Getting Started: Introduce Yourself

[KOMET]

Hi Melina,

WELCOME TO THE GROUP. I trust you'll find your time among fellow bibliophiles and aspiring writers a rich and rewarding experience.

Like you, I also have a deep interest in history and love historical fiction. One of my favorite series of historical novels is the "Narratives of Empire" Series by Gore Vidal, whom I once had the pleasure of meeting 15 years ago. He had such an engaging style of writing that made U.S. history come fully to life.

Good luck in your efforts to find an agent. Your WWI novel sounds intriguing.


Best Wishes.


KOMET

[Carolcares4u]

I always say, forget the agent. They are so picky, and I haven't heard much good about them. You are experienced and will find someone. I did, by accident, on Linkedin.

[Luci]

I very much enjoy historical fiction, I think it can convey history sometimes more clearly and in a more compelling way than straight history. Some of my favorites are John Sayles' A Moment in the Sun and The Dying Grass: A Novel of the Nez Perce War another recent favorite is a Kindle book When Saigon Surrendered: A Kentucky Mystery a great read about the year 1975.

[Heidi]

Hello.,

My name is Heidi and I am a fan of reading history. I am most interested in Chinese and European history of all periods. I always have a book I am working on :o)

[Barry]

I live just outside Asheville, NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I enjoy historical fiction and actual history, mostly about the 19th and early 20th centuries. One of my recent favorites was set in North Africa however: The Abyssinian

[Don]

Hi my name is Don. I was a dentist for 25 very LONG years. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I am very inspired to read and write about the American Civil War. I also like to alk about it as well.

[Barry]

Don - have you read about California's involvement in the civil war? Fascinating politics.

[Julian]

My name is Julian Bell, and I am a writer and teacher. I teach English at a girls' secondary school in London, England, and have recently published a historical romance set in Dublin in 1920 during the Irish War of Independence, called Whatever You Say, Say Nothing, available from Amazon.Whatever You Say, Say Nothing

I love historical fiction and history and political biography, and my reading is split 50/50 between fiction and history. I read about 70 books a year. My area of interest is in the twentieth century, particularly British and Irish social history. I have recently finished writing a sequel to Whatever You Say, Say Nothing, called My Enemy's Enemy, and set in London during the Blitz in 1940 - 41. The Second World War fascinates me as it was the formative time of my parents' lives - they met in 1938, were separated by the war when my grandfather took his family back to Canada, were reunited when my father did RAF training in Canada, and were then married in September 1945 in England, immediately after the war.

I'm currently working on the third book in my trilogy, Ourselves Alone, set in 1974, the era of my childhood, so much more autobiographical.

Favourite history books: Orlando Figes, The People's Tragedy, about the Russian Revolution; Dominic Sandbrook and David Kynaston's books on post war British social history; Tim Pat Coogan's books on C20 Irish history.

Favourite historical novels: Helen Dunmore, The Siege, about the siege of Leningrad; Sarah Waters, The Night Watch, about gay women in the London Blitz; Jonathan Coe, The Rotters' Club, about 1970s Britain - eerily reminiscent of my own childhood - his school is virtually identical to my own, only being in Birmingham while I grew up in South London!

I would love to connect with people who have an interest in C20 British and Irish history, as told in fiction and history. Maybe set up a group on this topic? How would I do that?

[Gracie]

Just joined this group. I LOVE anything about 1800, through WW2 British Historical Fiction

[Deb]

Hello! Just joined and I love to read about all time periods.

[Alan]

Hi Everyone,

I believe I am remiss in not introducing myself before. A family emergency came up just as the book was launched so I'm getting back into the swing of things.

Anyway, I'm Alan Trock, an attorney in Southern California. I enjoy reading history books from the colonial times up to the 1800's. My main interest is books on Abraham Lincoln. My wife was always telling me with each Lincoln book I bought that he "dies at the end." It is along this line that I finally sat down and wrote my first novel, 36 Hours to Save the President. It follows time traveler Alex Linwood as he is transported back to April 1865 and given the chance to stop the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Maybe I can prove my wife wrong - and maybe I can't.

I am very new to all of the many websites around for promoting the book and so this is my way of introducing myself and the book to you all (and I'm keenly aware of the rules for authors which I will do my utmost to follow).

However, if you are interested in reading the book, it will be part of a Goodreads give-away starting on the 20th and running for two weeks so I hope you'll enter.

