In the early middle ages, a commendation ceremony to give homage to a liege lord required an oath of fealty that sealed the relationship between the lord and a member of his fighting forces. The Commendation Ceremony The commendation ceremony was divided into two parts: the act of homage and an oath of fealty. Act … Continue reading The Oath of Fealty in the Middle Ages
We’re Using Our Imaginations My favorite childhood game was one of the imagination. I loved playing make believe. Maybe that’s why creating the book extras area of the website is so fun for me. It’s extra nice to know you love Fantasy Worlds, Historical Worlds, and Mysterious Worlds, too. Thanks to all who entered Creative … Continue reading Let’s Play Make Believe
Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic. – Arthur C. Clarke I don’t consider myself technically advanced, but I can find my way around most problems that crop up at my website. Often, my solution is to simplify, as I did recently when I the password requirement to access the book extras features at … Continue reading Adding magic to life
Literary Wayfarer Journal When I was a child of seven, my father taught me to ride a bike. I’ll never forget the time I went hurtling down the sidewalk only to hear him call out from a little way behind me. He’d let go without my knowing. How could balance come so easily? I felt … Continue reading Learning to balance life
Research for my upcoming novel, Deceptive Tide, turned up some fascinating facts about the San Juan Islands, a group of mysterious islands off the coast of Washington state. Here are ten of my favorite facts about this unique island paradise in the Pacific Northwest. 10 Intriguing Facts About the San Juan Islands The San Juan … Continue reading 10 Intriguing Facts About the San Juan Islands
Blind man’s bluff was a favorite game to play whenever friends or family kids got together. If you’re not familiar with this game, it is tag wearing a blindfold. Someone always wound up hurt, of course, but we played anyway. When you are small fear takes a back seat to adventure. It’s only when you … Continue reading Walking blindfolded
I made a humbling discovery recently. For a blog series I’m writing, I researched the psychology of conflict and turned up four basic types of internal conflict. The labels in psychology for these four tensions are not understandable by most of us, but here’s my translation: choosing between two positive outcomes, choosing the lessor of … Continue reading Words written in the wind
I’m excited to announce some fun changes at the site that I think you’ll enjoy. In the months to come, I’ll be focusing on reading and readers. I’ve made a good start to my goal of providing even more of an immersive experience for readers between my website and books. Providing an Immersive Experience for … Continue reading Providing an Immersive Experience for Readers
I have something to confess. I like to think of myself as a rational human being when it comes to my online activities, and for the most part, I am. I can stare down any attempt to glean my email address, get me to create an account, or sell me a must-have product. But there’s … Continue reading The temptation I can never resist
