Aug 15, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
Not many people may realize this, but today’s celebration of the Dormition of the Virgin is the third greatest celebration in Greece (and the Greek Orthodox tradition), after Easter and Christmas. Although nominally a religious holiday, it is celebrated in the...
Jul 13, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
I’ve never actually belonged to a book club in the traditional sense. Yes, I do belong to some great ones like the Rave Reviews Book Club (#RRBC), the Fantasy and Science Fiction Network (#FSFNet), and eNovel Authors At Work (#eNovAaW), but these are online book...
Jul 11, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
One of the many perks of working at a library is, well, books. All these lovely, precious books just waiting for you to read. Not everything is fun and readings, though. Think of all the dirty hands that touch your precious books. Some people lick their fingers to...
Jul 7, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
The wee one is at that age when we’re reading her ABCs on a daily basis — which explains why one of her first words was “ackle” (apparently, that’s what A stands for). We have half a dozen of these, with Alison Jay’s ABC being my...
Jul 4, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
Happy 4th of July to my American readers! Throughout the States, Independence Day is celebrated with barbecues and fries. And hot dogs. Lots and lots of hot dogs; some 155 million tons of them are consumed on July 4th each year, according to Huffington Post. One...
Jun 21, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
Fans of the film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the television show Sleepy Hollow may remember a powerful poison, used as a method to manipulate lovers and cause death. Atlas Obscura has the fascinating history of this legendary toxin — and I use the word...
Jun 13, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
Most of my blog is dedicated to helping you publish and promote your books. But what about those poor souls who never do manage to get published? Fret Fret not, for now there’s a place where your work will be fully appreciated: the Brautigan Library, a...
Jun 7, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts, Writing
One of my favorite pastimes is to find out the origins of common sayings or phrases. So, I was thrilled when my author friend Sebastian White (of Quirky Claus fame) alerted me to The Phrase Finder, a wonderful resource for anyone with a passion for English. In true...
Jun 5, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
In 2011, ten exquisite sculptures made from books mysteriously appeared at libraries and cultural institutions across Edinburgh. The first and last were found here at the Scottish Poetry Library, and also a final gift at the end of 2012. The sculptures came with a...
May 25, 2017 | Fun Historical Facts
In Game Of Thrones, it is the King’s Hand who exerts some real power of the Seven Kingdoms. His symbol, appropriately enough, was a pin depicting a hand. But in yet another example of reality being stranger than fiction, it was the Groom of the Stool—named for...
