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• Awards
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• Book excerpt
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Short bio

Historical fiction writer Shannon Selin is the author of Napoleon in America, which imagines what might have happened if Napoleon Bonaparte had escaped from exile on St. Helena and wound up in the United States in 1821. Shannon blogs about Napoleonic and 19th century history at shannonselin.com. She lives in Stratford, Canada, where she is working on the next novel in her Napoleon series.

Long bio

Shannon Selin was born and raised in the small town of Biggar, Saskatchewan (“New York is big, but this is Biggar”). Her father was a history teacher, so she grew up immersed in history books and spent her holidays tramping around battlefields, graveyards and museums. Her early obsessions included Vikings, the Tudors and the Statue of Liberty.

Shannon always knew she would write novels, but the need to make a living and raise a family came first. She worked at jobs that involved a lot of non-fiction writing, including university research, technical writing and working for the Canadian government.

Realizing that she needed to do what she always wanted to do, Shannon now writes historical fiction full time. Her short stories have appeared in The Copperfield Review and CommuterLit, and she is a contributor to Military History Now. Her novel, Napoleon in America, imagines what might have happened if Napoleon Bonaparte had escaped from St. Helena and wound up in the United States in 1821. Shannon blogs about Napoleonic and 19th century history at shannonselin.com.

Shannon has a BA in Political Science from the University of Saskatchewan and an MA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia. She lives in Stratford, Canada, where she is working on the next novel in her Napoleon series.

Contact

Shannon (at) shannonselin.com

Press release

Writer rescues Napoleon and brings him to America

Reviews

“Evocative and immersive, Selin’s debut historical fiction twists Napoleon’s fate … vigorous, engrossing and remarkably realistic. A thorough, sweeping novel with seamless transitions from the real to the imagined.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A fantastic read for fans of French history and those who like ‘what if’ kind of stories; any fan of Napoleon will want to read this, too, and imagine a world where this might have happened.  Those new to speculative fiction should give this a try – it’s dangerously addictive!” – Unabridged Chick

“[A] thoughtful and totally believable account…. The author weaves…a rich and convincing tapestry, and does so with such subtlety and skill that the reader often finds himself wondering just what parts are real and what parts are not.” – The Napoleonic Historical Society

“This is the best alternate historical fiction I’ve read since Gettysburg.” – Adventures in Historyland

“We get insight into the kind of man that Napoleon was, the things he cares about, and his thoughts on his relationships with others…. The book had a really good flow!” – A Bookish Affair

“Napoleon in America…reads like a very well-written narrative of history. Given that the author is necessarily working with an entirely fictional world…the fact that she can create such an effect is quite remarkable.” – The Literary Lawyer

“I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone interested in the history of the turbulent post Waterloo period.” – Reflections on a Journey to St. Helena

“If Robert Conroy’s alternate history novels are the fast food, this is a rare and original delicacy.” – Alterhistblog

“This is an excellent book…. Anyone who likes alternate history should find something to enjoy in this story.” – Other Times

“I couldn’t help but smile as I read it, and…I was a little saddened upon reaching the end. It had built so nicely, the denouement satisfying, and it left me wanting more.” – A Knight of the Pen

“The level of research and scholarship puts many non-fiction histories to shame.” – The Napoleon Series

“Napoleon in America is a well researched alternate history, without any alien space bats.” – Alternate History Weekly Update

Awards

Matt Dawson’s cover design for Napoleon in America won first place in The Book Designer’s e-Book Cover Design Awards for February 2014 in fiction.

Interview resources

Shannon’s interview on El Rincón de Byron – January 20, 2023

Shannon’s interview with the St. Helena Sentinel – March 9, 2017

Shannon’s Q&A with UBC Library – August 30, 2016

Shannon’s interview with Harriet Steel – January 3, 2016

Shannon’s interview on Random Bits of Fascination – October 25, 2015

Shannon’s interview on Culturally Curious – March 29, 2015

Shannon interviewed for NPR article “What If Napoleon Had Come to America?” – February 10, 2015

Shannon’s interview on History and Other Thoughts – June 6, 2014

Shannon’s interview on The Maiden’s Court – May 6, 2014

Shannon Selin’s Napoleon in America – A Novel Made in Marpole – Article and interview in Kerrisdale Playbook, May 3, 2014

Biggar writer brings Napoleon to North America – Article in The Biggar Independent, February 27, 2014

Shannon’s guest post on the Little Reader Library – January 24, 2014

Shannon’s interview on Pebble in the Still Waters – January 19, 2014

Author photos

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Napoleon in America cover photos

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Short Napoleon in America synopsis

What if Napoleon Bonaparte had escaped from St. Helena and wound up in the United States in 1821?

Long Napoleon in America synopsis

What if Napoleon Bonaparte had escaped from St. Helena and wound up in the United States in 1821?

Former French Emperor Napoleon has been imprisoned on a dark wart in the Atlantic since his defeat at Waterloo in 1815. Rescued in a state of near-death by Gulf pirate Jean Laffite, Napoleon lands in New Orleans, where he struggles to regain his health aided by voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. Opponents of the Bourbon regime expect him to reconquer France. French Canadians beg him to seize Canada from Britain. American adventurers urge him to steal Texas from Mexico. His brother Joseph pleads with him to settle peacefully in New Jersey. As Napoleon restlessly explores his new land, he frets about his legacy. He fears for the future of his ten-year-old son, trapped in the velvet fetters of the Austrian court. While the British, French and American governments follow his activities with growing alarm, remnants of the Grande Armée flock to him with growing anticipation. Are Napoleon’s intentions as peaceful as he says they are? If not, does he still have the qualities necessary to lead a winning campaign?

Book details

Title: Napoleon in America

Author: Shannon Selin

Publisher: Dry Wall Publishing

Publication date: January 2014

List price: US$15.95 (Paperback), US$25.95 (Hardcover)

ISBN-10: 0-9921275-0-5 (Paperback), 0-9921275-1-3 (Hardcover)

ISBN-13: 978-0-9921275-0-3 (Paperback), 978-09921275-1-0 (Hardcover)

Pages: 312

Book excerpt

Click here for a PDF excerpt from Napoleon in America.

Book trailer