Hello friends and welcome to another excerpt of History Never Forgets! In this discussion, we're going to take a look at the life of the Bastard of Normandy, the bad boy himself, William the Conqueror.
William was the bastard son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy and his mistress. He was a descendent of the famed Viking Rollo (who many of you may be familiar with through the television series 'Vikings') who became the first Duke of Normandy after King Charles the Simple granted him the county of Rouen. Being the only son of Robert, William was expected to succeed his father as Duke, but would soon learn that he had inherited a duchy embroiled in chaos. With the untimely death of his father when William was only a boy, the young child duke faced challenges from other nobleman due to his illegitimate birth as well as armed conflicts with neighboring duchies. He was often used as a pawn by others in the court to wield their own power. It wasn't until 1047 with the help of King Henry I of France that he was able to stabilize the political conditions and return to power. He continued to consolidate his power in northern France, marrying Matilda of Flanders, which gave him access to the French and German imperial courts with Flanders' ties to the French crown and German emperors. Through that time, William also carried on his father's relations with the King of England remaining in their favor through their familial ties with the English King. King Edward the Confessor reigned in England at that time and William was the great grandson to Edward's maternal uncle. The aging Edward was without child and had no successor to the English throne. It is said that in 1051 Edward had promised to name William as his successor to the English throne. There is much debate over the circumstances of his promise and how it was worded exactly, but nevertheless William continued to operate under the assumption that he would be named King of England upon Edward's death. Meanwhile, one of King Edward's stoutest supports and member of the most powerful family in England, Earl Godwin, had conveniently been sent into exile during the time that the throne was promised to William. Upon their return from exile and back into the king's favor, Godwin's son, Harold, had grown in power after having put down several revolts in the name of Edward. Late in 1065, King Edward fell gravely ill and the story goes that just before he died he charged Harold with the "protection" of the Kingdom. What exactly that meant remains unclear, Regardless, the witan convened the next day to make Harold King. Pretty convenient, right? As you can imagine, William was royally pissed (heh..). So he said, "Fuck that, that don't fly here," and amassed an army to invade England. However, that wasn't the only invasion threatening England at the moment. In Harold's climb to power, he had snuffed out his brother Tostig from his earldom in Northumbria and sent him into exile. While William was getting ready to set sail, Tostig was busy allying himself with Norwegian King Harald Hardrada and had already landed in the north of England. King Harold hurried out to meet his brother and the Norwegians at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. After hours of fighting, Harald and Tostig were killed and the rest of the Norwegians routed. Only 3 days after their victory, Harold received word that William landed in the south of England and marched his army with all due haste to intercept the Normans. But, the battle weary English could not overcome the Normans and Harold was defeated and slain. The Bastard of Normandy was crowned king on Christmas Day 1066. But, the English were not willing to capitulate to William. William's first several years as king were marked with revolts all around the country and abroad, most notably in northern England, where William adopted a scorched earth campaign to starve out locals, crushing any resistance that remained and installing Norman artistocrats to administer the region. William was also forced to return to Normandy and put down several revolts as well as ease family quarrels that had broken out among his sons. William's tenure as king saw the rise of Anglo-Norman culture in England as he worked to erase any trace of Anglo-Saxon England. He built many castles and fortifications across the landscape, ridding the old earth and timber constructions for stone built structures. Yet, William never unified the administration of all his land holdings into one system. He operated each territory based on the administrative system of the region, ignoring the chance to build an empire. As he grew older, William gave the duchy of Normandy to his oldest son, Robert, and the kingdom of England to his second son, William Rufus, with the third son, Henry, receiving a large compensation. Upon his death, the face of England had undergone a massive change to the point where it was barely recognizable. He birthed a dynasty of Anglo-Norman kings that would live on for hundreds of years. In a final anecdote that would've made his enemies laugh: As William's body was being lowered into its tomb, they realized his corpse was too large for the space. As they applied force to the body, it burst and dispensed a terrible smelling odor for all to smell. (Anyone remember A Song of Ice & Fire? Tywin Lannister's funeral? Nice pull George!) William the Conqueror's life is proof that you don't need to be royalty to become King. But, being a monarch ensures that you will always have enemies. Perhaps, some promises aren't worth keeping if it means the deaths of thousands for one's claim to rights. Regardless, William the Conqueror forever changed the fate of England and because of that, history will never forget! Have a suggestion for a topic? Drop a comment!