I am also on Facebook under the publishing title: Gravel Path Publishing and on Twitter: @LincolnNovel

[Jack]

I am a writer of historic and science fiction novels. Don't worry I am not here to promote my books. The interesting thing about writing historic fiction is the research that goes into it. I am English and have written two books on American history and two on Thai history. The first American book was on slavery and the second involving secession and the 1812 War. The two Thai books were on King Naresuan (Thailand's national hero) and the kings of Ayutthaya. Writing forces you to research and understand. In the case of Thailand, where I now live, it has given me an appreciation of the Thai people and culture in a way I would never have imagined.

[Larry]

Creating Historical Fiction

Many writers fail to realize accurate research is the key to writing plausible stories. It’s understandable, so to speak, as many genres set in current times require little research other than an ability to absorb news stories and TV entertainment shows. However, that sort of literary pablum grows ever more tedious as hundreds of thousands of aspiring writers churn out hollow works with little real substance.

As a professional writer and journalist I, subconsciously knew that for years. BUT, only in the last decade have I truly come to realize the differences between many writers of modern novels who create settings out of whole cloth and those with ACCURATE historical backgrounds.

I’ve spent a decade researching Northeastern Woodlands Indians for a planned “Epic” but realized there’s so little valid information about tribes that lived before the European Invasion of the Americas that such a book might as well be listed as a “fantasy.” Only the Jesuit Relations of 1600s Canada contained substantive material and constructing a vibrant story from tedious public relations tracts of that era were virtually counterproductive. How does any author produce a lively, animated story from tedious fund raising texts almost 400 years old?

Then I realized what was needed was to take the available historical facts and intertwine them with a story plot that would appeal to modern readers. The result: Longhouse Homicide, my just published Novella about the first serial murders in North America.

Without police forces, tribal leaders band together to discover the perpetrators of the first murders in North American history and, without a court system, punish the perpetrators.

The criminal pursuit stretches across Ontario and Quebec and discloses an international criminal conspiracy. Longhouse Homicide by Larry Moniz is available as a Kindle Book.

[Larry]

Why I wrote Longhouse Homicide

I’m a retired journalist and publicist who can’t stop writing. I’ve had an interest in American Indian culture since I was seven or eight years old. About 10 years ago I became fascinated with the history of the Wendat (Huron) and did several years of intensive research that included reading many of the annual promotional tracts written by and titled: The Jesuit Relations. My long term vision was to write an epic saga along the lines of James Michener’s various books. But, try as I might, I was unable to come up with viable story lines. I was subsequently sidelined by health issues and a burgeoning interest in pre-Columbian archeology.

A few months ago, I gave up on the epic concept and decided instead to incorporate some of my earlier experience (as a crime and courts reporter) and write a novella-length book about murder in early Canada.

Following is the plot summary: American Indians lived in virtually crime-free villages for thousands of years. That all changes quickly when Europeans begin exploration and settlement of the new world. In early1600s Canada, various villages become targets of a systematic murder campaign. The agrarian people are stunned by the attacks.

Who could be responsible? No one knows and scouting parties are sent far and wide in an effort to learn the reason. Bit by bit, the leaders of one village learn the answers but it takes an extremely bright young Indian boy of seven summers to discover the evidence.

Tribal revenge against the plotters is swift. In a joint operation with their traditional enemy, the Iroquois, An entire tribe far to the east is wiped out in a single raid.

[Nick]

Hello, now available in paperback, Sea Tales South Beach Miami. An area I grew up in surfing and going to the beach back in the 1970s'
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...

[Catherine]

Hello. I am always looking for good reads and discussion about history to inspire my imagination, especially when it includes the aspects of legends, mythology, and fiction! I write historical fantasy set in antiquity and the early Middle Ages when war was relentless, passions ran deep, and magic was palpable. My first novel, Feast of the Raven is out now. It follows the a savage wolf warrior's quest for identity in a dark time torn between ancient magic and the new Christian order.Feast of the Raven

[Frances]

Hi everyone,

Good to be a part of this group!

My name is Frances Webb and I'm the author of the Historical Fiction book "Come to a Memory: Joab's Story/Lila's Story" a "moving story about friendship and overcoming prejudice".

I'd like to offer my book for a review exchange. Anyone interested please write me here or in private.

I also ask you to enter Come to a Memory Giveaway here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

Good luck to all authors!

