Historical Novel Society Conference 2019

The benefits of attending a writers' conference are numerous. It's a chance to reconnect with longtime friends and colleagues, to make new friends, to pitch book ideas--informally or formally--to editors from publishing houses familiar and not, to absorb the collective wisdom of writers at all stages of their careers, to hear the latest market news. Oh--and of course, to eat, drink, and be merry...for tomorrow, we must return to that manuscript!

HNS is an international organisation, with conference alternating between the US and the UK, and there's an Australasia one as well. I've attended UK as well as US conferences. This year we gathered at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center in Maryland, across the Potomac River from Alexandria, Virginia, and quite close to Washington, D.C. Some members took advantage of the location to go sightseeing in our nation's capital. With  lifelong connections to the region, and relatives and friends in the vicinity, I didn't stray from the hotel until the conference ended.

My room's view of the ferris wheel & Potomac River

In the hotel's Atrium, replica of Old Alexandria--and massive window

There were extra pre-conference workshops on the Thursday. That evening was devoted to an opening cocktail reception and costume contest. As usual, those who came in period attire looked wonderful. I attended as Hedy Lamarr, costumed for her role in the film Ziegfeld Girl, which she was shooting at the time she co-invented spread-spectrum technology and frequency-hopping. Her experience making the film, and her reaction to her costume, are included in Beautiful Invention: A Novel of Hedy Lamarr. My efforts to recreate that gown couldn't match the exquisite Adrian design, or the excellence of the MGM seamstresses, but I did my best.

Hedy wore it better--of course!

Ladies in white: with debut author Finola Austin

Opening reception in the Pose Lounge atop the hotel

Having served on the Program Committee--no easy task--the line up of panels, workshops, skills demonstrations (sword fighting! wool spinning! period dancing!) and group discussions was no secret to me. I was frustratingly aware that whatever choice I made in a given hour, I was missing several amazing other options. I was involved with two panels myself, Silk Stocking Rebels: Writing STEAM-Powered Women (women of Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, and Math), and Women of Washington. And I was co-leader for a Koffee  Klatch group chat Call off the Revolution! What-Ifs? that Would have Changed the Course of History. [Program Committee members weren't allowed to assess or approve the panels that they proposed, so I had no insider advantage to becoming a panellist!]

WRITING STEAM-POWERED WOMEN Panel

Nicky Pentilla, Mary Sharratt, Kate Quinn, Me

WOMEN OF WASHINGTON Panel 

Stephanie Dray, Stephanie Thornton, Me

I attended as many panels as I could, when not otherwise occupied. Most were on topics of interest, rather than craft, and all were well presented. Of particular usefulness, now that I'm writing another 20th century novel: You Mean it Didn't Rain that Day? The Perils & Pitfalls of Writing Modern History with Chanel Cleeton, Camille Di Maio, Renee Rosen, Stephanie Thornton, and Kate Quinn. My research incorporates so many primary and secondary sources, and all the newspaper and magazine articles about my characters.

The Friday night Hooch Through History is always a highlight, and this year was no exception--the theme was Revolution. And alcohol definitely fueled or consoled revolutionaries! Isobel Carr proceeded through her slides, and the hotel wait staff delivered the highly potent beverages in sequence, with an occasional amuse bouche.

Our lunchtime speakers, Dolen Perkins-Valez (Friday) and Jeff Shaara (Saturday), were eloquent and inspiring. I also attended the afternoon tea at which both responded to an interviewer's questions, and took questions from the audience.

M.K. (Mary) Todd has a terrific wrap-up on the agents and editors panel, and their views on the current market for historical fiction:  The State of Historical Fiction #HNS 2019. As I become aware of more, I'll add them here. Using the hashtag #hns2019 will bring up social media posts, and some great live-tweeting from the various panels. I've got so many pictures on my phone--the ones I took and ones shared or sent to me. I haven't yet  had a chance to review them all.

Along with 100 or so other authors, I participated in the Readers Festival booksigning event, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting the public and conference attendees who came.

At the Readers' Festival Booksigning, with Hedy

After the closing banquet, I was one of the professional actor/authors performing a staged reading of works by several revolutionary female playwrights, compiled by Program Chair Leslie Carroll and directed by Gillian Bagwell. At the conclusion, we were joined by banjo maestro Curt Locklear, and led the crowd in a rousing rendition of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land."

