What I Loved About the Historical Novel Society Australasia Conference

 by Marilyn Forsyth

Image courtesy of HNSA

I just spent the most fabulous weekend at the Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) conference in Melbourne. It was the first one I’ve attended and I assure you it won’t be the last. Sadly, the next isn’t until 2019, but at least it gives me plenty of time to save up 😊.

The selection of sessions, practical workshops and academic sessions was absolutely sensational (the only problem being that there were too many choices)! Everything you could ask for, from being allowed to heft pieces of medieval armour to listening to a panel of feisty romance authors vent their ire at the proposition that romance is written to a formula.

Lisa Chaplin’s From Elevator Pitch to Finish proved to me yet again what a wonderful author and teacher Lisa is. I attended her Deep POV workshop some years ago and it was shortly after that that my debut novel The Farmer’s Perfect Match was accepted for Harlequin’s MIRA line (due in no little way to Lisa’s suggestions, I’m sure). Fingers crossed, I now have the perfect pitch for my current wip.

I found out from the panel discussing Bio Fiction: Can You Defame the Dead? that according to Australian law, no, you can't defame the dead, or their descendants. Handy to know for those Aussie writing historical fiction.


The Outlander Effect: Parallel Narratives was of particular interest because my latest work is a time-slip novel. Ella Carey, Felicity Pullman, Belinda Murrell and Gary Crew gave some great insights into how to bring a dual timeline novel to life while maintaining the authenticity of both timelines and their characters' stories.

Looking like a dag

Having missed out on the Weapons session at last month's RWA conference (clashing sessions), I was so pleased to be able to attend the session on Armour with Matt Curran. I was able to get a tangible feel for the medieval past by trying on a chainmail hood and a twelfth century Norman helmet (recreated).

The discussion about the difference between historical romance and a historical love story was a lot of fun. The panel, consisting of Lisa Chaplin, Anna Campbell, Isolde Martyn, and Alison Stuart, presented a lively and entertaining discussion with a lot of laughs. 

The panel discussing Authenticity vs Truth: Does Historical Fiction Need to be Accurate? was interesting, but without arriving at a definitive answer, of course. There will always be those who believe that historical fiction should serve the narrative versus those who believe writers have a moral obligation to get the facts of history correct (even in fiction).

Photo courtesy of Jel Cel (HNSA)

I’m lucky enough to have had two books published (in a different genre to historical fiction), but there was so much I wasn’t aware of with regard to the process. Thank you to the panel of Pathways to Publication for outlining the different reasons why mss may not make the cut.





The last session, Writing Outside Your Comfort Zone: Sex and Violence, provided a lively conclusion to the conference. Thanks to Kate Forsyth, Anna Campbell and Luke Devenish for the laughs.

Over the weekend I also got to have a coffee with one of my all-time favourite writers, Juliet Marillier, and to actually meet the fabulous Anna Campbell for the first time in person. Talk about fan girl moments! Loved the way these ladies took the time to talk to their biggest fans (i.e. me :D).

Photo of Juliet Marillier meetup courtesy of Denniel Allysha

I love the conference experience! The interaction between writers of all levels is wonderful to be involved in. Needless to say, I've been totally inspired and can't wait to get back to my story with a heap of fresh ideas for finishing it off. (But I will miss Melbourne - despite the cold.)


What has been a memorable conference workshop you've attended? Would you rather interact or sit and listen to an expert?

Love to love meeting up with Facebook friends in person. I met a few Word Count Warriors for the first time - lovely to be able to put real faces (as opposed to Facebook photos) to names. Plus, I also unexpectedly ran into an old school friend - such a lovely surprise!

Love to laugh along with Anna Campbell's infectious laugh.

Love to learn about the concept of a 'sensitivity reader'. If you have a sensitive issue in your novel, it's a good idea to have an expert on the issue read your book to advise if your treatment of it is authentic. An example might be that if your book delves into the treatment of our Indigenous peoples in the past, your sensitivity reader should be an Indigenous person from the area you write about (the reason being that it's disrespectful for an Aboriginal person from one area to talk about the culture of an Aboriginal group from another area). I'd never heard the term before, but it makes sense to me.

