Okay - so here is the first of my newly-discovered assignment/assessment tasks that I said I would revise and get out there. This one is the first assessment task from my 'Certificate in Genealogical Research' so it is aimed at genealogists. But some others of you might find it interesting. Exercise 1 - Book Review... Continue Reading →
When I first decided to write my backstory to The Parting Glass, I had no idea that it would lead me down the path of 17th Century Irish conflict. Normally, war bores me - but this rebellion I find fascinating. Having had my DNA tested, I have 73% Irish ancestry. I knew I had Irish Catholic... Continue Reading →
If, like me, the Eleven Years War in Ireland is new and a little confusing, I'll give you some of the information I found while looking for information for The Parting Glass. Having a history degree has it's advantages when writing historical fiction - but it also makes me a little more than pedantic about... Continue Reading →
The Black Death - we all know the term. And we all know the basic story: if you got the plague you got horrible boil things that were black and puss-filled, and you dropped dead quickly. And I guess that is it in a nutshell. But there was way more to it than that. The... Continue Reading →
Writing is a solitary activity, right? Well - it is. But that doesn't mean that you have to do it in cultural isolation ..... I have tried a couple of different groups that actually meet to discuss writing etc. but they haven't really suited me. I wish they had and I will continue to keep... Continue Reading →
As some of you may know, our beautiful Bella had cancer. Sadly, her pain got to a point where it was necessary for us to send her over the Rainbow Bridge at 5:50pm, Friday 30th December, 2016. Not only are our hearts broken, but we are totally lost without her. It is a struggle to... Continue Reading →
This is our beautiful dog, Bella. Unfortunately, Bella has terminal cancer and each day is a bonus. We had our third "Oh God, this is it" moment with her this morning. Luckily, for the third time, (and following a dose of big-time pain killers), she is much more comfortable and interested in the world again.... Continue Reading →
In 2013, I completed the Diploma in Family Historical Studies through the Society of Australian Genealogists. We were required to write a thesis on around 30,000 words on a topic that would be valuable for genealogy. Our own family was a suitable topic. For several reasons, I chose my father’s family and tied it to... Continue Reading →
I have been asked a few times why, since I love history and research so much, I don't just write the facts. Facts are interesting. Why not just tell it like it is? To me, however, the facts are created by other elements - elements that are often ignored or paid scant interest in the... Continue Reading →
