Today, I’m celebrating a book of beautifully written, poignant, triumphant, sad and personal stories of exile. Some end well, some brim with determination, others have a sad end or are personally satisfying. All will leave you wanting for more. I certainly went straight to buying several full-length books by my fellow authors even when I’d only read the drafts.
Why write short stories when you’re naturally a long form writer?
For me (as a convert), there are four good reasons for joining with other writers to produce a book of short stories.
- an opportunity to stretch your writing muscles
- fun to join in a project with writing colleagues (new and old)
- a chance to strut your stuff to their readers and beyond
- possibly to make a few bob
My first time was for a collection of speculative stories around that iconic English history event –1066. Nine of us wondered about how things could have gone differently. To say I was dragged into it was an understatement. I wrote my story under a sense of obligation, of helping a friend, a fellow author.
Epiphany!
I actually enjoyed it. I wrote my own collection, I eagerly accepted invitations to join other collections. Now, I always say yes. (Well, unless there are strong, strong reasons against.)
Authors & Stories Featured in Historical Stories of EXILE:
The glorious thing is that I find myself in the best historical fiction company I could wish for:
Annie Whitehead, Wadan Wræclastas (Tread the Path of Exile), Wales, 1057
J.G. Harlond, Victory in Exile Day, England, 1945
Helen Hollick, The Doones of Exmoor by Helen Hollick, London, November 1678
Anna Belfrage, The Unwanted Prince, Sweden, 1575
Elizabeth Chadwick, Coming Home, England, 1189
Loretta Livingstone, The Past My Future, England, 2042
Elizabeth St.John, Into the Light, England, 1636
Alison Morton My Sister, Rome, AD 395
Charlene Newcomb, A King’s Man No More, France, 1199
Marian L Thorpe, On Shining Wings, Northamptonshire, 1265
Amy Maroney, Last Hope For A Queen, Rhodes, Greece, 1461
Cathie Dunn Betrayal, Rouen, Neustria, June, AD 900
Cryssa Bazos The Exiled Heart, Cryssa Bazos, Linz, Austria 1638
Deborah Swift is giving us a brilliant introduction.
Where can you buy Historical Stories of EXILE?
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You can buy it now on Amazon: https://mybook.to/StoriesOfExile
Paperback: Barnes & Noble Waterstones Online Other retailers (including Amazon)
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Here’s an excerpt from the beginning of my own contribution – ‘My Sister’
Rome AD 395. Marcellus Varus (narrating) is attending a dinner party with his sister, Flavola. He’s chatting with friends Lucius Apulius and Gaius Mitelus before eating.
‘How’s your sister taking it?’ Gaius asked me, nodding to the group of women where Flavola stood with a sullen expression.
‘Ah. Well, I…’
‘What?’
‘I haven’t exactly told her yet.’
Lucius looked at me in disbelief. Gaius collapsed laughing. The group of women turned and stared at the outburst of noise. Even the dozen or so other men at the back of the atrium sent puzzled looks at us. After a heartbeat, they returned to their talking. Maelia looked across the room and frowned at us. Lucius took my arm and hustled me into a side room. Gaius followed, still chuckling.
Lucius pushed me down onto a stool.
‘Are you seriously saying that you haven’t told Flavola you’re uprooting her from Rome, from all she knows, and going into voluntary exile?’
‘Look,’ I said, ‘it was hard enough to get her here tonight. She doesn’t get on with Maelia.’
‘You’re wrong, Marcellus,’ Gaius said. ‘She doesn’t get on with anybody.’
‘Don’t poke at my sister, Gaius. You’re not the easiest piece in the pack.’
So that’s all going to go well…
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Here’s to it racing up the charts!
Celebrate with us. Cheers!
Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers – INCEPTIO, CARINA (novella), PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, NEXUS (novella), INSURRECTIO and RETALIO, and ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories. Audiobooks are available for four of the series. Double Identity, a contemporary conspiracy, starts a new series of thrillers. JULIA PRIMA, Roma Nova story set in the late 4th century, starts the Foundation stories. The sequel, EXSILIUM, will be out in January 2024.
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