This month's Historia newsletter is in your inbox! Murderous women, humour in conflict, undying characters, lucky discoveries, they're all waiting for you in our five-minute read. Plus a round-up of historical fiction and non-fiction published this month

David Gilman's new novel, Rage of Swords, is the latest in his Master of War series and sees Thomas Blackstone in action in Italy. Congratulations, David! He tells Historia about the ideas and research behind his book at historiamag.com/historia-interview-david-gilman @davidgilman.bsky.social

Read why I set my black comedy crime series in Northern Ireland during the Troubles

How to write a novel about the Troubles in Northern Ireland when they're so recent, and still raw? For author Bryan J Mason the answer was: with sensitivity, acknowledging the facts - but also with humour. He explains his approach in historiamag.com/troubles-with-history @bryanjmason.bsky.social

'Ordinary', Shaw and George Eliot called her. But she was Madeleine Smith, tried for poisoning her lover in 1857. Lesley McDowell, author of Love and Other Poisons, wonders what an 'ordinary' Victorian murderess was like at historiamag.com/ordinary-victorian-murderess @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social

Local legislator displays the importance of kerning

While writing her latest book, a reimagining of Cordelia's story, Alexandra Walsh was struck by how some figures reappear in tales through the ages. Why, she wondered, do we retell these stories? So she went looking for Cordelia historiamag.com/why-tell-stories-Cordelia @purplemermaid25.bsky.social

New in Historia: Eric Lee on why writers and historians need to embrace lucky discoveries, as he found while working on his latest book, The August Uprising, 1924, about Georgia's uprising against Russian invaders Find out how: historiamag.com/serendipity-historians-weapon @erictlee.bsky.social

What a lovely surprise this was today! It is such an honour to see NEPHTHYS on the @historia-hwa.bsky.social Debut Crown 2025 shortlist. Many thanks to the judges, and congratulations to everyone on this list! 👑

The HWA Crown Awards shortlists are revealed! They’re in Historia now, at historiamag.com/hwa-crowns-shortlists-2025 See which six books have made it through to the last round of judging in each category – Gold, Non-fiction and Debut. Good luck to all 18 authors! #HWACrowns25

Not long now...

👑📚The HWA Crown Awards shortlists are revealed tomorrow, just after 11am, in Historia. It's so exciting! Six books in each category - Gold, Non-fiction and Debut - go through to the final round. I'll post the link here as soon as it's live! #HWACrowns25 #booksky #histfic #historicalfiction #history

Thrilled to be Highly Commended in this year's HWA short story contest! My story this year has some elements based on an old family story about a hobo working for a traveling preacher. Thrilled to be able to keep that little story alive through fiction!

Congratulations to the shortlisted authors and, of course the winner 🩷

Philip of France, medieval England’s greatest enemy, by Catherine Hanley historiamag.com/philip-franc... @historia-hwa.bsky.social #Medieval #History

The October Historia newsletter is out! Check your inbox for the latest stories from the magazine for historical writers and readers - all in one 5-minute read. Plus a scary story from our archives (werewolves, eek!). Well, it is the season... And an awards round-up!

New in Historia! The winning, highly commended and shortlisted authors and stories in the 2025 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition. Find out who they are and what makes them special at historiamag.com/hwaddss25-winner-shortlist #HWADDSS25

✍️It's today! We announce the winning, shortlisted and highly-commended stories in this year's HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition at 1.30pm! The best in #histfic #shortstory writing. What gems have the judges found this year? @dunnettcentral.bsky.social @bettym.bsky.social #HWADDSS25

My shiny, updated @historia-hwa.bsky.social profile complete with my new book, The Key To The Island House… historicalwriters.org/writer/amand...

AD Bergin interviews Carolyn Kirby about Ravenglass historiamag.com/historia-int... They discuss researching the North of England, the slave trade, the 1745 #Jacobite rising and 18th-century novels. All of these are the background - and inspiration - for Carolyn's latest book

Really pleased to be long listed again this year. I don't usually write fiction and the Dorothy Dunnet competition is a great opportunity to do it!

Henry II of England ruled more of France than Philip II of France did at the start of Philip's reign in 1179. But by its end, in 1223, the situation had reversed and he was Europe's most powerful king. Read Catherine Hanley on medieval England's nemesis at historiamag.com/philip-france-enemy

Announced today! Find out which writers are on the longlist for the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition in Historia at historiamag.com/hwaddss-longlist-2025. 25 #histfic authors are through to the next round of judging. Congratulations, all, and best of luck! #HWADDSS25

Announced today! Find out which writers are on the longlist for the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition in Historia at historiamag.com/hwaddss-longlist-2025. 25 #histfic authors are through to the next round of judging. Congratulations, all, and best of luck! #HWADDSS25

✍️The longlist for the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition is announced today! 25 of the best new, unpublished, historical short stories. The contest's run annually by the HWA and @dunnettcentral.bsky.social. I'll post the link as soon as it's ready, just after 1pm #HWADDSS25

So exciting to see so many CBC alumna on the @historia-hwa.bsky.social Debut Crown longlist! Congrats to @adberginwriter.bsky.social, @rachloudriscoll.bsky.social, @joannamillerauthor.bsky.social & Rosanna Pike! 👏

THRILLED to see A. E. Goldin's Murder in Constantinople longlisted for the HWA Debut Crown 2025! Huge congratulations 🥳 @historia-hwa.bsky.social

It's time for a new Bradecote and Catchpoll historical mystery. I'm reviewing Feast for the Ravens by Sarah Hawkswood #historicalmystery #bookreview @AllisonandBusby

Oh, and follow @historia-hwa.bsky.social !

