History, Revisited

I was a European history major in college and I have always loved history. Not necessarily the battles and who won what war, but the stories of how people lived; how the ramifications of war, a new King/Queen, or a plague affected the population. How people coped, what they did to earn their keep, how they survived. In a nutshell, I am a cultural history nerd. 

Bolton's Abbey

I once took an entire university course devoted to Henry VIII and his dissolution of the Catholic church in England. But it wasn't until I moved here and started visiting the local abbeys that were torn down shortly after England's separation from Rome, did I understand the magnitude of Henry VIII's decision. Yes, it was so he could legally wed & bed Anne Boleyn, but it was also an attempt to secure a healthy male heir. That need of a healthy male heir, and the lengths that the King would go in the hopes of getting one, changed the lives of so many and altered the course of history forever. 

Rievaulx Abbey

The abbeys were large and provided food and a place of healing (albeit leeches, herbs, and the like) for the local population, and education for the males with talent or money. The Abbeys weren't all peaches and cream, though. Some abbeys, Fountains Abbey in particular, were said to be quite corrupt by the time of their undoing. I find this stuff so completely fascinating.

Fountain's Abbey

That first year of living in England really re-ignited my love for history. I mean, how could it not? There is so much history in this country, even written history going back 2000+ years. So cool!

And so I began teaching myself about a young Celtic queen who reigned during the time of the Roman arrival on the isle of Britannia (circa 40AD). I am currently attempting to write a novel about her life and times. It hasn't been easy, as there is a lot of conjecture and theories about the pre-Roman Celts, but not a lot about them is truly known. Quite a bit was written about them from their Roman contemporaries, but having only one side of a story can be more challenging than helpful. So basically, I'm attempting to research and write a very complex story as my first try at writing anything of any length. Wish me luck :-) 

I have no idea if I'll ever have a single person read the tale I am writing, but for now, it's keeping me busy.