Research! It’s what can make the difference between a 4-star rating and a 5-star rating when I read a novel. The background story. The driving distance and time. The description of the scenery. All those little details make the story come alive, and in all my novels, I use those details to turn the unbelievable … Continue reading {Sunday Musings} Why Research Matters to Me
Category: Research
{Sunday Musings} Top Ten Assets I Consider When Writing Ancient Egyptian Gods or Goddesses
My writing is steeped in ancient Egyptian mythology. The Descendants of Isis trilogy focuses on the myth of Isis and Osiris while in Dark Reflections I weave the myth of Sekhmet and the Eye of Ra into my vampiric world. Additionally, Astyr from Bly is connected to Geb, ancient Egyptian god of the earth, and … Continue reading {Sunday Musings} Top Ten Assets I Consider When Writing Ancient Egyptian Gods or Goddesses
{Sunday Musings} Integrating a Dead Language into Descendants of Isis
Disclaimer: I am not an Egyptologist. I am not a linguist. I’m not a historian. I am an author and scientist. To bring certain characters and written texts to life, authors use language, communication, and slang. And I’m not just talking about American English vs British English. I’ve seen French, German, even Latin used in … Continue reading {Sunday Musings} Integrating a Dead Language into Descendants of Isis
Kukulkan, God of Wind and Hurricanes
Mayan Name: Kukulkan; Gucumatz Aztec Equivalent: Quetzalcoatl Associated Animal: Feathered serpent Role: Wind, Hurricanes Kukulkan is the god of wind and hurricanes. He is often depicted as a plumed serpent, but can take human form as well. Little is known about the myths surrounding Kukulkan. There is more information about his Aztec counterpart, Quetzalcoatl, who … Continue reading Kukulkan, God of Wind and Hurricanes
Mermaids: In Folklore and In Fiction
Mermaids and mermen are mythological marine creatures that are typically depicted to be half human and half fish or sea serpent. They’re often known to be both mysterious and enchanting as well as possess magical and prophetic powers. First appearing around 1000 B.C. in ancient Assyrian mythology, mermaids and mermen have be recorded in different … Continue reading Mermaids: In Folklore and In Fiction
Tall Ship: Brigantine
Brigantines are one of my favorite tall ships! They have two-masts with square rigging on the foremast and fore-and-aft rigging on the mainmast. And its gaff-rigged mainsail distinguishes it from the completely square-rigged brig. A typical brigantine in the 18th century displaced 100 tons, were 65-80 feet long, held 8-10 guns, and carried a crew … Continue reading Tall Ship: Brigantine
Ah Puch, God of Death, Darkness, and Disaster
Mayan Name: Ah Puch; Ahal Puh; God A; Cizin; Yum Cimil Aztec Equivalent: Michlantecuhtli Associated Animal: Owl or dog Role: Death, Disease, Disasters, War, Childbirth, and Beginnings Ah Puch is one of many names associated with the god of death in Mayan religion. He is the ruler of Metnal (Xibalba), the Mayan underworld. To the … Continue reading Ah Puch, God of Death, Darkness, and Disaster
Pirate Profile: Anne Bonny
Name: Anne Bonny (Anne Cormac) Birth Year: 1698 Birth Location: Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland Year of Death: 1782? Location of Death: Charles Towne, S.C. *Note: Much of what we know about several pirates’ lives, including Anne Bonny’s, come from the 1724 text General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates by … Continue reading Pirate Profile: Anne Bonny
The Pharaohs and Queens that Inspired My Novel
Natara Stone, the main character from Descendants of Isis, stems from a long Egyptian bloodline that once served the goddess Isis. In ancient Egypt, women held more rights than women do today. They could divorce their husbands, own their own land, and a few held high power over political matters. However, there were three primary … Continue reading The Pharaohs and Queens that Inspired My Novel
Zodiac of Dendera
The concept of the zodiac was invented by the Babylonians in the 5th century B.C., then taken up by the Greeks, and finally appeared in Egypt at the end of the 3rd century B.C. The first depiction of the zodiac signs in Egyptian art was on the astronomical ceiling of the tomb of Senenmut, chief … Continue reading Zodiac of Dendera
Kelsey Ketch 