Fifteen historical short stories, covering
eras from Roman to present-day by Judith Arnopp, Anna
Belfrage, Derek Birks, Cathie Dunn, Patricia Furstenberg, Jean Gill, Kathy
Hollick-Bater, Helen Hollick, Carolyn Hughes, Amy Maroney, Alison Morton,
Elizabeth St.John, Marian L Thorpe, Antoine Vanner, Annie Whitehead. With an
introduction by Lorna Fergusson.
The lion has long been a symbol of courage, loyalty, and hope. A creature of power and, in some traditions, of the divine. We imagine it unflinching, unafraid. Yet the truest bravery is not found in the open, but within, where the lion lies hidden, waiting to be called upon. In moments of uncertainty or grief. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to face it. It is the moment when we would rather flee, but instead, find a strength we did not know we possessed.
These powerful and often emotional stories follow men, women, and children as they face profound adversity, the resilience to endure, cling to hope for the future, and the courage to change their lives forever.
Join these ordinary people as they uncover extraordinary strength and emerge, in their own way, lion-hearted.
The Stories – in appearance order: (collated by Helen Hollick)
THE SENTRY by Alison Morton
Roman province of Noricum, AD 395
When danger strikes and you are on your
own with only fear as a companion
THE SAXON by Derek Birks
Southern Britain, the frontier between the
Belgae and the Atrebates. AD 471
When escape means more than just running
for your life
THE PHOENIX by Marian L Thorpe
Ésparias, a fictional country bordering the
western sea circa AD 900
A mother’s dilemma? To keep them safe –
or let them go?
SIFLEDE by Judith Arnopp
London, October 1066
When the Normans come, Southwark’s residents
need to fight, flee, hide or die
DAISY CHAIN by Annie Whitehead
England, 1141
A mother’s love. A mother’s grief
STEPPING BETWEEN by Anna Belfrage
Ludlow Castle, England, 1308
When all you can do is to endure
CONFRONTING PLAGUE by Carolyn Hughes
England, 1361
When courage must survive in the face of
history’s cruellest plague
KATE’S LETTER by Patricia Furstenberg
Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary, 1478
One letter, sealed in dragon’s wax
THE PORTRAIT’S SECRET by Amy Maroney
Paris, 1536
When
a woman holds a secret, does she keep it, or share it?
LEGACY by Jean Gill
Tudor England, 1558
When a man loses everything, what is his
legacy?
A TALETELLER’S TALE by Helen Hollick
Somewhere in the Caribbean, 1709
When the only sound is the song of the
sea, do you listen? Or do you drown in the embrace of a mermaid?
THE GATE by Elizabeth St.John
London, 1900
When courage costs everything
DARKNESS RISING by Cathie Dunn
Venezia, June 1923
Can the mystery of a secluded island,
and a murder, be solved before
time runs out?
A SACK OF POTATOES by Antoine Vanner
Groenhorst, outskirts of Amersvoort, The
Netherlands
November 11th, 1954
Courage meant survival for many – but
others relied on greed
GRUMPY OLD GRANDFATHER by Kathy Hollick-Bater
Anywhere, Present-day
It takes courage to fight the memory of
fear
YouTube Trailer link:
https://youtu.be/8kWSjCPkhaM?si=Rw--nkONB6gogH5w
Buy Links:
Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/COURAGE-Anthology
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Helen Hollick:
About Helen – (anthology compiler)
Originally first published in 1993, and now known for
her captivating storytelling and attention to historical detail, Helen’s
historical fiction, nautical adventures, cosy mysteries and short stories,
invite readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between fiction and
history blend together. Her historical novels span a variety of periods, with a
particular focus on the Early Medieval. Her Pendragon's Banner series offers a
vivid portrayal of the King Arthur story set against a plausible reality
setting, while the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings shows her
ability to bring historical figures and settings to life. Her novel about Queen
Emma (The Forever Queen – USA title) became a USA Today best-seller.
In the Sea Witch Voyages, she subtly weaves in
elements of supernatural fantasy against the Golden Age of Piracy, creating an
immersive and addictive nautical adventure experience.
