let's explore the 'what if' world of
1066 - Turned Upside Down!
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| About the Book and authors |
1066 is the most known year in English history, and the most intriguing. It represents a key turning point: a year in which everything was up for grabs, a year in which England's historical story could have gone any number of ways - a year of ‘what ifs’.
What if King Edward's great-nephew, Edgar, had been thought old enough to rule, and chosen as king? What if the Northern Earls has defeated the Norwegian, Harald Hardrada and King Harold's own brother, Tostig, at Gate Fulford - or what if Harald Hardrada had won the Battle of Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire? What if Harold had defeated the Normans at sea? What if Svein of Denmark had invaded or a mysterious European political power had intervened? What if William had died when he was unhorsed at Hastings or had been defeated at London Bridge in November? What if the Bayeux Tapestry carries a hidden, secret meaning about the truth of 1066 - or what if a time machine could alter the past?
So much could have been different and now we can explore some of those 'what ifs' in this exciting collection of ‘virtual history’ short stories, written by known and loved writers of the period (and a few from outside it) to celebrate this incredible year.
The authors are:
Helen Hollick, author of multiple historical, nautical adventure/pirate novels, non-fiction pirates and smugglers, a new series of cosy mysteries set in the 1970s and Harold the King (I Am The Chosen King - US Title) the story of the events that led to the Battle of Hastings
Joanna Courtney, author of the Queens of the Conquest series
Anna Belfrage, Historical Novel Society Indie Award Winner 2015, author of the Graham Saga and several other superb series
Richard Dee, fantasy sci-fi and steampunk author
G K Holloway, author of 1066: What Fates Impose
Carol McGrath, author of The Daughters of Hastings trilogy and other series of historical fiction
Alison Morton, author of the Roma Nova alternative history and contemporary thrillers
Eliza Redgold, author of Naked, a novel of Lady Godiva and several other novels
Annie Whitehead, is a history graduate and writes about Mercia and Saxon England in both fiction and non-fiction
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with a foreword by writer and actor
Chris (C.C.) Humphreys has played Hamlet in Calgary, a gladiator in Tunisia, waltzed in London's West End, conned the landlord of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street, Walked the Sun Hill beat in The Bill, commanded a starfleet in Andromeda, voiced Salem the cat in the original Sabrina, and is a dead immortal in Highlander.
He has written several historical fiction novels including:
The French Executioner, runner-up the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers; Chasing the Wind; The Jack Absolute Trilogy; Vlad - The Last Confession; A Place Called Armageddon and Shakespeare's Rebel which he adapted into a play and which premiered at Bard on the Beach, Vancouver, in 2015.
Plague won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in Canada in 2015. Chris has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.
He is now writing epic fantasy with the Immortals' Blood Trilogy, for Gollancz. The first two books, Smoke in the Glass and The Coming of the Dark are now published. The epic finale, The Wars of Gods and Men will be out in 2022.
Several of his novels are available as Audiobooks - read by himself! He has a new novel just out: One London Day - a modern London Noir. Quite a different adventure.
Chris lives in a forest overlooking a fjord on Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada.
website: http://www.authorchrishumphreys.com/
The collection of stories includes historical notes of what really did happen alongside the fictional re-interpretations, as well as authors' notes on what fascinates them about 1066 and why they chose to 'change' what they did.
Each story has a few suggestions for 'discussion' points for schools, writer's groups - or just your own curiosity!
OUR COVER... BEFORE YOU SAY IT...
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| Original stock image ©wjarek - Fotolia yes we know the helmet might be more suited to a different period but its eye-catching, and after all we DO have a time-travel story in our collection... |
where to buy
Award winning Cover and graphics designed by Cathy Helms, www.avalongraphics.org
More articles related to 1066
and the 11th century
that might be of interest:
* step back into Anglo Saxon England with Annie Whitehead and Helen Hollick - start here:
*Did the English Fleet meet the Normans mid-Channel by Helen Hollick
*5th January the event that started it all by Helen Hollick
* Bishop Odo Nice or nasty by Helen Hollick
* Hereward The real Robin Hood?
this month's themed tour guests:
Samantha Wilcoxson
Anna Belfrage
the authors of 1066 Turned Upside Down
Inge H. Borg
Charlene Newcomb
Alison Morton
Marian L Thorpe
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You might also like
books written by Helen Hollick
Website: https://helenhollick.net/
Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick
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The Jan Christopher Cosy Mysteries
set in the 1970s
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The SEA WITCH VOYAGES
nautical adventures set during the Golden Age of Piracy
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| Coffee Pot Book Club Bronze Award2022 |
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THE SAXON SERIES
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| The story of the events that led to The Battle of Hastings in 1066 Harold the King (UK edition) I Am The Chosen King (US edition) 1066 Turned Upside Down an anthology of 'What If'' tales |
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| The Forever Queen (US edition) a USA TODAY BESTSELLER A Hollow Crown (UK edition) |
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KING ARTHUR
The Pendragon's Banner Trilogy
The Boy Who became a Man:
Who became a King:
Who became a Legend...
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| Book 1 -THE KINGMAKING Coffee Pot Book Club Bronze Award 2023 |
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THE PENDRAGON's BANNER TRILOGY |
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| US editions |
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Historical Stories of Exile by 13 popular authors Cryssa Bazos, Anna Belfrage, Elizabeth Chadwick, Cathie Dunn, J.G. Harlond, Helen Hollick, Loretta Livingstone, Amy Maroney Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb, Elizabeth St.John, Marian L Thorpe, Annie Whitehead. With an introduction by Deborah Swift |
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| Amazon: FREE ebook! |
NON-FICTION
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Ha! It seems so long ago since we worked on this!
ReplyDeletedoesn't it just!
DeleteA fabulous piece of cooperative work, and an epiphany for me, Helen. You persuaded me I could write short stories and I haven't stopped since, so thank you!
ReplyDeleteand you've written more fab short stories since then! :-)
Delete