Yesterday, Rick Riordan, author of the best selling Percy Jackson/Lightning Thief series, released THE RED PYRAMID, the first book in his new series about Egyptian gods. All my favorite bad-guy monsters show up in this fun, fast-paced adventure. I particularly enjoyed the monster Shezmu, He who Squeezes your Head in a Wine Press until it Explodes (but only if you’ve been … [Read more...] about Win a Private Tour of Egyptian Galleries with Rick Riordan!
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Finally, the cover for CLEOPATRA RULES!
The shot of young queen Cleopatra VII is actually a self-portrait by photographer Elizabeth Salib (c). CLEOPATRA RULES! (Boyds Mill Press) comes out August 15. … [Read more...] about Finally, the cover for CLEOPATRA RULES!
See What Happens when You ‘Comment Your Butt Off?”
A while ago, I won a contest hosted by children's writer and marketing consultant Shellie Johannes-Wells. The prize was web site design. She bravely called it the "Comment your Butt Off" challenge. I took to that contest like an OCD-er with a year's supply of hand-sanitizer--I went through everything I had in a matter of weeks. Poor Shelli didn't know what to make of me and my … [Read more...] about See What Happens when You ‘Comment Your Butt Off?”
Wait…Disney Stole from the Ancients?
Okay, maybe not stole. How ‘bout “borrowed.” Eons before Walt Disney discovered he had a thing for mice, a popular ancient story went like this:A guy named Eucrates traveled to Egypt to learn from a famous magician. Eucrates spied the old Egyptian using a spell to make inanimate objects come alive and do his chores for him. But the magician refused to share the magic word.One … [Read more...] about Wait…Disney Stole from the Ancients?
“I Swear On My Plums…”
Occassionally I hear the claim that ancient Roman men swore on their...um..."plums" before testifying in court. Could it be true--is there a "testes/testify" connection? I've read different opinions but the consensus seems to be that it didn't quite happen that way. Here's where the confusion may have begun: the word testicle apparently, comes from the Latin testiculus, a … [Read more...] about “I Swear On My Plums…”
