Virtual Trip to the 1300's

The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century by Ian Mortimer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book gave a phenomenally fresh view point into 14th century England. I bought it as a reference text for a YA novel I'm writing, but I ended up devouring it cover to cover for pleasure. While some segments of the period were glossed over a little too much, the fresh perspective and global overview it presented will help me get more out of every other research text I use from now on. Best of all, I found the perfect solution to a plot problem that had me stalled. Thank you, Ian Mortimer!



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Birthday Bass

Birthday Bass
Originally uploaded by sudphoto

As I shift from non-fiction back into poetry and historical fiction, I have realized that I've lost a bit of my rhythm. To get my rhythm back, I've decided to learn how to play the electric bass guitar. I'm hoping it'll help my words rock again. Hope with me?

Do the MS Polka with Me

I did it! Final tally: 67,000 words. Want to see?



Cheers and thanks for all the hugs,
J.S.

Excuse 152 for Not Writing

I was closing in on 55,000 words of my 65,000 word goal when all of a sudden...

...no power. I'd be more sad, but I loved the break:-)

Lego wiimote and nunchuck

What my son is doing while I write...

Book-writing Update

Writing a book in a condensed time frame plus running Folded Word has me too busy to blog these days. But for anyone interested, here's where my non-fiction work-for-hire stands:

Words written: 40,995
Words to be written to meet goal: 24,005
Days left until final deadline: 21
Expert questionnaires sent out: 12
Expert questionnaires received: 4
Quote of the month: (from a friend, over lunch) "Sometimes the money just isn't worth it."

Cheers,
J.S.

Cheap Diploma Substitute

Cheap Diploma Substitute
Originally uploaded by sudphoto

Day 7:   After reading so many research texts extolling the joy of completing a graduate degree, I decided to dig out my diploma and stare at it for awhile--to remind myself that I really did it. Only, I can't find it. I've got my high school and college diplomas, but no grad school. All I could find were sealed packets of transcripts and this 3x5 card, which I guess was designed to be my temporary proof-of-degree? Not the same. You'd better bet that when I finally find my diploma, I'm going to post a picture of me holding it. Then it'll go into the safe.

Daily Data

• words written: 0 (0 total)
• pages of notes taken: 0 (6 total)
• pages of research read: 62 (402 total)
• experts approached for interview: 0 (7 total)
• experts agreeing to interview: 0 (5 total)
• Quote of the Day: (during search for M.S. diploma) *censored*
• Link of the Day: Post-positivism