Best regards,
Sara

[Sheena]

Hi, my name is Sheena Macleod. I am delighted to have found this group. Looking through the discussions it fits the bill for me. I am an avid reader and love all things historical . I prefer some fact to my fiction. I have recently published my first historical fiction novel and am working on the follow up. My first book is set in the 17th century and the series will span from the Popish Plot to the Highland Clearances - following the Sutherland family's involvement during these times.
Look forward to becoming involved in some of the discussions here.

[Geoff]

Hello everyone. I've been away for a year and engrossed with sorting out problems with my novel, but now I'm back for a re start. First thing I noticed is that the format seems different and it'll take a while to get used to it (I'm not particularly computer literate). Regards, Geoff Lawson.

[Jackie]

Hi,
I am Jackie and I live in Oklahoma. I enjoy historical novels. Just discovered the idea of alternate history, if "discovered" is the right word. Watched the series, "The Man in the High Castle," and want to read book. Enjoyed novels from Medieval times, particularly English history and stories about the Crusades. Enjoy stories about Pioneer times, too. You will probably see me around.

[Brian]

Hello, history wonks! My name is Brian Meehl and I'm very much looking forward to engaging with this group. I'm a YA author who's always loved procrastinating with research, particularly history research, from the history of toilets to the history of vampires. Nearly forgotten but pivotal or peculiar spacetimes to be reintroduced via historical fiction quicken my pulse. I'm presently on a sports historical fiction kick. Here's my favorite spacetimes that have consumed my research and writing the last few years.

1. 1907, the Carlisle Indian School, when a football team of scrappy Native Americans invented the passing game and did more than any other team to pivot college football from a deadly game on the brink of banishment to the modern game we know today.

2. 1863, Fredericksburg, VA, when Union and Confederate armies were camped on both sides of a narrow river and "baseball fever broke out in camp." Both camps.

To me both of those scenes are begging for historical fiction, which is what I've been tilting my pen at. The tag line to these books sums up my passion for history: When the Only Way Forward Is Back.

I look forward to mixing it up, past and present!

[Jonita]

Jackie wrote: "Hi,
I am Jackie and I live in Oklahoma. I enjoy historical novels. Just discovered the idea of alternate history, if "discovered" is the right word. Watched the series, "The Man in the High Castle,..."

Hi, Jackie. I'm Jonita and I'm from Oklahoma too. Early OK (Indian Territory) history is the focus of my novels, a trilogy called "The Missions of Indian Territory."

[Jonita]

Brian wrote: "Hello, history wonks! My name is Brian Meehl and I'm very much looking forward to engaging with this group. I'm a YA author who's always loved procrastinating with research, particularly history re..."

Hi, Brian. I find your focus on Carlisle very interesting because the school has such a connection to Oklahoma history which is my focus.
You know about its most famous Oklahoma connection - Jim Thorpe - but you might not know about another Oklahoman who was at Carlisle. Her name was Alice Robertson and she worked there in the late 1880s. She later served as Oklahoma's first Congresswoman. I'm trying desperately to save and restore her home in Muskogee. Anyone interested in historic preservation might want to visit our website savinghistorichouses.com.

[Brian]

Jonita wrote: "Brian wrote: "Hello, history wonks! My name is Brian Meehl and I'm very much looking forward to engaging with this group. I'm a YA author who's always loved procrastinating with research, particula..."

Hi, Jonita,

Great to hear from you! I checked out your A.M. Robertson house preservation site and watched the "love bomb" report. What a neat project to be involved in. Did some digging in my extensive CISS research (by the way, Wikipedia has her listed at CISS 1880-82, not sure if that's correct). Oddly, in Linda Witmer's extensive account, The Indian Industrial School: Carlisle, Pennsylvania 1879-1918, there is no Alice Robertson on the teachers list, but there is an "Alice Robertson" in the student list. In the teacher's list there is only "Miss Robertson" but the dates are 1915-1917.

Best wishes and let's keep in touch.

[Cordelia]

Hi

My name is Cordelia and my favourite historical period is Medieval West Africa. I have just published ten short stories which have an alternative history for the region.

In my book, Queen Idia's Africa: Ten Short Stories, it is Africa that is the rich global superpower and the West that is poor. So it is Africa struggling with European migrants trying to get to Africa in the hope of a better life. Below is the link on Smashwords and a coupon for a free review copy.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

Coupon: WZ73S


Hope you enjoy! (And of course reviews would be greatly appreciated).

