Tag Archives: unusual historicals

Calling all unusual historical authors

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Hello all!

I’ve just volunteered to do an online workshop for the Hearts through History chapter on unusual historicals that I’m thinking of titling “Keeping Historicals Weird” — Don’t sue me Texas!

I wanted to sort of give a survey of the current market for them (highly colored by this author’s experience)  and wanted to get other authors’ experiences with publishing and selling unusual historicals — which typically mean historicals with characters or settings outside of Great Britain or America. It can be expanded to mean historicals in time periods not usually seen such as the 1920s even if it is set in G.B or America.

I’d also like to mention the historical paranormal or historical steampunk market as well, so that information is also welcome. My thesis being that the same “hard sell” stigma doesn’t necessarily apply to those markets and you may have higher demand there.

My focus is historical romance, of course, but straight historical fiction with romantic elements is also welcome. I will mention upmarket historical fiction for discussion as that is sometimes a consideration if you have an unusual historical manuscript.

My main focuses are:

1. Which publishers are buying it/pushing it

2. How are sales

3. What is the readership like

4. How did you promote/build readership

I’m especially interested in small press, epublishing, and self-publishing efforts. You can chime in here or e-mail me through the contact form.

Thanks much!

Odds and ends – First Day of HH Calendar

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Just a post to list some guest blogs and other interesting tidbits:

Carrie Lofty of Unusual Historicals has written a very well-thought out article about what sort of elements authors of unusual historical romances have to consider when targeting their stories for a mass market audience. She’s interviewed editors and agents as well as authors (myself included!) and put together a succinct and comprehensive look into the balancing act of writing unusual settings.Walking the Tightrope by Carrie Lofty

I’m blogging today at the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood about “Writing with a Cinematic Eye” where I try to describe how I re-think scenes and translate them from a cinematic view to words on the page.

And last, but not least. December is here! It’s the first day of the Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar celebration! Visit Lynna Banning to kick off the event. Each day you participate will enter you in a mini-giveaway for that author as well as the Grand Prize giveaway – a Kindle 3G. (I loves my Kindle. I really, really do.) Come back here on Dec. 4 (Saturday) for my contribution.

Miss a day? Don’t worry. You can go back and still complete the activity for an extra chance to win. 22 days — 22 authors.