Calling Karl Ludwig a major player is a bit of a stretch, since he played a pretty minor role in the events of the Thirty Years War. Still, he’s a historical figure upon which I base a major character, so …

Major Player: Karl I Ludwig, Elector Palatine Read more »

For someone who was involved in the Thirty Years War a mere two years, Gustav Adolf left an oversized impression. But that was par for for course for a man who spent his life virtually racing from one unqualified success …

Major Player: Gustav II Adolf, King of Sweden Read more »

One of the great joys of writing the Desolate Empire series has been fictionalizing real people. There are some huge benefits to this approach. I can turn about half of them into women and/or I can slander them egregiously. It’s …

Real Historical Figures Turned into Fantasy Characters Read more »

I have to confess that I was temporarily bamboozled by this book. It’s written so realistically, and Defoe (of Robinson Crusoe fame) claimed he stumbled upon this memoir and published it after cleaning it up a bit. It follows the adventures …

Book Review: Memoirs of a Cavalier by Daniel Defoe Read more »

This is another sort-of reblog of a post from days long past. The original had some inaccuracies I now know enough to correct. Thankfully, hardly anyone saw it- one of the advantages of blogging in obscurity. As some- or maybe …

The Thirty Years War- a Condensed Version Read more »