A.L. Kaplan's Blog: A. L. Kaplan, page 9

Come to the Baltimore Book Festival September 28-29, 2024

The Baltimore Book Festival is back and I will be there on Sunday, September 29th from 2:00-3:00 PM!

The entire festival is free, so come have fun!

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) has a booth and a stage at the Peabody Heights Brewery on E 30th Street.

I’ll be at the SFWA booth so stop by and say hello.

While you’re there, you can get some great books.

SFWA Booth & Stage 

Peabody Heights Brewery, 401 E 30th St, Baltimore 21218

Saturday 9/28 Booth hours: 12-5

Sunday 9/29 Booth/Panels/Signings: 11-6

A schedule and map is on the Book Festival website.

MARK OF THE GODDESS

Sometimes a blessing can be a curse.

Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.

HUMMINGBIRD

Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

One step toward understanding.

One stride toward survival.

One leap toward flying free from the past.

STAR TOUCHED

Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

Especially when your powers can get you killed.

Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

WOLF DAWN

A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

My Trip to Scotland: Part 10—Edinburgh

We ended our trip back in Edinburgh. (My Trip to Scotland: Part 1)

Dinner in Edinburgh Castle.

Then the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. It was a spectacular show.

The Nelson Monument, on the left below, is a commemorative tower in honor of Vice admiral Horatio Nelson who died in the Napoleonic wars in 1805. The Scott Monument, in the center below, is for Scottish author Sir Walter Scott. This Victorian Gothic creation is the second-largest monument to a writer in the world. On the right below is another view of the castle. If you look closely, you can see the stadium they erected for the Tattoo.

On our last day, we went to the Edinburgh Art Museum. I majored in art and have enough credits for an art history minor, yet as I walked around the galleries, I didn’t recognize any of the Scottish artists.

I think I need to have a “chat” with my undergrad and graduate schools.

Dinner that night was delicious.

It was a fantastic trip. I hope you enjoyed my posts.

My Trip to Scotland: Part 9 – Glasgow and World Con

We spent the next six days in Glasgow.

August 8-12, 2024 was the 82nd World Science Fiction Convention which was held at the Scottish Event Campus.

Trying out VR was really cool.

My panels were fun. “Look! I Have Raised a Geek!” and “Why Do We Still Love Paper and Tangible Things?”

We went on a walking tour of the bridges.

And saw some of the many murals in the city.

Neat buildings.

Some sculptures

Scottish people have a great sense of humor.

This is a display in the Kevingrom Art Gallery and Museum.

Also spotted this Pterosaur fossil. It looks a bit like the one I found at the Yesnaby coast. (see My Trip to Scotland: Part 5)

The Heads by Sophy Cave

Near the museum.

Langoustine for Lunch.

How often do you see pull chain bathrooms? I found two!

Glasgow Cathedral was founded in the 1200’s as a Catholic church, but became a Protestant Kirk in 1560. Before the Protestant Reformation, the interior was beautifully painted.

The Tardis!

This pretty building is the City Chambers in Glasgow.

George Square and it’s decorated sculptures.

A pint of beer and dinner at The Citizen after a long day. The food was excellent.

Post 8: My Trip to Scotland: Part 8 – Culloden and Highland Coos

We left Ullapool on August 6 after a nice breakfast.

The first stop was Culloden, site of the Battle of Culloden which took place on April 16, 1746. The Jacobite army under Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) was defeated by the British army, ending the Jacobite uprising. In less than an hour, around 1,300 men were slain – about 1,250 of them Jacobites. Many highland clans were in the Jacobite army. After Culloden, the wearing of tartan and highland garb was forbidden, as was carrying weapons in the Highlands, and the Clan system was abolished.

There are markers for the clans that fought and died. They had to put a fence around the marker for Clan Fraser to keep the Outlander fans back.

Of course, I couldn’t leave the Highlands without seeing a wee Highland Coo.

