On this day in 1985, Route 66 was officially removed from the US State Highway System, when it was finally and completely by-passed by the Interstate system. Route 66 is probably one of the most famous routes in the United States and has been featured in fiction and the movies, including the animated movie Cars. […]
The Mother Road No Longer a Highway Read More »
When you hear the name “Viking” you tend to think of the fierce warriors who conquered most of Europe and even places as remote as North America, invading lands by sea, upon their distinctive long ships. Included in that image are all the families they left behind. Just like the horns on their helmets, “Vikings”
Vikings Weren’t Really Vikings Read More »
Today, May 13, is the day of the Lemuria, an ancient Roman festival that is probably the origins of All Saint’s Day (November 1) and Halloween (which is a contraction of All Hallows’ Eve). Lemuria was the day when the head of Roman households would walk about their household, casting black beans over their shoulders,
As most of my characters are vampires, sweet indulgences are not something they get to enjoy, although Nial, one of the heroes in Blood Knot, attempted it with severe consequences in that book. Which neatly reminded me of Garrett’s downfall in Blood Stone. Garrett, one of the heroes of Blood Stone, for some complicated reasons
A Drop O’ Scotland’s Finest Read More »
King Kong has been named by many film critics as one of the most iconic films to ever emerge from Hollywood. It has certainly produced its share of cliches, as well as a rash of remakes, including one in 1976 and the excellent Peter Jackson version in 2003. In the 1933 original, the plot isn’t
King Kong Debuted 81 Years Ago Today Read More »
It’s the long weekend — well, the tail end of it. Mark and I have spent the weekend being creatively productive. I just finished the first draft of Wait, which Beloved Bloody Time fans should be pleased about, as it is the long history of Tally and Lee before the events of Bannockburn Binding. The
My Life + Working Notes – February 17, 2014 Read More »
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m going to mention it again. If you haven’t clued in yet, I’m a history nut, and Britain is prime hunting territory for me. Coming from Australia, where nothing is much over sixty seconds old, Britain was like Christmas and Valentine’s Day rolled into one for me. My
Why King Arthur Endlessly Endures Read More »
While short hair for men is the fashion right now in the early half of the twenty-first century, I can’t help but bewail the diminishing numbers of heroes with long hair. When did it stop being sexy? In Romanceland, heroes throughout history and into the realms of the paranormal have enjoyed long locks for decades.
Where Did All The Long-Haired Heroes Go? Read More »
Just because many (most?) of us reading this post were alive and can remember 1977 far too well, it’s tempting to think that 1977 really wasn’t all that different from 2010. Yeah the clothes were really groovy, and the music was downright embarrassing when you listen to it now (except for those folk who insist
1977. A Mere 33 Years And An Eon Of Differences Ago. Read More »
The United States’ Constitution, that guarantees certain civil liberties, fascinates me from an historical and outsider’s perspective. In particular, the Constitution grants “freedom from slavery and forced labour”. I imagine many people glide right over that statement, barely giving a thought to how powerful a shield it really is. Canada has a Canadian Charter of
Slave Labour. It’s Not Just For The History Books. Read More »