Interview with Elise McCune

Elise McCune is a Melbourne based Australian author. She was born in Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia. In 1973, she moved to Perth, Western Australia and raised her two children, Lisa and Brett. She worked for ten years in the Western Australian Museum and after this she lived on a 5000-acre farm, two hundred kilometres north of Perth. In 2016, she gained a Certificate of Completion, the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program on fiction writing, centered on female authorial voices and female literary characters. The type of story she likes to read has passion and intrigue and a family secret at its heart.  Exactly the type of story she likes to write. 

What is the inspiration for your current book?

Some years ago, I was staying in Mission Beach and I visited the castle ruins at Paronella Park in the north Queensland rainforest. It is a beautiful, fantastical place, and became the inspiration for Castillo de Suenos in my novel. So it came about by chance that I chose Queensland and the sense of place was one I tried to convey to my readers.Is there a particular theme you are exploring in this book?

In Castle of Dreams, a dual narrative story, I explore how war impacts not only on those who go to war but those left behind on the home front. When I was researching I found that in WW2 American servicemen were stationed in far north Queensland where the 1940’s storyline is set. I already had the idea for two sisters, Vivien and Rose, growing up in a castle in the rainforest and when Robert Shine, an American soldier, found his way into my story, their love triangle echoed the triangle of the American and Australia allies fighting the Japanese in the Pacific War.

Which period of history particularly interests you? Why?

I have always been interested in military history so it was natural that I set my stories against a backdrop of WW1 or WW2 as these periods of war had a great impact on people around the world.

What resources do you use to research your book?

For my research, I read primary sources like diaries, letters and newspaper reports (Trove is wonderful!). I read books written about and of the period I am researching. I use Google but online information can be inaccurate so be careful and check more than one source. I use my wonderful local library and inter-library loans for books I don’t necessarily want to keep on my bookshelf, and also, I always read bibliographies carefully in each book as they are a source of more information on the subject you are researching.

What is more important to you: historical authenticity or accuracy?

I don’t think you can have a good story unless it is historically accurate. If it is necessary to move, say a battle scene, by a year to suit the plot and the author makes a note of this in the acknowledgements that’s fine (occasionally). Otherwise the book should be labeled ‘faction’.

Which character in your current book is your favourite? Why?

Vivien Blake, a photographer who was a woman of her time (1940’s) and she came alive for me when I was writing her. Women have had an active role in photography since its inception. While researching I found that in 1900 British and American censuses women made up almost 20 percent of the profession at a time when it was unusual for women to have a profession. Many Australian women photographers worked before the Great War and more did hand colouring and darkroom work. At that time it was thought that ‘lady operators’ should only photograph women and families. By WW2 women photographers were working in advertising and portraiture and the worlds of fashion and theatre. I made Vivien a photographer because I wanted to have a motif of light through the story. The American soldier is named Robert Shine and the rainforest is lit with filtered light and the sparkling glitter ball that hangs from the ceiling in the castle’s ballroom showers the dancers with light. There are many references to light in the story.

Are you a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’? How long does it generally take you to write a book?

I would like to say I’m a plotter as it would save so much time. I do start off with a detailed outline and I know the ending of the story before I start writing but inevitably it changes along the way. I write to find out what happens along the way and once I know my characters it all starts to fall into place like a jigsaw puzzle. I can then write the chapters in any order if I wish. It takes me about eighteen months to write a book.

Which authors have influenced you?

Katherine Mansfield. Pat Barker, Vladimir Nabokov, the Brontes, Virginia Woolf, Mary Wesley.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Never give up. I have three books in the bottom drawer, my apprentice books, and every one of them taught me something about writing. If you don’t have time to write a novel then write short stories, or a blog, or write reviews of  books. Writing should not be at the bottom of a long list of ‘to do’ things, it should be at the top. Treat it like a job, even a part-time job, and not a hobby. Set goals. Those first words are the hardest part. Then rewrite.

Tell us about your next book or work in progress.

