News from the Historical Novel Society - new anthology, forthcoming books, UK conference

There's been some recent news forthcoming from the Historical Novel Society that's of potential interest to other historical fiction fans, so I thought I'd spread the word here.

Distant Echoes, a new short story anthology with 19 selections that were the winners and runners-up in recent HNS competitions, is published today by Corazon Books in paperback and ebook (for more info, see Amazon US and Amazon UK). 

From the press release:  "Distant Echoes brings you vivid voices from the past. This haunting anthology explores love and death, family and war. From the chilling consequences of civil and world war, to the poignant fallout from more personal battles, these stories will stay with you long after the last page."

The contents include the following.  Some of the authors are previously published novelists and short story writers whose names you may recognize, while others are up-and-coming writers.

House of Wild Beasts by Anne Aylor (winner of the Historical Novel Society Short Story Award 2014)
Fire on the Water by Vanessa Lafaye (winner of the HNSOxford16 Short Story Award)
The Half-Marked Warrior by Nicky Moxey
Disunion by Richard Buxton
The Fat Lady Sings by Jeffrey Manton
For the Love of Megan by Mari Griffith
Ice Bear by S. Pitt
Salt by Lorna Fergusson (winner of the HNSLondon14 Short Story Award)
The Happy Island by Christopher M. Cevasco
The Sharing of a Husband by Anna Belfrage
Behind the Curtain by Patricia Hilton-Johnson
Wolfgang by Dorita Avila
The Holdup by Cj Fosdick
The Man with No Hands by Anne Aylor
Too Late Beloved by Jasmina Svenne
The Hungry Sails by Yvonne Lyon
Souvenirs from Kiev by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger
The Innkeeper’s Banquet by Lisa Kesteven
1654 by L C Tyler

The short story is an unfairly underrated form in the historical fiction world.  If you're looking for good examples of how historical fiction writers can skillfully develop historical atmosphere, character, and plot within this shorter format, check out the ones within the anthology.

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The dates and locale for the next UK-based Historical Novel Society conference have been announced: it will take place on Aug 24-26, 2018 at the Westerwood Hotel just outside Glasgow in Scotland. I plan to be there and will register as soon as it opens up (reportedly sometime in November). This will be a smaller conference than previous due to space limitations at the venue, so for anyone interested, consider registering early.

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Lastly, I've been busy compiling a guide to forthcoming historical novels for 2018 on the HNS website, while the children's and YA forthcoming guide is put together by Fiona Sheppard.  Both guides contain listings of upcoming releases going through next summer, so you'll find plenty for consideration for your TBRs.