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Welcome to the the Historical Novel Society North America, “the place for historical fiction.”

Please look around, bookmark, and stay tuned for info about the upcoming HNSNA Conference, June 20-22, 2019, at Oxon Hill, MD (just across the river from Washington D.C.).

Top News: We are currently accepting programming proposals. The Call for Proposals closes December 1.

We are using a new submission format for HNS2019, and all proposals should be submitted via the Submittable platform.

To begin, all solo presenters and lead panelists should go to Submittable and create a User Account. After you have created an account, you may use it for multiple submissions.

Next, go to the HNS2019 Proposal Submission Form.

What should I bear in mind as I develop my proposal?

  • Your audience: Conference attendees represent hundreds of authors at every stage of the journey from novice novelists to multi-published authors; readers; bloggers; educators; librarians; and others with an interest in historical fiction.
  • The HNS conference focuses on all aspects of historical fiction from research to publishing. Conference goers are primarily storytellers and their readers. We are not looking for academic papers!
  • Your proposals, and their titles, should be punchy and pithy! Speakers must be dynamic and engaging and be able to stay on topic for an hour. Prepare a pithy program title with a punchy subtitle that succinctly describes your topic (e.g. “HOOCH THROUGH HISTORY: From Mead to Martinis”).

The 2019 Conference will have a programming theme: “Revolution!” So, what does this mean?

From the political to the personal—upheavals in people’s thinking refracted through the prism of historical fiction, prospective presenters are asked to plumb their creative depths for what this word means to them.

Some suggestions/examples:

  • Literal revolutions (e.g., the American, French, “Glorious,” and Russian Revolutions, the Jacobite and Boxer Rebellions, China’s Cultural Revolution; here’s a link to spark your imagination)
  • Rebellions and revolutions in fashion, society/culture
  • Social and gender rebellion (e.g., the Suffrage Movement; Women Who Work/Rosie the Riveter, Civil Rights Movement, Stonewall)
  • Religious uprisings across time and place (e.g., Masada; the Reformation)

What other topics or themes will the Conference highlight?

The 8th North American HNS Conference aims to showcase diversity both within the historical fiction genre and among its authors and fans. However, not every session must tie into the Conference theme. We are interested in proposals on a variety of craft and historical topics, including:

  • The Underground Railroad and other Journeys: The African Experience in North America: HNS2019 begins the day after “Juneteenth”
  • Centennial of Women’s Suffrage [June 4, 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of Congress’s passing of the 19th Amendment]
  • Where were you during WWII? Stories from the Holocaust to the Homefront
  • Diversity! Take us somewhere HNS hasn’t been before (e.g., HF set in Africa, Southeast Asia, Russia, or the urban jungle)
  • Politics and Prose: Political Figures in Historical Fiction

Also welcome: proposals in subgenres such as:

  • historical mystery
  • historical romance
  • historical crime/thriller
  • young adult historical fiction
  • race and diversity in historical fiction (take us beyond Western Europe);
  • historical nonfiction & biography as source material for HF.

With these topics to whet your imagination, please bear in mind:

  • Panels that reflect a cross-section of traditional and indie authors.
  • Fresh perspectives on all subjects! No re-runs of past presentations.

See the descriptions below for the different session formats

  • Panel. Panels are an especially valuable way to discuss a variety of perspectives on a particular topic or theme. Panels should consist of a minimum of 3 and maximum of 5 persons, including a moderator. One of the panelists may also serve as the moderator. Panels must be historically themed and “meaty,” not a discussion of your own writing/writing career. Note: Unless 1 of them is solely the moderator, 5 panelists doesn’t afford enough time for a meaningful discussion of the topic. Consider, before you over-stack your panel. All panel proposals must identify a moderator, and all panelists must be listed on the proposal. Please note: The HNS Program Committee will not source co-panelists or moderators.
  • Presentation. Presentations are typically offered by a single individual with subject matter expertise on a particular topic, e.g., how to market novels or methods for ensuring dialogue fits your time period.
  • Workshop. Workshops are interactive and allow participants to engage with a specific topic or skill.
  • Koffee Klatch. Hour-long Koffee Klatches are small-group discussions (not one-person lectures) hosted by one or two authors renowned for their novels on a particular theme or historical era, or presenters noted for their expertise on a specific subject. These are open, interactive discussions on a specific subject. The Koffee Klatches can also focus on crossover subgenres like historical mystery, crime, romance, etc.