It is a time split novel set during WW1 and in 2015. The earlier narrative thread is set in the southwest of Western Australia where I lived for several years on a vineyard, with detours to other parts of the world and finally, and most importantly, for this is where the heart of the story is, in the Tumut Valley where the Wiradjuri Aboriginal people lived for thousands of years prior to European settlement. My story is about abandoned gardens and love and romance, betrayal, and of course big family secrets and what more beautiful place to write about than the lovely valley that sits on the north-west foothills of the Snowy Mountains.

Castle of Dreams, published by Allen & Unwin, is a poignant, luminous novel about two sisters, about a mother and daughter, a loved granddaughter, the past that separates them and the healing that comes with forgiveness. Norwegian publisher, Cappelen Damm, published Castle of Dreams in translation in April 2017.

You can buy a copy of Castle of Dreams via Amazon, Kobo, Booktopia, and the Book Depository.

Elise McCune will be taking part in a panel on Worlds at War: the appeal of 20th Century Historical Fiction with Paddy Richardson, Justin Sheedy and Julian Leatherdale at the HNSA conference in September. She is also appearing in our Meet the Author satellite event on 20 August at the Mail Exchange Hotel, 688 Bourke St, Melbourne from 2.30-4.30pm discussing War and Romance Historical Fiction with Gabrielle Gardner, Alison Stuart, and Sylvia Karakaltsas. More information and tickets are available from the HNSA website. 

HNSA 2017 Conference

The HNSA 2017 Melbourne Conference is being held on 8-10 September 2017 at Swinburne University. This celebration of the historical fiction genre will showcase over 60 speakers discussing inspiration, writing craft, research, publishing pathways and personal histories in our weekend programme. Among the many acclaimed historical novelists participating are Kerry Greenwood, Kate Forsyth, Deborah Challinor, Libby Hathorn, Lucy Treloar, Sophie Masson, Sulari Gentill, Robert Gott and Arnold Zable. The HNSA’s speakers’ list is available on the HNSA website.

In addition to the two stream weekend programme, there will be ten craft based super sessions and two research masterclasses.You won’t want to miss our interactive sessions on armour and historical costumes either! Purchase a ticket and you will be entered in the draw to win a $100 Dymocks Gift Card.

Manuscript assessments will be conducted by industry experts, Alison Arnold and Irina Dunn. Our free extended academic programme is open for general admission but bookings are essential.

Our First Pages Pitch Contest offers an opportunity for submissions to be read aloud to a panel of publishers. And we are delighted to announce the introduction of our inaugural HNSA Short Story Contest with a $500 prize!

Visit our website to purchase your tickets now!

Subscribe to our newsletter for interviews, reviews and news.

Learn about our sponsorship opportunities.

Let’s make a noise about historical fiction!

Interview with Winton Higgins and Michelle Morgan

 

Our guests today are Winton Higgins and Michelle Morgan. Winton is the author of Rule of Law. He is a Sydney writer and senior academic. He grew up partly in the outback, and partly in Sydney. He is a graduate of the universities of Sydney, Stockholm and London. After a brief first career in law, he pursued a much longer one as a social-science academic at Macquarie University and UTS, publishing rather than perishing as he went. As a creative writer he won the 2002 NSW Writers’ Centre’s short story competition, and in 2003 published his travel diary, Journey into Darkness. Rule of Law is his first novel. You can connect with Winton via his website.

Michelle Morgan was a former librarian and is now a full-time writer who lives in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Her first YA novel, Racing the Moon, was published in Australia by Allen & Unwin in 2014, and released in the UK and US in 2015. Her latest release, Flying Through the Clouds, was published in April 2017. Four of Michelle's plays have been performed in short play festivals in Sydney, Newcastle and Armidale. You can connect with Michelle via her website, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

What is the inspiration for your current book?

