The Journey of The Prince with No Name
More than twenty-five years ago, I sat at a typewriter and wrote a story that poured straight from my heart — a tale about a prince in a faraway kingdom who longed to discover who he truly was. I titled it The Prince with No Name.
Life, as it often does, moved quickly. I married, moved houses more times than I can count, and raised two children. Somewhere in the shuffle, that manuscript was lost. For years, I believed it was gone forever — just a memory of a story once written.
And then, this year, while sorting through boxes, I found it again. The pages were waiting for me, like a long-forgotten friend. Reading it after all these years, I was struck by how timeless the story still felt. A fable of self-discovery, a fairy tale set in the magical kingdom of Avalon, a reminder that we are more than the names we are given.
Here’s how the story begins:
“Once upon a time, beyond the edges of any map, there lay the Kingdom of Avalon—beautiful as a dream, yet distant as the farthest star. Avalon could not be reached by those who sought power or gold. It revealed itself only to the worthy—hearts carrying both courage and kindness.”
What began as a story from my youth has become a gift I now feel called to share. The themes of courage, identity, and wonder are as true today as when I first typed the words.
That is why I am bringing The Prince with No Name to life at last — published so that children, families, and dreamers of all ages can step into Avalon and discover its magic for themselves.
✨ I invite you to read the story, share it, and perhaps even see a reflection of your own journey within its pages.
Why We Still Need Fables: Timeless Lessons for a Modern World
From the earliest fireside gatherings to the bedtime rituals of today, fables have always been with us. They cross oceans, cultures, and centuries — stories told in whispers and laughter, passed from one generation to the next. Think of Aesop’s clever fox, Hans Christian Andersen’s mermaids and swans, or the tales that came from our grandparents’ lips when the lights were low.
But why do we still tell these stories in a world filled with screens, noise, and constant distraction? Because fables carry something rare: truth wrapped in wonder.
The Timeless Power of Fables
At their heart, fables are short, simple tales — yet they speak volumes. A talking animal, a wandering prince, or a wise traveler can reveal truths that history books or lectures cannot.
· They teach virtues like courage, kindness, humility, and wisdom.
· They remind us that every choice matters — even the smallest ones.
· They make complex ideas simple enough for a child, yet profound enough for an adult.
This is the enduring power of fables: they entertain while they transform.
Lessons for a Modern World
In a fast-paced age, where attention is pulled in a thousand directions, fables may be more relevant than ever. These short, enchanting tales offer:
· A pause — a moment to reflect.
· A spark of imagination — the kind that makes children dream and adults remember how to.
· A bridge between generations — stories parents can share with their children, and children may someday pass to theirs.
They remind us that human hearts still crave meaning, even if the world around us changes.
Behind My Own Fables
When I wrote The Prince with No Name, I wanted to create a story that felt timeless — a tale that could be read by a child on their parent’s lap, but also pondered by an adult searching for identity and purpose. At its heart, the book asks: What truly makes us who we are?
That same vision shapes my upcoming collection, Fables of Avalon and the Secret Shadows. These new tales explore virtues and flaws — courage, greed, hope, gluttony — all set in a kingdom where wonder walks beside wisdom.
I believe fables still have the power to guide us. To help us see the best in ourselves. To whisper: You are part of a greater story.
A Final Thought
Perhaps that is why fables endure. They remind us that life’s greatest truths often arrive in the simplest of stories. And in a world that sometimes forgets to listen, fables keep speaking.
✨ If you’d like to journey further into the world of Avalon, or be the first to hear when my next collection is released, I invite you to join my mailing list and stay connected.
A Farmer’s Letter Home
In the autumn of 1774, a farmer in Massachusetts wrote to his wife while away on business in Boston. His words were not of muskets or militias, but of harvests, flour, and hope for the winter.
“The talk of liberty stirs every man, yet the price of flour weighs heavier on our minds than the quarrels of Parliament. The merchants say molasses grows dear, and sugar near vanished from the market. I pray we may see both freedom and bread upon our table. Keep the children close and the hearth warm, and tell them their father’s heart is with them, though his body be far.”
