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Home » Weekly Roundup of History, Archaeology and Writing Wisdom May 21-27

Weekly Roundup of History, Archaeology and Writing Wisdom May 21-27

I have recently been granted back my rights to Hand of Fire from the small press that published it. That means for a time I’ll be out of print, but I have plenty of copies to tide over. So if you want one, just contact me directly. Hand of Fire will have a new home, but that isn’t settled yet, so I’ll keep you posted. This is all good news in the long run.

Judy Santa BarbaraI was traveling this week, visiting family, a bittersweet trip because my sister died recently. We stopped on the way to San Francisco in Santa Barbara, my childhood summer stomping grounds and always a lovely place to visit.

 

 

 

Inside of Globe Theatre, round unlike the newly excavated Curtain
Inside of Globe Theatre, round unlike the newly excavated Curtain

“Tis the lark!” More intriguing details about Shakespeare’s Curtain theater. A bird whistle that may have been used for sound effects for that famous scene in Romeo and Juliet. And the theater is rectangular not round or octagon as everyone assumed it was, based on Globe and Swan. So it was modeled after the inn courtyards that first housed theater in England. Click here for Independent “Experts stunned to discover early Shakespearian theatre was rectangular”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roman Matron, photo © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons
Roman Matron, photo © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons

The independence of Roman Women. This PhD candidate is arguing for far more independence than previously viewed. He says starting in 1st C BC women had prenuptial agreements that left them still part of their original families and thus if no older brother they became head of familia on father’s death. Comments anyone? I knew of the social transition of women and the push by Augustus to increase the number of marriages, but I didn’t know women increasingly headed families. Agreement, disputes, reactions? Click here for Radboud Universiteit “Roman women much more independent than previously thought”

10 thoughts on “Weekly Roundup of History, Archaeology and Writing Wisdom May 21-27”

  1. Glad that Hand of Fire will find a new publisher, and that there are copies available for those that have yet to enjoy it.

    (My debut novel dropped out of print because the publisher closed down.)

    1. It’s terrible when you lose a book to a close down. I did not want that to happen. I’m sorry to hear you had that misfortune. It seems so completely absurd that a writer can lose all access to their own book, but, of course, that is how it works in those circumstances.

  2. So much sympathy, Judith, on your sister’s death. As for Hand of Fire, it is a fabulous book and needs a home worthy of it! Hugs to you!

    1. Thank you, Priscilla. I’m hoping for a good home for my girl. I’m glad to be in the position to choose.

  3. It’s terrible when you lose a book to a close down. I did not want that to happen. I’m sorry to hear you had that misfortune. It seems so completely absurd that a writer can lose all access to their own book, but, of course, that is how it works in those circumstances.

  4. Thank you, Priscilla. I’m hoping for a good home for my girl. I’m glad to be in the position to choose.

  5. My condolences on your sister’s passing.

    What happened with your publisher? At least you got your rights back, but sheesh! You could self publish Hand of Fire if you wanted to, though you’d need a new cover.

    1. Long story with my publisher. This is all good news. It will just be a while before the dust settles.

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