Winton: In my academic ‘day job’ I research about genocide, and became inspired by reading more deeply into the first Nuremberg trial 1945-6. Here was an epic  drama in which many aspects of modern life first saw the light of day, right down to simultaneous interpreting at transnational events. Yet it’s so badly short-changed in the history books. I felt a great need to bring it back to life using a novelistic approach.

Michelle: I’d been toying with the idea of having my main character learn to fly, so I began researching aviators and flying in the 1930s. When I visited the Gerringong Historical Society’s Museum to see their exhibition on Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s landing and take-off in Southern Cross from Seven Mile Beach in 1933, I had tingles up and down my spine and could barely talk. That’s when I decided to develop the story around Joe’s dream of becoming an aviator. But I also wanted to create sub-plots and flesh out other characters so readers could relate to the story on many levels.

 Is there a particular theme you are exploring in this book?

Winton: The promoters of the trial pursued the ambition to outlaw aggressive war and human-rights abuses, and to strip even the most high-and-mighty perpetrators of their impunity. They wanted an international rule of law, as the title of my novel makes clear. This is its major theme. A secondary theme concerns what one might call German redemption: the trial set postwar Germany on a long and ultimately successful process of coming to terms with its dark past and emerging as today’s ‘good European’.

Michelle: The title - Flying through Clouds - is a metaphor for adolescence, which is the main theme of the novel.  The book also deals sensitively with many themes and issues, such as: family, friendship, the Depression, resilience, courage, determination, truth, responsibility, survival, fear, loss, grief, bullying, violence, gambling, education and work. Many of the issues that teenagers faced in the 1930s are still relevant today.

Which period of history particularly interests you? Why?

Winton: The 1930s and 1940s, when humanity sank to its lowest depths, but also rose to its greatest heights. This period set the parameters of human evil and human decency.

Michelle: The 1930s are a fascinating period in Australia. Not only did we feel the full impact of the economic hardship of the Depression but we managed to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge and develop an Aviation industry. Our aviators, like CKS, Bert Hinkler and Nancy Bird became famous around the world. Australian cinema, literature and the Arts were thriving. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation was established and the new wireless technology spread throughout the country. Don Bradman was a national hero and Bodyline was a dirty word. After the Depression, serious conflicts developed around the world. Hitler rose to power and World War II was imminent.

What resources do you use to research your book?

Winton: I build on my professional background knowledge and understanding. Beyond that, I’ve used official transcripts, and read many memoirs and contemporary journalistic analyses to get a sense of the participants’ lived experience of the drama, and to glean many fine-grained details about daily life and survival in a devastated, isolated city. And of course Mother Google is always there for me.

Michelle: I spent months reading books about Australia and aviators in the 1930s, and I watched technical videos on how to fly old Gypsy Moths, over and over again. I interrogated everyone I knew who had flown before, and was lucky enough to come across Prue Mason, a children’s author and pilot with extensive experience flying old planes. The Gerringong and District Historical Society’s display on Sir Charles Kingsford Smith was a real inspiration, and I also visited the National Museum in Canberra, Qantas Heritage Collection at Sydney Airport, the Bradman Museum in Bowral, Fleet Air Arm Museum at Nowra, the Temora Aviation Museum and the Queensland Museum as well as small museums in country towns.

While writing Flying through Clouds, I regularly accessed online collections of the National Library of Australia, the State Library of New South Wales, Sydney Living Museums, the Powerhouse Museum, the Dictionary of Sydney and the Glebe Society, as well as the online collections of many other Australian museums and libraries.

What is more important to you: historical authenticity or accuracy?

Winton: I can’t really rank these two, or indeed separate them. My role models all respect (and don’t mess with) the historical record, as I try to do myself. On the other hand I follow them in ‘filling in the gaps’ in that record, so historical characters grow from the stick figures walking across the pages of the history books, into living, breathing human beings with their own quirks, contingencies, fears, loves and conflicts. This transformation renders historical processes truly authentic and arresting.

