History’s Mysteries

What license does fiction writing give you? As a former archaeologist, I get many questions from fellow writers about antiquity. Usually I have to honestly answer “I don’t know what the current scholarship says on that.”

I think the devil is in the details. If you want to write about characters who are archaeologists, they probably shouldn’t uncover a mummy every ten minutes. Archaeologists spend much of their time in labs, in front of their computers, pouring over various lengthy tomes. Fieldwork is a tiny part of what they do. Of course, you won’t want to highlight the computer part. Pretty dull stuff.

I wrote some pretty absurd stuff into Mayan Nights, and I’m currently doing the same in the sequel, Mayan Secrets. Still, there are some subjects that I consider inviolate. Isn’t that silly? They are:

Pyramids. The ones in Egypt. The damned Egyptians built the damned pyramids. No one else showed them how, aliens included. They even drew pictures showing how they did it. Stop watching bogus History Channel shows that intimate we don’t know how they did it. We do. We even know where the people lived who did the work, where they are buried.

More Pyramids. The Egyptians did not “teach” the Mayans how to build pyramids. Honest. Don’t go there.

Easter Island. Those big heads (some have partial bodies, you know). Aliens didn’t do that either.

The Mayans had some kick-ass mathematicians and astronomers. They were smart. Aliens didn’t teach them anything.

Atlantis–my absolute favorite. Where is it? Enough already. Everytime someone asks that I hear strains of “Under the Sea” in my head. Don’t worry about Atlantis. It’s not Minoan Crete. Honestly. The Minoans did not live in a Utopian society.

While we’re on the topic, the Minoans did not worship “the one goddess.” A lot of women would have you believe because they find a fat female statue or a woman holding up snakes that the whole culture was a matriarchy. Bull. (I don’t mean the minotaur).

I’ll avoid the whole “what race invented what” Al Sharpton debate here.

Okay, thanks, I just needed to vent. Now off to write my fantasy about the aliens who built pyramids all over the universe. Seriously. And the Mayan gods who speak with archaeologists.

13 Plus Things Shakespeare Wrote

I already cut out a dozen, just couldn’t get myself to pare it down more!
1. All the world’s a stage…
2. Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow
3. A horse! a horse!
4. What a piece of work is man!
5. Friends, Romans, countrymen…
6. So wise so young, they say do never live long
7. We are such stuff… As dreams are made on
8. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio
9. What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
10. The quality of mercy is not strain’d
11. Beware the ides of March
12. Now is the winter of our discontent
13. A plague o’ both your houses!
13a. Frailty, thy name is woman!
13b. Why, then the world’s mine oyster
If music be the food of love, play on
Journeys end in lovers meeting
The lady doth protest too much, methinks
O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
Get thee to a nunn’ry
All that glisters is not gold
Nothing can come of nothing
The play’s the thing
Though this be madness, yet there is method in ‘t
I am constant as the northern star
How now? A rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!
By the pricking of my thumbs
Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio
O happy dagger!
Eye of newt, and toe of frog
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark

Romantic Times Convention–Who Needs It?

I’m really not upset about RT this year. Honestly. Not. Upset. Pretty soon the photos will start pouring in through cybermethods. Why would I want to go? New Jersey has everything I need–I hear Texas is tiny and there’s nothing to see there. I don’t want to meet my fellow authors (and the one or two other folks who might have read something of mine)–it would just bum me out to find out how normal looking they are. Right? And agent and editor appointments, who needs those?

Then those parties–ick. People laughing and celebrating, rubbing shoulders with their heroes, networking. I don’t sew, so I’m not about to put together some fruity medieval or fairy costume or whatever. And I feel no need to get away, do something completely different, assert my identity as a romance writer…

What a bore. Nope, I’m simply going to go to the New Jersey beach this weekend and tiptoe around the syringes, buy a day-old hot dog, and curl up with a good magazine. Can’t beat that. It should be about 55 degrees.

A GREAT book for a $1

I rarely pimp my pals, but I can’t resist this time. My pal LK Campbell has offered her backlist ebooks at $1 here. I read Gold Star Wife and was completely swept away. I just bought A Soldier’s Love tonight, could resist the dollar treat for myself!

I’ve been deep in WWII photos with my mom, and I intend to buy the paperback edition for her. Gold Star Wife (and I assume A Soldier’s Love) are awesome gifts. Think about it–anyone have a relative interested in the era? Most of us do!

Lucinda is a very talented writer–she doesn’t rely on tricks or fads to carry her characters along. If you’re looking for something without the fur or the bite, her work is refreshing change.