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Welcome all to another entry on the History Never Forgets blog!
Today we are returning to the ancient world to discuss another one of history's most influential generals, Hannibal Barca of Carthage, the bane of Rome. Before Rome became the vast empire that it was, Rome was but a fledging Republic rising as the dominant power in the Italian peninsula during the 3rd century BCE. Yet, Rome's rise to prominence put it in direct conflict with another Mediterranean power: Carthage. Carthage was powerful Phoenician city-state located in modern-day Tunisia in North Africa. What began as a small colony of Tyre eventually grew into a maritime empire that spanned regions of North Africa, Iberia and the western islands of the Mediterranean. At the beginning of the 3rd century BCE, both Carthage and Rome's expansionary efforts led them to a series of conflicts known as the Punic Wars in which Hannibal Barca would make a name for himself. Hannibal was born in Carthage around 247 BCE, the son of a prominent Carthaginian leader, Hamilcar. Reeling from its defeat by the Romans in the First Punic War, Carthage was left in a poor state with no navy to account for its defenses. determined to reclaim glory for Carthage as well as his own family, Hamilcar traveled west to the Iberian Peninsula and began subjugating the local tribes. It is said that when Hannibal insisted that his father take him to Iberia with him, Hamilcar made Hannibal swear an oath that as long as he lived he would never be a friend to Rome. Thus his lifetime of hatred for Rome via his father began. While in Iberia, Hamilcar had died and power passed to Hannibal's older brother Hasdrubal with Hannibal serving as an officer at the age of 18. For several years, Hasdrubal worked to consolidate Carthaginian interests in the Iberian peninsula, but was eventually assassinated leading Hannibal to assume command. Early on, Hannibal was successful in subjugating more of the Iberian Peninsula, but as his success grew Rome began to take notice. To counter the growing threat of Carthage, Rome entered an alliance with the city Saguntum which lay just on the borderlands of Carthaginian territory. Perceiving this a violation of previous treaty with Rome and an opportunity to enter hostilities with his lifelong feud, Hannibal took the city and shortly after, war was declared. Hannibal led his army of some 40,0000 troops and 38 war elephants north on the long journey up the Iberian Peninsula into Gaul and through the Alps. His journey would cost him nearly half his force with only a few elephants making it out alive. The Romans led by Publius Cornelius Scipio did not expect Hannibal to succeed in passing through the Alps, but sure enough were quite surprised to find Hannibal appear in the North of Italy. The Romans rushed to intercept Hannibal at Trebia, but were finally exposed to the tactical ingenuity of Hannibal and were soundly defeated. Hannibal then marched south into Italy continuing to devastate the Italian Peninsula as he went. In 216 BCE, Hannibal took Cannae, placing himself between the Romans and their much needed supply line. The Romans marched out in force and met Hannibal on the battlefield hoping to best him with their superior numbers. However, it was a trap by Hannibal. In forming up his ranks, Hannibal placed the weaker, less reliable forces at the center of his line. Because of this, the Romans would focus their attack at the center, causing the center of the Carthaginian line to collapse. However, as the center collapsed, the stronger wings of the Carthaginian ranks pressed forward, ultimately allowing them to flank the numerically superior Roman forces on each side. With Carthaginian cavalry cutting off any chance of retreating, Hannibal succeeded in slaughtering the entire Roman army, some 50,000 Roman troops killed or captured leading to the great defeat Rome had ever witnessed in their entire history. For the next 15 years, Hannibal would continue to wage war in Italy albeit at his own demise. The Romans would eventually initiate a 'scorched earth' tactic against Hannibal, the only viable option they found to defeating Hannibal. Though Hannibal continued to win victories, the years of war and conflict began to take a toll on his army as well as Carthage itself. In 203 BCE, hoping to take the fight to Carthage, Rome under Scipio's command launched an invasion of Carthage to which Hannibal was forced to return and mount a defense, abandoning his campaign in Italy. At the Battle of Zama, Hannibal was finally defeated by superior Roman forces. Unable to return to its former glory, Carthage's power in the Mediterranean came to an end. Though Hannibal tried his hand at politics, he feared his fellow countrymen would hand him over to the Romans, so he exiled himself where he fled east. He continued to council Rome's enemies such as the Seleucid Empire as well as Bithynia on waging war against Rome. Eventually, he met his death while in the Bithynian court of