I love Matyszak’s way of non-fiction story-telling, making antiquity highly accessible. The subject of this particular work is also very dear to me, and I can’t believe I missed it. Come to think about it, looking at the publication date, I can’t help but wonder if he wrote it specifically for me after an online ..read more

Readers of this blog (and stories and novels) know that I’m fascinated by Roman culture and mythology, and antiquity in general. So naturally, when my publisher put out the call for short stories on the theme of the Merit of Care, I came up with a story that revolved around those themes. This one does not involve Felix, but I still think you’d enjoy it. I include below the opening scene. Interestingly, I wasn’t the only one to involve old gods with care and compassion. Doug Lumsden (whose work I adore), has also written a story with the same conceit — but leading in a completely different dir ..read more

I’ve previously read and recommended 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, so was excited to see a continuing volume on the subject. Quick aside: did you know that two of my short stories have been published in the just-released anthology It Takes A Village? Two stories, one sci-fi and one fantasy, about the meaning of caring for others. If you care about social justice, you owe it to yourself to check it out! What to expect Having dealt with the collapse of the networked societies of the Mediterranean and Near East at the end of the Late Bronze Age (and how uncannily the conditions are ..read more

I came across this via an interview on The Protagonist Speaks, and it looked like a fun read. Quick aside: did you know that two of my short stories have been published in the just-released anthology It Takes A Village? Two stories, one sci-fi and one fantasy, about the meaning of caring for others. If you care about social justice, you owe it to yourself to check it out! What to Expect Light-hearted fantasy, pitting a sensible pest-control guy against hordes of violent adventurers, dark lords, and corrupt officials. The story follows Eric as he tries to keep his business alive — as well as h ..read more

Unless you really aren’t paying attention to this blog or my newsletter, you should know that the amazing team at Purple Toga just published a new anthology about care, compassion, and social justice. Since it included two of my stories, I thought I’d share some teasers with you (those of you still reading The first story I wrote was about what you’d expect from me, involving Roman myths and gods: But, well, not quite. It doesn’t involve Felix, and is set in our modern days. In fact, my inspiration for it was taken altogether from real life: My mother passed away a couple of months before ..read more

What’s not to love about this series? Roaring 20’s, mythological creatures, and a hard-boiled noir gumshoe. What to Expect Black City Angel is the fourth full-length novel in the series (and it’s been a while since the previous). This one sees Nick dealing with an increasing number of refugees from Feirie. Trying to investigate affairs draws him deeper into the ugly politics of the Feirie court, and brings him in contact with old and new acquaintances. Most notably, we see a lot more of the dragon, which is always welcome (though Nick may disagree). Black City Tales includes three short stori ..read more

My backyard on a misty morning. Certainly spooky enough for a shallow grave. Since moving to Tasmania and embracing the scene, I have naturally started to toy with an idea about a modern-day, Outback-noir style, fantasy (duh) crime mystery. So for the sake of ‘research’ I’ve been reading a few police procedurals and crime fiction set in Tasmania. Or so I thought. This post collects several reviews in one, and my observations on the genre. Must say, I’ve been caught by surprise with some aspects. (I mentioned this blend of magical realism and Tasmanian police operations on my recent newsletter ..read more

The Alex Verus series of urban fantasy has been recommended to me repeatedly, so finally got around to it. What to Expect Expect a well-written, original take on urban fantasy themes. TRhe story is told from the point of view of Alex, a mage living in London. While he’d like nothing more than to run his magical shop in peace and quiet (and avoid the unavoidable demons from his past), he naturally gets drawn into power struggles between light and dark mages as their forces struggle to gain control over a mysterious ancient artefact. And why is Alex such a key pawn? Because of his unique talent ..read more

I love the urban-fantasy noir-detective blend of this series, and have followed it from the start – it maintained its high quality throughout. What to Expect Trigger warning: Alex doesn’t get paid for this case. Well, OK, that’s not that atypical of gumshoe detectives – but most cases don’t start with being ‘hired’ by the ghost of the deceased. When Alex is woken up by a spectre of an old lover at his window looking for closure, he decides to investigate her death. Poking his nose where it doesn’t belong leads Alex to tangle with organised crime and shady government organisations (the distinc ..read more

You might have noticed there’s a certain Latin flavour around here that has nothing to do with salsa. As Roman life makes one of the “Three-R” pillars of this blog (Reading, Writing, and Romans), this also seeps in to the language. Now, I’m the first to admit my Latin is atrocious, but that doesn’t mean I don’t find Latin fun (on the occasion I can make sense of it). So here are a few non-stuffy resources to learn Latin — including the use of Lego! legonium.com The above is made by Legonium, as part of his recent series for teaching basic Latin. He puts up mini-lessons here which are quite fun ..read more