book cover of Queen of Ithaka
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Queen of Ithaka

(2024)
Historical Stories
A collection of stories by

 
 
Take a trip into the past. Watch the Trojan War unfold, join a boar hunt in the Middle Ages, visit an Edwardian English seaside resort and accompany a 19th century German artist to a haunted castle.

These fifteen tales are not AI-generated, but crafted by a genuine writer. They blend Historical Fiction with other genres such as Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal and Steampunk, and they have been previously published in collections, anthologies, e-zines and magazines. Some of them are dark and even scary, others are upbeat and shine with hope. At the end of each tale, the author reveals the source her inspiration and how she went about developing the plot.

Several stories retell sections of famous myths from a different perspective – in many cases that of the women who are normally portrayed as helpless victims or evil villains. Why did Salome perform her notorious dance? Did Penelope genuinely wait for two decades for her husband’s return? Was Cassandra genuinely mad? What were Briseis’ true feelings about Achilles? The answers may surprise, provoke and even disturb.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Battle of Ten Sixty-Six
1066 – A Norman soldier fights in one last battle.

Greetings From Jerusalem
Ancient Rome – The Truth about Salome’s Dance.

Scruples
Middle Ages – A mediaeval steward has planned the perfect robbery.

Terre Vert and Payne’s Grey
1850 – A German bride craves more excitement than her husband can provide.

The Holed Stone
1900 – A maid in Edwardian England takes a scandalous risk.

The Black Boar
Middle Ages – A mediaeval knight slays the wild boar that lost him the love of his lady – but the dead beast wreaks vengeance.

Beltane
Bronze Age Britain – A young girl reaches adulthood on the day of the spring ritual.

Queen of Ithaka
Ancient Greece – Did Penelope truly want Odysseus to come home?

Tuppence Special
1890 – A Victorian lad likes it when his girl is scared.

Funicular Fare
1902 – In Edwardian England, a werewolf takes the funicular railway.

The Wrath of Briseis
Ancient Greece – Achilles’ captive has a cunning plan of her own.

The Smell of Pancakes
1920 – A theology student tries to stay strong

.Arete
Ancient Greece – A housewife refuses hospitality to a beggar and draws the wrath of the gods.

Fresh Whelks and Winkles
1910 (Steampunk England) – When the airship arrives, a little girl sees too much.

Cassandra’s Prophecy
Ancient Greece – Trapped in the besieged city of Troy, Princess Cassandra makes a difficult decision.


Genre: Historical

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