About
- Established in 1997, the Historical Novel Society is an international literary society devoted to promotion and advocacy for the genre of historical fiction.
Membership
- Historical Novel Society members include authors, readers, librarians, editors and industry professionals – membership is entirely open, and anyone enthusiastic about the genre is welcome.
Events
- Our worldwide membership loves to meet. Many travel thousands of miles to attend our conferences in person; many more enjoy our virtual options from home. Others form member connections in their area through regular Local Chapter meet-ups. Discover what’s on with conferences, Local and Virtual Chapters, and more.
Book Reviews
- Our exclusive, members-only print magazine, the Historical Novels Review, publishes reviews of hundreds of historical fiction books each quarter, in addition to features and columns. Become a member to receive the magazine and enjoy all our other benefits.
  Browse our magazines
  
  Submit your novel for review
Articles
- We publish articles in our members-only print magazine, Historical Novels Review, as well as web features exclusive to this site. All are original pieces, commissioned by our Features Editors based on topics of interest to members – interviews with historical fiction authors, publishers, and agents; explorations of novels and subgenres; guides, and regular columns on historical fiction market news, debut authors, and more. Articles are written by vetted contributors, most of whom are Society members. If you’re a member interested in joining the team, Contact Us.
Awards
- HNS Awards have helped discover authors and launch their careers (e.g., Michel Faber, Ruth Downie, Nikki Marmery, Hilary Green, Elizabeth Macneal, and many more) and provided vital support for others. Our ARA Award is one of the most generous of all literary prizes. If you’d like to partner to sponsor an award, Contact Us.
Contact Us

Nonfiction

A Treasure Trove: Sharon Spaulding on Women Who Make History

By Bethany Latham - Article Published May 1, 2026

WRITTEN BY TRISH MACENULTY An attic discovery sent Sharon Spaulding on a years-long quest to hunt down the “trailblazing” women history forgot, overlooked, ...Read Article

Free History: How to Ride the Waves of Time

By Bethany Latham - Article Published November 1, 2025

WRITTEN BY IAN MORTIMER Historians and historical novelists share a problem: a large proportion of the public won’t even pick up a ...Read Article

Launch: The Paper Lantern Writers’ Crafting Stories from the Past

By Tracey Warr - Article Published May 1, 2025

INTERVIEW BY DAVID CONNON With Paper Lantern Writers Ana Brazil, Mari Anne Christie, and Jillianne Hamilton. The Paper Lantern Writers (PLW) are a ...Read Article

Launch: Wendy J. Dunn’s Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life

By Tracey Warr - Article Published August 25, 2023

INTERVIEW BY ELLEN IRWIN Australian author Wendy J. Dunn has long had a passion for Tudor history—a passion that has inspired award-winning ...Read Article

Launch: Kenneth Maher’s Wind of Change

By Tracey Warr - Article Published June 21, 2023

INTERVIEW BY DAVID CONNON Born and raised in a suburb near Boston, Kenneth Maher had a passion for foreign languages and politics, which ...Read Article

The African Diaspora in Early U.S. History

By Claire Morris - Article Published June 2, 2023

BY B. J. SEDLOCK Historical fiction authors looking for a period and setting that is not overused may get some ideas and research ...Read Article

Launch: Mark Tedesco’s Stories from Puglia: Two Californians in Southern Italy

By Tracey Warr - Article Published April 21, 2023

INTERVIEW BY LESLIE S. LOWE Mark Tedesco is a writer and educator residing in California and Italy. Mark enjoys weaving stories connecting the ...Read Article

Capturing Senses: The Sound of the Middle Ages

By Bethany Latham - Article Published August 1, 2020

WRITTEN BY TRACEY WARR Historical novelists draw on a wide range of research to help them touch the past and create credible fictional ...Read Article

On the Periphery of Power: Love, Madness, and Scandal – the Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Vicountess Purbeck by Johanna Luthman

By Richard Lee - Article Published July 12, 2017

Frances Coke was born in 1602, the last full year of the reign of Elizabeth I. She was the daughter of a prominent lawyer, ...Read Article

Aphra Behn: A Secret Life by Janet Todd illuminates the life of a fascinating 17th-century woman

By Richard Lee - Article Published June 5, 2017

Janet Todd’s masterly biography of the first professional lady of letters has been reissued by Fentum Press 21 years after it originally appeared. ...Read Article

1 2 3 Next »