Unusual and Marvelous Maps Part Two at Dark Roasted Blend

Check out my article Unusual and Marvelous Maps Part 2 at Dark Roasted Blend

I’ve always loved maps and had great fun researching and writing the first article about unusual and marvelous maps, which you can see here. In Part Two, we take a look at some other cartographic curiosities from around the world, from the height of the Age of Discovery right up to the present day. 

Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content which appears daily.

Writing Classes for Children in North Calgary - October/November/December.

Superstuff! - Classes with Northern Hills Community Association at Cardel Place - October 20, 27, November 10, 17, 24, December 1, 10.00 am to 11.30 am

In these sessions, children create their own unique superheroes, with powers, extended families and one or more archenemies. They will create a detailed biography of the character, complete with an origin story, facts about their superpowers and weaknesses, their secret identity, headquarters, arch enemy and more. Students will draw their creation, create a cover for a comic book and write a short piece describing the hero’s origin tale, plus an action packed, concise newspaper story, complete with an attention-grabbing headline, about a recent battle the hero had with the main villain.

Classes run on October 20, 27, November 10, 17, 24, December 1 from 10.00 am to 11.30 am and  are held at Cardel Place, 11950 Country Village Link NE, Calgary AB.

Call 403 226 6422 for further details. Costs are $50 for Northern Hills Community Association and $75 for non members. Payment is due at the time of registration.

Olympic Flame Torches and Cauldrons: A Retrospective - The latest article at Dark Roasted blend

Check out the latest online article at Dark Roasted Blend, entitled Olympic Flame Torches and Cauldrons: A Retrospective.

Now that the Olympics are over, it's time to reflect on some of the greatest and most innovative Olympic designs. Each edition of the summer and winter Olympic Games has featured a cauldron, in which the Olympic flame is lit. The cauldron is actually a link to the games as they existed in ancient Greece and first became part of the modern Olympics at the Amsterdam Games in 1928. The torch relay was introduced at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. At Dark Roasted Blend, we examine some of the cauldrons and relay torches that have graced the world’s most famous sporting event since the revival of the Olympics in 1896.

Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content appears daily.

Gargoyles and Grotesques Part Two at Dark Roasted Blend

Check out the latest article at Dark Roasted Blend entitled Gargoyles and Grotesques Part Two.

We had such a great time creating the Gargoyles and Grotesques Part One that we couldn’t resist having another look at a selection of these wonderful objects. 

Take another fascinating tour of the strange, intriguing, unusual and at times bizarre stone carvings displayed on buildings around the world. 

Gargoyles and Grotesques Part Two is now published at Dark Roasted Blend, among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content which appears daily.

The Sorcerer's Letterbox and the Mystery of the Princes in the Tower - Part Five

An excerpt from The Sorcerer's Letterbox.

England 1470

Brother William gazed into the ball of polished glass in front of him. Tantalizing glimpses of the future, shrouded in mist and shadows, flickered and disappeared. Carefully, he put the ball back into its velvet sack and ran his fingers over the exquisitely decorated box in front of him. It perfectly matched the image that he had just seen.

He heard footsteps coming up the stairs. That must be the queen, he thought, opening the door. She had come at last.

“Your Majesty,” he said, and bowed as she swept into the room.

            “Brother William, I presume?” said the queen, lowering the hood of her cloak.

            “Yes, Your Majesty.”

She walked over to the tiny window and peered down at her waiting carriage.

  “I risk a great deal coming here. My enemies have spread rumours that I practise the dark arts. My own brother-in-law, the duke of Gloucester, believes that I bewitched the king into marriage. It will do me no good if I am seen with you in this inn. It is said you are a sorcerer.”

“Your Majesty," protested Brother William, "I am but a humble monk.”

“You were a monk,” the queen corrected him, as she sat at the table. “I know your story, Brother William. You were banished from the monastery, and now there is a price on your head.

"Your messenger said that you had a vision that harm would come to my son and that you would give me something to protect him." She pointed to the box. "Is this it?”

“Indeed it is, Your Majesty.”

With trembling hands, Brother William gently pushed the box across the table toward her. The queen studied the painted figures on the sides, lifted the lid and peered in.

“It seems like an ordinary box to me. What more can you tell me? My son’s christening is tomorrow.”

“Alas,” said Brother William, shaking his head, “I know only that one day the prince will be in grave danger. However, this box will protect him if he always keeps it close at hand.”

“But how does it work?”

“When the time comes, the prince will discover its powers. He must place a letter inside the box, and it will bring him aid when he most needs it."

“You speak in riddles, old man!” snapped the queen, grabbing the box. “I can tarry no longer.”

And without a backward glance she hurried from the room, clutching the box tightly under the folds of her cloak. Brother William quickly gathered up the velvet sack and prepared to leave. Moments after he heard the queen’s carriage depart, there was a loud pounding at the door and shouts from the street below. The sheriff’s men had found him at last, but by the time they reached the upstairs room, Brother William had disappeared.

Vote for The Time Camera for The People's Book Prize

The Time Camera is now a showcased title for the 
summer collection for The People's Book Prize in 
the UK this year. Please vote for The Time Camera 
before August 31. You can learn more about The 
People's Book Prize and register to vote for The Time Camera here.

