Steven Till

Writers are often afraid to share their writings with others, especially when reading them aloud, and I am no different. Still, I wanted to use this page as an opportunity to share what I have been working on, whether it be short fiction or my novel (and maybe some poetry, I haven’t decided on that yet as I don’t write much of it anymore). There are very few short stories I have written in my life that I really think are pretty good, so I am fairly selective about which ones I want to share.

The short stories I have posted are set in the medieval period and are more in line with the type of historical fiction writing I like to do. I wrote another story not too long ago that strays from the historical fiction and fantasy genre, and I like it as well, though I haven’t decided yet as to whether I will post it here. Also, there are others I have on pieces of paper, first drafts that need editing, and hopefully, when I get some free time from editing my novel, I can sit down and edit those and post them as well.

The Ravens Beneath the Ash
Set in 9th century Denmark, “The Ravens Beneath the Ash” tells the story of a young Dane who witnesses his village’s destruction by an army of Saxons. Driven by the Three Spinners and the gods of Odin and Thor, Halden sets out to avenge his father’s death. Through this quest for vengeance, he begins to understand the spirtual importance that destiny plays in guiding him toward becoming a warrior Dane, for in Danish society, it was the highest honor to die a warrior’s death in battle.

The Sea-Ghost
This is medieval historical fiction. Set in early 13th century medieval England, the story follows a knight and his squire in route to Wales by boat. They are traveling to Wales in order to join their lord, Earl William de Longespée, and King John’s army in the fight against the Welsh. While sailing around the Welsh coast, they run into a great storm.

Historical note: Earl William de Longespée (1176 - 1226) was the 3rd Earl of Salisbury. Longespée held various offices, including warden of the Welsh marches, and he was also a commander in King John’s army during the Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210 - 1212. He is the only true historical character in this story. The rest of the characters and storyline are entirely fictional, though the historical medieval backdrop is accurate for that time period.

Exeter Burning
A short story set in southwest medieval England during the late 13th century, “Exeter Burning” centers around the cathedral at Exeter and a rivalry between the bishop and dean. The bishop calls the sheriff to come and investigate a robbery in the church, and instead of a robbery, the sheriff finds himself in the middle of a much more heinous plot to undermine and destroy the bishop and his cathedral.

Historical note: While the medieval backdrop/settting (i.e. - general details) behind the story are accurate for that period, the storyline and characters are entirely fictional — though it is based loosely on an actual event that took place at Exeter Cathedral and the rivalry between the bishop and dean. I also took some liberty with the architectural details of the cathedral, such as the stone effigy of St. Bernard, who in fact did not exist (at least not this particular one), among others.