Giving Winter a Voice

with Jenn J McLeod

Anyone who’s read my novels will know I’m inspired by the seasons.  

Moving to the country years ago first opened my eyes and ears to the wonder, and sometimes the wrath, of Mother Nature. Since opting for the gypsy life in 2014 to live fulltime in a caravan, Mother Nature and I have been getting re-acquainted. With my days mostly spent outdoors, and my nights with not much between me and the elements, I’ve realised how many sounds, sights, smells and sensations I was missing whilst cosseted by four brick walls and a tile roof. I also discovered what a sensory (and stress) overload the perfect storm of lightning, thunder, wind and hail can be as it hits the camp site!

 My first book, House for all Seasons—a four-part story of four women who return to their hometown to spend a season each in an old house—allowed me to dabble and experiment with writing each season. It was at this time, as part of the RWA Bootcamp experience (2009, I think!) Rachel Bailey put me in touch with Lisa Chaplin who taught me four important letters that nag me through every draft of every manuscript: PMIP (Put Me In the Picture). It makes me ask myself constantly: Where are my characters? What are they doing? What are they seeing, hearing, feeling? I worked on this in Simmering Season — as the name implies the setting was a sticky, steamy, stormy season—while for the setting in Season of Shadow and Light I immersed myself in a summer flood event in a small country town.

 This year, taking readers from the country to the coast for a sea change, you might expect a summer setting, but as you’ll discover when you read The Other Side of the Season, I prefer to not do what’s expected. *nudge/wink*

 I think I’ve finally got the hang of it with reviews for The Other Side of the Season focusing on setting-like this one on Goodreads.

“Small town fiction is Jenn J Mcleod’s speciality and again this aspect of her novel receives her expert treatment. The Other Side of the Season exudes a strong sense of place. From the majestic Blue Mountains, to the tropical banana plantations and tranquil coastal beauty of Watercolour Cove, McLeod’s setting descriptions have the power to transfix any reader.

The Other Side of the Season contains an intricately crafted plot that deftly combines high family drama, secrets, love and abandonment. Woven into these main themes are issues explored with great care and attention to detail, such as the Australian art industry, imprisonment, albinism, mental illness and the impact of institutionalised child abuse.

Jenn J McLeod descriptions of scenery and artworks shows she sees the beauty around her and can put this passion into words. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28452625-the-other-side-of-the-season

With the exception of last year’s three-month stint living in a paddock on a Brahman cattle station north of Rockhampton, I’ve been living in my caravan by the beach. I’ve loved winter by the sea, I’ve felt spindrift on stinging skin and had blustery winds that turn hair and scarves into a tangle. And I’ve loved an opportunity to add some of my dad’s lines to my novels, like this one:

 “This sea breeze is nothing. Wait til we get a good southerly buster. Them winds will likely blow an apple through a tennis racquet.”

 Have you read many Australian books set in winter? I hadn’t, so I was keen to give winter a voice and let it shine, because some seasons seem to get all the attention: like spring—always too pretty and perfect. Summer can be typical of many Australian novels, while autumn’s colours can be alluring, But it’s the gnarly, grey and wintery backdrop that makes scenes pop off the page:

 “When she arrived at the car park there was a stretch limo, the driver safely cocooned inside, while down on the beach a bride and groom, blissful and barefoot, were posing for a photographer and laughing as the wind played havoc with layers of lace and chiffon. On the sand, children in jumpers and swimsuit bottoms built castles and others ran from the water shrieking with the cold, before joyfully skipping back in again.”

 I love to love . . . winter here in Australia. Time to snuggle up in bed with a good book.

I love to learn about other authors and anything writing.

I love to laugh at anything really. 

Book information and BUY links - www.jennjmcleod.com/book-room  

Connect with Jenn on Facebook www.facebook.com/jennjmcleod.books and Twitter @jennjmcleod or join in the discussion at Readers of Jenn J McLeod Facebook group (no cat memes allowed!)

[image provided Andrew Wyeth quote]