Do you ever lift a book to your nose and inhale deeply? No? Seriously? You are missing out! Take this novel on my desk for instance. Lean in closer. Can you smell the scent of something mysterious, a little bit magical? A dash of fairy tale and a waft of the historical? That, my friend,
After the excitement of the first day’s presentations at the Historical Novel Society Australasia Conference on Saturday 26 October, you’ll have the opportunity to join other writers and readers at the Conference dinner. The guest speaker at the dinner will be Anna Campbell, bestselling historical romance author. Anna was born in Brisbane, and grew up
Ernest Hemingway. Virigina Woolf. Herman Melville. Jean Rhys. Thomas Hardy. DH Lawrence. Olga Masters, Gabriel Garcia Marquez… What do these literary luminaries have in common? At one time or another, each mastered the highly precise art form of the short story. In an age when readers (and writers) have never been so ‘time poor’, the
Have you ever felt you’re swimming in circles? Been at a fork in the river and not sure which stream to follow? You are not alone! For me – an avid reader of historical novels, an aspiring author (and admittedly also a Pisces) – trying to decide which stream to choose at the forthcoming HNSA Conference
Another giveaway! This month, our sponsor, Allen & Unwin, is offering a 3 book giveaway of The Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning, a novel in which the unravelling of family secrets leads back to Shanghai in World War II. Subscribe to our HNSA newsletter then comment on this post to enter the draw. Contest ends
By Patricia Leslie Sophie Masson AM is an award-winning author. War & Resistance is her latest historical novel for young adults, preceded most recently by Black Wings (the Greystanes Press 2018) and Jack of Spades( (Eagle Books 2017) which was shortlisted for the 2018 Davitt Awards. Sophie has published over 60 books. In between wordsmithing and publishing, she has been
By Christa Ludlow We all want to improve our writing, research and publishing skills, don’t we? I certainly do. So I’m excited about the series of nine – yes, nine – craft workshops at the HNSA conference on Friday 26 October. But is it possible to have too much of a good thing? I’m facing
By Catherine T Wilson If I were a rich woman, Yubby, dibby, dibby, dibby, dibby, dibby, dibby, dum. All day long I’d write, and write, and write, If I were a wealthy woman. I wouldn’t have to work hard, Yubby, dibby, dibby…hey, wait a minute!* To write properly, of course I’d have to work hard!
By Elizabeth Jane Corbett On Saturday the 26thof October, after a Welcome to Country and other opening formalities, Dr Paula Morris (Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Whātua) will address the HNSA 2019 conference theme, History repeats: the power of remembrance in historical fiction. Born in Auckland, to an English mother and a Kiwi father, Paula Morris’s career has
You’ll be spoiled for choice with the HNSA Sydney 2019 program. Two parallel streams are running throughout the weekend. Stream 1 is jam packed with authors discussing their inspiration and journeys; the nooks and crannies of history; the psychology of characters, and even a love potion or two. Stream 2 delves deeper into the craft
