0 Mile Post in Constantinople

Serpent Column Plundered from Delphi

Obelisk Plundered from Egypt

Medusa in Cistern

Hagia Sophia

7th C Mosaic

Tyche, Goddess of Fortune

Selene, Goddess of the Moon

Altar to Caesar

Roman Forum

Pompeii Toilet

Pompeii Fast-food Restaurant

Pompeii Art

September, 2003

• My newest work for Strange Horizons is up. Check out my review of John Varley's Red Thunder.

August, 2003

• One of my favorite stories has finally found a home. "Daughter of the Winds" is up at Song of the Siren. It was one of those stories that editors praised as "beautiful, lyrical, poetic" BUT "it's not right for us." I first wrote it nearly ten years ago - persistence pays!
• Strange Horizons is becoming a regular. Check out my book review of Leah R. Cutter's Paper Mage.
• We survived the Great Blackout of '03! Hannah was at camp, Gordon and I had to walk home - no more than two miles - and a friend who lived in Queens stayed over. We had plenty of candles and food we had to eat quick. Altogether not an awful experience.

July, 2003

• I finished the final draft of Placidia, now renamed Twilight Empress. It was a longer haul than I thought it would be two years ago when I finished the first draft, but it's a better book for the extra attention. Now for the champagne!
• An adventure! I went to North Shields, UK to help excavate a Romon fort called Arbeia sponsored by Earthwatch. Team IV helped expose part of a late Roman road leading from the south gate. We cleaned rocks, recorded finds, washed tile and pottery, and hung out at the local pubs. The highlight of the trip was a hike along Hadrian's Wall and visit to Vindalanda. I came home burdened with books and real Roman era dirt under my nails.

May, 2003

• LUCKY THIRTEEN FOR CITH! We made the annual sacrifices to the writing gods and I'm ashamed to say, I overindulged with the chocolate brownies and champagne. Thanks to Linda and Gerard for hosting the bash.

February, 2003

• An interview with historical fiction writer Anita Diamant is up at The Copperfield Review.

December, 2002

• It's party time! We had a great turnout of CITHians and other writer friends. Everyone enjoyed the British tradition of "crackers" - not the kind you eat.

November, 2002

• An interview with British historical mystery writer Valerie Anand (a.k.a. Fiona Buckley) is up at The Copperfield Review.
• HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!

October, 2002

• An article on Hypatia is up at Bygone Days. The long version with research bibliography can be found at Hypatia on my site.

September, 2002

• Coffee anyone? "Time Again" is now on a coffee label near you (if you order coffee from Story House during September.) It's weird, but profitable!
• The long-awaited CITH anthology is one step nearer to completion. Our manuscript has been accepted at Booklocker.com. Only a few illustrations and we'll be ready for the printers. Yippee!

August, 2002

• ANNUAL CITH SHAKESPEARE PARTY! Cymbeline - A late effort and loaded with long expository bits. My fellow CITHians were most solicitous of my temporary disability. They escorted me as I gimped around on crutches, braved the rigors of escalators, leapt the gaps between train car and platform, and tottered near the pool while trying to hold a script. All plied me with food and liquor (which made the tottering even more hazardous) without my having to ask. Thanks to everyone for making me feel so loved and cared for. Special thanks to Roy and Marsha for hosting a great party.

July, 2002

• We had a beautiful vacation in the UK and Iceland, but I broke my leg the afternoon before we were to leave for home. Crikey! It put a crimp in my summer. The good news: I have lots of time for writing and there will soon be pictures.
• Hannah has a new poem "The Crystal Alliance" plus illustrations up at her site.

June, 2002

• An exotic market paid off! I submitted "Time Again" to Story House a private coffee delivery service which is looking for content for their coffee labels and they accepted. More details later when I see the labels.
• CITH'S TWELFTH ANNIVERSARY! The annual sacrifices to the writing gods must be working. Thanks to Linda and Gerard for hosting the bash and providing the champagne and meat products.

May, 2002

• A review of A Woman's Liberation: A Choice of Futures By and About Women edited by Connie Willis and Sheila Williams is up at Strange Horizons.

April, 2002

• An updated interview with Karen Armstrong on the roots of fundamentalism appeared in Catholic Digest.