Michelle: Historical authenticity and accuracy go hand-in-hand. I try to weave historical detail authentically through the narrative and enrich it through the characters and dialogue. It’s only after I have immersed myself in the period and culture that I can start to write and develop the characters. During the editing process, I check for the accuracy of specific historical details that I’ve incorporated to ensure I haven’t used creative license.

Which character in your current book is your favourite? Why?

Winton: Katerina, one of my four point-of-view characters, and a pioneering simultaneous interpreter at the trial. She’s a German war widow and nationalist, one of the conspirators who tried to assassinate Hitler in the last year of the war. She arrives in Nuremberg with her small daughter, and is newly remarried to an Australian airforce officer who works for the British prosecution. She senses the trial’s potential to clear the way for an honourable German revival; she pursues this mission with a will, as she serves the tribunal while grappling with the trauma and loss she herself has suffered in the war.

Michelle: I love all my characters but my favourite is the main character, Joe Riley. Joe is a flawed character, an anti-hero, but occasionally we see some redeeming qualities. Like many teenagers, Joe is strong-willed, independent and thinks he’s invincible. So that readers don’t just perceive him as a petulant teenager, I’ve made him more complex. Joe loves his family, even though he is constantly arguing with them. He is loyal to his friends, is gentle and kind to young children, and has a keen sense of humour. Sometimes though, Joe just can’t seem to put a foot right.

Are you a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’? How long does it generally take you to write a book?

Winton: A plotter for the most part. The time it takes me to write a book varies enormously. Academic ones proceed quite quickly (12 months is my personal best!), but creative writing requires more care, reflection and feedback, and takes much longer.

Michelle: When I start writing a book, I have a general idea of where I’m going, but I’m a pantser. My first draft is all about developing character and voice. When I have a good understanding of my characters and the world in which they live, I become more of a plotter and plot the main turning points of the story. And there’s no story without conflict. But the conflict has to come from the interaction of the characters. During the editing process, I evaluate every scene – What impact will it have? How credible is it? Will it drive the story forward and develop the characters? It took me nearly four years to write and edit Flying through Clouds.

Which authors have influenced you?

Winton: Kate Grenville, Frank Moorhouse, and Hilary Mantel are the stand-outs. Each of them writes powerfully and imaginatively, and exemplifies the approach to writing about historical events and institutions that I consciously follow.

Michelle: These authors have probably influenced me the most: Jackie French, John Marsden, Sofie Laguna, Morris Gleiztman, Marlena Marchetta, Tim Winton, Sonya Hartnett, Ruth Park, Miles Franklin, Harper Lee, J. K. Rowling, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and Shakespeare.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Winton: First, develop ‘the craft’ of creative writing very carefully, and never feel shy about enrolling in your umpteenth how-to-write programme. (As the old Zen saying goes: if you think you’re getting somewhere, go back to the beginning!) Secondly, join or form a writers’ group whose members read each other’s pre-circulated drafts meticulously, and discuss them in detail at its meetings. It needs to be a group committed to constructive criticism with the aim of seeing its members’ work accepted for publication – not a mutual admiration society.  

Michelle: Keep reading, writing and editing, and get advice from professional editors when you’re ready. I think there’s some truth to the 40% rule – when you think you’ve finished, you’ve only done around 40% of what you need to do to make your manuscript the best it can be.

Tell us about your next book or work in progress.

Winton: While I’m waiting for the Next Big Idea, I’m engaging in some memoir writing that I want to eventually collect into a book (but definitely not an autobiography!)

Michelle: I’m currently working on my first full-length play, which, like the short plays I’ve written, is contemporary and for an adult audience. My next novel will have historical and contemporary settings, but may be for adults rather than young adults.

At the end of World War II, the Allies have to decide what to do with the top Nazi war criminals they’ve captured. Rather than simply shooting them, they take the riskier option of setting up a four-power international tribunal to try them, with maximum publicity and all the requirements of due process met. This bold move triggers a tense and gritty drama involving thousands of war-damaged individuals shipped into Nuremberg, a small bombed-out city in occupied Germany. Once there, the prosecutors and judges, led by prominent British and American lawyers, find themselves isolated from the outside world, starved of basic resources, and flying blind into a trial of unprecedented complexity, length and size, while under the gaze of the international media at every turn.