So delighted to see these fantastic longlists for the HWA Crown Awards. Debuts, fiction and non-fiction to transport and inspire. A feast for curious minds... historiamag.com/2025-hwa-cro...

Oh what a great day this is! The Maiden of Florence has made the last 12 on the @historia-hwa.bsky.social Gold Crown award #longlist! #historicalfiction #renaissance #Firenze @fairlightbooks.bsky.social

On this the 2011th anniversary of the accession of Tiberius Caesar as second 'princeps' of the Roman Empire, I repost an article I wrote for @historia-hwa.bsky.social: 'Tiberius: 2,000 years of slander'. #AncientBluesky historiamag.com/tiberius-200...

It's today! I'll post a link to the Historia special report as soon as it's ready

If you love historical fiction or non-fiction, here are some dates for your diary: 👑📷 Longlists: 17 September Shortlists: 15 October Winners and awards party: 19 November #HWACrowns25

With the excitement about the HWA Crown Awards building before tomorrow's announcement of the 36 longlisted books, here are some dates for your diary: Longlists: 17 September Shortlists: 15 October Winners announced and party: 17 November #HWACrowns25

Really loved writing this - The Seeker of Lost Paintings, out now!

👑📚The 2025 HWA Crown Awards longlists are revealed on Wednesday! 3️⃣categories: Gold, Debut and Non-fiction 12 books in each category. That's 36 of the best historical books of 2024-25! Live announcements in the former bird place. Then full details of all books published in Historia #HWACrowns25

New in Historia! Sarah Freethy reveals the extraordinary story of Syndrome K, the supposedly deadly disease that saved lives in German-occupied Rome in 1943. It helped inspire her new book, The. Seeker of Lost Paintings Find out more at historiamag.com/syndrome-k @sarahfreethy.bsky.social

In case you missed it - the Historia newsletter is out! Check your inbox for your 5-minute round-up of historical writing. 👑📚And a reminder that the 2025 HWA Crown Awards longlists are announced on 17 September (follow #HWACrowns25 for updates). Plus this month's new books #histfic #history

Wonderful, amazing news about Annie Whitehead's review of BBC TV's King & Conqueror! It's now been viewed over 20,000 times! No, that's not a typo. Read it at review at historiamag.com/review-king-conqueror Thank you *so* much, @anniehistory.bsky.social!

New! A Triumvirate of English Earls @derekbirks.bsky.social and I discuss the 3 great Anglo-Saxons earls of 11th century England: Godwin, Leofric and Siward. How influential were they? #podcast #kingandconqueror @penandswordbooks.bsky.social @historia-hwa.bsky.social soundcloud.com/user-1425259...

For your #LaborDay reading: an article I wrote for @historia-hwa.bsky.social about how I came to change my assessment of Tiberius and to see him as the slandered Caesar. #TIBERIUSbio historiamag.com/tiberius-200...

King Harold Godwinson’s death – did the Bayeux Tapestry embroider the truth? By Paul Bernardi historiamag.com/harold-death... @historia-hwa.bsky.social #Medieval #History

The folks @historia-hwa.bsky.social know more about telling brilliant stories, and working with history, than most of us, so when they review something, I listen! And in this case, agree wholeheartedly!

Our review of BBC TV's King & Conqueror by historian Annie Whitehead: How unhistorical was it? And does that matter? In this case, she says, it was "a wasted opportunity". Read Annie's review at historiamag.com/review-king-conqueror @anniehistory.bsky.social

I'm taking a break for two weeks. I've scheduled pub day Historia pages and some great features, including a piece on the Englishman who fought for Genghis Khan (22.8) and a review of BBC TV's King & Conqueror (26.8) - Frances, Historia editor

Q&A: Dialogue, Experimenting during Revision, and Stopping (or Not Stopping) to Fix Pace. New on This Itch of Writing for everyone: the latest pick of the Ask Me Anything chats: emmadarwin.substack.com/p/q-and-a-di...

The HWA members' newsletter is out! Check your inbox for: 🔴Tips on how to make our website work for you (and your books) 🔴Will AI replace historians? 🔴Read the latest news from the book world We hope you enjoy it

Check out my piece in the @nytimes.com about the 1980s cola space race. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/s... Worked with some great editors and a spoke with interesting people while I was working on this. Really pleased to see this published. #space #nasa #spaceshuttle #challenger

"The Second Traitor is a multi-layered story of deception, double agents, intrigue and treachery that only Alex Gerlis could weave." That's Alan Bardos's verdict in his Historia review of book two in the Double Agent series. Read Alan's review at historiamag.com/review-2nd-traitor-alex-gerlis