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🎙 INTERVIEW [FREE]: Breaking into Publishing and Writing Historical Fiction w/ Allison King
​** This is a LIVE interview with Allison King about the craft of writing and reality of building a writing career. Attendees will be sent a recording after the interview. **
​How do you balance meticulous research with imaginative storytelling? And what does it mean to write across genres—blending the real with the magical, the historical with the speculative?
​Allison King’s path to publication began in the world of fan fiction and short stories. Now, as a debut novelist and 2023 Reese’s Book Club LitUp Fellow, she brings her sharp sense of structure and emotional depth to The Phoenix Pencil Company, her first novel—an inventive work that weaves together WWII history and threads of magical realism.
​Join us for a conversation with Allison about the creative and technical challenges of writing historical fiction and building a career as a new author in today’s publishing landscape.
​We’ll also explore:
​How Allison broke into the publishing industry as a debut novelist
​Finding her passion for writing through fan fiction and short stories
​Overcoming imposter syndrome and embracing her writer’s voice
​Research and note-taking techniques for historical fiction
​Writing multiple timelines and structuring complex narratives
​Blending magical realism with historical detail
​Lessons from her experience as a Reese’s Book Club LitUp Fellow
​About Allison KingÂ
​Allison King is an Asian American writer and software engineer based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In technology, her work has ranged from semiconductors to platforms for community conversations to data privacy. Her short stories have appeared in Fantasy Magazine, Diabolical Plots, and LeVar Burton Reads, among others. She is also a 2023 Reese's Book Club LitUp fellow. The Phoenix Pencil Company is her first novel.
​Your London Writers' Salon Hosts:
​Parul Bavishi and Matt Trinetti are the co-founders of the London Writers' Salon, creators of the webby-nominated Writers' Hour daily writing sessions, and hosts of the London Writers' Salon podcast.
​Parul Bavishi has been an editor for over a decade. In addition to running LWS she helps thriller, YA and non-fiction writers level up their craft and get published. She writes and edits for the Story Grid. She has worked as an editor and literary scout at Random House, Quercus & Eccles Fisher. She analyses TV hit shows (Killing Eve, Ozark, Game of Thrones) on the Story Grid Showrunners Podcast.
​Matt Trinetti is a writer, publisher, TEDx speaker, and facilitator. In addition to running LWS, Matt designs programs to help unfulfilled professionals pursue creative work, start businesses, and reinvent their careers. Matt's work has appeared in Quartz, Observer, Creative Mornings, and on his blog GiveLiveExplore.
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