King Prusias where it is said he took poison and died to avoid being given over to the Romans. Though decorated with many historical achievements, Hannibal Barca's life was arguably a tragic one. He had been conditioned since he was a child to systemically reject anything Roman and carried that hatred until his death far from home. With the amount of success Hannibal achieved in his Italian campaign, it's common to wonder why he was never capable of fully conquering Rome. Some experts agree that Hannibal overall goal in Italy was at fault, never having taken the fight directly to Rome itself. If Hannibal had chose to march on the city of Rome where the seat of the Roman Senate resided, maybe he would've succeeded in bringing all of Rome to heel. However, Hannibal chose to win his victories on the battlefields in the hopes that Rome would recognize the utter hopelessness in continuing the conflict. But, Rome never did and ultimately would go on to win the Punic conflicts, driving the empire of Carthage to extinction. Who knows what world we would be living in had Rome been conquered and Carthage rose as the dominant power in its place. But, one thing is for sure: History will never forget the exploits of Hannibal Barca and his conquest of the Roman Peninsula. Do you have a historical figure/event you'd like to see featured? Drop a request in the contacts page or comment below! Greetings and salutations, my most esteemed readers!
We return for another chapter in the story that is human history to discuss an event that went on to define the founding of a new nation and the struggle it endured to secure its freedom. While many Americans understand the difficulty that early colonists went through to found the United States of America, very few realize just how close America came to not existing at all. It's often argued that the fate of America hung in the balance during the Battle of Long Island which took place only less than 2 months after America officially announced it's independence from Great Britain. In August of 1776, commander-in-chief General George Washington and his rag-tag army prepared for the inevitable British invasion of New York harbor. Washington new the British would have had their eyes on the city harbor for it strategic importance, so Washington began to channel his men south to New York City from Boston expecting an assault from the sea. But, Washington made several grave errors in his strategy. Instead of staging an assault by sea as Washington anticipated, British General William Howe sailed several miles south of the Continental army and disembarked on Staten Island amassing a force of some 20,000 troops against Washington's divided army of 9,000. From there, the British marched overnight where they caught Washington's army from behind after having failed to fortify a small pass that would expose his flank. Another error Washington had made in the lead up to the battle was that he divided his forces and couldn't deploy his full military might, a move which rarely works to an army's advantage. Washington was jolly well fucked and he knew it. Of course, Washington was up against arguably the greatest empire the world had known at the time fighting a military that he once himself had served. He knew that if they were to be victorious, it would be no easy feat; a literal David and Goliath scenario. And let's face it, the Continental army was nowhere near equipped to fight such a dominating military force. From the start of the conflict, Washington lacked the resources and manpower necessary to put up a fighting chance. What men he could muster from the colonies were ill-equipped, ill-trained and undisciplined; prone to petty squabbles. And though Washington himself was a seasoned military man, his other generals lacked the battlefield experience to make good judgements. Knowing he'd been outmaneuvered, his only hope was a tactical retreat in order to save his army from total annihilation. Sacrificing 400 Marylanders to protect the rear guard (more like 260-270 in actuality), Washington gathered what men remained at Brooklyn Heights to prepare for a retreat. Time was of the essence as the British closed in. Then, General Howe made a very controversial decision that is still hotly debated today: General Howe unexpectedly halted the British advance on Washington's men. At a moment when a decisive British victory that would've likely led to Washington's capture as well as the destruction of his army could've very well brought the end of the American Revolution, the British general chose to halt his pursuit of Washington's forces. But, why? some experts say he did not want a repeat of Bunker Hill where British forces had to cross an open field to assault the American defenses leading to an overwhelming number of casualties. Others argue that Howe was utilizing a longstanding European tradition of a gentlemanly officer which allowed his opponent the chance to surrender honorably. Whatever the reason, this gave Washington the window he needed to get his