Exciting New Discoveries! Those of us who read historical novels like there to be some accuracy in them. The story needs to be true to its setting. Since I having been writing stories set in ancient Ireland, in the 5th and 6th centuries, much of what I write about is based, necessarily, on legends. The…
Author: Cindy Thomson
Reenactments For the Novelist
Since I write historical fiction, I’m really interested in reenactments. There are plenty of Civil War and pioneer reenactments around here, but that’s not the era I’m currently writing in. So you can imagine how excited I was to find this video. It may not completely describe my setting—this one claims to be pre-historic to early Christian,…
Book Review: Second Guessing God
Second Guessing God: Hanging On When You Can’t See His Plan by Brian Jones From Amazon: “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” This book is Jones’s response to that question. Like a good friend, Brian comes alongside those seeking help in trials of life to help them find meaning and strength. While…
Response to “Get Rid of Your Guns”
This is a departure from my usual blogging. We read to escape reality sometimes, but the truth is, we do have to live in the present. I promise after this I’ll go back to my usual topics. America Gets Advice From Europe I read a tweet this morning that prompted me to write this. It…
The Irish Saint in my Novel
The One I’m Currently Writing Anyway Today, June 9, is the Feast of St. Columba. In Irish his name is Columcille, meaning “Dove of the Church.” His mother was like Hannah of the Bible in that she prayed desperately for a child. When he was born, she fostered him to the church much like Hannah…
Books on Sale For June!
The ebook edition of Grace’s Pictures is on sale this month for just 99 cents! It’s a great time to get started on the series with book one. All ebook formats of this title are available for less than a buck! You can find lots of good books at special prices on my publisher’s web…
My German, yes German, Ancestors
Ancestry Connections I remember my father talking about his grandmother, Mary Ellen Myers Peters, being German. He did not remember her. He was only 2 when she died. I think he was going entirely by her surname. If you follow my blog or read my books, you know my interest has mostly been in my…
3 Things I Wish I’d Said at the Book Festival
Yesterday I enjoyed appearing at the Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus, Ohio, a festival I’ve appeared at for several years now. It’s a great time to meet new readers, reconnect with those who have read my books, and mingle with other authors, bookstore owners, librarians, and book lovers. This year I was asked to be on…
The Naming of a Character
Getting It Right It’s one of the tricky things about writing historical novels. While contemporary novelists probably devote plenty of time in choosing a novel’s characters’ names, when you are writing historical, particularly in the ancient time frame I’m using now, you sometimes have to choose between names a reader can pronounce in his/her head…
Happy St. Paddy’s Day!
Remembering the Patron Saint Yes, there are three patron saints of Ireland. You’ve probably heard me say that before: St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and St. Columba. But most people associate St. Patrick with Ireland, and legends extoll his bravery and evangelical spirit. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland, and while he was not…
