Fortune’s Child

Grand Prize Winner, Best Book of 2019 in the Chanticleer International Book Awards 

“James Conroyd Martin not only unfurls the vast canvas of history, but he paints the deeply personal side of the men and women who lived it. His settings and characters come to life in meticulously researched detail. I felt like I was there.” ~Lisa Wingate, best-selling author of Before They Were Yours

“Fortune’s Child is a treasure for historical fiction fans—richly detailed, immersive, and heart-pounding. Martin paints a vivid and satisfying portrait of one of history’s most remarkable women.” ~Olivia Hawker, bestselling author of The Ragged Edge of Night

Constantinople, Sixth Century

From a very young age, Theodora, daughter of a circus bear keeper, sets her sights well above her station in life. Her exquisite beauty sets her apart on stages and in the eyes of men.

Stephen, a Syrian lad of striking good looks, is sold by his parents to a Persian wizard, who teaches him a skill in languages that will serve him well.

By the time Destiny brings them together, Theodora has been cast off by a governor of a Byzantine province in Africa, while Stephen has been sold again . . . and castrated.

Discover the enduring bond that, however imperfect, prompts Theodora—as Empress—to request palace eunuch Stephen to write her biography.

~Available in Paperback, Hardcover, and as an e-book~