[KOMET]

Cordelia wrote: "Hi

My name is Cordelia and my favourite historical period is Medieval West Africa. I have just published ten short stories which have an alternative history for the region.

."

Hi Cordelia,

I'm HIGHLY INTRIGUED by your book of short stories because of its premise of Africa as a First World continent and Europe and North America as a collection of Third World countries in the present century. I read the summary in Amazon and I'm going to buy it later today.

[Cordelia]

KOMET wrote: "Cordelia wrote: "Hi

My name is Cordelia and my favourite historical period is Medieval West Africa. I have just published ten short stories which have an alternative history for the region.

."

..."
Thanks Komet... I hope you enjoy!

[Mark]

Hello!

My name is Mark, and I'm an Alternate History (What-If?) and Sci-Fi author. My favorite period for writing and in general is the American Civil War and Reconstruction, although I'm nuts for almost anything history-related; one week I can be reading on the Roman Empire, the next Maoist China, then the next Pre-Columbian America. Very much looking forward to more chats with this group, on everything from real and fictional history to research to anything writing-related under the sun!

I've published three novellas in the What-If genre on Amazon Kindle: "For State and Country", set in a world where a worse outcome at Fort Sumter has a certain renowned general from Virginia reconsidering whether to side with the Confederacy; "Obsidian and Steel", where Cortez fails to conquer Mexico, and a later expedition finds a much-changed Aztec Empire waiting for them; and "Dillinger in Charleston", where FBI agent John Dillinger is sent to the Southern city on a clandestine assignment, in a post-WWII world where North and South have been divided since 1863, and face each other down like the USA and USSR of our world. The links to these are on my page, so please feel free to check them out, and post any reviews!

I'm presently working on a sci-fi draft revolving around two genetically-engineered supersoldiers who are searching for the true story behind their creation--and why someone is trying to kill them to keep it quiet. The draft launched on the crowdfunding site Unbound on the 3rd; the link to the project page is included below. There's plenty of great perks that come with contributing to this pledge campaign--including free copies of my Kindle books--so PLEASE consider doing so, or passing the word on to others!

https://unbound.com/books/discarded

[Janet]

Hi,

I am a freelance writer who is based in Hong Kong. My favorite history period is cultural revolution in China. The history of this period has many conflict and events.

I love historical fiction. I would like to learn more about it with all of you.

Janet

[Janet]

Hi,

I am Janet, a writer from Hong Kong. My favorite history period is cultural revolution.

Hope I can learn more in this group.

[Sheena]

Welcome, Janet.

[Janet]

Dear Sheena,

How can I learn from this forum?

Thanks & Regards,
Janet

[Janet]

Dear Sheena,

How can I learn from this forum?

Thanks & Regards,
Janet

[[deleted user]]

Hi there! My name is Peter Cane, and I'm a writer as well as an avid reader.

I was born and educated in England, lived for the better part of a decade in Brazil, and then moved with my spouse and two teenage boys (and a beagle and a husky) to Canada, which I love and where I plan to stay - and my passion is the way in which we communicate with one another - verbally, visually, tactilely.

Before arriving here, I lectured for a while on the sensory triggers we use when displaying emotion, how they are used to direct attention, and how they misdirect it, for example with camouflage. It's a new science called Bioaesthetics. Anyway, I was doing research on a particular type of triggers that make us stop and stare, hold our breath and listen, perhaps subconsciously expecting something to happen: tension triggers... and it occurred to me that the two famous fingers of Adam and God on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were a good example.

While examining a high resolution image of the two fingers, though, I noticed that something seemed to have been camouflaged between them, and I decided to do some digital enhancement. What I found was some letters, letters that spelt out the word 'chiave', which, when I looked it up, was Italian for 'key'. And then I noticed more letters, and yet more. Over the next few weeks I found that Michelangelo had used Genesis - its superficial topic - as a series of allegories for his bitter experiences while working in the Vatican. Indeed, I found that the whole ceiling had a second and more profound meaning - that it was a passionate denunciation of a crime committed by the then Pope, Julius II.

Slowly over the next few years I found that this use of painting to vent the traumas the artist encountered in their everyday lives, nightmares arising particularly from dealing with rich and powerful patrons, was not something that Michelangelo invented, but that it was universal, and that it was present in all art done in times of tyranny, from the days of the frescos in the Palace of Knossos to the flourishing of democracy in the 19thC.

