Read Jo Tiddy’s winning story on Historia. Black Christ by Judith Wilson and Dawn Rising by Anne Byrne were highly commended.
News
Crown Awards 2023
The winners were: For the Gold Crown – The Colour Storm by Damien Dibben. For the Non-Fiction Crown – The Captain’s Apprentice by Caroline Davison and for the Debut Crown The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph
Discover the books that were shortlisted, and see a gallery of pictures from the night of the awards on Historia

HWA Crown Longlists 2023
Some fantastic books on the longlists this year!
Read all about them on Historia – https://www.historiamag.com/the-2023-hwa-crown-awards-longlists/


Historia Live! 15 June 2023
Hazel Gaynor, Anna Mazzola and AJ West in conversation
Come to the Wheatsheaf in Fitzrovia to enjoy a free ranging conversation with three brilliant historical novelists, chaired by bestselling author Gill Paul.
The Wheatsheaf 25 Rathbone Place Fitzrovia London W1T 1JB
Enjoy the talk – which will last for about an hour – then stay to buy copies of their books (you know you want to) and enjoy a drink with them all, as well as other authors and enthusiasts of historical writing.
Doors open at 7 and the conversation will begin at 7.30!
Anna Mazzola is a writer of historical thrillers and Gothic fiction. Her novels explore the impact of crime and injustice. Her new novel, The House of Whispers, is set in Rome in 1938.
As the world teeters on the brink of war, talented young pianist Eva Valenti enters the house of widower Dante Cavallera to become his new wife. On the outside, the forces of Fascism are accelerating, but in her new home, Eva fears that something else is at work, whispering in the walls and leaving mysterious marks on Dante’s troubled young daughter. Soon she starts to wonder whether the house itself is trying to give up the secrets of its mysterious past – secrets that Dante seems so determined to keep hidden.
Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Irish Times and international bestselling author. Her new novel, THE LAST LIFEBOAT is inspired by a remarkable true story, from 1940 as young teacher evacuates children to safety across perilous waters.
Her most recent historical novel, set in China during WW2, published as The Bird In The Bamboo Cage, in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and as When We Were Young & Brave in the USA and Canada, was an Irish Times bestseller, a National Bestseller in the USA and was shortlisted for the 2020 Irish Book Awards.
A.J.West is the winner of the HWA Debut Crown for The Spirit Engineer and an award-winning former BBC journalist, radio broadcaster and voice artist from Buckinghamshire. He has also written for national newspapers and magazines and has appeared on national television programmes, including BBC Breakfast, Good Morning Britain, This Morning and the legendary reality television show, Big Brother.
Keeping order is bestselling novelist, Gill Paul, whose latest novel, The Manhattan Girls, is a 1920s version of Sex and the City, as Dorothy Parker—one of the wittiest women who ever wielded a pen—and her three friends navigate life, love, and careers in New York City.
HWA / DDS Short Story Competition – Winner, Highly Commended and Shortlist
Thank you so much to all our readers and judges, and to everyone who submitted. It was a fantastic year.
Winner
. Collapse ~ Chrissy Sturt
An immediately engrossing tale of a family in Southampton in 1940. A great sense of place and character and a full and satisfying story told with economy and grace.
Highly Commended
. Forever Mine ~ Bradford Gyori
A haunting tale of the American west with a fresh and persuasive voice which feels like an epic in miniature.
. Homecoming ~ Ruth Moore
A dark and unsettling tale of a return after World War II. Superb writing and a shimmering tension which delivers an impressive twist.
Shortlisted
. The Coachman’s Tale ~ Stuart Fortey
A convincing story of the household of Charles Dickens – moving and surprising.
. The Whole of the Moon ~ John Irving Clarke
Gentle, hopeful and musical encounter between a Falklands veteran and an unusual young woman.
. The Tale of Mud-Mary ~ Valerie Thompson
A lovely lyrical story which conjures a whole 19th century community along a riverbank.
We look forward to publishing all six of these short stories as an anthology later in the year, and Collapse will also be published on www.historiamag.com and the Dorothy Dunnett Society Magazine, The Whispering Gallery.
HWA Crowns Longlists Announced
The HWA Crown longlists were announced on 28 September, and what an amazing collection of debuts, novels, and nonfiction historical writing our judges have put together. Shortlists will be announced on 25 October via our twitter account @HistoriaHWA
You can read about the longlisted titles here: