Howard Andrew JonesAuthorial Voice, Scheduling, and a New Review
Monday, January 14, 2013
I wrote my most recent post about Guy le Strange’s book on ancient Baghdad in one long sustained burst, and upon revisiting just noticed that I use the…
Ancient Baghdad’s Street Plan
Friday, January 11, 2013
When you’re researching you sometimes stumble onto books that seem to have been written just for you. I’ve read a long shelf’s worth of interesting and sometimes wonderful…
Music to Write of Arabia
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
I’ve held various career plans over the years, beginning with my ambition to be a double-nought spy, a starship captain, or another Beatle. I also wanted to be…
The Map
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Last week I announced I was busy behind the scenes with the writing of book 3 and promotion of book 2, and that remains the case. But I…
Canals of Baghdad
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
If you ever think about ancient Baghdad you’re likely to picture a sand-blasted landscape and a city growing alongside the river in a narrow band where the ground…
On Historical Research
Friday, August 3, 2012
I received a note from a German writer/reader the other week asking me about how I research my historical fiction. These days I’m pretty methodical about it, but…
The Real Caliph
Friday, July 20, 2012
When I decided to set the Dabir and Asim stories in historical Arabia, I likewise decided that while I would emulate the real world, I’d also pay homage…
An Arabian Memoir
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
When I get asked about good resources and research materials on the ancient Middle-East, one book I always suggest is the memoirs of Usamah Ibn-Munqidh, a warrior from…
