I’m delighted to introduce our new season of Imagining the Past podcasts. Over the coming weeks, our host, Greg Johnston, will present recordings of live sessions from the HNSA 2019 conference program. It will be a treat for those who couldn’t attend our conference at Western Sydney University in October last year. It’s also a
‘Enter Ed Federman again…He was so impressed with the calibre of our HNSA authors and conference programs that he approached us with the idea of ARA Group establishing a substantial literary prize dedicated to historical fiction with prize money of $30,000! Once I picked myself up from the floor, I said, ‘Yes, please!’” Tomorrow, 30th
‘A prize like the ARA Historical Novel Prize draws attention to the high quality of works of historical fiction and brings to public attention both new and established writers of the genre.’ Our second literary agent interview is with Margaret Connolly. She has years of experience in the literary field, and here shares her wisdom
‘Prizes draw attention to an author. It’s like a gold label on a bottle of wine. It gives it a seal of approval that someone browsing for their next read would pay attention to.’ Originally from the UK, but nowadays busy-busy as literary agent for Curtis Brown, Tara Wynne looks after some notable Australian historical
‘The ability of the writer to give the reader knowledge and an understanding of our past, but at the same time entertain with a gripping story, makes an outstanding historical novel.’ What happier circumstance than time spent browsing in a bookshop? Imagine our delight when Diana Johnston, co-owner of the iconic Hill of Content bookshops
‘The best historical fiction authors walk a tightrope: while their writing must illuminate the past through an illusion of authenticity, it must also make emotional and psychological connections with contemporary readers.’ We’ve enjoyed some fascinating interviews from the top tiers in this ‘What historical fiction means to me’ series of interviews, but what about the
‘A novel that grips the heart as well as the mind; that you want to read more than once; that makes you feel you have gone on an extraordinary, illuminating and thoroughly immersive journey into the past…’ Each of us has our own idea of what makes a stand out historical novel. In this interview, award-winning
‘From a publishing standpoint, I have no doubt the prize can subconsciously elevate historical novels in the minds of readers, booksellers and the media. And of course it will help the winner, and those shortlisted, to stand out from the crowd.’ The HNSA was delighted when Beverley Cousins, who has a wealth of publishing experience
‘A story which brings the past alive, getting the details right without compromising the story, is top of my wishlist.’ I’m sure we all must have a subconscious wishlist of criteria that we’re hoping will be met whenever we pick up a new work of fiction. In this HNSA interview, Pamela Hart, an award-winning historical
‘Meticulous research adds credibility and prestige to the work.’ As author of many children and adults’ historical novels, most set in medieval England, Felicity Pulman’s ‘meticulous research’ usually involves getting herself in situ. She has travelled to England on numerous occasions, including spending a 3-month residency there, to follow the historical threads and trails which