Happy Feet–Post your good news!!! RT boooooo

I have Happy Feet. How about you? How was your weekend? It’s gorgeous here in New Jersey, so writing took a backseat to cleaning, planting a little apartment garden (dahlias and such), going for a long walk with my husband, and watching Happy Feet. What a cute (if overly message-laden) movie. I guess those of you with little kids want to ring my neck at the mention of a movie you’ve probably had to watch a dozen times or more. But any soundtrack that features Earth Wind & Fire and Stevie has to be good )

Feel free to post your good news today! I WILL NOT let this RT (to which I am again not going) get me down. Making pretend everyone had to go to an accounting convention…

What Size is Your Pond?

This question really applies to everyone, not just writers. I suppose it’s a personality thing. Would you rather be a big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond?

As a new writer (I still consider myself new at 3+ years or whatever it is…), I’m fairly used to being a small fish. My ponds have gotten bigger (by that, of course, I mean publishing houses), but I’ve never had the luxury of becoming a big fish. Fortunately I’m not treated poorly, guppie that I am. It’s so freaking competitive that I feel happy to be fed regularly.

I was following a familiar discussion on the Romance Divas Forum (if you’re an aspiring writer, this is a very good place to visit) about “epubs vs. trying for NY pubs” and was very interested in the take on this.

Things were very different just a few years ago, weren’t they? If you saw a print book not from a big NY house, it must have been Ellora’s Cave. There were a half dozen pretty active epublishers, and what seems like a tenth the number of writers for them.

Hmmnn, I don’t have any grand conclusion, but I think the days of easily becoming a really big fish in a little pond (epublishing) are long gone. You can do it, but kerplunk!–next thing you know, you’re a teensy fish in the NY pond. Well, at least some have figured that part out ;o). Which would you rather be???

Thirteen Dudes from the 13th Century

1. Alexander Nevsky, Grand Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir
2. Béla IV of Hungary rebuilder of Hungary after the devastating Mongol invasion
3. Bonaventure, Franciscan theologian
4. Dante Alighieri, Italian writer
5. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order
6. Frederick II, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
7. Genghis Khan, founder of Mongol Empire
8. Giotto di Bondone Italian painter
9. Kublai Khan, Khan ruler, founder of Yuan Dynasty in China
10. Louis IX of France, St. Louis, French king and crusader
11. Roger Bacon, Franciscan, philosopher, and scientist
12. Thomas Aquinas, theologian
13. William Wallace, Scottish national leader

Wizard of Time Joyfully Recommended!

Joyfully Reviewed gave Wizard of Time, my EC debut, a recommended read! A nice pick-me-up! In part, the reviewer, Amelia said, “Wizard of Time is a hilarious, witty and emotional story about how emotions are interconnected, and how worlds can collide, and do damage to others. I absolutely loved this story. Trevor is a fantastic character, tormented by his love for, and refusal by, Morgan. These two are so perfect together. Who hasn’t, at one point in time, felt the heartache of a teen-age love that didn’t pan out. Watching Trevor and Morgan together was a treat and a joy. These two aren’t the only fun parts of this story. Least I forget, Gideon, Trevor’s lizard, who was supposed to be a dragon. Or the King and his passion for Trevor’s twin sister. At the Academy, there is also great passion between Professor Jordan Schrom and Headmistress Drussy Loves. Add all this together and you have a wonderful tale that will have you laughing, and loving, the characters and the story they have to tell.
The book is available now at Ellora’s Cave.

Who are your weirdest myspace friends?

Happy Monday! How the hell are you? Post your good news here.

I’m flailing about in the waterlogged state of New Jersey and just as waterlogged state of confusion. My “school” was closed today. My good news? Well, I did manage to befriend a few folks on myspace, along with the thousands of others they accept for promotional purposes LOL–but it is fun to friend folks like the Ghost Hunters (TAPS) cast, and people posing as Terry Pratchett characters… Who’s the weirdest person you’ve friended?

I managed to burn my fingers on a pan the other night, so I’m almost maxed out on my ability to type with my good fingers.

No edits yet from Laurie at Samhain. Hmnn…I think this is a bad sign.

Good news? I’m home, dry, safe and sound, sad for people at VPI, a little grateful for the things I have. Today, that’s good enough. Writing can come later in the week. How about you?

Divas! A great review for Wizard of Time

I’m thrilled with this review from a fellow Romance Diva for my EC debut release, Wizard of Time! Read it here! It says, in part: In Wizard of Time, Ciar Cullen makes us laugh, think, then mixes in some wonderfully spicy moments. The characters are memorable, the references to King Arthur amusing and playful. The story supplies some unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader guessing…A fun and witty read you will enjoy.