Her Jan Christopher cosy mystery series is set during
the 1970s, based around her, sometimes hilarious, years of working as a North
London library assistant. Her 2025 release of Ghost Encounters, co-produced
with her adult daughter, Kathy, reveals some benign ghosts of North Devon where
the family moved to in 2013. Helen has written several short stories, further
exploring the echoes of the past, all with her compelling and convincing
signature style.
Author Links
Website: https://blog.helenhollick.net/
Twitter / X: @HelenHollick https://x.com/HelenHollick
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.hollick
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/helenhollick.bsky.social
Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick
Judith Arnopp:
About Judith - Multi-award-winning author Judith Arnopp’s novels are set in the late medieval and Tudor period. Her main focus is on the women of the era, her meticulous research offering deep psychological analysis of well-known figures such as Margaret Beaufort, Marguerite of Anjou, Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII himself. She has also written a non-fiction book, How to Dress Like a Tudor.
Webpage: http://www.judithmarnopp.com
Amazon Author Page: author.to/juditharnoppbooks
Anna Belfrage:
About Anna - Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d
have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial
professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna
has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th
century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series
The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England, and The
Castilian Saga, which is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has
also published a time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and its sequel
Times of Turmoil, and is now considering
how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s
Russia, as her characters are demanding.
website, www.annabelfrage.com
Amazon Author Page: http://Author.to/ABG
Derek Birks:
About Derek - Derek writes character-driven,
action-packed fiction. His debut historical novel, Feud, is the first of a
series of eight books and one novella, entitled The Wars of the Roses. which
follows the fortunes of the fictional Elder family. He has also written the
Amazon bestselling series, The Last of The Romans, which focuses on the real
fifth century Romano-British character of Ambrosius Aurelianus. His first
non-fiction book is: A Guide to the Wars of the Roses. Under the pen name Tom
Hadley, he has also written the Liv Fisher modern thriller series, which begins
with Eyes Like Blades.
Derek has written and produced over 40
podcasts on the Wars of the Roses, and now co-hosts the podcast series, A Slice
of Medieval, with historian, Sharon Bennett Connolly.
Website: https://derekbirks.com/
Amazon author page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Derek-Birks/author/B0090EKZDY
Cathie Dunn:
About Cathie - Cathie is an award-winning,
Amazon-bestselling author of historical fiction, mystery, dual-timeline, and
romance set in Scotland, England, and France. Her latest release, Ascent – the
story of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo the Viking – is her sixth
novel, and she is currently working on the sequel, Treachery. In her House of
Normandy series, Cathie seeks to showcase the forgotten women behind the famous
warriors who forged early medieval Normandy.
Cathie lives in the south of France with
her husband and two rescue pets, enjoying the Mediterranean sunshine and
visiting the many historic sites whenever she can.
Find her across social media and on
Amazon author page: https://author.to/CathieDunn
Patricia Furstenberg:
About Patricia - Patricia is a Romanian-born, South
Africa-based author of character-driven historical fiction set in medieval
Eastern Europe. Her latest novel, When Secrets Bloom, part of the Blood of
Kings, Heart of Shadows saga, explores the turbulent world of Vlad the Impaler,
weaving meticulous research with moral complexity, faith, and the quiet
resilience of women navigating power and peril. Her short stories, poetry, and
travel features have appeared in anthologies and online publications. Patricia
blogs about overlooked corners of history and cultural heritage on her
website: https://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/
Amazon author page: https://author.to/PatFurstenberg
Jean Gill:
About Jean - Award-winning Welsh author and
photographer Jean Gill lives in Provence with the best scent-hound in the
world, a Nikon D750 and a man. Best known for writing epic medieval adventures
in The Troubadours and The Midwinter Dragon series, Jean has published twenty-seven
multi-genre books since 1988, including the dog bestseller Someone To Look Up
To.
For many years, she taught English, and was
the first woman to be a secondary headteacher in the Welsh county of Dyfed. She
is mother or stepmother to five children so life is hectic. With Scottish
parents, Welsh and French residence and an English birthplace, she can usually
shout for the winning team in sporting events.
She loves to hear from readers.