March, 2002

• An updated article on doing historical research appeared in Byline.

February, 2002

• A much expanded interview with Anita Diamant appeared at Inscriptions Magazine.

January, 2002

• Happy New Year!

December, 2001

• My interview with Karen Armstrong on Islamic fundamentalism appeared in the December 24 issue of In These Times, a current affairs magazine.
• Another interview with James Morrow was published at Strange Horizons.
• I hosted the annual CITH holiday party. We had a great turnout and everyone enjoyed the British tradition of "crackers" - not the kind you eat.

November, 2001

• My family joined several others in New York to give thanks for our health and fellowship. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

October, 2001

• My short story "Samhain" is in the Halloween Issue of Alternate Realities Magazine.
• My interview "The Unintented Writer: An Interview with Nancy Kress" was reprinted by Inscriptions Magazine.
• I wrote "The End" on the first draft of my second novel and popped the champagne. Now we'll see what CITH thinks of it.
• Hannah has a new piece on her page. "A Day in Heck Hole" is a lyrical lament on "one of those days."

September, 2001

On September 11, 2001 my home town was attacked and almost 3,000 civilians lost their lives. I spent that terrible Tuesday alternating between the phone, TV, and computer trying to find people. My husband Gordon ended up trekking from his CBS office on W 57th & 10 Ave to Hannah's school on E 33rd & 2nd Ave to pick her up and they walked home to W 95th St. If you know anything about the layout of Manhattan - that is several miles.

CITH has a number of members who work in the financial district, but luckily no one was hurt. One worked at the Stock Exchange and fled the destruction covered with a wet towel and white concrete dust. Another's wife was evacuated from WTC 5. I took in a refugee from midtown for most of the afternoon. It was so very comforting to have a friend in the apartment. Another two people called to ask for shelter for the night, but the trains were running by the end of the day so they went home.

Wednesday, Hannah was home from school so we took a long walk in Central Park just to get out and about in the sunshine. The park was packed with people and their children walking and talking quietly. We stopped by the Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon which meant nothing to Hannah, but comforted me. My writer friends got together on Thursday night for our regular meeting - we considered canceling but everyone desperately wanted to see and comfort each other. We've been together for twelve years and the members of CITH are among my closest friends and substitute extended family. It's great to have that kind of support and community.

I want to thank all those people - friends, family, editors, high school and college classmates - who called and emailed to wish us well. Our hearts go out to those who were not as lucky as we were.

August, 2001

• We were off to the wilds of Colorado for a "dude ranch" experience at Lost Valley Ranch. The countryside was marvelous, the horses sure footed, and the food plentiful, but I've still got bruises in places I can't mention on a family internet. Pictures coming soon!
• Another interview "From Mysteries to Non-fiction Thrillers: An Interview with Christine Wiltz" is available at Inscriptions Magazine
• A new interview "The Unintented Writer: An Interview with Nancy Kress" was published at Fearsmag.com

July, 2001

• Another big sale! See my review of three books for science fiction writers in the "Write Stuff" section of the July issue of The Writer. Get your copies now!
• Interview with James Morrow appeared in the Fall 2001 issue of Space and Time Magazine
• Feature on Anita Diamant's marketing effort on behalf of her first novel Pitching the Red Tent is up at In Udder Words.
• ANNUAL CITH SHAKESPEARE PARTY! Loves Labours Lost - A most incomprehensible play, but a great party. Thanks to Roy and Marsha for hosting the gang.

June, 2001

• Essay "Beyond Books" on how to do historical research appeared as lead article in In Udder Words.
• CITH'S ELEVENTH ANNIVERSARY! Champaign, fabulous food, and sacrifices to the writing gods for another good year. Thanks to Linda and Gerard for hosting the bash. Pictures available at Gerard's site.
• Hannah has some new stuff up at her site on e-maxen currency. I'm hoping to entice her to add regularly to her stuff, so check it out!

May, 2001

• This is a big one! My article on Ursula K. Le Guin is the lead feature in the May issue of Writer's Digest. Get your copies now!

April, 2001

• A feature titled "Jan Karon on Bringing Mitford Home" appeared in Virginia arts magazine Virginia Adversaria.
• My story "Fantasy for a Hot Summer's Night" is up at Mocha Memoirs.
• A reprint of my review of Fairy Books is up at Strange Horizons.
• Moira Allen moved my Inkspot interview with Ursula K. Le Guin to her sight at Writing World.