troops across the river into Manhattan. On the night of their crossing, it is said that a heavy fog fell over the river which concealed the entire Continental Army's retreat. While Washington's army quietly crossed the East River into Manhattan, the British remained encamped utterly unaware. By morning, they were shocked to discover that the Continental Army had completely disappeared. Washington's men escaped without any casualties, living to fight another day and leading the United States to ultimately persevere 7 years later. Washington's success as a leader can't be measured in the amount of victories he accumulated. In fact, by the end of the American Revolution, Washington had lost more engagements than he had ever won. But, much like the Vietcong in the Vietnam War, Washington's victory was not dependent upon the number of engagements won, but rather relied on their subsistence and keeping hope alive for American Independence. Had Howe continued his assault and destroyed the Continental Army, There'd have been no more military to resist, independence would have ended and America would've likely never existed at all. But, thanks to a miracle, Washington escaped total defeat and eventually won the war, ultimately being elected the first president of a new nation. Now, that is a retreat that history will never forget! Like what you see? Sign up to the mailing list and have the blogs sent directly to you! If there's any figure or event you'd like to see discussed, please comment or shoot me a message! Hail and well met, history seekers! Thank you for returning for another segment of History Never Forgets. Last week, we discussed the conquest of Alexander and the questionable epithet, “The Great,” which had been bestowed upon him. However, one cannot discuss Alexander’s greatness without mentioning his predecessor and father, Philip II of Macedonia. The youngest of 3 sons to King Amyntas III, Philip was raised as a hostage to the Illyrians, then to the Thebans where he received his formal military training. After the deaths of his 2 older brothers, Philip, now a young man, was recalled back to Macedonia to serve as regent to his nephew, Amyntas IV. But, Philip had other plans in mind and took power for himself, becoming King of Macedonia.
Unfortunately, Philip seized power during a precarious Macedonian crisis, confronted with his first test of leadership. Macedonia faced threats from the Paeonians and Thracians in the east and the Athenians to the west. Using diplomacy, he pacified the Paeonians and Thracians with promises of tribute then took his forces west to meet the Athenians in battle, reigning victorious. This gave Philip the opportunity to strengthen Macedonia by reforming his army and the famous Greek phalanx with longer spears, training professional soldiers, and integrating specialized troops from regions he had conquered. This was the army that Alexander the Great inherited and the same one that took him across Asia. Thus, Alexander’s success as a leader and commander is often directly attributed to Philip. Regardless, Philip set out to dominate the neighboring Greek city-states through a series of conflicts that ultimately led to Macedonian hegemony in the Greek peninsula. Around this time, Philip’s son Alexander was born and would grow to follow closely in his father’s footsteps. With all of the key Greek city-states except for Sparta under his control, Philip was declared the supreme leader of the Greek confederation known as the League of Corinth. He soon fixed his eye on Asia. Sadly, Philip did not live to see the invasion of Asia. Philip was assassinated during his daughter’s wedding ceremony. He was murdered by one of his bodyguards and former lover, Pausanias, while entering the theater in the Macedonian capital, Aegae. Some associated the assassination to that of a lover’s quarrel, as Philip had taken several wives and was well known to be a heavy drinker as well as being promiscuous with both men and women. Others claim Pausanias was offended by the family of Philip’s wife, Eurydice. Some even presumed Alexander’s mother, Olympia, to have been the one to set Pausanias against Philip, a ruse designed so that Alexander might assume the throne without the suspicion of having killed his father. Whatever the reason which has been lost to history, we know that Alexander succeeded him as King and took Macedonia farther than Philip had ever intended. Despite his personal shortcomings as a purveyor of romantic scandals, Philip was a natural born leader and commander that situated Macedonia as the dominant power of Greece in the 4th century BC. With the advantage of hindsight, I cannot help but wonder had Philip survived, would Alexander’s accomplishments have become Philip’s? Would he have become Philip the Great? We will never know, but what we do know is that history will never forget the exploits of Philip the One Eyed of Macedonia. Any questions about Philip II of Macedonia? Drop a comment or you can message me! Hail and well met followers!
