Annie Whitehead is a History Graduate & Member of the Royal Historical Society. She has penned three award-winning novels set in Anglo-Saxon Mercia: one, about the life of AEthelflaed, was long-listed for HNS Indie Book of the Year, & IAN Finalist. She was a contributor to: _1066 Turned Upside Down_, with Helen Hollick, and _Sexuality & Its Impact on British History_ (Pen & Sword 2018). She has won both fiction and non-fiction awards for her writing (_Dorothy Dunnett Soc & New Writer Magazine_), regularly contributes articles to several historical magazines and is an editor for EHFA (English Historical Fiction Authors). Her first non-fiction book, _Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom_, was published in September 2018.
Absolutely fascinating - Annie Whitehead pieces together the evidence with meticulous care, then tells the stories of an exciting variety of remarkable women in fluid, crystal-clear prose. It is a pleasure to read her thoughtful and nuanced portraits of peace-weavers, queens and saints and have my eyes opened to the complex histories of these forgotten Anglo-Saxon leaders. --Imogen Robertson, author and chair of Historical Writers' Association Women's roles in Anglo-Saxon England have routinely been overlooked or minimised. But they were much more than daughters, wives and mothers - many of them wielded power in their own right. In this detailed and meticulously researched study, Annie Whitehead unearths their stories, telling us of queens and regents, abbesses and saints (and a few notable sinners!) who exercised authority and female agency in a multitude of ways. It's pre-Conquest history with the women put back in. --Catherine Hanley, author of Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior It is a remarkable study of the lives of women of the period - known and unknown - and their impact on history. Saints, princesses and queens; wives, daughters and mothers, Annie Whitehead demonstrates the strengths, weaknesses and challenges these incredible women faced in order to exert their influence on their corner of the world. The author's meticulous research, beautiful writing and natural storytelling ability make this book a pleasure to read from beginning to end.--Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Heroines of the Medieval World