Farmers like him lived at the crossroads of revolution and survival. While speeches echoed from taverns and town halls, households worried most about how to stretch flour, how to sweeten their bread without sugar, how to keep children fed. For many, the American Revolution was as much about daily bread as about independence.
Inspired by this letter, here is a recipe from Amelia Simmons’ American Cookery (1796), the first published American cookbook. It uses pumpkin—a staple for farmers who often lacked wheat or sweeteners during lean times.
Pumpkin Bread (Pompkin Loaf)
Adapted for the modern kitchen
2 cups cooked pumpkin
2 cups rye or whole wheat flour
½ cup molasses or honey
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water
Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes. The result is a humble, nourishing loaf—a taste of resilience from a household that weathered both hunger and history.
Behind the Scenes of My Research
Every book begins with a question. For me, that question is often, “What was life really like back then?”
When writing about the American Revolution and its people, I spend just as much time digging through archives, libraries, and primary documents as I do putting words on the page. My goal is always to bring forgotten voices and overlooked details back into the light.
Where I Start
Much of my research begins with letters, diaries, and firsthand accounts. These are the threads of everyday life—someone writing home about a son at war, a widow recording the price of bread, or a sailor describing a storm at sea. Each small detail adds texture to the larger picture of history.
The Hunt for Primary Sources
Sometimes, it feels like detective work. I follow clues from one archive to another, cross-reference names in old newspapers, and compare versions of the same event from different perspectives. The excitement comes when a single letter, tucked away in a collection, reveals a very human moment that history books overlook.
Bringing the Past Forward
Once I gather sources, the challenge is weaving them into stories that are accurate but also engaging. I often imagine: How would this feel if you were living it? That helps me translate brittle handwriting and faded ink into something modern readers can connect with.
Why It Matters
I believe stories from the past carry lessons for today—about resilience, hope, sacrifice, and community. By sharing the behind-the-scenes of my research, I hope you’ll see that history isn’t just dusty dates and battles; it’s real people whose lives still echo in ours.
This journey of discovery is what fuels my writing, and I’m excited to keep bringing you along as I uncover more hidden voices from history.
A Family Legacy Remembered
Why I wrote Ashes to Liberty
by Elizabeth Winslow
There are stories that whisper through the generations. Some are passed down at family gatherings, told in quiet voices over holiday dinners. Others are tucked away in faded letters, worn journals, or half-forgotten family trees. My journey to write Ashes to Liberty began with one of those whispers—a thread of family history that refused to let go.
I often listened to stories about my husband’s fascinating ancestors and their lives during the American Revolution. Their lineage, in particular, includes Reverend James Dunsford—a real historical figure who served under the King of England to come to the American colonies to help establish the Church of England during those turbulent years. His name, like so many others, was written into the fabric of early American history, though not always in the loudest voices or the most famous books. Yet behind every great revolution are countless quiet heroes—families, women, servants, Native allies—who faced impossible choices.
The more I studied, the more I realized that history isn’t just names and dates. It’s personal. It’s emotional. It’s the weight of loyalty clashing with conviction, of family torn between duty and freedom. What would it have felt like to live in Virginia in 1774, raised in loyalty to the Crown, yet standing on the edge of a rebellion that would change everything?
That question gave birth to Charlotte Montgomery. Through her, I was able to explore the complex world of Tidewater Virginia—a world of grand plantations, secret alliances, espionage, and divided loyalties. Charlotte’s journey isn’t just about revolution; it’s about inheritance, love, betrayal, and ultimately, resilience.
In writing Ashes to Liberty, I sought to blend historical accuracy with deeply human storytelling. I wanted readers to feel the tension of uncertain times, the heartbreak of family torn apart, and the quiet strength of women who often stood at the crossroads of history—unseen but unbroken.
Though the Montgomerys are fictional, they carry the heartbeat of my family’s past. Writing this novel has been both a creative passion and a way to honor those whose stories paved the way for our own. In many ways, this book is not only a historical fiction novel—it is a personal legacy remembered.
I invite you to join me on Charlotte’s journey, as the Montgomery family stands against the winds of change—and as one woman dares to reclaim what was once taken.
Ashes to Liberty is now available in print, ebook, and audiobook.