March, 2001

• "Better the Devil" published in Voyage Magazine #10 making me an internationally published author. This story also won an L. Ron Hubbard Writer's of the Future Honorable Mention.
• Inkspot.com is "on hold" according to its parent organization. Originally it was to be closed down on March 15, but the site is still up. No new content is being added, but you can still link to my articles below. (NOTE: The site has disappeared since this went up and we all mourn its loss.)

February, 2001

• Interview with James Morrow on his writing life appeared at Inkspot.com.
• Interview with CITH godmother Nancy Kress appeared at Inkspot.com.
• Interview with Ursula K. Le Guin appeared in the Spring 2001 issue of Space and Time Magazine
(OK, OK! I realize it looks like I'm making a career out of writing about UKLG, but each article is different. And only one more to go - Writer's Digest will run an interview in their May issue, then I'm done. But then UKLG did say, "Never say never!")

January, 2001

• Welcome to the New Millenium!
• Brilliant Career piece on Ursula K. Le Guin appeared at Salon.com
• Interview with famed author Ursula K. Le Guin appeared at Inkspot.com.

December, 2000

• ANNUAL CITH HOLIDAY PARTY at my house. We all had a great time and thanks to Linda for the special writer's "Hope Catchers!"

November, 2000

• Happy Thanksgiving!

October, 2000

• Research/20th Wedding Anniversary trip to Rome and Naples. I walked on the streets of Caesar and stood at the rostrum where Cicero spoke. Awesome! Click here or on the individual pictures on the left to see pictures and commentary.
• Hannah started writing a gossip column for her school newsletter. Way to go girl!

September, 2000

• ANNUAL CITH SHAKESPEARE PARTY! The Tempest - a perfect pool party. Thanks to Roy and Marsha for hosting the gang.
• Interview with famed author Ursula K. Le Guin appeared at iUniverse.com.

August, 2000

• Research trip to Istanbul (a.k.a. Constantinople) and Israel. Click here or on the individual pictures on the left to see pictures and commentary.
• I GOT AN AGENT FOR SELENE OF ALEXANDRIA !!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, DALLAS, FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.
• "Cats Pause" a short story appeared at Intertext
• "Slow Death" a short story appeared at Mocha Memoirs
• Book review called Banishing Media Ghosts of Science Fiction: Four Books to Spark an SF Writer's Imagination appeared at www.iUniverse.com
• Essay titled Will the Real Gladiator Please Stand Up? The Movie Vs... History appeared at www.iUniverse.com

July, 2000

• Essay on how to do historical research appeared at www.iUniverse.com.

June, 2000

• Author feature on Anita Diamant about marketing her first novel The Red Tent. Appeared at www.iUniverse.com.

May, 2000

• CITH'S TENTH ANNIVERSARY! Champaign, goodies and (fake) sacrifices. Thanks to Linda and Gerard for hosting the bash.
• Book review called A Delight of Fairies: The Newest Books on Fairy Lore and Art appeared at www.iUniverse.com.
• Author feature on Jan Karon and her phenomenal Mitford Series appeared at www.iUniverse.com.
• Interview with Karen Armstrong the author of The Battle for God appeared at www.iUniverse.com.

April, 2000

• Author feature on Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author Charles Sheffield appeared at www.iUniverse.com.

March, 2000

• Author feature on historical mystery writer Valerie Anand (a.k.a. Fiona Buckley) appeared at www.iUniverse.com.
• Part One of a two-part interview with Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award winner James Morrow appeared at www.iUniverse.com
• Part Twoof a two-part interview with Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award winner James Morrow appeared at www.iUniverse.com

February, 2000

• Author feature on mystery writer Christine Wiltz appeared at www.iUniverse.com.

January, 2000

• Author feature on Hugo and Nebula award-winning Nancy Kress appeared at www.iUniverse.com.

December, 1999

• Book review of the 2000 The Old Farmer's Almanac appeared at www.iUniverse.com.
• Book review of a new edition of the Bible including introductions by famous authors and philosophers appeared at www.iUniverse.com