Why a history major? Hell, why mythology?

Friends,

I was asked why I spend my time researching mythology and folklore rather than using my time looking into things that might actually bring in the money.

First, I laughed. Anyone who thinks Historians are ‘bringing in the money’ is sadly mistaken. We make starving artists look like they rolling in the cash.

Really. At least artists have the opportunity to make cool videos and social media posts that could lead to potential sales.

What am I going to do? Make a video of me staring at an old book while cross-referencing it with other old books. Maybe show you the thousand Post-it notes of random dates that I forget why I wrote them down.

Second, Historians are a hub of professionals that is harder to break into than trying to have tea with the Pope on Easter. I honestly have a better chance of making the New York Best Seller list before I am 44 than I do becoming a ‘respected and well-known’ Historian.

So, in light of all the challenges that I faced, I decided to narrow my field of research to the interconnection of mythology between cultures and times. It may seem like a wide range of information, but really, it is.

I should have gone with something easier. Like World War II or the history of the Silk Road. It would have been more manageable.

But here I am—too old and too tired to change my ways. Besides, mythology makes me feel young. There is nothing like learning about the Baobhan Sith and pretending that I am a beautiful fairy folk in the Scottish Highlands. Now, there is the pesky issue that they spend their time hunting down mortals, seducing them, and ultimately killing them.

But who am I to argue about feeding preferences?

There is also the issue of finding someone who will listen to your hours of research, cross-referencing religion and cultures, and finding the link between regions.

It doesn’t make for good conversation starters over a glass of rum if you know what I mean. People tend to get offended or worse- bored.

That’s why I wrote my books. Along with some other reasons. Think about it. Mythology doesn’t usually just magically appear because of someone’s active imagination. One day, Vampires didn’t exist, and the next day, they did? With a whole complex world of origins, dietary preferences, and specific ways to die.

Seems unlikely.

There was a person or people behind the tale. Something happened to create the concept, and that’s what I research. Who was the original? What is the truth behind the myth?

And how is there a vampire in Scotland, but you can also find them in Japan, Eastern Europe, South America, Africa, and even the U.S.? It’s not like there were cell phones back in B.C.E. or the 15th century, where writers were texting their buddies across the world with their new ideas for the next great novel.

So, they must have existed in some shape or form. Right?

Honestly, there are a lot of creativity licenses that I can take when writing my books. And I do. I also have to tailor the myths to the general population and balance the story to what is ‘socially acceptable.’ Stray too close to the sun of truth, and people tend to get offended.

Especially when it comes to comparing mythology to the religious movement.

You can lose friends that way.

And yet I dived head first into this world. Now, granted, I can’t call myself an expert. That would require traveling. And right now, my bank account says that the furthest I’m going is to the local grocery store to buy off-brand cheese and cereal.

Such is life as a starving Historian.

But I have enough knowledge and creativity to construct a world that tickles the reader’s imagination into believing that it was a different place a long time ago. And I’m not talking about running water and instant coffee.

I’m talking about a world when the unexplainable was believable. Where myths and legends roamed freely, out in the open, and interacted with the world.

That’s why I study mythology. To have something more to believe in.

Until tomorrow, my friends- Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.

If tales of legend, myth, and fantasy topped with a cup of coffee interest you, I suggest checking out my book, The Writer and the Librarian. It’s a historical fantasy about a middle-aged woman faced with a decision: accept what is written in the history books or find out for herself the truth behind the stories. Limited edition copies are now available on my website (Shop – R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author (rlgeerrobbins.com) or at

Amazon: https://a.co/d/flQhakX

Barnes and Noble: The Writer and the Librarian by Rose Geer-Robbins, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Target: The Writer And The Librarian – (the Raven Society) By R L Geer-robbins (paperback)

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