Historian and scholar Deb Harkness was studying the intersection of science and magic in history and the humanities, when she was struck by the trend of "vampire boyfriend" stories in books and popular culture. She asked herself, "What if there really are these creatures living around us? What do they do for a living? Why have I never met any of them? And would it really be a great thing to have a supernatural significant other? I don't think so... I thought, right now people can't handle the idea of two women or two men getting married, and yet we think we want a vampire boyfriend. What is going on?"

These questions yielded the acclaimed historical fantasy series, "All Souls." The latest installment, titled "The Black Bird Oracle," is due out July 16. With ancestral ties to accused witches in New England, Harkness says she considers the book a "love letter to my Connecticut and New England ancestors."

This hour, Harkness joins us to discuss.

GUESTS:

• Dr. Deborah Harkness: Historian; Author, "All Souls" series and "The Black Bird Oracle"; Professor, University of Southern California