The novel follows four participants through the preparation and ten-month conduct of the trial: a young GI with a German-Jewish background who gets snapped up by the American prosecutors for his interpreting skills; the former head of German Radio, on trial for his life; a German war widow and pioneer of simultaneous interpreting, now remarried to a British prosecution investigator; and one of the two British judges sitting on the tribunal. Through their eyes and ears, we experience the horrors of Nazi war crimes being revealed to a world public for the first time, the perilous makeshift of the trial process, and the moments of high drama when it seems that the whole edifice is about to collapse. They are participants in this very public enterprise while struggling to lead meaningful private lives and pursue their own ambitions amid the devastation of postwar Germany.

In the epilogue, set in the present day, a startling encounter in the old Nuremberg courtroom gives us a glimpse of the trial’s legacy—for the international rule of law, and for a new culture of German acknowledgment of past criminality that reunification has fostered.

You can purchase Rule of Law via  Abbeys and New South Books.

It’s not easy being a teenage boy growing up in the tough neighbourhood of Glebe in the 1930s. It’s even harder when your dream is to become an aviator, your parents are dead against it, and your girlfriend’s father is the School Principal. But Joe has even bigger challenges he must face and obstacles to overcome if he wants to achieve his dream. He has a plan and won’t let anyone stand in his way.

Flying through Clouds can be ordered from your local bookshop, online suppliers such as Booktopia or on Michelle’s  website.

Racing the Moon is available via Amazon and Book Depository.

Winton Higgins and Michelle Morgan areappearing in our Sydney Meet the Author satellite event on 26 July 2017 at the Gordon Library 799 Pacific Highway, Gordon from 6.00-8.00 pm discussing 'Wings into History: How the Past Inspires Historical Fiction' with Justin Sheedy and Kim Kelly. More information and ticketsare available from the HNSA website. 

                                                               

HNSA 2017 Conference

The HNSA 2017 Melbourne Conference is being held on 8-10 September 2017 at Swinburne University. This celebration of the historical fiction genre will showcase over 60 speakers discussing inspiration, writing craft, research, publishing pathways and personal histories in our weekend programme. Among the many acclaimed historical novelists participating are Kerry Greenwood, Kate Forsyth, Deborah Challinor, Libby Hathorn, Lucy Treloar, Sophie Masson, Sulari Gentill, Robert Gott and Arnold Zable. The HNSA’s speakers’ list is available on the HNSA website.

In addition to the two stream weekend programme, there will be ten craft based super sessions and two research masterclasses.You won’t want to miss our interactive sessions on armour and historical costumes either! Purchase a ticket and you will be entered in the draw to win a $100 Dymocks Gift Card.

Manuscript assessments will be conducted by industry experts, Alison Arnold and Irina Dunn. Our free extended academic programme is open for general admission but bookings are essential.

Our First Pages Pitch Contest offers an opportunity for submissions to be read aloud to a panel of publishers. And we are delighted to announce the introduction of our inaugural HNSA Short Story Contest with a $500 prize! 

Visit our website to purchase your tickets now!

Subscribe to our newsletter for interviews, reviews and news.

Learn about our sponsorship opportunities.

Let’s make a noise about historical fiction!

Interview with Justin Sheedy

Our guest today is Justin Sheedy who is the author of five books and whether they be don’t-read-on-the-bus-hilarious or cry-in-every-chapter-heroic, he is passionate to share OUR Australian stories. His Australian World War II historical fiction trilogy began with Nor the Years Condemn (2011) followed by Ghosts of the Empire (2013) and now concludes with his latest release, No Greater Love. Sheedy’s saga brings to vivid life a stunning true story in our ANZAC tradition yet one which until now remained untold in Australian historical fiction: the story of how our nation’s best-and-brightest youth volunteered for the most dangerous job of World War II, crossing the planet to become the pilots and aircrew who flew against the might of Nazi tyranny. Given the ‘best-and-brightest’ fact upon which his saga is based, Sheedy hopes his readers will fall in love with his characters, their ensuing loss ramming home for the reader the anti-war message that he intends.

