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This is the view from my verandah on Saturday morning… And in other news, there’s an interview of me up here, about my writing and life. … Continue reading
Category Archives: Blog
Today, in spite of the rain, a longtime birding friend and I went to a nearby lake. It was a good day — nesting Little Grebes with at least one fluffy young on the nest being fed by a visiting … Continue reading
Well, I am back home. Minus luggage for a while, but it did turn up. And I brought home a cold. That was NOT a good exchange, airline people! I have since been trying to do my taxes and write … Continue reading
Quintessential Britain? A cathedral, a red doubledecker bus and a book fair… HISTORY!!! The Shambles The ancient street of the butchers of York, mentioned in the Doomsday book of William the Conquerer… Lendal Tower dating from about … Continue reading
So what research am I doing anyway, you may ask? The book I am writing at the moment is Book 3 of The Forsaken Lands, and that is set in a world that equates with our 18th century Netherlands and … Continue reading
The photos below all show the mash-up of styles that occurs when a church is built over a long period of time — and then repaired and extended as the years go by. The end result is an extraordinary building. … Continue reading
The Hospital of St Cross (and remember it wasn’t a hospital in the modern sense) was founded in the 1130s by Henri de Blois, the Bishop of Winchester. He was a grandson of William the Conqueror and the brother of … Continue reading
Isn’t that a wonderful expression? At first I wondered if it was some sort of weird Medieval idea that poverty was enobling, but no, it actually means an almshouse for penniless nobles. In truth though, the Hospital of St Cross … Continue reading
The British Fantasy Convention this year is in York (Friday 5th-Sunday 7th September), and I will be there — my first time at this particular convention. I will be a panellist on two panels (see below) and also giving a … Continue reading
PENMON PRIORY, Anglesey Thanks to the kindness of Welsh friends from Porthmadog, my Welsh exploration continued — all background and research for another novel, I must admit. I can’t look at Medieval architecture and remains without knowing that one day … Continue reading