News, views, and reviews, and a space for commentary
and discussion about history in fiction and non-fiction,
in particular, historical fiction, historical fantasy, time-slip
novels, and alternative history as well as anthropology,
social history, and related fields. I accept occasional guest
blogs about the craft of researching and writing about
historical figures, historical places, or anything else related
to history that has found its way into your books.

The following Christmas tale comes to you from a people who know what it is to live through hard times—and who have managed to retain their dignity and their love and generosity throughout it all. Traditionally in Ukraine the house is cleaned from top to bottom for Christmas, but any spider discovered in the house…