Website: www.jeangill.com
Amazon author pages:
US: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeangill
Kathy Hollick-Bater:
About Kathy - Kathy is severely dyslexic and
struggles with her reading and writing. Her passion is horses and mental
well-being. She started riding at the age of three, had her own pony at
thirteen, and discovered showjumping soon after. Kathy is now a Devon farmer’s
wife, runs Taw River Equine Events, and coaches riders of any age or
experience, specialising in positive mindset and overcoming confidence issues
via her Centre10 accreditation and Emotional Freedom Technique training. EFT,
or ‘tapping’, uses the body’s pressure points to aid calm relaxation and to
promote gentle healing around emotional, mental or physical issues. She hopes
to extend her training in order to help ex-servicemen overcome PTSD.
Kathy regularly competes at British
Showjumping, and rides side-saddle (‘aside’) when she has the opportunity. She
produces her own horses, several from home-bred foals. She also has the ability
to see, hear and talk to friendly ghosts, several of whom share our 1769
farmhouse.
Website: https://www.white-owl.co.uk/
co-author of Ghost Encounters: The
Lingering Spirits of North Devon
Amazon: https://mybook.to/GhostEncounters
Carolyn Hughes:
About Carolyn - Carolyn is the author of The
Meonbridge Chronicles series, historical fiction set in fourteenth century
England. The first Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, is set in the immediate
aftermath of what we call The Black Death. Times of social change are always
fascinating, and trying to depict the great upheaval in society brought about
by the plague was the inspiration for the book. In the subsequent novels,
Carolyn has sought to reveal the lives of mostly ordinary medieval folk through
stories that tell of experiences especially pertinent to the time but which
also resonate today. The stories focus particularly on the lives of women, if
only because women in history often have not had much opportunity to “speak”.
There are now eight books in the series. More
will follow.
Website: www.carolynhughesauthor.com
Amazon series: https://mybook.to/MhkUql
Amy Maroney:
About Amy - Amy lives in Oregon, U.S.A., and spent
many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to
historical fiction. Amy is the author of the Miramonde Series, a trilogy about
a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail; and
the Sea and Stone Chronicles, which features strong, talented women seeking
their fortunes in the medieval Mediterranean. To receive a free prequel novella
to the Miramonde Series, join Amy Maroney’s community of readers on her
website: https://www.amymaroney.com/
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amy-Maroney/author/B01LYHPXEO
Alison Morton:
About Alison - Alison writes the thrillers she
always wanted to read – ones featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her
eleven-book Roma Nova thriller series is set in an imaginary European country
where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century
and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but with a
sharp line in dialogue.
All six full-length Roma Nova novels have
won the BRAG Medallion, the prestigious award for indie fiction. SUCCESSIO,
AURELIA, INSURRECTIO and JULIA PRIMA have been selected as Historical Novel
Society’s Editor’s Choices. AURELIA was a finalist in the 2016 HNS Indie Award.
The Bookseller selected SUCCESSIO as Editor’s Choice in its inaugural indie
review.
Six years’ military service, a fascination
with ancient Rome and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction
have inspired her writing. She lives in Poitou in France, the home of
Mélisende, the heroine of her contemporary thrillers, Double Identity, Double
Pursuit and Double Stakes.
Website: https://alison-morton.com
Amazon author page: https://Author.to/AlisonMortonAmazon
Elizabeth St.John:
About Elizabeth - Elizabeth’s critically acclaimed
historical fiction brings to life the stories of her ancestors—extraordinary
women whose close connections to England’s kings and queens offer an intimate
perspective on Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times. Inspired by family archives
and historic residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, she explores
ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens—and occasionally encounters a
ghost. Discovering a whole different family history in The Gate, Elizabeth
expands her storytelling into the early 20th century, adding a new era to her
repertoire.
Living between California, England, and the
past, Elizabeth is International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park and
curator of The Lydiard Archives, where she is always searching for inspiration
for her next novel. Her works include The Lydiard Chronicles, set during the
English Civil War, and The Godmother’s Secret, exploring the mystery of the
princes in the Tower. In The King’s Intelligencer, set in the court of Charles
II, a young woman must decide what she is willing to risk to reveal the
whereabouts of the missing princes.
