Fernandez, Joan: - Joan Fernandez is a novelist who brings to light brilliant women's courageous deeds in history. In 2018, she retired from a 30+ year career as a senior marketing executive to be a full-time writer. In April 2020, she founded a historical fiction affinity group within WFWA that grew from a handful of people to nearly two hundred authors. Her short story, "A Parisian Daughter," is published in the anthology, Feisty Deeds: Historical Fictions of Daring Women. Joan is a sought-after public speaker, most recently presenting "Top 10 Secrets for Forming a Vibrant, Lasting Author Community" at the Historical Novel Society UK (digital) Conference in May 2024. She also presented "How to Portray the Past Truthfully without Harm" at the Tenth Anniversary Conference for the Women's Fiction Writers Association in September 2023.