Guest Post: The Chinese Passion for Tea
This week I’m welcoming M.K. Tod to my blog. Enjoy her guest post about the Chinese Tea ceremony in honor of her new novel The Admiral’s Wife.
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Judith Starkston
Judith Starkston has spent too much time exploring the remains of the ancient worlds of the Greeks and Hittites. Their myths and clashes inspire her fiction and open gates to magical realms. She has degrees in Classics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and Cornell. She loves myths and telling stories, and her novels imbue fantasy with the richness of ancient worlds. The first book in her Trojan Threads Series, Hand of Fire was a semi-finalist for the M.M. Bennett’s Award for Historical Fiction. Priestess of Ishana, the first in her historical fantasy Tesha series, won the San Diego State University Conference Choice Award. Judith is represented by Richard Curtis.
Review of The Admiral’s Wife
I recommend M.K. Tod’s latest historical fiction, set in Hong Kong in a dual timeline of 1912 and 2016. My review of an engaging deep dive into family dynamics, cultural heritage, and romance.
Best Books Set in the Trojan War
I was recently asked to put together an annotated list of my personal favorites among Trojan War books. I had fun putting it together, although limiting myself to five was challenging.
Çatalhöyük’s skeletons, Painted and Celebrated
The World Heritage Site of Çatalhöyük in southern Anatolia contains the ruins of one of the oldest “cities.” Recent study of Çatalhöyük’s “colorful” skeletons adds a fascinating layer to what we can discern about their communal practices, including relations between the sexes.
Magical stones and Sumerian Lyricism
During a trip down a research rabbit hole, I first found an article about Mesopotamian magic stones and then a translation of Sumerian poetry that feels tragically appropriate for this contemporary moment when so many must abandon their homes and flee for their lives.
Historical Fantasy Review: Everything That Burns
My book review of the highly enjoyable historical fantasy, Everything That Burns, set in the French Revolution–with magic.
Beyond Letters: Royal Visits between Great Kings?
Did the Great Kings (and Queens) of the Bronze Age get together for royal visits? Or did they depend solely on diplomatic letters? In terms of my fiction, did Tesha ever sit down for a feast with Pharaoh? The evidence is tantalizingly fragmentary.
Free Fantasy Reads for a Fun Escape
This week, in the company of fellow authors in search of new readers, I’m bringing you two ways to load up on Fantasy novels for free. Both collections are large enough so everyone should be able to find what suits your fancy.
Exploring Tutankhamun’s Dagger from the Sky: Ancient texts & scientific analysis
Among his myriad tomb treasures, Tutankhamun’s dagger made of iron has long intrigued archaeologists and the public. The mysterious knife has an elaborate gold hilt and sheath. Clearly a treasure worthy of a king. But how did someone forge an iron weapon during the Bronze Age? Who did the work, and how did it get into Tutankhamun’s grave?
Troy, the Archaeological Site
When I visited the site in Turkey that archaeologists generally agree is Homer’s Troy, I felt a sizzle of excitement to be surrounded by the remains of a place so dear to my heart. But, I’ll confess, imaging Troy in its grandeur isn’t easy when you visit. It’s a complicated joy that can benefit from knowing the history of the site, which makes me welcome this enjoyable introduction in the Smithsonian’s recent article “In Search of Troy.”