Imagining The Past

In this warm discussion, Robyn Mundy takes us to chilly Svalbard in the Norwegian archipelago to discuss her 2022 ARA Historical Novel Prize, short-listed, Cold Coast . 

Monty Soutar is an historian and author writing a trilogy— Kāwai—which tells the history of New Zealand through nine successive generations of a Maori family. With Greg Johnston, he discusses the particular features and challenges of this writing.  

In this discussion, Robyn Cadwallader tells of her writing process, the research of Medieval England, and the making of myths.  

Brian Falkner discusses his YA series, Kapito Joe — Blitzkrieg , Spycraft and Wolf’s Lair with Greg Johnston, exploring the slings and arrows of the research, planning and writing of the series.  

Geraldine Brooks discusses her latest novel, Horse , with Greg Johnston, delving into many of the technical decisions taken to write this complex novel.  

Kate Murdoch chats with Karen Brooks, Melissa Ashley and Lauren Chater of Midwives, Storytellers and Witches: Wise Women in History

The Inside Story: A Novel’s Journey through a Publishing House. Nadine Davidoff discusses with Mandy Brett, Jamila Khodja and Kate Lloyd

Paula Morris discussed with Julie Janson and Cassandra Pybus, the idea that History is written by the victors. But when such accounts are challenged, who then gets to define history in the context of a shared past?  

Richard Lee, founder of the Historical Novel Society, joins international bestselling authors, Ben Kane and Colin Falconer to discuss how these authors approach writing epic novels, and the challenges encountered in finding new angles to depict stories within well traversed eras of history.

Jackie Ballantyne explores how each author approaches common themes of revenge, love, betrayal, isolation and treachery from these very different perspectives.

Renee Otmar discusses Writing the Other with Rachel Bin Saleh, Tim Darcy Ellis and Indrani Ganguly why questions of representation and appropriation matter, and whether respectful research is the answer to successfully ‘writing the other’. 

Stephen Romei speaks with Pip Williams and Steven Carroll to tease out the intersections within their novels of hidden women’s histories.

HNSNA Chair Jenny Quinlan in conversation with Kate Forsyth and Kate Quinn. 

HNSA Chair Elisabeth Storrs in discussion with Geraldine Brooks.   Geraldine Brooks’ first historical novel, Year of Wonders, has proved to be a portent of a world in lockdown. Her subsequent novels have restored or reimagined many lost histories. Elisabeth Storrs, HNSA Chair, explores the HNSA 2021 conference theme with Geraldine by discussing these award-winning books.

Kim Kelly discusses her latest novel, The Rat Catcher: A Love Story , with Greg Johnston , delving into technical decisions around Point of View and Voice, sensitivities required writing Australian History, and her long publishing history.  

Stephanie Parkyn discusses her latest novel, The Freedom of Birds with Greg Johnston , delving into research, technical decisions, and an antipodean writing about Europe. 

Felice Arena discusses with Greg Johnston his path to CYA Historical Fiction and his latest novel, The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan.  

Anita Heiss discusses her landmark and groundbreaking novel, Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray—River of Dreams —shortlisted for the 2021 ARA Historical Novel Prize—with Greg Johnston. 

Katrina Nannestad , winner of the 2021 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE—CYA CATEGORY , discusses We are Wolves with Greg Johnston, and the challenges of writing CYA Historical Fiction. 

Jock Serong , winner of the 2021 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE—ADULT CATEGORY , discusses The Burning Island with Greg Johnston, and some of the challenges of writing his series set in the Furneaux Group of islands.  

Pip Williams discusses The Dictionary of Lost Words with Greg Johnston and they gather up stories about her writing process and some of her choices.   

Steven Conte speaks about planning and executing The Tolstoy Estate (2020), writing ‘behind the enemy lines’, the risks of shaking up a novel’s structure, and the Gurya Ghost and the Little Boy Lost with Greg Johnston.  

CYA author Susanne Gervey discusses her new time-slip novel, Heroes of the Secret Underground , migration, sculpting stories from WWII for CYA, and Pálinka with Greg Johnston 

Julie Janson is a Burruberongal woman of Darug nation.  She discusses her recent novel, Benevolence, the challenges of writing First Nation's Historical Fiction, and of First Nation's writers finding publishers with Greg Johnston. 

Shortlisted for the inaugural ARA Historical Fiction Prize 2020, author Sienna Brown discusses writing, multifaceted research, constructing Jamaican patois, and Master of My Fate with Greg Johnston.