While the change has not yet appeared on the RT BookLovers Convention webpage, Bitchery reader Kay has forwarded me some information that Romantic Times sent out earlier today. It seems they’ve added a session with Bertrice Small on research without plagiarism:
Also new to the agenda… Bertrice Small has rounded up her fellow historical romance buddies Roberta Gellis and Jennifer Blake to present a research workshop of a different kind—How to Use Historical Facts Without Crossing the Line Into Plagiarism. Bertrice feels it’s necessary for historical romance authors to know what’s acceptable and what is not when embellishing your fiction with historical facts.
My advice, if you’re planning to go to RT in Pittsburgh? GO to this session. Not because plagiarism is an important issue for any and all professional writers (which it is) or because this session is timely, topical, and clearly of present issue (which it also is) but because I’ve heard Bertrice Small speak and she is a scream.
Interesting. I’ll definitely have to go to that panel—since I’m one of their SF/F people, there are very few panels that are actually pertinent to my area of interest (which is reasonable, since it’s a romance con, not a SF/F con).
Woot! You know, I’m not a big fan of Small’s books (although I did enjoy aspects of Skye O’Malley), but I definitely admire her initiative and willingness to address this topic at a national Romance conference. And to have three veterans of stature doing the workshop is even better—hopefully it will be well attended and will serve as an inspiration for other writerly conferences/conventions.
Wow! I’m such a Roberta Gellis fangirl. If I wasn’t poorer than a church mouse I’d be there just to touch the hem of her garment. Damn, I miss all the fun.
Right!
There is so much nonsense being spread about this topic that it sometimes sounds as if you need a footnote if you say that Columbus sailed in 1492. This obscures the fact that plagiarism is THEFT.
“I’ve heard Bertrice Small speak and she is a scream. “
Any chance we could get some specifics? This sounds intrigue.
Bertrice is a fabulous person and I think she’ll do a kickass workshop. She was one of the “original ladies of romance,” paving the way for all romance authors.
Chey
Amen, sister. I’ve seen Bertrice speak on several occasions and this is not to be missed.
Not to mention the fact that you have THREE romance legends in the same room.
JC
Trav: she’s a great speaker – sharp, witty, and hilarious. I heard her at NJ-RWA years ago.
I am going with some of the pals, but as we are also on the poorer side, we cant pay for the conference. We are going for the friends and to meet up with some of our favorites.
Darn shame, too, as this session sounds awesome.
Debby
Oh! And to meet Roberta Gellis too! She’s one of my all-time heroes.
I’ll definitely be there…as long as it doesn’t conflict with my own workshop. (Where’s the schedule again?)
Oh, my. Beatrice Small’s “Adora” was the very first bodice ripper I ever encountered. I was 13, on vacation with my grandma and bored; after reading a few pages of it at the local drugstore, I persuaded Grandma (a very good sport) to buy it for me.
Until then I’d been a Louisa May Alcott groupie. Holy harem, were my eyes opened wide! I always did wonder what the author was like.
I think this is so awesome but I stared at the title… and felt this huge sense of sorrow.
We NEED this?
We do. But it breaks my heart that we do.
Kudos to the authors for stepping up.
I’m going for the first time so all you vets out there, feel free to hit me up with some advice!
Plagarism. Sigh. I’m glad they’re doing it, though.
Robert Gellis? I’m going. I don’t even know if *I* have a panel then. I’m going!
Roberta Gellis—she’s a very, very gracious lady. I’m totally tempted now even thought up to this minute I’d never even THOUGHT of the RT conference.