(I'm in the stripes)
What a great three days – my first Historical Novel Society
Conference touched on so many aspects of the industry. The best though was meeting so many
like-minded authors (even though Tudor era writers were highly underrepresented). As I was travelling with my friend Laura
Purcell (Queen of Bedlam author), somehow I ended up adopted by a largeish
group of Georgian writers and learning all about William Pitt’s brother John
from Jacqui Reiter (who took the photograph above and is sitting to my right).
My
Christmas list has grown with books I want to read – Juliet Greenwood is at the
top of my list with her late Victorian novels that just look so good (not to
mention she was in the top 5 list for kindle historical fiction books which is
rather impressive). I also splurged on a copy of The Miniaturist and the
author, Jessie Burton was kind enough to sign it for me.
There were
so many excellent speakers, but also an illuminating session with traditional
agents, publishers and sales reps of the industry. One of the most less helpful
aspects of this session was when I asked about the teen market for historical
fiction and was promptly told by several of the panellists that ‘teenagers just
don’t read’. Which of course, is pretty
much nonsense but has given me the gumption to re-write some of my previous work
for the adult market. Teen readers (yes,
they do exist!) that I’ve met purposefully avoid children’s fiction but will
read adult novels. So, eh. Doesn’t matter too much I suppose as I’m
jumping ship on the whole writing YA. I may return to YA when Briardarke
officially takes on Faeries, but for now I have until December to research 1513
and everything Tudor and from January to June to crank out draft 1 of my first
Tudor Murder Mystery (under a pen name).
So now that
school is back in session (thank heavens for my 15 hours a week in which to
work) I expect my future blogs to be history heavy. Fun times!
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