 What information will be needed from presenters?

All presenters, including co-panelists and panel moderators, will need to submit bios, subject matter qualifications, and a color headshot photo. For panels, the lead panelist must gather all panelists’ bios, subject matter qualifications, and photos and include them in the proposal in order for it to be complete. Photos should be jpegs or PNG, 300dpi, good quality images that clearly show the speakers face and don’t look blurry or grainy (pixelated). For those who are unfamiliar with pixels etc., if you look at the photo at 100% scale on a computer and the face area is smaller than 2 inches then it’s too small. Image should look crisp and clear.

What is the format for my bio?

  • Start with your name, in bold.
  • Book titles, and other publications, film and TV titles, should be in italics (not ALL CAPS). To make text appear in italics, you’ll have to wrap the text in <i> tags. So <i>this text will be italicized</i>.” 
  • Titles of articles you have written should be set within quotations marks.
  • Length of bio should be 100 words or less.

Example:

Jane Austen has had six novels and several unfinished fragments published, in addition to several works of juvenilia. Her first two novels, Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, were published anonymously under the byline “By a Lady.” Her works have been translated into dozens of languages and adapted into myriad plays and screenplays. Although she usually eschewed politics, her juvenile work “The History of England” heavily favored Mary, Queen of Scots over Elizabeth I; and she was strong-armed into dedicating Emma to the Prince of Wales. Chuffed that her readers’ favorite heroine is Lizzy Bennet, Jane’s own preference has always been Mansfield Park’s retiring Fanny Price.

What is the Saturday Afternoon Readers’ Festival?

  • Our 2nd Conference Readers’ Festival (i.e., HNS authors presenting programs geared primarily for readers)
  • A separately ticketed event open to the public that includes panels, solo presentations, and historically themed Koffee Klatches
  • HNS Conference attendees are also welcome to attend Readers’ Festival programming.
  • You can check the appropriate box on the program proposal submission form if you want your proposal considered for Readers’ Festival programming.

Can I include an AV request in my proposal?

  • Due to production costs and space limitations sessions/slots with AV will be limited.
  • If your program will require AV (projector, laptop, screen, clicker), please indicate this in the appropriate box on the proposal submission form.
  • On the proposal submission form you will be required to check off which AV equipment components your program will require.
  • You will also be asked how you plan to use AV for your session and why it’s imperative.

What if I’m submitting a proposal that involves an agent or editor attending the conference?

Please be aware:

  • Industry professionals have been invited to the conference primarily to hear pitches and participate in HNS’s industry-related sessions (Cold Reads, Industry Guest Roundtable).
  • Adding an industry guest to your proposal may make it difficult to schedule because agents and editors are available for only limited time slots outside their other conference obligations.

What else should I know about my obligations before I submit a proposal?

  • Unless otherwise specified in your proposal acceptance, all presentations are one hour in duration.
  • Presenters are conference attendees who volunteer to take an hour (or more) out of their conference time to share their expertise and knowledge on a particular topic with their fellow attendees.
  • Each general presenter, regardless of the number of programs on which he/she appears, will receive a $50 credit toward Conference registration. Because we have dozens of sessions in our Conference, this honorarium is our way of saying thank you for sharing your time and your knowledge with us.

Do presenters have to make a formal agreement to participate?

Yes, all presenters MUST agree to:

  • register for the conference for the conference by February 15, 2019. You will be registering at the early bird rate (lowest price). For HNS members, this rate is $425. For nonmembers, the registration rate is $495.
  • make and pay for their own accommodations and travel arrangements. The HNS group rate at the Gaylord is $222.74/night including tax and and resort fee (which covers a variety of extra amenities).
  • inform Program Chair Leslie Carroll of any changes in their program prior to or during the conference.
  • present their program at the assigned program time.

Do presenters receive any remuneration?

Yes, as stated above, presenters whose proposals are accepted receive a $50 registration credit as an honorarium. Our Registration Chair will give you a coupon code to type in when you register for the Conference that will deduct $50 from your cost.

We look forward to seeing you in Oxon Hill, Maryland!

The HNS2019 Conference Board