Historical Novel Society

After following them on Twitter and visiting the website a number of times, I decided to join the Historical Novel Society (HNS) today. I like that HNS appeals to both writers and readers, and they have a wealth of resources available on their website. Some of my favorite historical authors include Sharon Kay Penman, Philippa Gregory, Karen Harper, Diane Haeger, Kate Quinn, and Margaret George, along with a number of historical romance authors, such as Loretta Chase, Julia Quinn, and Elizabeth Hoyt, and I look forward to joining a community of like-minded readers and writers.

What I like most about HNS:

1. Extensive reviews:  HNS provides over 3200 reviews, and I like how they provide a list of exemplary books, known as Editors' Choice books. Finally, I commend HNS for including books from indie publishers; the publishing landscape has changed dramatically over the last 5 years, and authors now publish through a variety of venues.
2. Historical guides: HNS provides guides to different eras of historical fiction and also provides a useful definition of the genre of historical fiction. I especially enjoyed the guides on King Arthur and on the Knights Templar.
3. HNS Conference: HNS will hold its 5th North American Conference in St. Petersburg, FL, from June 21, 2013 to June 23, 2013. I looked at Jeri Westerson's commentary on the 2011 conference, which included readings by well-known authors and a fashion show, and decided I had to attend the next one.

As I participate with HNS over the next year, I will provide more updates. One more thing I like about HNS: they are incredibly efficient! I just registered an hour ago, and they already have my profile posted on the HNS page. Very impressive!