My Trip to Scotland: Part 7 – Italian Chapel, Smoo Cave, Ardvrech Castle, and Ullapool

On our way out of Orkney on August 5th, we stopped at the Italian Chapel. It was built by Italian prisoners of war during World War 2. This unassuming little Catholic chapel was beautifully painted inside.

There was a sculpture outside the church.

Sands of Wright and Dam of Hox were pretty.

I also tried some Irn Bru. This caffeinated orange colored drink, known as Scotland’s other national drink after Scotch whisky, was good with a slight bubblegum like flavor.

Some pictures at Kyle of Tongue in northwest Highland.

Smoo Cave was neat! But the walk down to it was steep.

Smoo Cave is a sea cave and a freshwater cave. Unfortunately, it’s been a bit dry, so the waterfall in the cave wasn’t flowing. It was still very pretty.

So was the surrounding area.

We stopped at Ardvrech Castle and the Calda House by Loch Assynt. At least what was left of them. The castle was built around 1490 by the Mcleods. The Calda house was built in 1672.

Then it was off to Ullapool for the night. We didn’t get there until almost 7:30 and wanted to go to the Seafood Shack for dinner. They close at 8:00 and we were warned that they close early when they sell out. We dropped our bags and walked quickly. The langostinos were wonderful. They look like miniature lobsters. Sorry, I didn’t get pictures of the food. There was no wind and that night and the midges came out in force. (Tiny, gnat-like flies that bite. It was the one time we didn’t have the bug repellant with us. Figures. We ate as quickly as possible and fled to our room.

On the way back, I spotted this sign down the road from our bed and breakfast. I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan and couldn’t resist taking a picture.

New Information on the Stonehenge Altar Stone

Remember my post the other day on the Ring of Brodgar? In August an article came out saying that analysis showed that the grey-green sandstone of the altar stone at Stonehenge came from northern Scotland, possibly Orkney? Well, now new information has surfaced. They still think it came from Scotland, but have determined that it did not come from Orkney.

You can read the articles here:

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/13/science/stonehenge-altar-stone-orkney/index.html

BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2g55ly0e6o

The mystery continues.

Post 6: My Trip to Scotland: Part 6 – Ness of Brodgar & Ring of Bodgar

After seeing The Stones of Stenness, Maes Howe, and Skara Brae, I didn’t think it could get better. But it did. We got to go to an active archaeological dig!

Ness of Brodgar covers 6.2 acres. Excavation on this Neolithic site began in 2004 and ended this summer. We were lucky enough to be there on the last open house before they closed the site. Isn’t that cool? Some of the structures were started around 3300 BC, but the there is evidence of activity way before that.

We made a brief stop at the Kirbuster farm museum. The Fire Hoose is from 1595. Note the stone roof.

Robert Stewart, half-brother of Mary Queen of Scots, became Earl of Orkney in the late 1500s. This is what’s left of his palace in Birsay.

But the real highlight of the day was the Ring of Brodgar

They don’t know much about Brogar, but they think it was built between 2600 and 2400 BC. It is older and bigger than Stonehenge. It may have been used to observe the moon.

36 of the original 60 stones have survived. The tallest is 4.7 meters tall.

The circle is 104 meters in diameter and is encircled by a 135-meter henge.

BTW, while I was there, an article came out about the alter stone at Stonehenge. Seems it wasn’t quarried from Wales as originally thought. It came from North Western Scotland Orkney area.

Wrapped up our last night on Orkney Island with dinner from the sea. Wondering what those things around the scallops are? They are the reproductive organs. Did you know that scallops are hermaphrodites?

Post 5: My Trip to Scotland: Part 5 -Yesnaby Coast and Skara Brae

Our day of seeing ancient structures continues. But first, wee stopped at this beautiful site on the Yesnaby coast on our way to Skara Brae.

I’m pretty sure this is a fossil.

Skara Brae is a stone age village that was uncover during a storm in 1850.

It was fun to see a place people lived in 5000 years ago!

They had one section staged like it would have been.

Here is a bed.

And a cupboard.

It was a short walk to the rest of the village.

They have a serious rabbit problem.

