Writing has been invented more than once on our small planet. The Olmecs of MesoAmerica were writing histories in stone by 900 BCE. Chinese characters, probably an independent invention, date from 1200 BCE. The ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia were writing more than mere accounting records in 3200 BCE. Our writing… Read More »Writing in the past: the tools of our trade by Anna Castle
Most of us think medieval priories were places of prayer and contemplation, filled with men and/or women who forsook the world to devote their lives to prayers for souls in purgatory, purification of their own bodies and the intense worship of God. What we don’t realize is that none of… Read More »The Financial Side of a Medieval Priory by Priscilla Royal
Powdered wigs. Hoop skirts. Pet rocks. Selfies. Fads have been with us since antiquity, and discovering the foibles of previous generations can be an amusing break from more serious historical research. But when I first sat down to write my newest historical mystery, The Moon Taker, I had no idea… Read More »The Eyes Have It by Libi Astaire
Elsewhere I have made some comments on the dangers and discomforts of travel by sea during the Nineteenth Century. Indeed, from a modern perspective, it seems almost incomprehensible that ordinary citizens would have taken such risks to get from one place to another. The fastest voyage on record from New… Read More »Perils of the Sea by Steve Bartholomew
Authors of historical fiction get their inspiration from many sources. Sometimes it comes from a fascination with certain famous individuals (you will find plenty of books about various kings and queens and famous artists in our catalog) or specific events (wars in particular seem fertile ground for inspiration.) Sometimes the… Read More »My inspiration for Deadly Proof by M. Louisa locke