I'd like to welcome you to the all new, revamped "History Never Forgets" blog, an informational blog highlighting the finer moments in human history and the people who perpetrated them. All the highs, all the lows and everything in between! I couldn't be more excited to share this space with you guys on what is one of my favorite topics: history. The subject of this week's blog is the man-turned-living legend, the undefeated Alexander III of Macedon, also known as Alexander the Great. One of the biggest questions surrounding this historical figure is whether or not Alexander was truly a great person. His storied career as King of Macedon and commander of the Hellenic League highlighted the ambition at which he aimed to achieve in an effort to conquer the known world at the time. Though Alexander committed heinous acts of violence against groups of people during wartime to achieve victories, his ultimate goal and vision of cultural integration between Greek and Persians earns him the well-deserved epithet, "The Great." Alexander was the son of Philip II, who led Macedon to become the dominant power among the Greek city-states under the order of the League of Corinth. Upon Philip's assassination, Alexander was thrust into the limelight as Philip's successor and took up his father's quest to invade Persia for the crimes they committed attacking Greece nearly a century earlier. Growing up in Philip's court in Macedon, Alexander was well-versed in military tactics and strategy as well as the political inner workings of the court. At Philip's behest, Alexander was tutored under Aristotle himself. On the battlefield, Alexander was like the Peyton Manning of ancient warfare, having the unique ability to call "audibles" and formation changes in the middle of battle. He was capable of adapting his forces to match his opponent's fighting style. His victory at Gaugamela against Darius' army of over 100,000 Persians against his 50,000 Greeks is a textbook victory still taught at military academies today. Alexander's historic campaign of Asia became the driving force behind many historical events including the beginning of the Greek Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, Alexander's undoing of the Gordian knot whose prophecy claimed to predict the future king of Asia, and the construction of Tyre's causeway. The siege of Tyre is among one of Alexander's most historic acts. Having refused to accept Alexander's rule, Alexander laid siege to the city. To conquer the once impenetrable island city, Alexander built an entire land causeway extending from the mainland to the island so that he could deploy the largest siege towers ever seen at the time. The city had fallen and Alexander, angered by their sleights toward him, massacred thousands of innocent citizens, sending some 30,000 others into slavery. Alexander's personality was noted by historians like Plutarch and Arrian to be very charismatic, at times, megalomaniacal and paranoid. When his armies mutinied along the borders of the Indian sub-continent, it was said that Alexander was struck with such grief by their decision to go home that he lay in his tent for days before he agreed to their demands. The men in his army were very much endeared to Alexander, for he fought on the frontlines with them and would call them out by name in the ranks. Throughout his conquest, Alexander shared in his men's suffering and they loved him for it. Alexander indeed was ambitious, albeit delusional, in his vision of conquering the world. Once he became King of Asia, Alexander began to adopt certain cultural norms of the Persians which the Greeks frowned upon. He began to wear Persian outfits and allowed his Persian subjects to bow to him, a gesture the Greeks only reserved for the Gods. Alexander took Roxana, the daughter of a Sogdian noble, as his queen to signify the union between Asia and Greece. To bolster the support for such a union, Alexander carried out mass wedding in Susa in 324 BC, marrying many of his Macedonian officers to Persian women. The event was symbolic in that it was unifying two civilizations as one, creating a future Greco-Persian culture that would span Asia and Europe. Unfortunately, Alexander would not live to see that future. After his army mutinied, they marched home through miles and miles of deserts losing more men to the desert than any previous battle. Alexander slipped into paranoia at the loss of his lover Hephaestion, eventually taking ill himself and dying at the prime age of 33. His son by Roxana was only a child and having named no successor upon his death, Macedon fell into chaos. His wife and child were assassinated by political rivals. His empire was eventually carved up by his Companion officers in the Wars of the Diadochi. The years of campaigning had put such stress on the Macedonian culture with the young men being shipped off to fight that Macedon never returned to its former glory under Alexander. Yet, one cannot help but wonder how the world could have changed had Alexander lived to see old age. What kind of world would we be living in presently had one of the past's greatest figures had more time to shape his destiny? Would he have gone west, conquering the Romans and mainland Europe? I firmly believe that, if given the same resources as his Asia Campaign, Alexander would have easily dominated the European continent. Unfortunately, we will never know, but history will certainly never forget the legacy of Alexander the Great. You like these? Sign up for the mailing list in the Contact Page and get blog updates emailed directly to you! Hail and well met storied travelers,
