Writing my series, The Long-Hair Saga, set in late ancient Rome, Gaul, and Jerusalem in the 5th century, has required years of research. My heroine, Lady Arria, is an only child and a Roman senator’s daughter unconventionally educated, beyond the domestic arts and scriptures, because of her … [Read more...]
Strong Women in Historical Fiction
I’ve been fortunate to have many adventures in my life. I think it’s because I’ve always had a sense of curiosity, bravado, and sometimes impulsive ‘leap before you think’ behaviors. All I can say is that I’ve been lucky because some of my actions had the potential for not so pleasant and even … [Read more...]
Ancient Roman Board Games
What would the modern person do if television, the movies, Social Media, sports, and music events didn’t exist? Chances are we might spend our time playing more board games just like the ancient Romans. The ancient Romans loved board games. Some of the more common board games played by ancient … [Read more...]
Historical Romance: What Is It and Where Did It Come From?
Historical Romance: The Quest for Its Creator On a rainy afternoon last week, I browsed the romance section of my neighborhood bookstore and wondered—who wrote the first historical romance? A little investigation revealed that some of the first historical romance writers include 19th century … [Read more...]
The Cat In Ancient Rome
A large part of writing a historical novel is the research into the politics, customs and common habits of the time period in which the story is set. One day while watching my twin cats, Romulus and Remus, basking in the sun, I questioned whether the … [Read more...]