Heather Webb, Finola Austin, and Kris Waldherr
From Mary Shelley and Charlotte Bronte to popular stage productions and fairytales, retellings of classics can make for a compelling subject in historical fiction. They also pose considerable challenges: portraying the beloved canon in a new light, managing audience expectations, and breathing life into characters through a modern lens while maintaining authenticity. Join American and British authors Heather Webb (pictured), Kris Waldherr, and Finola Austin, all of whom have used classics as a springboard to create their own unique tales, as they share tips of their craft and current market trends.
Heather Webb is the USA Today and Globe and Mail bestselling author of nine historical novels, including her most recent, Queens of London, about the all-female gang, the Forty Elephants. Her novel, The Phantom’s Apprentice, is a retelling of Phantom of the Opera told from the fresh perspective of Christine Daae. https://heatherwebbauthor.com
Finola Austin is an England born, Northern-Ireland raised, Brooklyn-based writer of historical fiction. Her first novel, Bronte’s Mistress (Atria Books, 2020), was inspired by the lives and works of the Bronte siblings. She is currently working on a novel that reimagines the romantic ballet Giselle. She has two degrees from the University of Oxford and, by day, she works in digital advertising. https://www.finolaaustin.com
Kris Waldherr is the author of numerous critically acclaimed books for adults and children including The Lost History of Dreams, a Victorian-set gothic inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Her most recent novel is Unnatural Creatures, which retells Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein through the eyes of Victor Frankenstein’s mother, bride, and servant. https://kriswaldherrbooks.com
The Historical Novel Society UK 2024 conference 