I hope you will excuse my absence over the past few months while I've tried to keep myself busy. Much has occurred in that time which has been cause for pause and reflection. In doing this blog, I chose to keep it free of any political discourse for the sake of avoiding such unnecessary kerfuffles that may arise due to differences of opinion. I, Like many others, have looked forward to a fresh start for this country given the results of the presidential election. However, the insurrection on the capitol has become a topic that can't be ignored. Being the lover of history that I am, I can't help but think of this event in the context of history in broader terms. To avoid droning on over lengthy political lectures, I decided to provide a piece that I've been working on since the events of January 6th that's called Provocations. "I’ve attempted countless times to try and express the heaviness I feel that has prompted this manuscript and wondered to what purpose these words would serve if only to reconcile my own judgment of such times as these. Do I speak to the grief and rage I harbor in witnessing the very foundations of democracy being shook to its core? I can’t deny that they exist. But, how can they not exist when we continue to sow the seeds of discord? The capitol insurrection in January 2021 has become a turning point in the story of America. We are among dark and fragile moments in this country’s history that will come to define the freedoms with which our founders sought to provide us and what they truly mean. As this comes only a short time after the attack, much of the country is still processing the events that occurred in the US capital and who is truly to blame. The entire world watched as domestic terrorists overran the Capitol Building like ants on a hill, setting fires to the landscape around it replacing the American flag with that of an egomaniac. The sanctity of American democracy has been exploited and perverted in the interests of personal and political agendas. The consequences of these actions have fallen upon the masses repeatedly, provoking their contempt and ire at misrepresentation. If there is any blame to be accounted for, I can only offer this: we are the people who, by social contract of the constitution in this country, give power and authority to elected officials of government – officials whom they chosen to represent them. By choosing who represents them, any problems that might arise involving said representative can been seen as a reflection of those who elected them. The logic remains sound: we are the people and we are the problem. "It is in the actions of this country and its people on the heels of such a tragedy that will set forth a precedent; one that could lift us from the ashes of despair and hatred or one which could condemn us to further collapse. Perhaps the greatest lesson history has taught us is that every great nation faces trials and tribulations that will threaten its sustainability. Those who are able to adapt will be remembered and those who refuse will live amongst the dust; lost to time. America is figuratively young in the world stage, not even three-hundred years old. In that time, America has made gambles and taken risks that has earned it the unique position of being considered a leader of the free world. It is certainly not without its failures and one can only hope that there are lessons to be learned from them. For years, we have ignored the consequences and it has brought us to the brink of collapse; nearly half a million Americans dead from disease, division through demagoguery, class warfare, civil unrest, and a building climate crisis. At what point does a country resign itself to the realization that they are no longer a leading force? When do we stop pretending it’s not our problem? These questions are not to deface the country or its individuals based on a general supposition of broadly-interpretive presumptions, merely to provoke deep thought that reconnects the individual with the greater good. So linger deep in thought for the time that you can; accept your convictions, for when provocation rears its ugly head, you will have but a moment to act. So, make that act count for what’s good and right. Not just for your own sake, but for the greater good." Hail and well met, fellow humans. It is my hope that reality is treating you all gently and with the utmost kindness. The days press on and we come closer to the release of Potato Kingdom. While I'm anxious to see it released, I feel immense relief in being able to move on from it and onto my other works in progress. Potato Kingdom is the culmination of 5 years of researching and debating with myself whether or not this was a story worth telling and if I was the right person to tell it. It also leads me to question the reasons why I chose to be a writer. I had a story I felt compelled to tell. Is it worth telling? I believe so, and this week being the US presidential election, I'm reminded why. As America waits with bated breath in who will be chosen to lead this country in the next four years, many have already and will continue to draw parallels between this period in modern history and the American Civil War.
