The Typo: In the Name of God (The Florentine Shadows)

A satirical mirror for the AI age disguised as Renaissance fiction.
A 15th century page turner that will make you wonder, "Why does this feel so much like today?"

Florence, 1461. Master manuscript illustrator Antonio Strozzi has survived plagues, political upheaval, and truly terrible Chianti. And what will the new technology of the printing press do to manuscript illustrators? Put them out of business. The irony is that the person who is going to be put out of business finds a glaring typo in the world's first mass-produced Bible.

One letter. One tiny scribal error that could upend centuries of Church doctrine—or get him burned at the stake for heresy. The choice should be obvious: keep quiet, keep breathing.

But Antonio has never been good at keeping quiet.

Tasked with returning the flawed Gutenberg Bible to Germany for correction, Antonio embarks on a treacherous journey accompanied by Gabriele, the monastery's stoic head guard. What should be a simple trip becomes a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with Church authorities who have a vested interest in keeping Scripture—and the truth—under their control.

The road to Mainz is long. The conspiracy runs deep. And Antonio's growing feelings for his sword-wielding protector? Absolutely forbidden.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Sharp religious satire with a medieval twist
• LGBTQ+ historical fiction that doesn't preach
• Adventure with wit, danger, and moral ambiguity
• Stories that ask: who gets to control the truth?
• To wonder if technology kill creative professions. Or just change them?

A darkly funny thriller about faith, power, and one hell of a typo.

William Lower, Canadian, is a writer fascinated by the interplay of humor, history, and humanity. His writing journey began in the world of advertising at a time when the industry hired a disproportionate number of society's most unemployable people.

The bulk of his career was spent in the United States where he honed his storytelling skills while working with industry icons Mary Wells Lawrence and James Patterson.
 

Writing was always his first love, and he's since ventured into novels, satire, and nonfiction.

Humor has been a constant thread throughout his work, as has an underlying curiosity about human spirituality. He was frequently compared to Robin Williams (and Robin Williams was once mistaken for him.)
 
 
Working with Paul Schulman, former Wells, Rich, Greene, Head of Broadcast Production and later General Manager, Lower is currently exploring the art of storytelling on stage, with a Broadway show in development called "Outrageous" about the outrageous Mary Wells Lawrence, the outrageous people she employed and the outrageous results they achieved.

Whether it's books, articles, or stage productions, Lower's passion is to entertain, provoke thought, and make people smile even when all that's going on in the world gives people every reason not to.