And with that discovery came not only the realisation that works of art constitute an entirely new and untapped source of historical documentation, but that being from the heart, and not intended (like many tax records or records of birth or death) - as much to fool the reader as to inform them, that we had something uniquely reliable.

More, the story these unexpected documents told was very different to what I had learned in my history books. Not only different, but it was a history that although on the surface seeming incredible, it actually explained a lot that conventional history did not. So I began writing, and the book grew so much I had to split it into six more reasonably sized tomes, which, alas, could not then be published because Kindle had not yet enabled the creation of such image-heavy books, and publishers threw up their hands at the cost.

So I decided instead to focus on just one character, a particularly prolific artist, and tell his life story in novel form... no pictures, and thus publishable. Then, on finishing one month ago, I found to my amazement that I no longer needed an agent and a sympathetic publisher - I could do it myself. Which is where I am now.

As a consequence of all this my work falls in an uncertain genre, lurking somewhere between historical fiction and alternative history, with a very subversive sort of semiotics as undercurrent. What I hope for in this group is to get a much broader understanding of why people read, how they come to choose what they put on their bookshelves, and - of course - how other authors manage to get their books to a public that would adore them!

[Jack]

In my past life I used to devour the works of Paul Doherty, C.J.Sansom, and Peter Tremayne, among many others on my daily commute into London. You can only commute for so long so here I am in Phitsanulok in North Central Thailand seeing if I can write books of their caliber. (555, 5 is ha in Thai). Two novels 1809; The Year they Freed the Slaves, and its sequel The Georgia Secession were my start. I was impressed, but sales (which are never easy when you self-publish) are not too good.
When you wander around Phitsanulok you are struck by the number of Rooster statues. P'lok is one of those cities where English speakers are few and far between. To find out about the Rooster I wrote the book King Naresuan, about Thailands national hero. That led to the Kings of Ayutthaya, (a narrative nonfiction book as no one knows anything about the subject, and it gives me the opportunity to put events in perspective. It is my first properly published book, coming out in late 2017, and the Tiger King, a kind of Ayutthaya's most vicious king comes to England in the reign of Queen Anne. I have just finished the sequel to the Kings of Ayutthaya with the catchy title "The Rise and Fall of the Toungoo Empire," an empire that rivaled the Ming Dynasty of China to its north, but again no one has heard of it. Like the Kings of Ayutthaya it was a book that needed to be written. The history of the South-East Asia region is little know and deserves wider coverage.
I have snuck a couple of short books in. The Annunaki, my best seller, and The Pastor, The Atheist and the Unbeliever, my worst sKing Naresuan the Greateller!
As for living in P'lok. Only a few English speakers so proofreading and beta reading is difficult. Apparently some authors use Twitter but that doesn't exist here. Facebook page (under the name Jack Lourens,) a Goodreads page that seems pretty static, and a blog on Wordpress are my limited attempts to publicise my work. I publish under my real name Robert Smith in Thailand as I do not want to hide my name. The laws here on defaming royalty are tough. I don't want to be seen as hiding anything.
It has been interesting to turn from reader to writer, but this writing is tough. The competition is intense. As with most self-published writers the battle is not that your books are not good enough, it is simply that people never find them. Thanks for your time.

[Robert]

Hi- I'm Robert. I first got into alternate history, like most, through Harry Turtledove. I read his entire Southern Victory/Timeline 191 series in order and probably made a car payment for the manager of my local B&N doing so.

I've done a fair bit of reading on Kindle Unlimited since I got my Kindle a few years ago, and every now and then go through an alternate history streak. Christopher Nuttall's Twilight of the Gods was my most recent alt history read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I finally committed to finishing a writing project and when I sat down to figure out which random "hey that's a good story idea" to grab out of my brain I went with an alternative civil war history with fantasy elements. It's called Edge of a Knife and it's set in a world with magic where the South wins the civil war. Check it out if that sounds like your thing!

[Robert]

Mark wrote: "Hello!

My name is Mark, and I'm an Alternate History (What-If?) and Sci-Fi author. My favorite period for writing and in general is the American Civil War and Reconstruction, although I'm nuts for..."

Mark- I put two of your alt-history novellas on my "want to read list." The Civil War is ripe for ideas because there are so many possible outcomes if you just alter one small fact. I also like the idea of then extrapolating that timeline out a few decades and imagining how different the world would be. Looking forward to reading.

