COURAGE: Tales of History, Mystery and Hope

Book
No Media

This item doesn’t have any media yet

COURAGE: Tales of History, Mystery and Hope

2026 | Fiction & Poetry

Fifteen historical short stories, covering eras from Roman to present-dayby 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 SAXONby 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?

SIFLEDEby 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



Published by Taw River Press

Edition Kindle
ASIN B0H1F7QJ96
Language English

Historical Short Stories Anthology

Main Image Courtesy: Amazon.
Images And Data Courtesy Of: Taw River Press.
This content (including text, images, videos and other media) is published and used in accordance with Fair Use.

Added By

Merissa

Added this item on Jun 17, 2026