Monday, 7:00-9:00AM (CT)
CONVERSATION ROOMS
One of the best things about a conference is meeting like-minded people who share your interests, and this year is no different! Check out the themed Conversation Rooms in our Histfic Hub.
Monday, 8:00-9:00AM (CT)
TECH Q&A
Have questions about attending a virtual conference? Get comfortable with EventMobi and Zoom to get your conference week off to a great start!
Monday, 9:00-11:00AM (CT)
MASTER CLASS: BEYOND THE GATE – Additional Fees Apply
Melissa Danaczko and Cate Hart
Agents are often viewed as gatekeepers, and it’s true that most major trade publishers only accept submissions via agents. But what else are literary agents responsible for—and do you even need one? In this two-hour master class, agents Melissa Danaczko and Cate Hart will walk you through the role of a literary agent, as well as provide tips for how to target your queries and evaluate which agent could be the right fit for you. They’ll also discuss the marketplace for historical fiction, how to pitch your book so that it’s in conversation with current trends, and answer your other pressing questions about the publishing industry.
Melissa Danaczko is an agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. Before becoming an agent, she was Senior Editor with the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. As an editor, Melissa developed books that became New York Times bestsellers and received or were nominated for honors including The National Book Critics Circle Award, the Man Booker Prize, and the PEN/Bingham Prize. Melissa gravitates towards plot-driven novels with a fresh perspective, energetic writing, bold characters, and deep sense of place. In terms of historical fiction, Melissa loves a strong emotional core, but also has a taste for the dark and strange. It’s a big plus if the work taps into the cultural climate in some way, and she is particularly eager to represent more #ownvoices authors in this genre.
Cate Hart joined Harvey Klinger in 2019 after 5 years with another agency. Established in 1977 by its eponymous founder, Harvey Klinger, the agency has been among the leading literary agencies in adult and children’s books. Its interests cross many fields in fiction, nonfiction, and middle grade and young adult fiction by new and established authors. Cate specializes in historical, whether middle grade or young adult, women’s fiction and romance, and narrative nonfiction. She is particularly drawn to forgotten stories, especially from underrepresented voices. She is especially excited to see: fresh perspectives and voices in historical for MG and YA; women’s historical fiction beyond WWI and WWII; dual timelines; everything gothic; family sagas and buried secrets; historical romance and romcom outside of Regency period; and nonfiction history and biography.
Monday, 10:00-11:00AM (CT)
FIRST TIME GUEST ORIENTATION
What can you expect at an HNS Conference? Let us provide some tips and pointers for making the most of your conference experience.
Monday, 12:00-2:00PM (CT)
CONVERSATION ROOMS
One of the best things about a conference is meeting like-minded people who share your interests, and this year is no different! Check out the themed Conversation Rooms in our Histfic Hub.
Monday, 2:00-5:00PM (CT)
MASTER CLASS: TAKE OFF YOUR PANTS! (Section 1) – Additional Fees Apply
Libbie Hawker
In this three-hour outlining master class, Libbie Hawker guides you through the entire process of outlining a novel, from loose idea to fully structured story arc ready to be written. Come with a general concept for your own novel, such as an idea, a historical figure, or an event, but clearly defined characters and storylines aren’t necessary. Libbie will show you how to construct a cohesive, compelling, tightly paced novel around a vague concept using the method set forth in her bestselling how-to book Take Off Your Pants! Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing. Have your laptop or notebook ready!
Libbie Hawker, who also writes under the pen names Olivia Hawker and Libbie Grant, is a bestselling author of historical and literary fiction. Her work has been translated into six languages; her most recent, One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow, was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award and the Willa Literary Award, and was among Amazon’s top 100 bestselling titles of the year in 2020. She lives in the San Juan Islands with her husband Paul and several naughty cats.
Monday, 5:00-6:00PM (CT)
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Sarah Woodbury
Sarah Woodbury received her Ph.D. in anthropology in 1995 and began writing fiction in 2006. With over a million novels sold to date, she is the author of five bestselling series, all set in medieval Wales.
Monday, 6:00-8:00PM (CT)
MASTER CLASS: ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE: CREATING DYNAMIC CHARACTERS – Additional Fees Apply
Gillian Bagwell
In this two-hour master class, author and actress Gillian Bagwell draws on her extensive theater experience to teach writers how to create fully developed characters. Attendees should come with an idea for a character, and, through discussion and exercises, you will learn how to: put yourself in your characters’ skin, experiencing their sensory impressions and physical reactions; use point of view and narrative voice to deepen characterization and strengthen emotional connection with the reader; create a detailed imagining of the physical world of your story through your characters’ eyes; examine how motivations, circumstances, and inner and outer conflicts affect your characters; and write dialogue that illuminates character and relationships, puts readers in characters’ heads and hearts, gives a flavor of the period, and is believable as speech.
Gillian Bagwell’s historical novels feature vivid and lifelike characters and richly textured, compelling evocation of time and place. Before she turned to writing, she was an actress, director, and producer. She founded the Pasadena Shakespeare Company and produced thirty-seven shows over ten years. She’s found her acting experience helpful to her writing, and she’s presented classes and workshops at past HNS Conferences on writing effective historical dialogue, as well as on numerous other topics. Gillian is at work on her fourth novel, a Gothic thriller set in Scotland in 1845-1847 and 1901-1902. Please connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, and her website, GillianBagwell.com.
Monday, 6:00-7:00PM (CT)
FIRST TIME GUEST ORIENTATION
What can you expect at an HNS Conference? Let us provide some tips and pointers for making the most of your conference experience.
Monday, 6:00-10:00PM (CT)
CONVERSATION ROOMS
One of the best things about a conference is meeting like-minded people who share your interests, and this year is no different! Check out the themed Conversation Rooms in our Histfic Hub.
Monday, 7:00-8:00PM (CT)
TECH Q&A
Have questions about attending a virtual conference? Get comfortable with EventMobi and Zoom to get your conference week off to a great start!
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