He lives in Sydney where he enjoys connecting with his readers at his regular book signings, via his Facebook, Twitter and blog at Crackernight.com.

What is the inspiration for your current book?

Imagine a man who, when he was 21, was a real-life young superman physically and mentally, beloved by his family due to his sparkling intelligence and personality. Though he volunteered to leave his family and cross the planet to fight the worst evil imaginable. This he did in the most exciting way possible and he won, living to his 90s only to be surrounded by the ghosts of all his friends from the fight who remain forever 21. Imagine his story is true and there were 37 000 young men just like him. Who once lived just down the street from where you live right now. THOSE once young Australians are my inspiration.

Is there a particular theme you are exploring in this book?

In my latest, No Greater Love, an exploration of whether Australia’s history is one of perpetually fighting other people’s wars due to our national selflessness or national lack of self.

Which period of history particularly interests you? Why?

World War Two because, as subject matter for historical fiction, it’s the greatest drama ever. There is no more exciting, heroic, tragic, horrific, good versus evil dramatic story for a writer to bring alive. It’s also when, more than any other time in our Australian history, we showed the world how to win wars.

What resources do you use to research your book?

Veteran interviews, historical fiction & non-fiction, documentaries, family-loaned personal diaries, the internet (often beginning with Wikipedia as a “research road-map” for more detailed research), online correspondence with historical societies and local councils internationally.

What is more important to you: historical authenticity or accuracy?

Authenticity.  My goal & reward is to have my readers thoroughly yet instantly immersed in the history I cover though they may have no prior knowledge or prior interest in it. To immerse them like this I must present the history to them in an accessible way. Though of course I intend forensic-standard accuracy, I find some writers lose their readers with accuracy for its own sake. In a nutshell, if you tell all the facts, you’ll never finish the story, let alone keep your reader happily time-travelling.

Which character in your current book is your favourite? Why?

My main character, Colin Stone.  “Stoney” to all.  A classic ‘rough diamond’ character, the boy from the ‘wrong side of the tracks’ (the mean streets of Great Depression era St. Kilda). He is the abandoned child who becomes the greatest fighter pilot of them all, the soul from the gutter who rises to the top from where he sees a world only worth leaving.  Since creating him, “Stoney” has become real for me and I love him; he’s the underdog, the unselfish hero, the classic Aussie warrior who (based in historical fact) wins war because of the unconventional way he fights it, who lacks respect for Authority because Authority gets young men killed.

Are you a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’? How long does it generally take you to write a book?

A fusion of both.  I think a superb “structure” for any narrative is one of the most rewarding things for the reader and something I strive for by plotting. Yet at my every stage of writing every book I find myself with NO idea what I’ll be writing tomorrow. But this happens SO often that I force myself to say: “You always find it. Have a little faith in yourself.” Re how long it takes me to write a book, from my first, a 365-pager in 4 years, to my fifth, same length in 18 months, seems each time I have to re-invent the wheel a bit less.

Which authors have influenced you?

In terms of my Australian World War Two historical trilogy, I would nominate Ken Follett for his gripping WWII fictions, our Kate Grenville for her emotive Australian historical fictions, and Roald Dahl for the way he evokes his own war experiences as if with the involuntary perfection of a child’s eye.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Write what thrills YOU. If you write it well, it will thrill others. To write it well, re-write it until it’s the book it DESERVES to be. (That’s one third Paul Hogan, one third me, one third Peter Carey, and the rest is just good luck.)

Tell us about your next book or work in progress.

Currently polishing a novella to be part of a free ebook “bundle” with other authors as promotional tool for our currently published works. Title of my novella: Other People’s Wars.

