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HISTORICAL STORIES
of
EXILE!
A collection of short stories by thirteen (non-superstitious)
award-winning authors
in order of appearance
Annie Whitehead, J.G. Harlond, Helen Hollick, Anna Belfrage, Elizabeth Chadwick, Loretta Livingstone, Elizabeth St.John, Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb,
Marian L Thorpe, Amy Maroney, Cathie Dunn, Cryssa Bazos
with an introduction by Deborah Swift
Exile: a risky defiance, a perilous journey, a family’s tragic choice – or an individual’s final gamble to live. Exile: voluntary or enforced, a falling-out between friends, a lost first love, a prejudiced betrayal – or the only way to survive persecution?
In this historical fiction anthology thirteen authors (they are not superstitious!) have written exclusive short stories on the theme of exile. Some are based on true history, others are speculative fiction. All mine the depths of human emotions – fear, hope, love, and the fortitude to survive.
Join an inspiring Anglo-Saxon Queen of Wales, a courageous Norwegian falconer, and a family fleeing back in time to escape the prospect of a ruthless future. Defy the law with the legendary Doones of Exmoor, or defy the odds with two brave WWII exiles. Meet a Roman apprehensively planning exile to preserve the 'old ways', and a real Swedish prince forcibly expelled in heart-wrenching circumstances. Thrill to a story based on the legend of Robin Hood, sail with a Queen of Cyprus determined to regain her rightful throne; escape religious persecution, discover the heart-rending truth behind the settlement of Massachusetts and experience the early years that would, eventually, lead to the founding of Normandy. Experience the stirring of first love, and special guest author, Elizabeth Chadwick, reveals a tale about the 12th century’s heiress, Isabelle de Clare, and the Greatest Knight of all time – William Marshal.
Enjoy these tales of exile across the ages. Some are hopeful, some sad, some romantic, some tragic, but all explore the indomitable spirit of resolute, unforgettable characters.
TODAY:
AN EXCERPT FROM THE INTRODUCTION
by Deborah Swift
Only the misfortune of exile can provide the in-depth understanding and the overview into the realities of the world – Stefan Zweig (author of ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, exiled from Austria during Nazi occupation).
The verb ‘exile’ comes from the Old French word essillier, meaning to banish, expel, or drive off. In the past to go into exile was often a punishment, though now people sometimes live in exile voluntarily – or because life at home has become too dangerous or difficult. Alison Morton’s story ‘My Sister’, Cathie Dunn’s ‘Exile’ and Elizabeth StJohn’s story ‘Into the Light’ emphasize this tug between the familiar world that has become unsafe, and the lure of a place where life might be lived in more freedom.
But exile is always a step into the unknown, and often holds no possibility of return. Each of us at some time in our lives has probably experienced the feeling of being an exile – of not quite fitting in to societal norms, and as in the story ‘Into the Light’ the dislocation is often an internal one, as well as an external one.
Exile as a theme for a story collection has all the ingredients you might need for good fiction. The falling in love between a prisoner and his jailor’s daughter, the tearing away of the familiar environment, the gulf between the self and its true home, and the arrival in an often hostile place, is a big feature of these stories. The exile need not even be to another country, Elizabeth Chadwick’s story ‘Coming Home’ features a woman exiled to the Tower of London, a gilded cage but exile nonetheless. Helen Hollick’s story exploits the idea of removal from London to the remote countryside of Exmoor, and as her character St Croix says; ‘he saw the sense of honourable exile over pointless execution.’
In many stories, and in many of these in this collection, it is the families ripped apart that take the heaviest toll; a mother separated from her child, or a wife from her husband. This is well expressed in the heart-breaking stories ‘Unwanted Prince’ by Anna Belfrage and ‘Wadan Wraeclastas’ by Annie Whitehead.
The anguish of being parted from your ancestry, the place where the bones of your family lie, and of having to give up your history, looms large in this collection. Once exiled, the person must build a new life to survive. If returning home, then in one sense the exile will never return to the place they knew. Their old life has moved on and can never be the same. The separation has formed a chasm between the old and new lives. In this collection, the time-slip tale ‘The Past, My Future’ by Loretta Livingstone explores this sense of dislocation, and is a lovely way to highlight societal differences between the past and the present.
The stories in this book span many worlds, from 11th Century Wales, to Iceland, to Greece, to the forests of Robin Hood and even the suburban house of an enemy alien in WWII. Each story is a little jewel of time and place, and so I recommend that you take time to savour each one. I’m sure you will find much to enjoy in this excellently written selection.
© Deborah Swift
read the stories in HISTORICAL STORIES of EXILE
ABOUT DEBORAH SWIFT
Deborah is a delver into archives, drinks too much tea, and loves antiques and old buildings. Her sturdy, stone-built house used to be the village primary school, and from her window she has a view of a few 17th century cottages, and behind those, green fields dotted with grazing sheep.
As a child she loved the Victorian classics such as Jane Eyre, Little Women, Lorna Doone and Wuthering Heights. Before becoming a writer Deborah used to work as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV, so historical fiction was a natural choice because she enjoyed the research aspect of her job. She has always loved poking about in archives and museums, not to mention the attraction of boned bodices and the excuse to visit old and interesting houses!
In her books Deborah likes to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events. Her first novel was The Lady's Slipper which was shortlisted for the Impress Prize, and her book The Poison Keeper, about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, won the BookViral Millennium Award. She has written eighteen novels to date including two series set in WWII – her latest, The Shadow Network is due for release in early 2024.
She lives in England on the edge of the Lake District, a beautiful area made famous by the Romantic Poets such as Wordsworth and Coleridge, and when not writing, she enjoys exploring the mountainous landscapes and interesting coastline near her home.
'Her characters are so real that they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf.' The Historical Novels Review.
Website: https://deborahswift.com/
Buy Deborah’s books on Amazon:
or
Harper Collins
(Also available from other online stores or order from any bookshop.)
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| The Lady's Slipper |
England 1660
When botanical artist Alice Ibbetson discovers a rare orchid, the lady's-slipper, in a nearby wood, she is captivated by its beauty. It is the last surviving specimen and she wants to preserve it for future generations.
There is only one problem - it is growing on the land of Richard Wheeler, a newly-converted Quaker, who will not allow her to touch it.
Fearing for the flower's fragility, she steals the orchid, little dreaming that this seemingly simple act will unleash an unstoppable chain of events - one that will lead to murder and exile, and unexpected love.
Set just after the English Civil War, on land riven by divided loyalties, soon Alice is fighting not only for the flower's survival, but for her own.
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Fabulous blog post! I can also thoroughly recommend The Lady's Slipper; it was the first one of Deborah's books that I read - the first of many!
ReplyDeletesame here re the Lady's Slipper - I actually won a copy in a giveaway, very much a treasured win!
DeleteGreat blog. We were so lucky to have an author of your calibre to introduce us. Thank you.
ReplyDeletewe certainly are!
DeleteI loved the Lady's Slipper too, and have now read almost all Deborah Swift's excellent hist fic. Great post, thank you.
ReplyDeleteSame here Jane!
DeleteA great start to our tour for Exile. Thank you so much, Deborah!
ReplyDeletevery much agree!
DeleteFabulous introduction, Deborah. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'll second that!
DeleteA very belated thank you - I don't know how I missed this! So pleased to have a writer of Deborah's 's reputation introducing the anthology!
ReplyDelete