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| Welcome to my Blog! Wander through wonderful worlds real and fictional, meet interesting people, visit exciting places and find a few good books to enjoy along the way! |
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| About the Book |
Universal Link: mybook.to/AltEnd
Samantha Wilcoxson is part of the Historical Writers Forum admin team, and she has
contributed a story to Alternate Endings that imagines a happier ending
for Queen Mary I. Samantha is the author of emotive historical fiction and
nonfiction that enables readers to connect with historical figures. She loves
bringing lesser-known people into the spotlight with her biographical fiction
and nonfiction works. Her most recent novel, But One Life, tells the
story of American patriot Nathan Hale. She has also written about the tragedy
of the radium girls in Luminous. Samantha is currently working on a
biography of James Alexander Hamilton to be published by Pen & Sword
History.
Besides reading and writing, Samantha loves
travelling and visiting historic sites. Join her on social media to see where
she is going next!
The first book that I remember wishing, “Wow,
I want to write like this!” was The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay
Penman. I know I’m not alone in my admiration of her work or in the
desirability to write an alternate ending for Richard III. Other inspirations
of mine include Charlotte Bronte and Edith Wharton, so you can see I appreciate
the emotional impact of a tragic ending.
I chose to write my Alternate Endings
story about Queen Mary I because I have had a soft spot for her ever since
writing Queen of Martyrs. I didn’t want to change history too much, and,
in truth, I adjusted Elizabeth’s story just as much as Mary’s. I at least
wanted to give Mary some bit of the happiness that had eluded her in life, so I
had her select a more suitable husband. Oh, what a difference that would have
made!
Perhaps, if I found a genie in a bottle, I
would wish for Mary to rethink her selection of Prince Philip of Spain, but we
never know what impact the ripples of changes like that would make. So, maybe
instead, I would wish for a tropical writing retreat like Hemingway’s
surrounded by six-toed cats. Call me an optimist, but I can’t think of too many
things that I would wish for that I don’t have. Riches and fame don’t seem to
make people happy, so I’ll stay in my little life, thank you.
One thing I might change would be the
decision to start writing. I wish I had done so sooner! Where might I be if a
mentor in high school or college encouraged me to focus on history or writing?
I’ll never know, but I’m thankful that my husband urged me to start when he did.
I love telling the stories of people who are sometimes left out of the big
history books. We have so much in common with people of the past if we care to
get to know them.
I’m also glad that I accepted the opportunity to write a short story for Alternate Endings. My first thought was, “I don’t write alternate history – or short stories!” I worried that I didn’t have the imagination for a plot that wasn’t based on known history, but I ended up having a lot of fun with it and the other fantastic authors who were a part of this project. Everything we haven’t done is just something we haven’t done yet!
You might also like
books written by Helen Hollick
Website: https://helenhollick.net/
Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick
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| Coffee Pot Book Club Bronze Award2022 |
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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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| 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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I reslly enjoyed your book about Mary I - it deffo presented her as being in need of some TLC. As to Felipe, there's another person who seriously needed some TLC and fun in his life, so that was NOT a marriage made in heaven... If I could give wither of these peeps an alternate ending, I'd have given Felipe a son with his third wife, Elizabeth Valois. That would maybe have ensured a healthier genepool in the following generations!
ReplyDeleteeither, not wither
ReplyDeleteLOL we know what you meant Anna! :-) & I agree with you re Samantha's writing
DeleteAlternate history is a wonderful way to explore those 'what if' questions. Sometimes it can be just a little push in history that seems inconsequential, or a turn in the weather or a message that did or didn't get through. Other times, it can be a grand battle, the death of a monarch or a major discovery.
ReplyDeleteAlthist (as we practitioners call it) les the imagination really roam, yet keeps us grounded in a historical context.
Oops! "...lets the imagination..."
ReplyDeleteI agree!
DeleteI have a whole alternate history series on what if Antony and Cleopatra had won.
ReplyDelete