Emily VanderBent - Crimson Time

As a student of history, I am constantly drawn to the past. But as a woman, the past has told me my story isnt one worth telling. The phrase:

Well-behaved women seldom make history.

Laurel T. Ulrich

comes to mind. As the saying implies, unless we do something drastic or noteworthy, our stories will go untold in the grand narrative of history, which is traditionally written by men. Likewise, many of the most incredible women of our past are still glossed over in our history books.

Elizabeth Van Lew created a spy ring that helped the Union win the Civil War.

Sophie Scholl formed a nonviolent resistance group to oppose the Nazis.

Vera Atkins spearheaded one of the first sections of the British Special Operations Executive to send female agents into occupied France during World War II.

But no one knows their names. No one tells their stories. Like so many other influential women in history, their lives and contributions have been pushed to the wayside for the sake of telling the same masculine, white narrative we are taught from grade school, through high school, and into college. With this narrative fed to us from youth, weve become accustomed to believing this is the only true tale of the past, the only version that exists and the only version that matters. The continued support and teaching of this narrative alone, without the additional context of other narratives, only perpetuates the cycle. As a society, we have become desensitized to the effects of only teaching such a narrow version of history.

The messages women take away from this narrative are enough to confuse anyone. Theres an incredibly difficult, maybe even impossible, balance were told we should constantly be seeking. Were told to be pretty but not too sexy. Innocent but not prudish. Ambitious but not so much so that we are intimidating. Because of these unrealistic expectations, so many young women do not dare to dream big. So many do not reach their full potential because they conform to the conventions of society. And still, many others remain stuck in an endless tug of war between what they want and what is expected of them.

Ive struggled with what this means for me, especially when that very notion is reinforced every time I open a history book written by a man about a man or attend a conference dominated by male speakers and attendees. How do I fit into this academic world of history and the world in general as a woman? How do I change the narrative so the stories and voices of women in the past and today are heard and acknowledged?

As I wrestled with these questions and others like them, I came to one simple conclusion. If I want to see a change, I need to start a change. I need to bring the stories of women to light and create a dialogue on the subject.

The beautiful thing about real change is that it doesnt all happen at once. Its a ripple effect. I dont have to uproot the whole system overnight; all I need to do is drop a pebble in the water and get people talking. The same goes for you.

Crimson Time is a work of fiction. Throughout the following pages, I have taken liberties with some of the historical content for the sake of the story I wish to tell. But as we know, sometimes fiction speaks more truth than anything elseif we let it. This work is not historical fiction. It is a story inspired by the strong women who came before me, in the hopes it will inspire women of the future to live a narrative they are proud of, regardless of ifor howhistory remembers them. And for everyone else, knowledge of our past is one of the most valuable motivators to making strides for a better future. No matter who you are, you have a part to play in shaping this world and the lives of people in it.

My hope is that as you enter into the world of the Red Rose Society, you wrestle with truth and convention alongside Adelaide. May you have the courage to ask questions, the determination to seek answers, and the boldness to test convention. And when you close the pages of this book, may you follow the example of the women in this novel and of the past who found the strength to throw a pebble into the water of their passion and make a difference.

So here it is. Heres my pebble. Lets see how far the ripples reach.