Laurel A. Rockefeller's Blog, page 19
February 19, 2024
Biya’s Journey: A Look at The Arban and the Saman
Good morning and happy Year of the Wood Dragon! 春节快乐! As we start the new year, I want to explore and discuss one of my most forgotten and under rated novels: The Arban and the Saman.
Set in 1211 at the start of the Mongol invasions of the nuzhen-ruled Jin dynasty, the Arban and the Saman is a wartime romance between a mongol officer (arban) and the shaman priestess of a small village not far from the Jin capital of Zhongdu (modern Beijing). Her name is Biya which yes, was my name in the ...
February 14, 2024
The Knighting of a Squire. Excerpt from The Great Succession Crisis
Long before I devoted my life to history education I was a novelist. Yeah, that seems far fetched to me too! But from 2010 to 2012 I actually wrote a science fiction romance. It was intended to be fan fiction for “Benji, Zax, and the Alien Prince,” that beloved part of my youth. Instead The Great Succession Crisis grew into a five (six if you count The First King flash fiction) book series.
In this scene Princess Anlei accompanie...
February 13, 2024
Malcolm Romances Margaret. Excerpt from “Margaret of Wessex: A Play in Four Acts”
The 11th century was a perilous time, especially for England’s last Saxon princess, Margaret of Wessex. After escaping England, Margaret and her family takes refuge at the court of King Máel Coluim mac Donnchadh in Dunfermline – better known in English as Malcolm III Canmore, king of the Scots. In this excerpt from the stage drama, Malcolm expresses his romantic interest in the beautiful Margaret for the very first time.
Dunfermline Palace todayAct III, Scene III1068. Dunf...
February 9, 2024
Buyer Beware: Walmart’s Great Value food brand and food allergies
February 8th seemed like a normal morning. Get up, turn on the pc, feed and water my birds, then make breakfast. Normal. I started my coffee, then turned on my toaster oven to heat up a Great Value Seasoned Potato Hash Brown patty, and started cooking it once the oven was hot enough. Something I’ve done most days for at least six months.
But February 8th was not normal. When the hash brown patty was done, I smelled onions, which is odd because I’m so very careful about my onion allergy, one a...
February 6, 2024
What is England? Excerpt from “Margaret of Wessex: A Play in Four Acts”
The Norman Conquest of England did not stop with the coronation of William I the Conqueror in December 1066. As first William I, then his sons William Rufus and Henry followed him on the English throne, war expanded outward from southeast England, eventually soaking all of England, Wales, and Alba (Scotland) in blood. In this prologue scene (second of two) set in 1125, King Henry’s only surviving legitimate daughter Matilda returns to the palace at the White Tower after the death of her husband,...
January 30, 2024
Poem: the Raven
A simple poem that came to me as I looked upon the recent snow.
The Raven came to see me today
Her feathers gleaming in the winter sun.
She cawed a message clear and deep
As her sisters frolicked in the snow, having fun.
Remember me, her song said
As she tapped her beak into the newly fallen snow.
I saw Her clear as day
The Goddess Celtic hearts all know.
The Morrigan, Modron, Cathubodva, the names She’s called
The ancient ways revealed at once.
E...
January 24, 2024
Where to Find Audiobooks by Laurel A. Rockefeller
Audiobooks are my passion. Since 2014 I have invested heavily in audiobook productions across all four available audiobook languages: English, Spanish, French, and German. From 2014 to mid 2022 these audiobooks were produced for exclusive publication on Amazon, Audible, and Apple retail sites. Since September 2022 audiobook productions have expanded to include Spotify, LibroFM, Chirp, Everand, Barnes/Noble, Audiobooks.com, Hoopla, Overdrive, and many more.
Though many of my blog posts ...
January 23, 2024
Review: Protecting the Wild. Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Returns to NBC
Everyone knows I love animals, especially my cockatiels. Through both study and over 40 years of experience I have become expert enough on parrots to write and publish four books (to date) on birds.
Augmenting and encouraging my love of animals growing up was Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. Every week from 1963 to 1988 hosts Marlin Perkins and Jim Flowler brought us into the fascinating lives of animals, many of whom I never knew existed until watching the program.
Adding to the regular br...
January 16, 2024
Making Space: Setting Personal Boundaries – in person and online
It happens everyday to someone – either online or in person. You are going about your business when someone presses himself uncomfortably close to your body. Online he calls you “darling,” “dear,” “honey,” “luv” (“love”) or other intimate name, despite being a perfect stranger.
In person encroachments have to be handled to avoid escalating the assault so that escape becomes possible. As women we do what we must to escape in person sexual attacks – verbal and physical.
After we escape, ...
January 9, 2024
Snow Day for Queen Mary Stuart. Excerpt from “Mary Queen of the Scots: the Forgotten Reign.”
Welcome to winter, 2024! For many people in the United States, today is a snow day. Here in western Pennsylvania our weekend nor’easter is being followed up with more snow this morning and with heavy rain forecast for this evening. It’s the perfect occasion to share a snowy scene from “Mary Queen of the Scots: the Forgotten Reign.”
“All hail to the days that merit more praise than all the rest of the year. And welcome the nights that double delights as well for the poor as the peer! Good ...