Website: www.elizabethjstjohn.com
Amazon Author Page: https://geni.us/AmazonElizabethStJohn
Marian L Thorpe:
About Marian - Marian’s novels are historical
fiction of an imagined world, one that is close to Britain, Northern Europe,
and Rome, but isn't any of them. Her short stories, either in multiple-author
anthologies or her own collections range from urban fantasy to historical
fiction, slice-of-life to climate fiction.
After two careers as a research scientist
and an educator, she decided it was time to do what she'd always wanted, and be
a writer. Her first book was published when she was in her mid-50s. Her
life-long interest in Roman and post-Roman European history provided the
inspiration for her first series, while her other interests in landscape
archaeology and birding provide background.
Website: www.marianlthorpe.com
Amazon Author Page: https://relinks.me/MarianLThorpe
Antoine Vanner:
About Antoine - Antoine spent four decades in
international business, latterly at senior executive level, and lectured in
academia afterwards. He lived through military coups, a guerrilla war,
negotiations with governments, storms at sea and life in mangrove swamps,
tropical forest, offshore oil-platforms, and the boardroom. He has lived and
worked long-term in eight countries, has travelled widely in all continents
except Antarctica and is fluent in three languages.
He has a passion for nineteenth-century
political and military history and has a deep understanding of what was the
cutting-edge technology of the time. His knowledge of human nature and his
first-hand experience of the locales – often surprising – of the most important
conflicts of the period provide the impetus for his chronicling of the lives of
Royal Navy officer Nicholas Dawlish and his magnificent wife, Florence. There
are thirteen volumes so far in the Dawlish Chronicles series, the actions set
in the period 1858 to 1915.
Vanner now lives in Britain with his wife,
Eva Lagassé (a journalist by background), their dog and five horses.
Website: www.dawlishchronicles.com
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/4sB0MUR
Annie Whitehead:
About Annie - is a prize-winning writer, historian,
and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and has written four award-winning
novels set in ‘Anglo-Saxon’ Mercia. She has contributed to fiction and
nonfiction anthologies and written for various magazines. She has twice been a
prize winner in the Mail on Sunday Novel Writing Competition, and won First
Prize in the 2012 New Writer Magazine's Prose and Poetry Competition, a
finalist in the Tom Howard Prize for nonfiction and shortlisted for the Exeter
Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award 2021. She was the winner of the inaugural
Historical Writers’ Association HWA/Dorothy Dunnett Prize 2017 and subsequently
a judge for that same competition. She has also been a judge for the HNS
(Historical Novel Society) Short Story Competition, and was a 2024 judge for
the HWA Crown Nonfiction Award and chaired the same panel in 2025.
Her nonfiction books are Mercia: The Rise
and Fall of a Kingdom (a #1 Amazon Best-seller, published by Amberley books)
and Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England (Pen & Sword Books). In 2023 she
contributed to a new history of English monarchs, published by Hodder &
Stoughton, and in 2025 Murder in Anglo-Saxon England was published by Amberley
Books.
In February 2026 she signed a contract for
a new nonfiction book about the Anglo-Saxons, to be published by The History
Press in 2027.
Website: https://anniewhiteheadauthor.co.uk/
Amazon author page: http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead
With an introduction by Lorna Fergusson:
About Lorna - Lorna Fergusson is an award-winning
short story writer and novelist. Founder of Fictionfire Literary Consultancy,
she is an experienced editor, writing coach and speaker. She has taught on
various Oxford University writing programmes since 2002. Her stories have won
an Ian St James Award, the Historical Novel Society’s Short Story Award, and
been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, Pan Macmillan’s Write Now prize and
the Historical Novel Society’s First Chapters prize. She was twice runner-up
for the Mogford Prize. Author of The Chase and An Oxford Vengeance, her latest
book is a collection of stories set in France, One Morning in Provence. She is
currently developing one of the Mogford stories as a novel, as well as working
on poetry and a book on mindset for writers. Born in Scotland, she is married
with two sons and lives in Oxford, England.
Website: https://www.lornafergusson.com
Amazon author page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Lorna-Fergusson/author/B0034PRAP6
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