situations, yet they keep pushing forward, making choices that shape who they become. Their stories remind us that even when everything changes, we still have the strength to carve out a future.

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Tina Athaide is a children’s book author and educator who brings the richness of diverse cultural experiences to life through her stories. She is the award-winning author of Orange for the Sunsets and novel in verse, Wings to Soar. Tina was born in Uganda and emigrated to London and then Canada. Tina now lives in Southern California. Her upcoming books include Sounds of Trash (Charlesbridge/STEAMworks, 2026) and Sunshine in the Monsoons (HarperCollins, Summer 2026). Through her work, Tina hopes to open readers’ hearts and inspire meaningful conversations.