The Time Camera - Synopsis

The massive explosion in which Eleanor Chamberlain died at her 
research laboratory was widely seen as a tragic accident. Or was 
it the perfect crime? 


Two years later, Jake and Lydia discover a mysterious camera, capable 
of taking pictures of the distant past and more ominously, of the future. 
As they uncover the shocking truth and learn of secrets that someone 
will kill to protect, Jake and Lydia are soon propelled into a deadly and 
desperate race against time in order to save the future.

Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel - University of Calgary, Saturday October 13

Each year, the Continuing Education department at the University of Calgary serves over 20,000 lifelong learners and offers thousands of courses taught by more than 1,000 instructors – all experts in their fields.

Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel - Saturday, October 13

This workshop deals with getting started as a writer for young readers and the subsequent path to publication. You will examine the writing process from initial concept through to the finished manuscript, including how to turn ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, the creation of outlines and the importance of editing and revision. You will also examine ways to research publishing houses where you can submit your work, cover letters, synopses and sample chapters.

Learn more about the Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel workshop and how to register here

Britain's Colourful Pub Signs Part One at Dark Roasted Blend

Check out my article, Britain's Colourful Pub Signs, at Dark Roasted Blend

Britain’s colourful pub signs speak volumes about the country’s equally colourful history, as well as depicting folklore, heraldry and social customs. Pubs were never named by accident and each sign invariably has a story behind it. The artwork on Britain’s pub signs is inspired by royalty and nobility, religion and the church, military heroes and battles, occupations and trades, myths and legends, sporting activities and pastimes, along with numerous other sources.

Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content appears daily.

Online Writing Workshops for Children and Young Adults

With my Online Workshops for Children and Young Adults, through a series of e mail assignments, details of which are available here, we explore where ideas come from and how to turn them into stories, basic story structure, plot development, creating characters, developing dialogue and more to help develop writing ability. A set of workshops can be started at any time. Following registration, all assignments are sent by e mail and are completed at your own pace, to be sent to me by return e mail. There is no time limit and participants may take as long as they wish to complete their full set of workshops.

Check out Online Workshops for Children and Young Adults today.

Writing for Children and Young Adults - Classes at Mount Royal University, September/October 2012

Writing for Children and Young Adults. New evening classes at Mount Royal University in Calgary from September 19 to October 24, 7 pm to 9 pm. 

Explore the process of writing books for children and young adults aged 8 to 12. Focus on structure, character development and research, and their importance in your stories. Examine how to turn a creative story idea into a marketable, finished manuscript.

Register here at the Mount Royal University website.

Funny Money - Unusual and Fascinating Currency at Dark Roasted Blend

Check out my article,  Funny Money - Unusual and Fascinating Currency, at Dark Roasted Blend, a look at the wide variety of interesting, odd and occasionally bizarre paper money and coinage from around the globe.

Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content which appears daily.

YouTube - The story behind the story of The Time Camera

Learn more about the story behind the story of The Time Camera on YouTube. 

"The massive explosion in which Eleanor Chamberlain died at her research laboratory was widely seen as a tragic accident. Or was it the perfect crime? Two years later, Jake and Lydia discover a mysterious camera, capable of taking pictures of the distant past and more ominously, of the future. As they uncover the shocking truth and learn of secrets that someone will kill to protect, Jake and Lydia are soon propelled into a deadly and desperate race against time in order to save the future."

Learn more about The Time Camera right here on on YouTube. 

Coaching Program for Writers

Writing is by nature a solitary occupation and can be a lonely business, without the benefit of hordes of cheering fans on the sidelines. A professional writing coach is someone with whom you can consult, ask questions, send your work to and receive constructive feedback, a guide to help you with your writing as you try to build your career as a professional writer. A writing coach can help you conquer a stumbling block, help you to regain momentum and get back to your writing or make a start on a new project. 

My coaching program is designed to help you progress as a writer. You decide what you want to work on during a personalized, one on one relationship. For example, I can be your coach for just one month or we can establish a month-to-month arrangement, depending on your schedule and expectations. Just a few examples of topics we can cover during the coaching period are point of view, creating characters, developing dialogue, story structure, editing and revision, marketing and promotion and submissions to publishers. However, I am very flexible and happy to discuss your own unique requirements and areas where you feel that you may need the most help. 

In addition to coaching, on my website you can learn more about my other services for writers, such as online workshops for adults, manuscript evaluation and online workshops for children and young adults.

Vote for The Time Camera for The People's Book Prize

The Time Camera is now a showcased title for the 
summer collection for The People's Book Prize in 
the UK this year. Please vote for The Time Camera 
before August 31. You can learn more about The 
People's Book Prize and register to vote for The Time Camera here.

The Time Camera - Synopsis

The massive explosion in which Eleanor Chamberlain died at her 
research laboratory was widely seen as a tragic accident. Or was 
it the perfect crime? 


Two years later, Jake and Lydia discover a mysterious camera, capable 
of taking pictures of the distant past and more ominously, of the future. 
As they uncover the shocking truth and learn of secrets that someone 
will kill to protect, Jake and Lydia are soon propelled into a deadly and 
desperate race against time in order to save the future.