PITCH APPOINTMENTS – SOLD OUT
HNSA is delighted to announce pitching appointments are now open for booking. Here’s your chance to pitch your manuscript to a stellar list of industry professionals. Please read their profiles below to find out their pitching interests before booking an appointment.
Please note:
Purchase of a weekend or day ticket to the In-Person conference is a pre-condition to booking an appointment. A day ticket must correspond to the date of the appointment.
Cost: $20 per appointment
Annette Barlow (Allen & Unwin) SOLD OUT
Annette Barlow is a publisher at Australia’s largest and most successful independent publishing house, Allen & Unwin. Her list comprises literary fiction authors, including the twice Miles Franklin-winner Alex Miller and the acclaimed novelist and memoirist Susan Johnson. The majority of Annette’s list are successful writers of commercial and genre fiction including Kate Morton, Kirsty Manning, Caroline Beecham, Minette Walters, Sue Williams and Kerry Greenwood. Annette is the publisher responsible for the annually awarded The Australian/Vogel’s Prize for Young Writers and she teaches with the Faber Writing Academy at Allen & Unwin.
Is there a particular period of history you are interested in?
Every period is interesting, isn’t it, but I guess most of the historical fiction I read is set in the 19th and 20th centuries. Minette Walters’ glorious novel, The Last Hours, was set in the 14th century though and I loved every minute of that book!
Are there any sub-genres you are not looking for within historical fiction?
Fantasy and speculative fiction are not areas in which I’m interested.
What is most likely to catch your attention?
At the time of pitching? Passion and enthusiasm for your subject; realistic comps with other successful historical books; a depth of research; a knowledge of the market; interesting connections between our lives now and the lives of the historical characters.
Is there a minimum word count for books you’re considering?
Probably a minimum of 70,000 words.
Any advice to your potential pitchers?
Remember that we all want to find the next amazing bestseller and it could be yours! Don’t be nervous and try not to read your pitch verbatim.
BOOK IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TICKET
Tara Wynne (Curtis Brown Australia) SOLD OUT
I could not believe my luck when I landed my first publishing job at Sheil Land Associates, in the heart of Bloomsbury – next door to the house of Charles Dickens and home to so many of my literary heroes growing up. I joined Curtis Brown UK in 1998 and arrived at Curtis Brown Australia in 2002 inheriting a list of authors from internationally renowned writer, Garth Nix. Unashamedly more commercial in my leanings, I represent a broad range of plot driven fiction by writers from all walks of life. I love psychological suspense, historical fiction, crime thrillers particularly with a grounded horror twist (no zombies) as well as female focused fiction about life love and relationships. My non-fiction taste is mostly driven by big ideas told through a more personal and accessible lens. As a mother of three I could not resist some of the most awesome picture book, middle-grade and YA writers too! I like to work closely with my clients on a long-term basis and to work together as a team. A few of my favourite books (not by my clients) in the last 5 years: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver; Yellowface by RF Kuang; The Seven Moons of Mali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka; Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan and Drop Bear by Evelyn Araluen.
Is there a particular period of history you are interested in?
I like Renaissance to 19th Century, even WW1 and 2 in the twentieth too.
Are there any sub-genres you are not looking for within historical fiction?
Ancient historical – I just find it very tricky to place.
What is most likely to catch your attention?
Voice
Is there a minimum word count for books you’re considering?
60,000 to 100K – anything longer and translation deals become impossible.
Any advice to your potential pitchers?
Think about your market and your story. What is it about in a sentence or two? Who is it for? What inspired you to write it and where does it sit in the bookshops?
BOOK IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TICKET
Meredith Curnow (Penguin Random House Australia) SOLD OUT
Meredith Curnow is a publisher of fiction and non-fiction at Penguin Random House Australia.
Is there a particular period of history you are interested in?
Open to all periods.
Are there any sub-genres you are not looking for within historical fiction?
Open to all genres.
What is most likely to catch your attention?
Strong voice approaching a period or story from a different perspective.
Is there a minimum word count for books you’re considering?
60,000 – 100,000 words is ideal.
Any advice to your potential pitchers?
Be honest about where you see the book sitting on bookshelves and the co-relatives, who you think will fall in love with your book.
BOOK IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TICKET
BOOK APPOINTMENT WITH MEREDITH
Rochelle Fernandez (Alex Adsett Agency) SOLD OUT
Spanning a career of nearly 20 years, Rochelle has worked as an editor across fiction, non-fiction and ebooks for small and large publishing houses. She was the former publisher for Voyager, HarperCollins’s Speculative fiction imprint, and has recently made the jump to agent to champion the stories she thinks Australia needs to read.
