The Claddagh ring may look simple — a heart, two hands, and a crown — but it carries centuries of meaning, folklore, and a touch of mystery. From pirate legends to Roman rings, here’s how one tiny piece of jewellery became a symbol of love, loyalty, and storytelling.
In 1777, sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington may have ridden through a stormy night to rally a scattered militia—and possibly outshone Paul Revere while doing it. Or… maybe she didn’t. The truth is tangled in legend, but the story of a teenage girl rising to the moment (and then vanishing from history) is worth dusting off. Whether myth or memory, Sybil’s ride says a lot about the women history tends to forget.
Mary Anning didn’t just “sell sea shells by the seashore.” She dug ancient sea monsters out of English cliffs, rewrote what we knew about life on Earth, and got zero credit for any of it while she was alive. Why? She was poor, female, and brilliant — the historical trifecta for being completely ignored. This week, let’s talk about the fossil hunter who changed science… and got buried by it.
Fourteen years ago, I shared a snapshot of my writing desk—and a surprising number of you still remember it! That desk is still with me, but the world around it has changed: the landline is gone, the monitors have multiplied, and only Strider remains of the original furry trio. This year, I revisited that 2011 post with a photo tour of my current workspace, the oddball trinkets that inspire me, and a glimpse into how I really write now—recliner and all. Spoiler: dusty fantasy author chaos is alive and well.
Grace O’Malley didn’t just defy the odds—she defied an empire. Born into a world where women were expected to fade quietly into the background, she carved out a life of rebellion, leadership, and high-seas adventure. From commanding a fleet to negotiating with Queen Elizabeth I, Grace rewrote the rules for what a woman could do—and dared anyone to stop her.
Most people think writers live glamorous lives — champagne book launches, exotic research trips, and endless hours of leisure to dream up stories. The truth is a lot less Parisian café and a lot more 4:30 a.m. alarm clocks, fourteen-hour workdays, and muttering at characters who won’t behave while the laundry piles up.
In this post, I pull back the curtain on what writers’ lives really look like, why the myths persist, and how those rosy assumptions can sometimes hurt more than help.
If you haven’t heard of X Company, you’re not alone—but you’re missing out. This Canadian World War II spy drama combines gut-twisting espionage with quiet, powerful romance in a way that still haunts me years after watching. The storytelling is sharp, the characters unforgettable, and the romantic tension? Off the charts. Don’t let the soft-focus promo poster fool you—this one pulls no punches.
On this day in 410 AD, Rome was sacked—and the world changed. But perhaps the real marvel isn’t that Rome fell. It’s that it lasted more than a thousand years. From primitive huts to aqueducts, concrete, dentistry, and legal systems we still use today, Rome wasn’t just a city—it was civilization. This post explores what a millennium really means… and what we lost when Western Rome fell.
Boudicca wasn’t just a queen—she was an inferno wrapped in iron. After the Romans flogged her and assaulted her daughters, she rallied her tribe and scorched a path through Roman Britain so fierce, it still smolders in the national memory. She’s not just part of history—she is history. And maybe, just maybe, she shares blood with Arthur himself. The stories blur. The legends tangle. But oh, what a tale they tell.
“Aqueducts are the perfect intersection of beauty and practicality. They’re not just pretty ruins—they were the arteries of ancient cities, still standing, still defying time.”
