Grace A. Johnson
- Sep 11
- 3 min read

the girl in the pages | heard in silence anthology

If you haven’t heard about Heard in Silence (see what I did there? 😉), then you’re missing out! This anthology is chock-full of tender, entertaining, and beautiful stories and poems all about life in silence. Whether you love historical romance or fantasy adventures or contemplative contemporary, there’s something for everyone in this collection, each story tied together by the thread of deafness.

You can now purchase a copy from Amazon! ALL of the proceeds from this anthology will go to the American Society for Deaf Children to help support families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children by providing them with the services and resources they need!

I am so excited to introduce y’all to my contribution to this wonderful collection: The Girl in the Pages! Whereas most of the stories in Heard in Silence are more YA and explore the deaf experience through the perspective of a younger character in a way most of us can relate with…I opted for something a little more unique.

No, not pirates. (Although there are pirates in this collection.)

Classic historical romance.

You see, The Girl in the Pages has existed in my mind for years (since 2019, to be precise). Between my love for Regency romance and Sue Thomas FBEye, I created a story based on a few stock photos I found about the daughter of a nobleman who was born both illegitimate and deaf. By the time I’d written a few chapters, I’d already moved on to something else.

Well, then Sisters Three announced their short story contest for stories centering around deaf characters, and I knew I had to reuse The Girl in the Pages instead of creating an entirely new story.

So allow me to introduce you to the love story of Amice, an orphaned girl who lost her hearing as a child, and the earl who shows her kindness.

the girl in the pages

Cast aside by her father for her illegitimate birth and left homeless after the death of her mother, Amice has been taken in by a compassionate housekeeper and given a job keeping the master’s beloved library in pristine condition. When the earl returns after his lengthy overseas voyage, Amice fears he too will cast her out because of her deafness.

Kent Grosvenor, the Earl of Westerly, had expected to find a new shipment of novels in his library…not a beautiful young librarian. But when he accidentally scares the latest addition to his staff upon arriving home, he discovers that not only can she not hear but she may be just what his life was missing.

read the story

~ the anthology ~

Some voices can only be heard in silence.

Thirteen young authors invite you to journey deep into a silent world so often overlooked. Within these pages, you’ll find bittersweet contemporary YA, spellbinding fantasy, tender romance, and so much more, each centering on a deaf character.

Curated by author Kaytlin Phillips, this short story collection offers you a peek inside a life without sound, a fresh perspective on a world you may never have experienced. For a moment in time, hush the noise around you and absorb the quiet heartbeat of these diverse stories. Let yourself be swept away in these characters' struggles, heartaches, and victories.

Heard in Silence features work from Saraina Whitney, Alison Stadt, K.R. Mattson, Marisa Phillips, Kylie Beevers, Riley G. Stanch, Jaiden Phillips, Lorelei Angelino, Lillian Keith, Grace A. Johnson, Kaytlin Phillips, Autumn Nicole, and Wilder W.! This unique, richly imagined short story collection will stretch your mind and hold your heart captive.

All proceeds from this anthology will be donated to the American Society for Deaf Children!

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