Far Away Bird

Currently #16 on The Red List for 'Top Historical Book Projects All-Time' (For Film Adaptation) Multi-award winning novel including gold medals in the Readers' Favorite Historical Personage, IBPA's Best New Voice Fiction, eLit's Best eBook in Historical Fiction, Montaigne Medal finalist (Eric Hoffer Book Award), and Screencraft's Cinematic Book competition. Inspired by true events, Far Away Bird delves into the complex mind of Byzantine Empress Theodora. This intimate biographical account follows the extraordinary transformation of a poor young woman in a rigid medieval society. From the brothels to the bathhouses, from the theaters to the palaces, Theodora learns to let go of the people she loves most and embrace her own exploitation. But when Theodora finally chooses her own personal sovereignty, no matter the cost, her battle leads to an impossible destination–the throne of the empire. Empress Theodora is one of the most misunderstood women of history. Far Away Bird immerses the reader into a corrupt underworld that history classrooms keep at arms-length. Theodora's salacious past has been fertile grounds for historians to defame and diminish her stunning achievements as an empress. And while tales of shamelessness stick to Theodora like a scarlet letter, the story of her troubled youth reveals an all-too-human side to her place in history. Look closer. Far Away Bird reconciles one woman's notorious past to the making of an empress. KIRKUS REVIEW: "…elegantly written historical tale in which [Burton] effortlessly weaves sweeping emotion and fine detail…" US REVIEW OF BOOKS: “More than just an imagining of Theodora’s rise to notoriety and power during the Byzantine Empire, the novel is a vivid tale of survival, healing, and femininity.” View Less