Seventeen prize-selected short stories, centuries of history and myth, one transporting anthology.
Echoes & Origins: Ink of Ages Volume One presents the seventeen winning and shortlisted short stories from the 2024 Ink of Ages Fiction Prize, transporting readers across centuries and cultures through historical and mythology-inspired fiction.
From ancient Egypt to Ottoman history, from London in 1665 to the Siege of Suiyang, these stories reimagine lives and moments both forgotten and familiar with wonder, depth, and heart. Published 23 April 2026 in hardback, paperback, and ebook.
“In the imaginations of these talented writers, history and myth stand, move, and move us in ways that only the best fiction can.” —Stefan Vranka, Oxford University Press
What’s inside?
If you love global storytelling from distant and not-so-distant times and places, real history, depth of human interactions, a dash of gods, folklore, and the occasional monstrous creature, then Ink of Ages short stories are for you!
🪶 17 winning and shortlisted short stories
🏺 Ancient Greece & Rome, eighth-century China, WWI
👹 Javanese folklore, Egyptian deities
🦭 Selkies, hungry ghosts
🌋 Disaster, hope, grief, humanity
And much more!
“What amazed me about the submissions was the diversity of styles and choices of subject, which I thought was really wonderful.” —Dr Louise M. Pryke, Historian & Author
We’re really excited about the shortlisted stories included in this volume that have never been published before. If you give them a read and have time to leave a review, that would be incredible! We’d love to hear what you think.
Contributing authors from around the world
Victoria Alvear, “The Untold Story of the Murder of Isis”—Ancient Egyptian myth of Isis and Osiris.
Tracy Bradford, “Moment of Grace”—The Great Plague, London, 1665.
Sherry Christie, “Mater Patriae”—Caesar Augustus’s attempts to find a successor.
Suzanne Scheideker Cook, “Between Two Worlds”—Selkies in Scottish folklore.
Jenyth Evans, “Myrrhine”—The priestesshood of Athena Nike.
Sallyann Halstead, “Circles in the Sand”—Carl Gauss, the mathematician.
Firza Hapsari, “Girl Beasts”—Calon Arang from Javanese and Balinese myth.
Louis Hill, “To Be Free”—The city of Troy, Greek myth.
Susan James, “Bequeath”—Oliver Cromwell’s head!
E. Jamieson, “The Coin”—The first marathon, 490 BCE.
Rafah, “Tools of Fate”—Ottoman royalty and political intrigue.
Nandita Ray, “The Seventh Month”—The Hungry Ghost Festival.
A. S. Rowe, “Mnemosyne and Her Muses”—Greek mythology.
Dava Street, “Ruby Crane”—WWI rehabilitation of blind soldiers.
E. V. Wallace, “End of Days”—The Theran Eruption circa 1550 BCE.
Daniel Wan, “After the Siege”—The Siege of Suiyang, China, in 757 CE.
Bill C. Wilson, “A Somewhat Laughing Matter”— The Western Front of WWI.
Also available on Google Play Books and Apple Books, Kobo and Barnes & Noble coming soon. Royalties support the longevity of the Ink of Ages Fiction Prize.
Happy reading!
Ink of Ages Fiction Prize is run by World History Encyclopedia and generously sponsored by Oxford University Press, and more details are available on the contest website.
