If there is one thing fiction is far better at than history, it's the freedom to reduce complex political situations down to what really matters. Let me explain: I'm working on a scene set in Acre in the summer of 1290 AD -- just months before the city's fall to the Mamluks would end the... Continue Reading →

Yeah, it happened again. What can I say? I got side-tracked, got a bit melancholy, and before I know it I'm writing another mouse story. Then another. And a third just for the funsies of it all. Why? Because they provide refuge. They give me the illusion of progress; they're soothing, and they require no... Continue Reading →

Hwæt! My collection of historical and S&S short stories, OLD GODS AND OTHER TALES, is FREE on Kindle until Saturday night, 11:59 PM PT. Grab a copy whilst you still can! It's understandable that these times, they're tough all over. But, if you like what I do and want to toss a few coins to... Continue Reading →

I've been struggling this week with the details of Baibars's early life. His date of birth could be anywhere from 1221 AD to 1229 AD; the date of his enslavement anywhere from 1236 to 1242. And his training among the mamluks is equally jumbled -- could be five years, could be three, could be one.... Continue Reading →

This is a good question. A relevant question. In the wheeling solar system of ideas I've put forth into the void since finishing The Doom of Odin in early 2023, why did I choose THIS particular idea? Why not one of the thriller concepts? Why not the Fall of Acre? Why not revisit one of... Continue Reading →

GI Joe told us, many years ago, that "knowing is half the battle!" Turns out, old GI Joe was right. Knowing I have adult ADHD (rather than just being lazy) has already changed how I approach writing. I have a little more grace for myself; I can tell myself it's okay to hare off down... Continue Reading →

It began with a meme, an innocuous graphic depicting the spiral of ADHD-brain. To my shock, I recognized myself in that little cartoon figure. "Surely not," I muttered, and proceeded on a deep dive into the world of neurodivergence. Articles were read; tests were administered. Scores were tallied, and a whole lot of things I'd... Continue Reading →

I saw this graphic online and saw myself clearly: This, coupled with my mind always bouncing from idea to idea (each idea the next "Best Thing Since Sliced Bread!"), makes me wonder if I do not have undiagnosed Adult ADHD. It would explain so much . . . I don't have the hyperactivity of standard... Continue Reading →

I've always had some manner of low-level depression -- a pervasive sadness, melancholy, a longing for something I could never really explain. Between depressive episodes, I'd have periods of laser focus; I'd lose myself in whatever it is I was doing, whether it was research for a book or writing, itself. That passion would carry... Continue Reading →