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I'm Interviewed in the HNS Chesapeake Bay Area Chapter Newsletter!


Each month my local Historical Novel Society chapter features interviews with two members to help us get to know each other. This month, myself and Susan Higginbotham are featured. I'm talking about my presentations at next year's conference with a fun bonus question about a deserted island and the hunky men from history I wouldn't mind being stranded with. Check it out!

What will you be talking about at the conference?

I will be part of two panels. On the first, GOING INDIE: A Brief Guide to Self-Publishing, I'll be one of four panelists, and I'll be talking about the importance of book covers, the elements of a good historical fiction cover, and tips for creating your own or working with a designer. And on the second, BOOK REVIEWERS TELL ALL: Advice for Authors & Readers, I will be joined by three fabulous fellow historical fiction reviewers, and I'll be talking about the wonderful world of book blogging, the elements of a good review, where reviews are posted, the ethics of reviewing and soliciting reviews both as a reader and an author, how to approach negative reviews, and how to evaluate reputable review sites and reviewing-related services.

What inspired you to come up with this topic?

I was invited to participate in the Going Indie panel, but I did create the concept for Book Reviewers Tell All, and my three co-panelists helped me put it together. Reviews are so important for a book's success, yet it can be a daunting task to tackle for many authors, and it's easy to turn off potential reviewers, so I wanted to help authors learn the right way to approach them. I also wanted to give people a chance to meet the people behind the book blogs and learn more about becoming a reviewer and joining the reading community.

What other panels or events are you looking forward to seeing at the conference?

There are so many great presentations to choose from this year! As registration assistant and volunteer coordinator, I don't know how much time I'm going to have to actually sit in on some of them, and there's no way I'll be able to see all of the ones that interest me, but if I can, I'm going to do my best to get to ONCE UPON A TIME: Drawing on Myth, Magic, and Fairy Tales in Historical Fiction, MIXING IT UP: Historical Writing in Multiple Genres, STATE OF THE STATE OF HISTORICAL FICTION, TWO FOR ONE: Weaving the Twin-Stranded Storyline, and WHAT HISTORICAL NOVELISTS CAN LEARN FROM ROMANCE WRITERS. And I immediately signed up for HOOCH THROUGH HISTORY. That is going to be fun!

Want to find out which three historical figures
I'm taking with me to a deserted island?

Join us in Portland next June for the
Historical Novel Society Conference!

Volunteers make the conference run and YOU can make a difference! Volunteering is a great way to get involved behind the scenes, meet some of the special guests, and make new friends in the historical fiction community. Bring your time and talents and help with registration, the Blue Pencil Café, agent and editor pitches, the costume contest, and more.
Contact me for more information!