Tirana In early January the Larkin family traveled to Tirana, Albania, where we’ve been for almost two months. This Balkan nation had the advantage of being open to travelers on US passports (unlike most of Europe), having low covid cases,…
Edinburgh Sometime around the first century AD, the local Scots in Edinburgh built a fort upon a hill to defend against Romans. It worked, and if you’ve seen how steep the hill is, you’d not be surprised. Later, a full…
In early 2018, I attended a writer’s conference just outside London. As that was our first to the UK, we decided to take the chance to visit some iconic locations across England for research and personal edification. Naturally, London itself…
In 2016, we traveled to Europe to research two of my planned series, one inspired by Rome, and one by Greece. After our time in Italy, and brief hiccup getting to Greece, we arrived in Athens. Naturally, for my interest…
In 2016 we planned a research trip to two countries: Italy and Greece. Rome Our flight landed in Rome, which for me, was the #1 location I wanted to see for this trip. While crowds left the city congested, it…
At the beginning of 2015 I lost my dad. My wife and I had just bought our first house and begun planning a family. Juhi was only a couple of months pregnant when Dad’s health suddenly declined. We rushed to…
In 2007, I made my first research trip. I’d had an enduring interest in Indian mythologies and architecture since I was a young teenager, so I decided it was finally time to head to India and see the culture and…
By the time Children of Ash and Elm released to some acclaim (I saw it recommended from several sources), I had already finished my Norse-inspired work. Nevertheless, I eventually intend to return to the Ragnarok Era, so I purchased a…
I had read one of Oden’s works of historical fiction before, so I knew I was in for quality. I bought A Gathering of Ravens when it launched, but got so caught up in other projects I didn’t make time…
With her debut novel, Tan combines lyrical prose evoking Madeline Miller with a reimagining of the beloved Chinese myth of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess. As a mortal, Chang’e steals the elixir of immortality that was a gift for her husband.…