[RavensScar]

Hello all
I'm Luci from Norway. I love history actual, fictional or alternate. I find myself drawn to historical mysteries lately. Hope I can find some great new historical reads in this group :)

[Ellis]

I've posted in this group but just realized I never made an introduction.

I'm a medieval historian, retired now. I studied the late Middle Ages, roughly from 1300 to 1600, and taught it for about 35 years. My particular interests are in urban history, especially guilds and daily life, but I've also wandered off into the Crusades and the Reformation.

I have always been writing things, ever since my teen years, but only in the past decade have I become serious about writing fiction. Everything I write takes place in Altearth, which parallels Earth history, but with magic and non-human creatures added in. Basically, everything we think of as legendary is a reality in Altearth. I have particular fun taking what we call superstition and translating it into something real.

I live with my wife of ... well, my whole life (we married at 18) and two dogs, in Idaho. Our three kids are grown and gone, off to bright lights and big cities. I'd like to pretend I have hobbies, but honestly writing fiction takes up most all my time now.

[Robert]

Hello

My name is Robert Smith living in Phitsanulok in north-central Thailand. An avid reader and writer about all types of history with a taste for alternative history and South-East Asian history (as I live here now). I have just set up a new page and am very lonely.

[Ellis]

Welcome Robert. I think we may be the only people here.

What sort of history do you read? And what alternate history books have you read?

As my intro above says, I'm a medieval historian. For alternate history I like alternate fantasy history. Something like Naomi Novik's "Temeraire."

[Robert]

Goodreads can be a lonely place! I used to read a lot of historic mysteries such as C.J Sansom and Peter Tremayne but overdosed on them and cut back. I also like the medieval period. I am slowly making my way through Millenium by Tom Holland which is informative but a bit dry. I drifted in alternative history by writing, for some reason about early America , under the pen name Jack Lourens. I've always had an interest in history but am impressed with the "medieval historian" tag.

[Robert]

Jack wrote: "My name is Jack King of Plano TX. I read both history and historical fiction of various periods. I'm also an author of 3 historical fiction novels; one is YA time travel adventure set in frontier T..."

Hi Jack
Nice to see another writer. We have to be so careful on Goodreads!!

[Isobel]

Hello everyone! I'm a medieval history Ph.D. student with a love of historical fiction. Although I only tend to study history pre-AD 1000 these days, I love to read fiction from all sorts of time periods. I also write historical fiction (although so far I haven't combined it with the periods I study!).

I find myself with a bit of time off from the Ph.D. over Christmas, so I'm hoping to hunt through the boards in this group and find some new reading suggestions.

[Gregg]

My name is Voss, and I’m a writer based in Chicago. New to Goodreads but really like it. You can check my profile about what I’m currently reading, but I love love love history, historical fiction and alternative history.

[Parker]

I'm Parker, female despite the name. I'm a history whore (according to some of my friends). The only genre I don't like is speculative fiction.

I'm a Living Historian/Museum Educator specialising in 18th Century history. I'm also a weaver/spinner/dyer (mainly, although I also do gourdwork, leatherwork, open hearth cooking, cow milking...)

[Salem]

Hello everyone, my name is Caryn. I used to be a mythology TA and now I'm just an enthusiast for it, as well as ancient cultures. Less fiction, but I also enjoy it depending on the subject. I'm always looking for new books to add to my collection!

[X]

Hello, I’m new here to this community. I started my fascination with history in the WW2 time period, and I still read many books about battles then. I am mostly interested in the Eastern Front of WW2, and the Soviet-German battles. Even though I live in the USA, I believe American history is a bit overrated by patriots here, and that there’s more to history than the US of A. I’m slowly getting to know medieval history, starting by going back from before WW1.

[James]

Ed wrote: "Here you can tell us something about your own history and/or what you are doing now.

Anything you want to say so that we see you as something more than a user-id. Likes and dislikes are always a ..."

Hi everyone, my name is Jim, I write as James John Loftus, two novels to date, both on Medieval Scotland and clan MacKay.
Celtic Blood
Celtic Blood
On my mother's side I am a MacKay.

[James]

Silvana wrote: "I think we could discussed the books made into movies. For instance, yesterday I've just checked the coming-soon movies and found The Men who Stare at Goats. Starring Clooney, McGregor, Bridges and..."

As an ex-soldier I thought Black Hawk Down was fundamentally correct in its depiction of warfare.