Fate – Stories to catch your breath

Banner with Fate short story collection image

In previous centuries, belief in fate was strong. Kismet, karma, destiny, the will of a god or gods were the ways people accepted good or bad fortune. Going further back, Greeks and (the especially superstitious) Romans were extremely wary of the Fates.

Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos were the three Moirai, the version of the Fates in Greek mythology. In Roman legends, the Parcae – Nona, Decuma and Morta – were three goddesses of fate who spun the threads of an individual’s life, so you didn’t want to mess with them. (You can find the Parcae in the prologue to EXSILIUM as they pursue a heated discussion about the length of Julia’s life.)

In the 21st century, we like to dismiss such fanciful ideas and consider our life’s course is only limited by our social and economic situation, our own efforts and possibly a little bit of fortunate coincidence. So despite the interest in tarot, astrology and a thirst for a higher being to be responsible, if something happens to us, we put it down to somebody else’s actions or the geopolitical situation.

Fate? Nah!

Think again. You just never know what might happen and why.

Today, ten authors are launching a short story collection –  FATE: Tales of History, Mystery and Magic  – about the things that may happen to us out of our control.

Some of the stories are about accepting fate, some defy it, others seek to discover  theirs. An Anglo-Saxon woman faces the consequence of conquest, another character pursues alchemy, a mother is deeply concerned for her daughter, a law enforcer tries to defy fate and threatens time itself, others are obliged to hide their identity, souls linger as ghosts, a warning from the supernatural, and when revenge is justified (or is it?).

In addition, we see the rekindling of romance through a mutual quest, and the preparations for a Cotswold village celebration. (Along with a good tip of illicitly snaffling cakes.)

Some stories are purely historical, others pull in an element of magic or mystery. Helen Hollick, who masterminded this latest collection, told us to let our imaginations run free, even wild. So we did. (But I couldn’t keep Ancient Rome out of mine…:-) )

So what are the stories and who are the authors?

Introduction: Cathie Dunn of the Coffee Pot Book Club
Bramble Creep by Annie Whitehead
Six Pomegranate Seeds by Jean Gill
One Black Dog by Marian L Thorpe
In the Shadow of Ghosts by Helen Hollick
A Fateful Encounter by Alison Morton
Following Fate by Elizabeth St.John
The Black Onyx Box by R. Marsden
Beware the Crows by Anna Belfrage
Dame Fortune’s Wheel by J. P Reedman
Saints Alive  by Debbie Young
Endword: Helen Hollick

Cover illustration by Cathy Helms of Avalon Graphics

 Watch the excellent book trailer by Jean Gill for a taster: https://youtu.be/M9pSrDX8PTQ

Fate trailer + cover image

 

You can buy Fate here:  https://mybook.to/FateAnthology or download in Kindle Unlimited.
The paperback edition will also be available to order from any good bookstore – ISBN 9781068772146
Publisher: Taw River Press

Defying Fate?
That could be a very dangerous game as Stannia, the main character in my story discovers…

 

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, is now out.

Download ‘Welcome to Alison Morton’s Thriller Worlds’, a FREE eBook, as a thank you gift when you sign up to Alison’s monthly email update. As a result, you’ll be among the first to know about news and book progress before everybody else, and take part in giveaways.

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