Everyone knows the old adage about kissing under the mistletoe, but how did that originate? Well, we can thank the Romans for that (yes,…
Curiosities
The Loneliest Post Office in the World
Living in the tropics, I’ve forgotten what it is like to experience really cold weather. The internet became my trusty go-to for information about…
Rabbits, Eggs, and a Goddess.
Chocolate eggs and rabbits on supermarket shelves announce Easter to us in a modern world. But how are rabbits and eggs related to a religious…
Celebrating the Ides of March
Beware the Ides of March? The Ides of March correlates to the 15th. But why is it so notable? Shakespeare coined this particular phrase, for…
The true origin of Christmas???
I came across a marvellous piece of research recently, for a short story I was writing, about the shamans of Siberia. I learned that like…
Mysteries of Samhain
In Original Sinner, the story takes place over the course of one night—the first night of the festival of Samhain. There is a certain irony…
The Tree of Life and Knowledge
I always wondered why God placed a tree with luscious fruit in the Garden if it wasn’t to be eaten. The standard answer is that…
Plagues and Pandemics
In my novel, Original Sinner, Eve recounts her experiences during the Siege of Caffa and the outbreak of plague. It was certainly thought-provoking to research…
Why Apples?
Why apples? Why is the apple such a popular fruit in myths and legends? Until recent times, the word ‘apple’ was used generically for…
The Origins of Eve
In the beginning… One of the wonderful aspects of writing a story like Original Sinner is the research. It gave me so much pleasure…