To abandoned child, Colin Stone, World War Two grants an escape from the mean streets of St. Kilda. A natural warrior, his talents qualify him to join an elite group of young men. The shining ones. Who fly Spitfires against Nazi tyranny. Rising with them, from the top Colin Stone looks down on a world that has doomed his first true friends.

Bringing to vivid life true Australian war history and events, "No Greater Love" is a saga in the classic mold, featuring the drama, beauty, heroism and horror of one young man's war journey through stunning Malta, Egypt and North Africa, Sicily, England and Europe. It is a portrait of the once-in-a-lifetime characters the war places on his path, of the tragic, wholesale waste of war, on occasion even the profound humanity of his enemy, and of his evolving perception of his world for what it is.

Though standing on its own as a ripping and also highly emotional read, "No Greater Love" is the third and final chapter of Justin Sheedy's now widely and warmly cherished World War Two novel trilogy begun with "Nor the Years Condemn" and "Ghosts of the Empire". Continuing and now concluding their portrait of shining young men destined never to grow old, No Greater Love is the full and rich story of Part 1's reader-favourite character, Aussie rough diamond Colin Stone ('Stoney'). It is the story of his war, of his loyalty and devotion to his friends, of his enduring love for the mother who abandoned him, and his dreams of being held by her once again.

Many thanks Justin for sharing your passion for world war history with us.

You can purchase Justin's books at the following links:

Nor the Years Condemn DYMOCKS – AMAZON

Ghosts of the Empire DYMOCKS – AMAZON

No Greater Love DYMOCKS – AMAZON

HNSA 2017 Conference

The HNSA 2017 Melbourne Conference is being held on 8-10 September 2017 at Swinburne University. Justin Sheedy will be appearing on Sunday 10 September at in the following panel:

Worlds at War: The Appeal of 20th Century Historical Fiction

The history of the early to mid-20th century now falls within the definition of ‘historical fiction’. Why do novels depicting the great conflicts of modern times hold such fascination? And has war fiction replaced Tudor fiction as ‘the favourite flavour’ for readers and publishers? Julian Novitz discusses these questions with Paddy Richardson, Elise McCune, Justin Sheedy and Julian Leatherdale.

Justin Sheedy is also appearing in our Sydney HNSA Meet the Author event on 26 July 6.00 -8.00 pm at Gordon Branch of the Ku-ring-gai Library with Winton Higgins, Kim Kelly, Michelle Morgan and Elisabeth Storrs (Chair). Bookings essential. More details can be found on the HNSA website.

HNSA 2017 is a celebration of the historical fiction genre which will showcase over 60 speakers discussing inspiration, writing craft, research, publishing pathways and personal histories in our weekend programme. Among the many acclaimed historical novelists participating are Kerry Greenwood, Kate Forsyth, Deborah Challinor, Libby Hathorn, Lucy Treloar, Sophie Masson, Sulari Gentill, Robert Gott and Arnold Zable. The HNSA’s speakers’ list is available on the HNSA website.

In addition to the two stream weekend programme, there will be ten craft based super sessions and two research masterclasses. You won’t want to miss our interactive sessions on armour and historical costumes either! Manuscript assessments will be conducted by industry experts, Alison Arnold and Irina Dunn. Our free extended academic programme is open for general admission but bookings are essential.

Our First Pages Pitch Contest offers an opportunity for submissions to be read aloud to a panel of publishers. And we are delighted to announce the introduction of our inaugural HNSA Short Story Contest with a $500 prize!

Visit our website to purchase your tickets now!

Subscribe to our newsletter for interviews, reviews and news.

Learn about our sponsorship opportunities.

Let’s make a noise about historical fiction!

Imagining the Past Podcast Series: Sophie Masson

HNSA is proud to announce the release of our 'Imagining the Past' podcast series which is a foretaste of the novelists you'll hear at the 2017 HNSA Conference in Melbourne from 8-10 September at Swinburne University, Hawthorn. This week we bring you our 2017 Conference Patron, Sophie Masson, chatting with our host, Kelly Gardiner. More information about the programme is available at our website. 

