Annie is a respected historian and highly successful prize-winning author. Her main interest in history is the rich seam of stories to be found in the period formerly known as the ‘Dark Ages’ and she strives to bring these people into the spotlight to portray them more as medieval characters than mythical folk who dwell among dragons and elves.
Her first novel, To Be A Queen, is the story of Aethelflaed (daughter of Alfred the Great), who came to be known as the Lady of the Mercians. It was long-listed for the Historical Novel Society’s Indie Award 2016 and was an IAN finalist in 2017. Alvar the Kingmaker, tells the story of Aelfhere of Mercia, a nobleman in the time of King Edgar, who sacrifices personal happiness in order to keep the monarchy strong when successive kings die at a young age. Her third novel, Cometh the Hour goes further back in time to the seventh century, to tell the story of Penda, the last pagan king of Mercia. All of her novels have won IndieBRAG medallions.
Annie has twice been a prizewinner in the Mail on Sunday Novel Writing competition, she won first prize for nonfiction in the new Writing Magazine Poetry and Prose competition, and she has had articles published in various magazines, on a wide range of topics. She was the inaugural winner of the HWA (Historical Writers’ Association)/Dorothy Dunnett Society Short Story Competition and is now a judge for that same competition.
Annie has had two nonfiction books published. Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom (Amberley Books) has been an Amazon #1 Bestseller. Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England was published by Pen & Sword Books in 2020.
Also in 2020, she was a contributor to the anthology of historical stories, Betrayal. The Historical Novel Society review said of her story that it ‘provides a sweeping scope, fine period details, and beautiful writing.’
Her latest novel is The Sins of the Father, a sequel to Cometh the Hour.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ALWhitehead63
@ALWhitehead63
