Retinue Pronunciation: [ret-n-oo, -yoo] Function: noun Etymology: Middle English retenue, from Anglo-French, from feminine of retenu, past participle of retenir to retain a) small troop of fighting men of all types raised on the estate of a knight b) body of persons “retained” in the service of a noble or royal personage
I’m currently reading A World Without End by Ken Follett, and his historical fiction novel is filled with medieval church architectural terms that I’m not readily familiar with, such as a clerestory or apse or chancel. I read Pillars of the Earth years ago, and some of the terms I… Read More »Glossary of Medieval Church Architecture
Amazon.com is the hands-down leader in the online bookselling marketplace. And—although it’s notoriously difficult to speak with a living, breathing human being—Amazon prides itself on meeting its customers’ needs. What’s the easiest way to drive sales for your book on Amazon? Easy: maximize the content on your product page and… Read More »Optimize Your Amazon Page to Drive Sales for Your Novel
William II, also called “Rufus,” was the second son of William I (“The Conqueror”) and was king of England from 1087 – 1100. William Rufus, in advance of the news of the death of his father, hurried from Normandy to Winchester, and with the support of Archbishop Lanfranc, gained the… Read More »William II (Rufus), King of England
Investiture Pronunciation: [in-ves-ti-cher, -choor] Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin investitura, from investitus, past participle of investire The act of formally putting someone into an office or landholding; it was a major occasion of dispute in the eleventh and twelfth centuries when reformers opposed lay rulers who invested clergy… Read More »Medieval Term of the Day: Investiture
Noah Lukeman is the President of Lukeman Literary Management Ltd., founded in 1996, and he is the author of the bestselling books The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile and The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life. He has valuable insight… Read More »Interview with Noah Lukeman, Literary Agent
The year is 877 AD, and the Saxons have just defeated the Danes at Cynuit, though troubles for Alfred and his kingdom of Wessex are far from over. The Danes control three of the four major kingdoms in England — Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia — and they are continuing… Read More »Bernard Cornwell – The Pale Horseman (Saxon Chronicles Book 2)
Heriot Pronunciation: \hare-E-et\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English heregeatwe, plural, military equipment, from here army (akin to Old High German heri army) + geatwe equipment a) A payment which a feudal lord may claim from the possessions of a dead serf or other tenant, essentially a death… Read More »Medieval Term of the Day: Heriot
I came across this post on Pick the Brain that discuss George Orwell’s essay Politics and the English Language written in 1946. In the essay, Orwell focuses on how to communicate more effectively as a writer. His rules are quite simple and logical, much like Strunk’s advice on writing in The Elements… Read More »Rules for Effective Writing by George Orwell