The New York City Chapter of the Historical Novel Societypresents this recording from a live presentation on June 30, 2026. Host Kelly Scarborough (Butterfly Games), joins historical novelists Nancy Bernhard (The Double Standard Sporting House) and Catherine Siemann (Death Uptown and Downtown) to explore how women overcame the legal and social constraints of their era by skillful maneuvering and defiance. From a brothel owner and doctor fighting to protect sex workers to a lawyer protecting the rights of immigrants, the discussion examines the blurred lines between law and lawlessness in nineteenth-century New York City, and how historical novelists bring these complex women and forgotten histories to life.

Additional Information:

HNS-NYC website: https://hnsnyc.org

Guests:

Nancy Bernhard https://www.nancybernhard.com/

The Double Standard Sporting House https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Double-Standard-Sporting-House/Nancy-Bernhard/9798896360520

Catherine Siemann https://people.njit.edu/profile/siemann

Death Uptown and Downtown (WIP)

Host:

Kelly Scarborough https://kellyscarborough.com/

Butterfly Games https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBLZMQHH

The New York City Chapter of the Historical Novel Society presents this recording from April 22, 2026. Author Helen Lundström Erwin (The Lure of Water and Wood ) is in conversations with authors Martha Jean Johnson ( The Queen’s Musician ) and Erica Obey ( Dazzlepaint ). They discuss how writers should balance their responsibility to the facts with theirpurpose as storytellers. Do historical novelists ever decide to simply make stuff up? What about historical fantasies and alternate histories? Our three writers consider how far a novelist can go in breaking the rules without sacrificing their responsibilities as historical novelists.

Additional Information:

HNS-NYC website: https://hnsnyc.org

Guests:

Martha Jean Johnson (US) https://www.marthajeanjohnson.com/

The Queen’s Musician https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1684633109

Erica Obey https://ericaobey.com/

Dazzlepaint https://www.amazon.com/dp/1940442362/

Host:

Helen Lundström Erwin https://helenerwin.com/

The Lure of Water and Wood https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986266663

The New York City Chapter of the Historical Novel Society presents this recording from March 17, 2026. Author Susan Wands is in conversation with author and narrator Leslie Carroll and narrator Jennie Litt. They discuss the process of working in collaboration with authors and how the many decisions—including tone, style, accents, and pacing—are made in performing a novel for listening pleasure. We were also treated with brief samples of eachnarrators work. A Q&A follows the presentation.

HNS-NYC website: https://hnsnyc.org

Guests

Leslie Carroll (a.k.a. Juliet Grey) https://lesliecarroll.com/

Becoming Marie Antoinette: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345523865

Jennie Litt (audiobook narrator)

https://jennielitt.wixsite.com/voiceactor

Host:

Susan Wands https://susanwands.com/

Emperor and Hierophant https://www.amazon.com/dp/1684633028/