With Leslie Carroll before the banquet

Scene from Mae West's play SEX, as prostitutes in a brothel

Me, Gillian Bagwell, Leslie Carroll, Leanna Renee Hieber

The full company: Teel James Glenn, Elizabeth Kerri Mahon,
Anne Easter Smith, Me, Gillian, Leslie, Leanna

The next event was Lady Baltimore's Ball, an after-party with period dances--reels and quadrilles--led by an expert in costume. And then there was an after-after party with my fellow performers and others who stayed up late because they couldn't bear for all the fun and fabulousness to end!

My adventures weren't yet over...a dear friend collected me and I spent a few days with her and her husband, whose marriage ceremony nine years ago took place at our lake house, and their darling dog Jasper (whom I hadn't yet met).

At the same time, my own darling dog Dot was completing her final session of Level Two Obedience, with my husband as handler. She and her classmates were working on their Downtown Dog skills, and walked along Main Street to our city's fantastic Independent Bookstore. Once there, I'm told, Dot walked right over to the "P" section in fiction--perhaps looking for my books? Good Girl!

After discussing my work-in-progress with editors, I intend to spend the summer working towards its completion. For discipline and self-imposed deadline I'll possibly rely on Camp NaNo. It's the July program sponsored by National Novel Writing Month/NaNoWriMo, which I successfully completed last November, writing 50,000 words in 30 days. Camp NaNo has a "set your own goal" feature that's more compatible with my life right now.

I came home to an abundantly blooming rose garden, and after a hosting an Open Garden for friends and locals, I plan to hide away at the lake and write. I have a few more author events scheduled, including a radio presentation, so I can't be a complete hermit!

Happy summer to you....

What Happened at #HNS2017

The Historical Novel Society is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. How fitting that the 2017 HNS conference was the largest and the best one yet--according to me, attending for my 4th time, and to those who have attended even more of them.

I arrived Wednesday evening. Author talk began early, because my very own first cousin, novelist Justin Evans happened to be in town on non-author business. His novels are A Good and Happy Child , and The White Devil, now in production as a feature film.

Cousins and novelists

He lives in Brooklyn. I live in New England. It's mad that we had to cross the entire North American continent to spend time together.

Thursday was my one day for Portland tourism. I visited the International Rose Test Garden and the Oregon Zoo, both located in beautiful and extensive Washington Park. The day was perfect for outdoor activity. The roses were in full bloom and the zoo animals were lovely. (You must scroll past flowers and creatures to get to the conference content in this post!)

That evening the conference opened with a reception and Costume Contest. I did not compete in the contest, but I did wear an 18th century ballgown and lots of bling. There were some fantastic garments on display, and it was my first opportunity to see friends and new ones.

18th Century lady in 21st Century lift

The next day, Friday, I was on the Mixing it Up panel, discussing writing in multiple historical genres--romance, nonfiction articles, biography, etc. Susan Higginbotham was our moderator, and I was joined by Kris Waldherr and Aimie K. Runyon. A great session, and good questions from our attendees.

With my Mixing it Up co-panellists

I had the opportunity to see parts of a variety of workshops--Truth in Fiction was excellent and thought-provoking. Isobel Carr's historic fashion presentation, subtitled Clothing Before the Zipper, was a highlight. Alison Stuart covered Cavaliers & Roundheads: The Other Civil War.

Our luncheon speaker was Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Secret Chord, Year of Wonders, Caleb's Crossing, and more. So very inspiring.

I was also a reader of submitted manuscripts (2 pages only) at a Cold Reads session, with a pair of editors (Ana Michels of Sourcebooks and Lucia Macro, who was one of my editors at HarperCollins) who offered immediate feedback on the material. For me, reminiscent of my times in the recording booth when I narrated audio books and informational films, and did voice-over for radio adverts. We got through quite a lot of pages during that hour-long workshop.

