by Anna Burke
One of the things I learned the hard way during this process is that England is, in fact, a real place, with history and geography that obeys certain rules. Meg is the friend and medievalist every writer needs in their corner, and she graciously answered all my burning medieval questions. All historical and geographical discrepancies are entirely my fault. You can thank her for the accuracies. (Also, on that note, my Siward bears no relation to the historical figure. I simply liked the name.)
Books, whether we write them or read them, serve as markers in our own histories. While finishing Nottingham, I lost one of my oldest and dearest friends. If the friendships in these pages resonate with you, it is in large part because of El, who taught me about friendship and loyalty and the value of a “hey, buddy,” whenever it was needed. I like to think El would have gotten a kick out of a group of queers establishing an intentional community in the woods and challenging an unjust social and economic system. El fought to make the world a brighter, safer, and more welcoming place for the queer community, and I will miss their light more than I can say.
About the Author
Raised in Upstate New York, Anna Burke graduated from Smith College with degrees in English Literature and Studio Art. She holds a certificate from the Inter-national Writing Program at the University of Iowa and was the inaugural recipient of the Sandra Moran Scholarship for the Golden Crown Literary Society’s Writing Academy. She’s currently pursuing an MFA from Emerson College. Nottingham is Anna’s third novel, following her spectacular debut novel, Compass Rose, and her breathtaking fairy tale, Thorn.
Bywater Books
Copyright © 2020 Anna Burke
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Bywater Books First Edition: January 2020
E-Book ISBN: 978-1-61294-166-0
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Cover designer: Ann McMan, TreeHouse Studio
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This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, or, in the case of historical persons, are used fictitiously.
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