Life often seems so random. A chance encounter that turns into a beautiful friendship. An overheard conversation that destoys trust. A passage in a book that changes our view on an issue. Seemingly little things can change the trajectory of an individual’s life, a nation’s future, or spark a worldwide catastrophe.

My story, The Reluctant Savior, in the Paper Lantern Writers’ new anthology, Echoes of Small Things, explores one such moment. A moment that has escaped most history books despite evidence to the verity of it. A crucial decision that changed the future of England. A decision that led to future events which have become a source of endless discussion, events that still fascinate people, and are reimagined in modern entertainment through novels, movies and television shows. Events that never would have taken place if a different decision had been made.

Where it began

The life of the first Tudor king, Henry VII, does not get nearly the same attention as his descendants. Without him, there would have been no Henry VIII, no six wives, no Bloody Mary, no Virgin Queen, nor the mostly forgotten Edward VI. And very likely, no Church of England.

The Plantagenets ruled England for over 300 years. To overthrow that dynasty meant the stars had to line up for young Henry Tudor, the Fates going in his favor. In 1483, Henry Tudor planned to join the Buckingham Rebellion against King Richard III. His ships set sail from Brittany to join the fight. However, a storm kept him from making the risky landing in southwest Wales, where he perceived that King Richard’s men were waiting to intercept him. Nature saved him from capture and what would probably have resulted in a death sentence.

But Henry Tudor did not give up. He successfully landed at Milford Haven in 1485. As he marched through Wales, he gathered supporters to fight his cause, and history changed forever when his army defeated and killed King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. On that day, August 22, 1485, Henry Tudor ascended the throne of England.

My story, The Reluctant Savior, takes place between these two events, retelling not the actions of a nobleman, nor a decisive battle, but a choice made by an ordinary man whose decision would soon reshape the world.

The Tudor Dynasty in Popular Culture

Over 500 years have passed since the battle at Bosworth Field and Henry Tudor’s ascension to the throne of England in 1485. He and his descendants reigned over England and Wales for nearly 120 years and left behind a fascinating history that some readers and history enthusiasts still can’t get enough of today.

Henry VIII and his six wives are still a hot topic of debate in some circles. Their stories still show up in popular culture.

In 2022, the TV show Becoming Elizabeth followed the palace drama of the last Tudor monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, the daughter of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife. His mad passion for Anne brought about the split from the Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England.

2023 brought us the movie Firebrand about Henry VIII’s last wife, Katherine Parr.

And 2024 brought Wolf Hall, a renowned novel about Thomas Cromwell, one of Henry VIII’s principal advisors, to the small screen.

Fiction brought us novels like The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory and her latest one, Boleyn Traitor, just published in October 2025. There are so many others, both traditionally and independently published.

To discover how the Tudor Dynasty almost wasn’t, pick up a copy of Echoes of Small Things and read my story, The Reluctant Savior. Then enjoy eight other historical fiction stories about seemingly inconsequential things that altered the course of history.