You know when you have a great plan in place, when you plan your week, when you feel like you're finally going to be your best …
5 Unusual Codes of Behavior in Old Russia
I’ve had a wonderful few weeks, both in terms of work and rest. My kids are growing up fast and beautiful, my work is rewarding, …
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15 Russian expressions you’ve never heard of
I’m having a great time getting into the exciting bits of my new novel. Bear-riders have appeared, my main character is in the …
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8 things you’ve never heard about medieval Russian princes
Many people have an allergic reaction to the word "conventional." Or, worse yet, "traditional." They immediately sense the bonds …
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7 Things You’ve Never Heard about Russian Weddings
Recently, my darling wife and I celebrated our third anniversary. In the midst of writing long swathes of my second novel about …
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How to Train a War Elephant
Right now, I’m basking in the productive atmosphere of the Oregon Coast Writers’ Retreat, and I’m getting close to a place in my …
Five Myths about Russian Cuisine
Yesterday, I got back from an amazing trip to Saratov, Russia, where I was one of 41 men recording sacred music for a men’s choir …
How to Name Your Future Prince
In the novel I'm working on now, the generation of characters that was young in the first novel now has children. And …
The Three Warriors of Slavic Mythology: Who Were They?
Sometimes, when I get stuck in my writing, it helps to take some time to study the visual arts. The amazing flourishing of serious …
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Villains from Slavic Mythology: Baba Yaga
The Hut on Chicken Feet Slavic mythology would not be the same without the old hag with an odd taste in food and …
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Things You May Not Know about “Kievan Rus”
These days, Tolkien isn’t particularly popular among certain readers and publishers of fantasy. To be called “Tolkien-esque” can …
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Ushkuiniki: the Last Pirates of Old Rus
Recently, I've been having trouble with a main character's journey in my second novel. He literally wasn't going anywhere fast. It …
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How Alexander the Great Became Popular in Russia
Recently, my wife and I finished reading aloud the amazing new Russian novel Laurus by Evgenii Vodolazkin. I loved it. First of …
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Russian Village Windows: the Eyes of the Russian Soul
Those of you who’ve been following me, especially on Pinterest, know that I love traditional Russian village windows, which …
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The Deed of Paksenarrion
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon My rating: 5 of 5 stars Nowadays, readers tend to give an author no more than five …
Slavic “fake-lore”: was Slavic mythology made up?
In the 18th century, Russia entered the grand stage of European history. It threw aside its "primitive Easternness", and did …
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Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Uprooted by Naomi Novik My rating: 4 of 5 stars When I finished this book, I was sure it would get no more than a 3 star …
The Suffering Innocents
It is easy to become jaded, seeing all the horrors of war on our Facebook wall. It is easy to lose empathy with the suffering …