Nellie Bly And The Economites
In Quaint Old Economy Sunday, January 8, 1888 There Dwells a Sect With More Millions Than Members. Of the Thousand Who Followed George Rapp to America in 1805 Eighteen Now Remain—They Think the World Will End Before the Last of Them Dies—Quiet and Simple Life in a...
Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet – The Juliet Trap
There is a particularly pernicious trap awaiting actresses cast as Juliet. A similar trap awaits Lady Macbeth, though of a different nature, as well as several of the more archetypal male roles. But none of them are as insidious as The Juliet Trap. Here’s how it...
EVE OF IDES: A Play Of Caesar And Brutus – Now Available!
Those who know my work will recognize my constant blending of Shakespeare and history. It entertains me to reconcile gaps in history with the characters and plots of Shakespeare's plays. I often use these to explore various quirks of history, as well as the growth of...
Recent Posts
HNS Preview IV – Biographies
The volume I put together for the HNS Conference in Denver this weekend has something that will hopefully make my fellow writer's hearts go pitter-pat. Not only is there a 150-page glossary. There are also biographies of all the major Fight Masters of the late...
HNS Preview III – Sword Parts – Rapier
This is for Sam Hubbard, who rightly called me out for the last diagram I posted. It didn't do foible, mid blade, and forte, or true edge and false edge. This is a diagram created by the amazing David Woolley, my first instructor in Rapier-Dagger, that's part...
HNS Preview II – Sword Parts and Types
HNS Preview – Basic Combat Terms
Ahead of the Historical Novel Society Conference this weekend, I thought I'd throw out some basic combat terms as a resource for participants. So here are a few essential definitions: Baldric (Baldrick) – A belt or girdle usually of leather that...
Write and Fight Right
A week from today I'll be in Denver, leading 60 authors through their paces with Broadswords, Rapiers, and Smallswords at the Historical Novel Society Conference. It's quite an honor, and I'm hugely excited. Because the more writers understand about...
Captive Colours Cover – A Cruel Tease
I'm getting a lot of heart-warming questions sent to me through the website and Facebook asking when CAPTIVE COLOURS (Star-Cross'd, Book 5) will be released. Alas, I don't have an answer, because I haven't started it yet. In fact, as I have at least...
The Prince’s Doom – Finalist for HF Award!
I've been away from my desk since yesterday, when I received word the THE PRINCE'S DOOM is one of three finalists for the M.M. Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction! This is my first chance to share the announcement I got in the mail:The finalists for the M.M....
Senatus Populusque Romanum
Looking at the US government of late, I can’t help but think of Rome. It’s getting harder and harder to ignore the parallels, all coming faster and faster. It took the Romans nearly 500 years to get to where we are in just over 200. Our most dire peril, as I see it,...
Fixing Education in America
I've been listening to the debate on education. A lot of focus seems to be on teacher accountability, on parent choice, and on testing. There doesn't seem to be a lot of focus on the students. Because if you focus on the students, fixing...
Fighting The Wrong Fight
It’s headline news, in my world at least, that Los Angeles members of Actor’s Equity will be picketing the offices of their own union this week. While I see their point most acutely, I gotta say, I don’t like the big picture of this narrative. Labor unions were once...
