Hi there, welcome!
I’m Holly and I’m so glad you’re here.
Why subscribe?
I am passionate about uncovering the untold tales of history: the ones that usually get pushed to the sidelines or not even shared at all.
Tales of powerful women who went about their work quietly, leaving only ephemeral records but achieving dramatic change.
Tales of men who were gentle and emotional, experiencing love and heartbreak, weeping at grief and loss.
Tales of ‘ordinary’ people whose lives weren’t deemed worthy of writing down but who had tangible and textured experiences as they journeyed through this world.
I don’t think I’m the only one who prefers to read this kind of history to the overdone ‘great men’ stories that we hear more often (e.g., battles, wars, politics…).
Enter Telling Their Tales! This page is all about giving a voice to those who have gone before us, recognising that they had loves and losses, joys and hurts just like you and me.
There’s a thought going around the historical world that people in the past thought differently to us and didn’t experience emotions in the same way. I’m just not sure that this gives due dignity to these men and women, so I find myself weaving narratives around the framework of their lives. For the early Anglo-Saxon period, the little details about individuals’ lives often weren’t recorded so there’s quite a degree of creative freedom when imagining what they were really like as people, rather than characters in political or social development (although I do enjoy studying that too!).
On the free subscription plan, you’ll receive one post per week uncovering the untold tales of Anglo-Saxon England, including…
Biographies
Short stories
Book Reviews
Discussions of historical events
Explorations of Anglo-Saxon poetry
Each month on the paid subscription plan, in addition to the free subscriber benefits, you’ll also have full access to instalments of Bertha’s Tale: A Novel. I have a small pipe dream to turn this story into a book - join me on this journey! ALSO - watch this space for extra paid subscriber benefits coming soon to Telling Their Tales…
Founding members will have access to all free and paid content, but will also receive a bespoke tale of their favourite historical character, researched and written just for them. This will be created in partnership with founding members, bringing to life an individual they feel has been somewhat lost in the mists of time, whose dignity and worth deserves to be illuminated. This tale will be longer and more detailed than those offered here for paid subscribers, reflecting the significant contribution founding members make to the work of Telling Their Tales.
Have you checked out my vision post for Telling Their Tales? If not, I’d highly recommend clicking the link below to see if it’s for you before you consider joining our community.
