What if a single conversation could execute a queen? A chance encounter could crown a king? A basket of apples could inspire an art movement?
Echoes of Small Things presents nine captivating tales from The Paper Lantern Writers, exploring how history's most pivotal moments often spring from the smallest of seeds. From a girl's coded message changing the British occupation of India to a woman blazing new trails in the American West, these stories span centuries and continents to reveal the extraordinary power of the seemingly ordinary.
For lovers of historical fiction who understand that the smallest thing can change history forever.
NOVELS
Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages
Editors' Choice - Historical Novel Society
France, 1320. The daughter of a small village papermaker, young Auda is mute from birth and forced to shun normal society. Those who embrace ignorance and superstition believe her to be cursed, so she finds solace and escape in the wonder of the written word.
Audra’s very survival is a testament to the strength of her spirit. But this is an age of Inquisition and intolerance, when difference and defiance are punishable "sins" and new ideas are considered damnable heresy.
When darkness descends upon her world, Auda—newly grown to womanhood—is forced to flee. Setting off on a remarkable quest, she will soon discover love, forge a new sense of self, and reclaim the glory of her father's art.
Booklist
Sankaran deftly illuminates a time of intellectual darkness in this superbly rendered debut.
NYT Bestselling Author, Sharon Kay Penman
Watermark is a powerful novel about the destructive forces unleashed by ignorance and superstition. Readers will care deeply for the courageous Auda, who finds love where she least expects it, in the shadow of the Inquisition.
Bestselling Author, David Liss
Watermark is a stunning debut –moving, compelling and illuminating. Vanitha Sankaran has magically captured the lost world of medieval France in all its social, religious and philosophical complexity, and done so with an admirable verve.
ANTHOLOGIES
Beneath a MidWinter Moon
Editors' Choice - Historical Novel Society
Winner, CIBA 2024 Awards for Short Story Collections
What mystery, romance, and adventure lie Beneath the Midwinter Moon?
It may be cold outside, but inside this anthology, the Paper Lantern Writers bring you warm and engaging reflections of holiday celebrations across seven centuries. From the United States to India and Europe, eleven stories of courage, fortitude and love are illuminated by the midwinter moon.
Boiling Point: A young mother weighs her future with her pro-colonial husband and their children in 1930s India. Will her children’s bravery and their love help her reach the right decision?
Reader Reviews:
I really enjoyed this book -- a very clever concept, and lots of interesting variations on the theme. I particularly enjoyed Vanitha Sankaran's story set in 1941 Pondicherry. It was evocative and haunting, and beautifully rendered, and it stayed with me long after I finished reading. - Christin P
I truly enjoyed every tale, but if I had to pick my two favorites they are probably Vanitha Sankaran's heartwarming "Boiling Point" (set in Pondicherry, India, during the Pongal celebration in January 1941) and C.V. Lee's deftly told "Philippe's Epiphany" (set in London, England, on the Feast of the Epiphany in 1471). – C Cevasco
Destiny Comes Due
No one can escape destiny. But that doesn’t mean they won’t try.
Within this fast-paced anthology of historical short stories and novelettes, each protagonist must face their own day of reckoning: a day when decisions must be made and action taken.
Call of the Tigress: When the British colonizers threaten to raze a sacred forest, a dancer, her policeman brother, and the animal deity that protects them all rise up.
Historical Novel Society Review:
Some authors tie their stories closely to historical reality, such as the 1875 trial of Henry Ward Beecher, the burying of the dead in Gettysburg, or the creation of the poodle skirt in Los Angeles. Other authors craft a fresh story in a historical setting, including negotiations behind the fate of American railroads during the Civil War, the circumstances of an unmarried English mother in the late Georgian period, and a young Dutch woman in 1660 who suspects her brother of murder. Two of the stories, despite their limited length, effectively use multiple points of view—feuding cousins in England in 1515, and loving siblings in war-torn India in 1939. … The majority of stories excel at feathering in historical detail, immersing readers in a particular time and place.
NON-FICTION
Crafting Stories from the Past
Are you fascinated by writing in the past? Does your story demand a historical setting? Do you wonder how to bring antiquity to life? To meet the weighty challenge of writing historical fiction and enliven your plot, characters, setting, and story, pick up Crafting Stories from the Past from the Paper Lantern Writers. No matter how, when, or where in the historical world your imagination takes you, this guide can help.
Check out my chapters on:
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How to Know When and What to Research
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How to Use Non-Western Story Structures
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How to Embrace Diversity in Historical Fiction [with Edie Cay]
Historical Novel Society Review:
Many writers’ craft books exist, but few focus on historical fiction, so this book fills a definite need. It answers questions that every historical novelist has grappled with, from how historically accurate the details must be, to including real events and people in fiction. … The best chapters on the subject of research are “How to Know When and What to Research” by Vanitha Sankaran, which includes invaluable advice about how to research efficiently at each stage of the writing process, and Edie Cay’s “How to Organize Extensive Research,” complete with screenshots of spreadsheets and technical advice on how to keep dates and facts straight.
Chapters that should be required reading for even the most seasoned historical novelists are “How to Use Non-Western Story Structures” and “How to Embrace Diversity in Historical Fiction.” The diversity chapter touches on complex subjects such as how to write the Other when you’re not the Other and how to avoid offenses such as tokenism and stereotypes. The resources list at the end of the book is helpfully organized by theme and by historical period. … Historical novelists at every skill and experience level will find something in this book to add to their toolbox.