Joan Fernandez and Kimberly Sullivan , 10 Secrets to Forming Vibrant, Lasting HistFic Author Communities
Friday 24 May 4.00-5.00pm BST
In April 2020, Joan founded a Historical Fiction affinity group that ultimately grew from a handful of people to nearly two hundred authors. Our members come from across the US (including Hawaii), Canada, Mexico, Italy, New Zealand, and Japan. Kimberly is one of the group’s earliest members.
Anchored by a weekly Zoom meeting, the community has fostered learning from experts and each other, created a safe place to bring questions, celebrated each other’s author “wins,” and sympathized with each other’s disappointments. It’s spurred connections outside the weekly meeting: forming
critique groups, serving on launch teams, co-presenting a conference workshop, collaborating on an anthology, engaging on social media, offer to beta read one another’s manuscripts, and reviewing each other’s books. For historical authors keen on forming their own communities, we have 10 top secrets to offer HNS attendees in this discussion-based one-hour programme.
Joan Fernandez is a novelist who brings to light brilliant women’s courageous deeds in history. She is a former senior marketing executive and general partner of the financial powerhouse Edward Jones. In 2018, she retired from a 30+ year career to be a full-time writer. Since leaving the corporate world, she’s become a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Author’s Guild, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA). In April 2020, she founded a Historical Fiction affinity group within WFWA that grew from a handful of people to nearly two hundred authors. Her short story, “A Parisian Daughter,” is published in the anthology, Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women: Her debut novel will publish in 2025. Joan is a sought-after public speaker, most recently presenting “How to Portray the Past Truthfully without Harm” at the Tenth Anniversary Conference for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association in September 2024.. Joan calls both St. Louis and Sedona, Arizona, home, enjoys foodie meals with her Cuban husband and antics with grandkids.
Website: https://www.joansf.com
https://joanfernandez.substack.com
