tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post4817875228921830400..comments2023-10-12T02:21:40.102-07:00Comments on English Historical Fiction Authors: Dark AgesDebra Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03256313302199653185noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-71035556465684343492016-02-02T10:07:07.111-08:002016-02-02T10:07:07.111-08:00You and me both:)You and me both:)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-87518107698579115142016-02-02T10:06:53.548-08:002016-02-02T10:06:53.548-08:00Thanks, Kristin! :)Thanks, Kristin! :)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-69291770569773814722016-01-29T10:15:31.637-08:002016-01-29T10:15:31.637-08:00Great job, Mark! I enjoyed reading your thoughts o...Great job, Mark! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this subject. Can't wait until Between Two Fires comes out! :)Kristin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15119967346326579747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-70893104233667412962016-01-29T09:09:09.661-08:002016-01-29T09:09:09.661-08:00I adore British History, and have always been fasc...I adore British History, and have always been fascinated by the dark ages. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-20258667836632568732016-01-28T13:39:07.993-08:002016-01-28T13:39:07.993-08:00Thanks, Nicola! I appreciate it and I'm sure y...Thanks, Nicola! I appreciate it and I'm sure you'll enjoy it if you like both history and a good romance:)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-27811469119995508112016-01-28T13:38:00.390-08:002016-01-28T13:38:00.390-08:00Sweet! It's a pretty awesome setting for any s...Sweet! It's a pretty awesome setting for any story:)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-75518434001167442462016-01-28T01:31:49.681-08:002016-01-28T01:31:49.681-08:00Great write-up Mark. And I love the cover of your ...Great write-up Mark. And I love the cover of your book. I always judge a book by its cover - must be the 'girlie' in me :) I'm looking forward to reading Between Two Fires. It's on my 'to read' list :) Wishing you lots of success.Nicolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14674648154579013578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-10771410512467420532016-01-27T14:37:10.574-08:002016-01-27T14:37:10.574-08:00Really enjoyed your article, Mark. I too write in ...Really enjoyed your article, Mark. I too write in this period - it's a fascinating period of history that gives authors great creative scope!Jayne Castelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13475470490239656017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-65097636750608514352016-01-27T10:09:06.697-08:002016-01-27T10:09:06.697-08:00I love social history, especially since in any tim...I love social history, especially since in any time line most to all of us would be the "peasantry." Sounds like you have a cool WIP going too:)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-3006593302102757702016-01-27T10:08:00.715-08:002016-01-27T10:08:00.715-08:00Thanks, I'll check it out:)Thanks, I'll check it out:)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-40079863811391532192016-01-27T10:05:22.426-08:002016-01-27T10:05:22.426-08:00Regency and the Age of Sail definitely are awesome...Regency and the Age of Sail definitely are awesome too:) But yes, I find inspiration in the legends from these "darker" epochs of history. Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-44867714336893970782016-01-27T02:04:03.056-08:002016-01-27T02:04:03.056-08:00I've always wondered what your average peasant...I've always wondered what your average peasant must have thought of the old fortifications and if they understood much about the people who had lived there four or five generations before. The monks kept the history going but presumably it was not widely shared with the populace, and to a serf trying to put food on the table could not have been important.<br /><br />I have the hero of my current WIP living as a wildman after the Norman conquest with a camp built in an old Roman signal tower.<br />'Home was the remains of a derelict watchtower built then abandoned by some bygone people Caddoc neither knew nor cared the name of.'Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17058834717977559396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-15370706208461315862016-01-27T01:04:08.298-08:002016-01-27T01:04:08.298-08:00Historian Michael Wood's In Search of the Dark...Historian Michael Wood's In Search of the Dark Ages is a great read for those wanting to delve deeper into this fascinating period of history. <br />E.M. Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00565716658256251123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-21161669136424341772016-01-26T16:55:59.162-08:002016-01-26T16:55:59.162-08:00Great article. I devoted Regency and Age of Sail f...Great article. I devoted Regency and Age of Sail fan, you've won me over to considering reasons to be fascinated by this period of history as well. I'd never considered it from your perspective. How dark it must have been--and until we find evidence of light--I suppose we must lean on the legends and the imaginations of fiction authors such as yourself. DanielleThornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13993889577292227348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-3515731932544782192016-01-26T11:29:32.771-08:002016-01-26T11:29:32.771-08:00Yeah, definitely a testament to the human spirit.....Yeah, definitely a testament to the human spirit...and also what's worth preserving in even the worst of times. Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-21105046381509150232016-01-26T11:01:56.466-08:002016-01-26T11:01:56.466-08:00Scary to think there have been times when we went ...Scary to think there have been times when we went backwards. The only thing they really thought about preserving at the time were their own skins.<br />At least the Bible survived all that.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-30786999795715191832016-01-26T10:01:02.841-08:002016-01-26T10:01:02.841-08:00Thanks, John. Very true, and without the medieval ...Thanks, John. Very true, and without the medieval church we'd probably know even less than we do now. Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-78523201770669954602016-01-26T10:00:30.213-08:002016-01-26T10:00:30.213-08:00Thanks, Elaine! I saw your book and love the time ...Thanks, Elaine! I saw your book and love the time period. Right up my alley:)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793077012143289985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-16302839409466777572016-01-26T07:58:39.972-08:002016-01-26T07:58:39.972-08:00Before the Roman withdrawal Britannia had been con...Before the Roman withdrawal Britannia had been converted to Christianity and produced the ascetic Pelagius. Britain sent three bishops to the Council of Arles in 314, and a Gaulish bishop went to the island in 396 to help settle disciplinary matters. Material remains testify to a growing presence of Christians, at least until around 360. After the Roman legions departed, pagan tribes settled the southern parts of the island while western Britain, beyond the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, remained Christian. This native British Church developed in isolation from Rome under the influence of missionaries from Ireland and was centred on monasteries instead of bishoprics. The Church and the Monks are the main reason for their survival. Thank you for posting your blog.john william vondrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01037342209962288383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456802468539868519.post-32069723276524808442016-01-26T06:41:50.582-08:002016-01-26T06:41:50.582-08:00Lovely piece Mark. It is a Dark Age in so many way...Lovely piece Mark. It is a Dark Age in so many ways, isn't it? When deciding when to place my novel 'Wulfsuna' a blank void in the Anglo-Saxon chronicles made the decision for me! Between the two entries detailing the leaving of the Romans and the arrival of Hengest and Horsa there are several 'dark' decades missing! I knew that was where I wanted my novel to be. Some might say I was drawn to the darkness and in a way I was, but the pen affords the writer the chance to illuminate doesn't it?E S Moxonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00910986089563223935noreply@blogger.com