Is there a particular period of history you are interested in?
Not really.
Are there any sub-genres you are not looking for within historical fiction?
No, I’m open to all good stories but I am not particularly interested in Australian colonial convict stories, but there could always be one that surprises me.
What is most likely to catch your attention?
Strong characters, a new angle on familiar historical periods/events or a lesser known story with a fresh hook. – A lesser known story written really compellingly with really well crafted characters.
Is there a minimum word count for books you’re considering?
80,000 words
Any advice to your potential pitchers?
Think about why you wanted to write the book, and who is going to read your book and tailor your pitch accordingly.
BOOK IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TICKET
BOOK APPOINTMENT WITH ROCHELLE
Suzanne O’Sullivan (HQ) SOLD OUT
I’ve been a booklover since before I could read, thanks to my mum’s one-chapter-a-night introduction to classics like Anne of Green Gables (I still haven’t emotionally recovered from Matthew’s death), so it was probably inevitable that I would endthere up working with words. I’ve been in the book industry for over twenty years, as a bookseller, editor and publisher. There is no greater joy than connecting with authors, hearing their stories and helping them share those stories with readers. After many years working on children’s books, I moved into commercial fiction for adults. It turns out the same principles appeal to booklovers of all ages: the need to connect with characters, the need to find a deeper understanding of the world through fiction, and the simple desire to be entertained by a good story!
Is a particular period of history you are interested in?
I am open to any period, as long as the writing is outstanding and the story is engaging.
Are there any sub-genres you are not looking for within historical fiction?
Not interested in children’s or young adult. Beyond that, happy to consider any subgenre except erotica.
What is most likely to catch your attention?
Characters that I can become emotionally invested in. I want to feel something about these characters, and really care about whatever experiences they are having.
Is there a minimum word count for books you’re considering?
80,000 words
Any advice to your potential pitchers?
Try to relax and approach it as a conversation – we are there because we’re keen to hear from you! Try to have a clear sense of what your story is, and who it will appeal to (for example, what already-published Australian books your readers enjoy).
BOOK IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TICKET
Alex Craig (Ultimo Press) SOLD OUT
Alex Craig began her publishing career at Pan Macmillan. She was Publisher of Picador Australia until 2016. She has published commercial non-fiction, literary fiction and bookclub bestsellers with a particular focus on women’s voices and stories. She then edited contemporary and historical fiction for HarperCollins, Hachette and Harlequin. She is currently a publisher at Ultimo Press.
Is there a particular period of history you are interested in?
17th-20th century Europe, America and Australia
Are there any sub-genres you are not looking for within historical fiction?
Nautical, military, fantasy, alternate, regency
What is most likely to catch your attention?
World building, characterisation, a strong concept.
Is there a minimum word count for books you’re considering?
70k
BOOK IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TICKET
Katherine Hassett (Pantera Press) SOLD OUT
Kathy has worked in publishing for 13 years and brings a wealth of trade publishing experience across a variety of commissioning and editorial roles at Harper Collins and Pantera. She has worked with many notable authors including Dervla McTiernan, Belinda Alexandra, Nicola Moriarty, Tara Moss and Jessica Dettmann.
Is there a particular period of history you are interested in?
Anything from 1500s on! But mainly 19th/20th century
Are there any sub-genres you are not looking for within historical fiction?
Fantasy, romance, YA·
What is most likely to catch your attention?
Strong characters, a new angle on familiar historical periods/events or a lesser known story with a fresh hook.
Is there a minimum word count for books you’re considering?
75K+
Any advice to your potential pitchers?
Come with a hook, a comparison title or 2 and passion for your story!
BOOK IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TICKET
Kirsty van der Veer (Pantera Press) SOLD OUT
With over 7 years’ experience as a bookseller, Kirsty made the move to publishing after finishing her creative arts degree. She joined Pantera Press in 2019, where she is the Editor and Production Coordinator.
Is there a particular period of history you are interested in?
I find any period interesting if it’s a good story.
Are there any sub-genres you are not looking for within historical fiction?
We’re not currently looking for YA or childrens’ historical fiction.
What is most likely to catch your attention?
Stories with well-rounded, interesting characters and books where it’s clear the author has done their research.
Is there a minimum word count for books you’re considering?
There’s no minimum word count, but please note that Pantera only accepts finished manuscripts for submission.
Any advice to your potential pitchers?
Stay calm (easier said than done sometimes, I know!) and tell me what you love about your book.
BOOK IN-PERSON CONFERENCE TICKET