Before the war broke out, the election of 1860 was hotly contested with the fate of America already hanging in the balance. The appointment of Lincoln as president led to several states seceding from the Union by the time Lincoln was even inaugurated. Witnessing the division that exists today, we can't but make those connections with the past. While we are so quick to point out the similarities and speculate on the possibilities of another civil war, I would urge people to understand that this is why history is important. Having enough knowledge of the past and the consequences of such events should award us with the incentive to not repeat it. After all, it is the 21st century and I can't help but believe we as a country are capable of growing and learning from our mistakes. I suppose the outcome of this election will prove just how much we value our mistakes as lessons learned. That is why I felt the need to tell this story: to mirror the current events to those of the past, to exemplify the dark periods of this country and how it was able to stay together, and no matter how different or how far apart two people or thoughts or beliefs might be, they can still coexist peacefully and come together as a whole. Hope will reign, because after everything else is gone, that's all that is left. Now begins the slow decay of nature. The days wane and the seasons die. The foliage ignites ablaze as it turns to hues of fire. Winter’s cold embrace rears it’s ugly head, awakening from its slumber to shake the bones within our mortal soil. Feel the earth beneath your feet rotate through the ether of space. Another cycle of life draws to an end only to begin again. Such is the ebb and flow of life and death.
We are but wading in the waters of dark matter. Harvest hope, for what lies ahead remains unknown. With shadows as our company, no one is alone. Darkness has its day, but so too shall the sun rise. In the darkest depths shine the brightest lights. Hail and well met, followers! Thank you for returning to our shared virtual space. It has been an eventful couple of weeks to put it simply. As far as recent events, the novel “Potato Kingdom” is coming along swimmingly in its final stages and is still set for a December 1st release. I will provide more info on that as it comes available. In addition, I will have more short stories coming out very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for new material to be released.
While the pandemic has still kept us largely indoors, I’ve been itching for something new to sink my teeth into. For those of you who are familiar with my social media post segments “History Never Forgets,” you’ve probably figured out that I thoroughly enjoy history. To compliment that, I will be expanding on these posts and developing a podcast which will also be called “History Never Forgets.” The podcast will highlight specific people/events with compelling stories and discuss the culture of the time and the historical significance. Though informative, it is my intention that it be fun, entertaining and (with any luck) humorous where it can be. It is still in the early stages of development, but I am quite excited about it and look forward to sharing it with you all. That pretty much wraps it up with the state of the union here. Until next time, stay frosty my fellow humans! Testing...check the mic...levels are good? Let’s rock n roll. I want to thank each and every one of you who have made it to this page out of sheer curiosity. Though, I must admit that all this is very new to me - blogging, creating a personal virtual space, self-promotion, etc. So, please bare with me as I navigate this new terrain. I hope that everyone is keeping safe and sane in these uncertain and surreal times. I know that I continue to wake every day and wonder whether or not this is real life, to which I’m almost immediately reminded that it is. But I have not started this blog to focus on the bad, but the good that still exists; because it does. This is more or less my remedy for connecting with others out there, as well as through other means, during pandemic times. So welcome, and might I say... PANDEMICS, AM I RIGHT?? My family and I have been fortunate enough to remain healthy and our daughter, Cecilia, continues to grow. Officially 11 months today, she’s nearly walking and is starting to form words. Unfortunately, she has yet to outgrow a certain ear-piercing screaming habit she’s developed (no doubt earning our neighbors’ enmity) so for the sake of our hearing we hope that phase passes soon. The silver lining to all this has been that this time has given me the chance to focus on writing more and getting the opportunity to connect with others. For anyone who has not seen it yet, The Resurrectionist was published in last month’s issue of Breaking Rules Publishing’s Horror anthology The Hollow: Vol. 5 - Where All Things Evil Lie. It is available on Amazon, Kindle or Breaking Rules’ website. My first novel, Potato Kingdom, will be released tentatively in late 2020-2021, dates to be determined very soon. I’m also considering developing a podcast, likely to be history related much in the same vein as my social media segments “History Never Forgets.” I would love anyone’s input on what kind of topics they enjoy on podcasts, don’t hesitate to drop me a line. Anyways, that is all to report on the official blog kickoff! Until next time, stay frosty! |