Chris Cevasco answers questions about the conference theme, talks about how you can apply to present at HNS2025, and shares some very cool surprises!
The theme for HNS2025 is “Celebrating Historical Fiction In Its Many Forms”. What does this theme mean to you?
Historical Fiction is itself a genre that encompasses a wide array of subgenres beneath its umbrella—from historical mysteries and romance to alternate history, military fiction, historical fantasy, historical thrillers, and beyond. Each subgenre has its own distinctive features and allure, but they are each also fundamentally historical fiction, requiring the same rigor from authors in terms of research and authenticity and appealing to readers who want to be transported to another time and place in our historical past.
Why did you choose this theme for HNS2025?
Everyone who has attended an HNS conference in the past or who’s planning to attend HNS2025 loves historical fiction, but we all come to the genre in different ways. Some might prefer historical romance, while others gravitate toward historical horror, though of course there is often overlap among those who read or write broadly across the genre. What’s really fascinating, though, is how each of these distinctive forms views history through its own lens with unique literary conventions to amplify stories, themes, and emotions. We want HNS2025 to explore the ways authors, agents, and editors craft, publish, and market these various subgenres, casting a wide net and embracing the full spectrum as we revel in the multitude of historical novels we all love to read!
On December 15, we’re opening our call for proposals to deliver presentations at the conference. What are some topics related to the conference theme you are hoping to receive proposals about?
When proposing a session, I do hope a good many aspiring presenters will consider weaving thematic content into their proposals, but not all proposals need to fit the theme. The theme represents a sort of unifying focus for HNS2025, but as always, we also plan to offer attendees a comprehensive, multi-track program with panels, talks, and networking opportunities with broad appeal to new and established writers as well as to readers. In the past, these presentations have emphasized the craft of writing historical fiction (researching, plotting, etc.), publishing in the genre (agents, contracts, publishing paths, trends, etc.), marketing (social media, newsletters, book tours, etc.), or the more intangible allure of these sorts of books (art, fashion, myth, and other facets of history and the human experience). We’re planning to present an equally far-reaching assortment of topics in Las Vegas in 2025.
What should authors wishing to present at HNS2025 keep in mind when submitting a proposal to speak at the conference?
Conference attendees represent authors from around the world and at every stage of their publishing journey and also include readers, bloggers, educators, librarians, and others with an interest in historical fiction. This is the audience to which you would be presenting, and we really want to highlight presentations that give the audience usable and practical information rather than simply food for thought. We will feature some talks that are inspirational, but we encourage presenters to include concrete advice and resources attendees can use.
I know there are also some new surprises in store at HNS2025. Does that mean there are also new opportunities for attendees who want to be part of the program?
Yes, I’m particularly excited about a new series of group readings we’ll be offering. Each of these will feature four authors. The authors will each read a brief passage from one of their own historical novels that fits the group theme, and the readings will be followed by a Q&A focused on craft related to the theme. The Q&A will be moderated, but we also plan to leave plenty of time for audience members to pose some of their own questions to the readers (questions from both those attending in person as well as from virtual attendees watching from home).
For example, one of these group readings might focus on dynamic fight scenes that put you in the thick of combat and get your heart racing, while another group might focus on immersive worldbuilding by reading scenes that transport you so fully to another time and place, the setting itself feels like a character. In either case, the authors would then answer questions about writing these scenes effectively in various subgenres of historical fiction.
Our five special guests and spotlight authors will be among the readers, but we are also inviting our attendees to apply to fill one of these themed reading spots. For anyone interested in applying, additional details are available in our call for proposals, and there will be a separate application form that will go live December 15, 2024 through January 15, 2025, when our general call for proposals form also becomes available.
You’re an author of historical fiction yourself. What is your preferred historical fiction genre?
That’s a tough question to answer, as either an author or a reader, inasmuch as I’m not sure I have a true preference!
My first book, Beheld: Godiva’s Story (2021), is a darkly twisted psychological thriller set in 11th-century England and exploring the legend of Lady Godiva’s naked ride. But it’s also very much biographical historical fiction, it includes a few subtle elements that veer toward historical fantasy, and dark as it is, some might even consider it historical horror.
Currently I’m under contract with Sapere Books, writing a new series of historical novels based on the Arthurian legends. As I reinterpret the myths that make up the Matter of Britain—particularly taking inspiration from the work of 12th-century Welsh cleric, Geoffrey of Monmouth—my books will certainly lean into some elements of historical fantasy and adventure fiction and will even feature romance, but I also hope to ground them firmly in 6th-century, post-Roman Britain, so to some extent they will likewise draw on the traditions of historical military fiction and political thrillers.
As a reader, I fear I’m also somewhat hard to pin down. They say writers tend to write what they like to read, and I suppose in some sense that’s true for me, inasmuch as I particularly love adventure fiction by authors such as Bernard Cornwell, and I’ve always been a huge fan of fantasy—of both the historical and non-historical variety. But again, my appreciation of historical fiction is fairly broad, with some of my all-time favorite novels representing a diverse range of historical subgenres: Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See, Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Morrison’s Beloved, Simmons’s The Terror, McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, and Willis’s Doomsday Book, to name a handful. Part of what I love so much about attending the HNS conferences is getting a chance to talk about books and sharing that enthusiasm with like-minded readers and writers. So by all means, if you spot me during HNS2025, make a point of saying hi, let me know if you share my love of these subgenres, and tell me about your own favorite books and authors. I’m always looking for my next favorite read!