Here is what the village looks like now. Imaging living in these cool stone houses.

The Skaill house is a 17th Century manor house that overlooks Skara Brae and the Bay of Skaill. It was built for the George Graham, the Bishop of Orkney, and has been added to over the years. His son became the laird of the estate. It’s not as old as Skara Brae, but looks nice. So do the flowers.

Post 4: My Trip to Scotland: Part 4 – Stones of Stennes & Maes Howe

Since my first art history class in collage, I’ve been fascinated by paleolithic and neolithic art. Stone circles like Stonehenge were important to the first novel I wrote. (still unpublished) So when I say August 4th was the day that I was most looking forward to, I mean it. (Don’t believe me? Look at the header on my homepage.) This trip was a dream come true. We were transported in spirit back thousands of years and treated to wonder after neolithic wonder.

The first stop was at the Standing Stones of Stenness. This is the oldest henge in the British Isles and is only five miles northeast of Stromness on the mainland of Orkney. It originally held 12 stones, but only four upright stones are still standing. They are 6 meters high. The people who built this did not have fancy machinery and trucks. All these stones were hand quarried and hauled there. Local outcry stopped the farmer from pulling them down in 1814! He was tired of ploughing around them. Unfortunately, the Odin Stone was already destroyed.

According to local tradition, a couple who held hands through the hole in the Odin stone would be bound in marriage.

Maes Howe doesn’t look like much from the outside, but there is magic within. Built around 3000 BC, Maes Howe is a burial chamber that is accessed by a nine-meter-long tunnel. When it was opened in 1861, the excavators discovered it had been previously visited over 800 years earlier. How did they know this? The interior is covered in a collection 30 runic graffiti and animal carvings.

According to stories, in 1153, a group of Vikings took refuge during a snowstorm.

Some of the inscriptions read: “Ofram the son of Sigurd carved these runes” “These runes were carved by the man most skilled in runes in the western ocean” “Ottarfila carved these runes”“Tholfir Kolbeinsson carved these runes high up” “Orkis’ son says in the runes he carves”

There were a few other, more ‘colorful’ inscriptions, but you get the idea. Basically, bored guys haven’t changed in thousands of years.

These are a few pictures of the landscape around Maes Howe.

Post 3: My Trip to Scotland: Part 3

A beautiful morning on August 3rd as we left our B&B in Inverness.

The next stop was a memorial of the Scottish Clearances in Helmsdale. Between 1750 and 1860 many tenants in the Scottish highland and islands were evicted from lands they had been on for generations. (Around 70,000 people) It made way for more sheep pastors. Many of these people emigrated to Canada, America, Australia, and New Zealand.

THE EMIGRANTS was created by Gerald Laing in 2004. And no, he is not wearing anything under his kilt except what god gave him in this anatomically correct sculpture.

In case you can’t read Gaelic: The Emigrants: Commemorates the people of the highlands and islands of Scotland who in the face of great adversary sought freedom, home, and justice beyond theses shores. They and their descendants went forth and explored continents, built great countries and cities, and gave their enterprise and culture to the world. This is their legacy. Their voices will echo forever thro the empty straths and glens of their homeland. Unveiled by the first minister of Scotland, Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, 23 July 2007.

Then we grabbed lobster rolls for lunch in Dunbeath and saw Dunbeath Castle.

The next stop was the Duncansby Head Lighthouse.

Along the coast.

Then it was off to John O’Groats.

We took the Pentland Ferry to Orkney Island. The ride was nice, but as soon as we moved, all the car alarms went off. It made for a noisy ride.

We road over several Churchill barriers build between 1940 and 1944 as naval defenses. Since 1945, these causeways have linked the Orkney Mainland to the other islands.

The land was beautiful, flat, with no trees in sight.

Our first night in Kirkwall, we saw St. Magnus Cathedral and the Bishop’s and Earl’s palaces.

I liked the Orkney Museum.

The bed and breakfast was nice. This time we were able to put the beds together.

It was a good night for Fish and Chips at Harbour Fry.

And in case you are wondering.

By the water.