Kindness and free books!!!

Last week, I wrote about querying agents for the first time at the Historical Novel Society North America’s 2025 conference in Las Vegas. I didn’t tell you all about my favorite moment of the conference.

While sitting in the waiting room with all of the other nervous querying writers, I looked to my right and spotted a very familiar woman sitting next to me. I looked down at her nametag and blurted out, "You're Margaret George!!!"

My battered copy that’s been with me for more than thirty years now….

Her books were a cornerstone of my adolescence. I remember her new releases were a big deal - they often came out around this time of year, close to my birthday. Her books were always my favorite presents and eagerly anticipated.

I still can’t believe I got to tell Margaret George - "Your books are the reason I'm here in this waiting room about to pitch my book for the very first time. Thank you for your writing."

She was so kind and gracious. It turns out her agent had passed away. She was going into pitches to find a new one. We chatted about her new book and my book and our shared home city of Washington, DC.

I'm not a very woo-woo person but I can recognize a sign when I see one! I walked into my first pitch happy and ready.

The historical fiction community is remarkably kind and helpful to each other. But I was still struck by the kindness of a legend!

Big books and biographical fiction are decidedly not “in” right now. But I strongly encourage readers to pick up George’s books.

George’s first book is a masterclass in character development and unreliable narrators. You hate AND love her Henry VIII. It also has one of my all-time favorite endings - which happens to be about kindness.

“I walked around the bundles, checking the knots. All was within. All….what had I forgotten? Wearily I bent down to see it, whatever afterthought had been propped up there. Forever, the “afterthoughts” would come trickling in. Now I would have to find room for this, this….

King Henry’s little harp. The one he used for composing.

It had not been here earlier. Had someone brought it? But no one had entry to my chamber. And certainly not within the past half hour which was the last time I had walked around the bundles, checking the knots.

But there it sat, leaning against my belongings, pressing itself to them.

So love can survive, too. Or something close to it. Consideration and kindness.

In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.

It must be a very big mansion, to encompass all it does.”

- The Autobiography of Henry VIII with notes by his fool Will Somers by Margaret George

What I’m reading….

Thanks to a kind friend who gave me a $100 Bookshop.org gift certificate as a wedding gift, I was able to order the book haul above!

Many of these authors were speakers at the HNS Conference. I’ve already read The Briar Club by Kate Quinn but wanted a copy for my collection. All of the other authors are new for me. Where should I start?

Book Giveaway!

I like getting books in the mail so I’m going to return the favor!

I’m giving away two recent HARDCOVER releases that I’ve read and enjoyed: Aftertaste by Daria LaValle and Under a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods.

All you have to do is comment below and let me know you’re following A Full Notebook on Substack. For an EXTRA entry, head over to my Instagram at kgypsonwrites and follow me. Or comment to let me know you’re already following me.

I’ll pick a winner on my birthday, July 28th. Sorry - I can only ship to U.S. readers at this time.

In the meantime, happy reading!