I’m very excited to announce that on Monday (29 Nov 2021), I’ll reveal the cover of my forthcoming novel, Beheld: Godiva’s Story.
But if you can’t wait until then to sneak a peek, despair not! Subscribe to my newsletter here, and you’ll get an exclusive first look at the cover this Friday (26 November).
Cover Reveal Coming! Read More »
On November 13 and 14, I attended the final two days of the 2021 Charleston Literary Festival and took in two immensely enjoyable author events. Both were held in Charleston’s French Quarter at the city’s historic Dock Street Theatre, pictured here (photo by Christopher M. Cevasco).
The first event was an interview with Lauren Groff, author of Matrix, which I’d just finished reading the day before. It’s a beautiful, unique historical novel distinctive among other things for its vividly realized setting, filled with the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the cloistered life of a 12th-century Benedictine abbey and the vibrant natural world surrounding it. During her interview, Groff shared a glimpse of her writing process and explained how she achieves such lush sensory detail. Read what she had to say on this and about her plans for upcoming books as well as my full review of Matrix in the latest (November 22) issue of my author newsletter, Zounds! The issue also includes a recap of the second event I attended—an interview with one of my favorite authors, Bernard Cornwell, about his own favorite books…
You can subscribe to my newsletter via the subscribe box here, then click on the November 22 issue at the bottom of your welcome email to find out more about the literary festival.
Have you read Matrix or any of Lauren Groff’s other books? Or if you’re a fellow fan of Bernard Cornwell, which of his series or novels is your favorite? Is there something else you’ve recently read and enjoyed and would like to recommend? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!
Charleston Literary Festival Recap Read More »
Now through November 30, my story “In the Gloaming Light” is part of this giveaway that gathers free stories and novel excerpts featuring strong female characters in the Middle Ages.
Click the banner to access the giveaway, then simply sign up for the authors’ newsletters to read their featured work for free! In my story, Edith Swanneck faces a grim task on the day after the Battle of Hastings…
Fiction Giveaway – Medieval Women Read More »
During the month of October 2021, my historical fiction story “In the Gloaming Light” is part of this giveaway of free stories and novel excerpts depicting the harsh realities of war.
Click the banner to access the giveaway, then simply sign up for the authors’ newsletters to read their featured work for free! In my story, Edith Swanneck faces a grim task on the day after the Battle of Hastings…
Fiction Giveaway – Realities of War Read More »
Last week, Tolkien fans celebrated Hobbit Day, which falls each year on September 22. To mark the occasion, today’s issue of my author newsletter is a slightly unusual one featuring a photo tour of a number of locations in Oxford, England, with ties to J.R.R. Tolkien (I took these photos while in Oxford for the 2016 Historical Novel Society Conference).
For example, here’s a shot of Oxford University’s Radcliffe Camera, which houses a science library (photo copyright © 2016 by Christopher M. Cevasco). Tolkien was an undergraduate at Oxford’s Exeter College and later a professor of English language and literature at Merton College. Supposedly, Tolkien stated at some point that Radcliffe Camera was his inspiration for Sauron’s temple to Morgoth on Númenor in his fiction.
To view the rest of the photo tour, subscribe to my newsletter by filling out the sign-up form on my website. When you receive your welcome issue, follow the link to the 27 September 2021 newsletter, wherein you can see all the photos!
Last week I made my thirteenth appearance on the Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast. In this episode, Erin Lindsey, Lara Elena Donnelly, host David Barr Kirtley, and I discussed the new movie The Green Knight, directed by David Lowery. The short version of my take: it was visually stunning but ultimately didn’t work for me as a film, lacking emotional resonance and needing a more internally coherent plot/throughline. Tune in to hear what else we had to say…
Did you see the movie? I’d love to know your thoughts on it. Post them in the comments below!
While you’re at it, why not subscribe to my newsletter by filling out the signup form on my website. The latest issue also includes my recommendation of a favorite translation of the medieval poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (which inspired the movie), along with awards news, free fiction, and more!
For a limited time, my story “In the Gloaming Light” is part of this giveaway of free stories and novel excerpts featuring strong women in historical fiction and fantasy settings.
Click the banner to access the giveaway, then simply sign up for the authors’ newsletters to read their featured work for free! In my story, Edith Swanneck faces a grim task on the day after the Battle of Hastings…
Fiction Giveaway – Strong Women Read More »
I just finished reading Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic and enjoyed every moment of it. Evoking the atmospheric thrills of the classic gothic novel, this also felt entirely and refreshingly original owing to the vividness of its 1950’s Mexico setting. The novel’s protagonist, Noemí Taboada, is an extremely compelling character who drew me in from the moment she appeared on the page and kept me invested through every lush, beautiful, and terrifying scene. In that regard, Mexican Gothic managed to scare me about as successfully as any written work has ever done, but all the while it had me marveling at its sumptuous, often incongruously lovely evocations of hidden evils and opulent decay.
If you haven’t yet read Mexican Gothic, I unhesitatingly recommend it. You won’t be disappointed.
For additional reading recommendations along with exclusive content, giveaways, and more, subscribe to my newsletter by filling out the Sign Up form on my website.
And if you’ve recently read something you think I’d enjoy, please recommend it in the comments below!
Mexican Gothic – Terrifying and Beautiful Read More »
While summer’s not quite yet over, school has started in many parts of the U.S., and so I thought I’d look back on some of my favorite summer reads. The biggest standout for me would have to be Maria Dahvana Headley’s new translation of Beowulf. Headley’s introduction alone is a brilliant essay that is worth the price of admission, but the actual translation of the epic poem is where this truly shines. Managing somehow both to make the poem seem fresh and new and also to evoke a convincingly true cleaving to the Beowulf poet’s original words and intent, this is an amazing feat of scholarship and wordcraft. Well worth your time if you’ve not yet had a chance to read it!
I was also extremely pleased with the thirteenth and final volume (War Lord) of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories series, which I’ve been reading since the first book in the series was released roughly seventeen years ago. Cornwell is among my all-time favorite authors, and this summer, War Lord reminded me why. Now I can finally watch the Netflix series (The Last Kingdom) based on the books, which I had been holding off on watching until I’d finished reading the whole thing!
For more reading recommendations along with additional exclusive content, giveaways, and more, subscribe to my newsletter by filling out the Sign Up form on my website.
And if you’ve recently read something you think I’d enjoy, please recommend it to me by commenting below!
My favorite summer reads Read More »
A warm welcome both to my newly revamped website (big thank you to the amazing Clockpunk Studios) and to the revival of this blog!
Here on the blog is where I’ll share thoughts about history, writing, and life in general, provide information about my new releases, talk about books and movies, and occasionally interview authors, historians, publishers, and game designers.
For more in-depth content, exclusive giveaways, bonus reader resources, and details of my upcoming appearances, please consider signing up for my newsletter via the Subscribe button on my website.
