This past Lent, I decided to read books on the Christian faith. During that time, I was able to read three books: Joy to the World: How Christ’s Coming Changed Everything (and Still Does) by Scott Hahn The Name of God Is Mercy by Pope Francis and translated by Oonagh […]
This is one of my earliest successful speeches. I competed in several High School competitions, often earning a fifth-place certificate. My father helped me with the cadence and rhythm, but the writing and research are all mine. Later, after the Loma Prieta quake (which I got to experience first hand), […]
I have a conflicting relationship with cows. I love them. I love to look at them, touch them and hang out with them. I’ve had the opportunity to feed a cow, see cows mate and give birth, and even once tried my hand at milking a cow (I sucked). I […]
This morning, I went to the restroom to brush my teeth. I work on a university campus, so it was not strange to see a backpack in one of the stalls. What was strange was the complete lack of any noise. No shuffling. No breathing or sighing. Silence. So, as […]
They say the pen is mightier than the sword … and I do agree that it packs a powerful punch. “With great power comes great responsibility,” and this is so true of writers. Our words are powerful — especially when they appear in headlines. They inspire, inform and change opinions. […]
One of the causes of a human’s “shortened” life span is the increased risk of infections and certain cancers caused the the reduced effectiveness of the immune system. You see, as we age, the thymus, which produces new T cells (a type of white blood cell that is key to […]
Here is another sample chapter draft from Lord Vayne. Radu had the afternoon off. His father was caring for the goats now and he only needed to pick up a few things from the market and deliver some cheese from his mother to Maria. Radu liked Maria. She seemed more […]
I wanted to have the novel take place in someplace that could be real, so I researched how towns might be named. I eventually chose Liniste Sat, which means quiet village in Romanian. This is a great name because it evokes the feel of a real Romanian name, while having […]
Here is another sample chapter draft from Lord Vayne. This time, Maria approached Grigor’s grave with excitement and jubilation. The clearing seemed brighter, cheerier since her last visit. The twitter of thrush and tit lent a gaiety to what Maria normally thought of as a somber place. She could barely […]
I’ve watched so many movies and TV shows with vampires and even read a few books, so I have a general take on what vampires are about. However, there is a historic novel aspect to this work, so I wanted to find out what Romanians had to say about vampires. […]