The day concluded with Hooch Through History, a drinking through the centuries extravaganza organised, managed, and presented by Isobel Carr. We began our drinking journey through time with medieval mead, followed by port (prompting the immortal line, 'Real women drink red port...naked!'), then an 18th century gin cocktail (with a orangey non-junipery gin), then the dangerous, smoky-green absinthe (we were given an absinthe spoon to keep), and last of all a wet-dry martini from the Mad Men era. As you might imagine, we grew more raucous and giggly as the sampling progressed!

Gin cocktail, circa 1798

Saturday was quite busy from the start, and again I attended a variety of workshops. The day began with State of the State of Historical Fiction, a panel of agents and editors. As always, their acquisition tastes are individual, though some of their perceptions of the market meshed.

Agents & Editors on the HistFic market panel

Let's Do the Time Warp: Controlling the Chaos When Writing Different Eras (Stephanie Thornton, Kate Quinn, Heather Webb, C.W. Gortner) was a topic right up my street, having written 12 novels of the 17th, 18th, early 19th centuries--and now completing a 20th century novel before going backwards in time. My friends' insights were very encouraging and illuminating.

Our luncheon speaker was David Ebersoff, author of The Danish Girl. Another inspiring speaker who offered wonderful insights.

David Ebersoff

In the afternoon I attended The Audacity of Will, a small-group discussion of writing novels that feature Shakespeare, with Mary Sharratt and Stephanie Cowell and other. I also sat through some of Book Reviewers Tell All (with reviewers/bloggers Sarah Johnson who edits Historical Novels Review and posts at Reading the Past, Meg Westell of A Bookish Affair, and Jenny Toney Quinlan of Historial Editorial and Let them Read Books.)

During the public Readers' Festival, I co-hostessed with Gillian Bagwell our themed historical 'Koffee  Klatch' on The Merry Monarch to the Four Georges. * * * For my promised list of period films, see below.

Late in the afternoon came the Booksigning. I did lots of table-hopping, visiting friends I hadn't yet seen or continuing conversations with those I had.

With conference Program Chair Leslie Carroll

With tablemate, my fellow author Kate Quinn

The closing banquet was in the evening--another occasion for dressing up. Australian author Kate Forsyth gave a delightfully entertaining rendition of the legend of Tam Lin--you could have heard a pin drop throughout her presentation.

With Leslie again, at the banquet

Me, Gillian Bagwell, Amanda McCabe

The final event was a Hellfire at HNS Masquerade Ball, with musicians, lessons in English Country Dance, and whist tables. I danced only one dance and continued my socialising, as time was growing short.

English Country Dancing

Incognitas--with author Diana Mathur

Parting from my fellow writers was a sweet sorrow--we were all quite eager to return to our projects. I hope so much to see everyone at HNS in 2019, and perhaps at the UK conference next year.

The next morning, Sunday, I boarded my flight back to Boston. I hadn't left the hotel since Thursday. It was a beautiful morning to fly out of Portland, with stunning views of Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood and other mountains.

Mount St. Helens

Mount Hood

Back home now with husband, dogs, and my own rose gardens, I'm overflowing with knowledge and  inspiration, and ready to finish the current manuscript.

*** At our 17th/18th Century Koffee Klatch I promised to share my list of period films and television programmes. Not comprehensive at all, and in no particular order--just a batch that were top of mind when I compiled the list or outright faves that I wanted to share.

17^thC/Stuart/Restoration/English Civil War/Louis XIV/etc.

Stage Beauty

Versailles

Moliere

The First Churchills

A Little Chaos

Cyrano de Bergerac

The Crucible

Forever Amber

Frenchman’s Creek

Witchfinder General

Restoration

Tous les matins du monde

The Libertine

The Wicked Lady

The Three Musketeers

The Draughtsman's Contract

The Devil’s Whore

The New World

By the Sword Divided

Cromwell

Shogun

18thC/Georgian/Napoleonic/Regency/etc.

Outlander

Amadeus

Casanova

The Scarlett Pimpernel

The Duchess

Belle

Amazing Grace

1776

Jane Austen Novels

Barry Lyndon

The Mission

John Adams

Taboo

Marie Antoinette (2 versions)

Waterloo

A Royal Affair

The Madness of King George

Vanity Fair

Sharpe

Lady Caroline Lamb

Catherine the Great

The Last of the Mohicans

A Tale of Two Cities

Jefferson in Paris