Every year when I teach “The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred Lord Tennyson, my students ask the same questions: Who is the damsel trapped in the tower? Who cursed her? And why?

Their curiosity sparked my own, and I found myself piecing together possible explanations, all of which kept coming back to the infamous Morgana le Fay, evil sorceress and half-sister of King Arthur. I eventually decided to put pen to paper and write what has turned into my first novel.

My story begins with Morgana as a troubled teenager sent off to a nunnery after the murder of her father. Trapped between a thirst for vengeance and the need for forgiveness, she gets swept up in the fate of a young girl named Lilian. Their lives intertwine in a complex quest that ultimately leads to the Island of Shalott.

Though I have stayed true to Arthurian legend, I have developed Morgana’s character and storyline according to my own imagination. Lilian is more of my own making, bearing only a slight resemblance to Tennyson’s famous Lady of Shalott. Nevertheless, I hope he would take my liberal use of his fair damsel as a testament to his enduring legacy.

Likewise, I hope my students and all those who belong to the King Arthur fandom find The Lady of Shalott: A Novel a worthy addition to their library.