Sophie Masson was born in Indonesia of French parents and brought up in France and Australia, Sophie Masson is the award-winning and internationally-published author of over 60 books for children, young adults and adults. Her historical novel for children, The Hunt for Ned Kelly, won the Patricia Wrightson Prize in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards in 2011, while her alternative history novel for young adults, The Hand of Glory, won an Aurealis Award and her historical fantasy trilogy, Forest of Dreams, has been translated into several languages. Sophie's newest novel is Jack of Spades, a historical spy novel for young adults, coming out with Eagle Books in 2017. Sophie is also co-founder and director of small-press publishing house, Christmas Press, and serves on the Boards of the Australian Society of Authors, the Small Press Network and the New England Writers' Centre.You can connect with Sophie via her website, blog, Facebook or Twitter.

May 1910…

Linda’s father is missing in Paris, and her only clue is the Jack of Spades card that was sent to their home in London. In the family code, ‘Jack of Spades’ means danger. But it is not her father’s handwriting on the envelope!

Setting out to look for him, Linda is soon whirled into a frightening world where nothing is as it seems. Who are the people following her? What was her father really doing in Paris? Who can she really trust? As she works against time to try and solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance with the help of some new friends, Linda begins to realise that she has stumbled into a dark and dangerous conspiracy which threatens the future of the whole world…

Jack of Spades is available for purchase here.

Our Imagining the Past Host:

Kelly Gardiner’s most recent book is 1917 (published early in 2017), a novel for young readers set during the First World War. Her previous books include Goddess, based on the remarkable life of the seventeenth century French swordswoman and opera singer, Julie d’Aubigny. Kelly’s historical novels for young adults include The Sultan’s Eyes and Act of Faith, set during the time of the English Civil Wars and the Inquisition. Both books were shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Her books for younger readers are the ‘Swashbuckler’ adventure trilogy – Ocean Without End, The Pirate’s Revenge and The Silver Swan – set in Malta during the Napoleonic invasion, and a picture book, Billabong Bill’s Bushfire Christmas. Kelly has worked on newspapers, magazines and websites, and her articles, poems, book reviews and travel writing have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers as diverse as ‘The New York Times’, ‘Marie Claire’, ‘New Idea’, and ‘Going Down Swinging’. She works at the State Library of Victoria and teaches creative writing at La Trobe University. Kelly is also the co-host of Unladylike, a podcast on women and writing. Learn more about Kelly at her website. https://kellygardiner.com/

HNSA 2017 Conference

The HNSA 2017 Melbourne Conference is being held on 8-10 September 2017 at Swinburne University. Sophie will be appearing at HNSA 2017 our Personal History session on Sunday 10 September at 11.30 -12.30 in conversation with Lucy Treloar and Jackie Ballantyne.

This celebration of the historical fiction genre will showcase over 60 speakers discussing inspiration, writing craft, research, publishing pathways and personal histories in our weekend programme. Among the many acclaimed historical novelists participating are Kerry Greenwood, Kate Forsyth, Deborah Challinor, Libby Hathorn, Lucy Treloar, Sulari Gentill, Robert Gott and Arnold Zable. The HNSA’s speakers’ list is available on the HNSA website.

In addition to the two stream weekend programme, there will be ten craft based super sessions and two research masterclasses. You won’t want to miss our interactive sessions on armour and historical costumes either! Manuscript assessments will be conducted by industry experts, Alison Arnold and Irina Dunn. Our free extended academic programme is open for general admission but bookings are essential.

Our First Pages Pitch Contest offers an opportunity for submissions to be read aloud to a panel of publishers. And we are delighted to announce the introduction of our inaugural HNSA Short Story Contest with a $500 prize!

Visit our website to purchase your tickets now!

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