Monthly Archives: April 2014

The pitfalls of picking a book cover

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Stephen Liddell

It’s the moment that every writer both looks forward to and dreads in equal measure; deciding upon and somehow either creating, commissioning or crossing-your fingers and hoping an inbuilt software template can create a good book cover. Book covers are … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, writing | Tagged Australian War Memorial, Book Covers, Getty Images, history, Imperial War Museum, Life, Publishing, Self-Publishing, The Somme, writing, WW1 | 22 Comments

Words we still use from Shakespeare!

Posted on April 26, 2014 by Stephen Liddell

This week marks both the death and supposed birth of the greatest writer of the English language, William Shakespeare. He was born in 1564 and died in 1616 and whilst much about him is sometimes doubted such as his birthday, … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Life, writing | Tagged Culture, English, Heritage, history, Life, Literature, Phrases, Shakespeare, William Shakespeare, Words, writing | 10 Comments

April 23rd is Saint George’s Day – The Patron Saint of England & dragon slayer extraordinaire

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Stephen Liddell

Wednesday is April 23rd and St. George’s Day which is remembered annually on the day of his death. Whilst his famous dragon slaying exploits are the stuff of legend, Saint George himself was born in the Roman-Palestine town of Lydda … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Britannia, Heritage, history | Tagged Culture, England, Flag, George and the dragon, history, Life, Patron Saint, Roman, Saint George, St. Georges Day | 12 Comments

The English Landscape Garden

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Stephen Liddell

Given that it’s Easter time, the traditional beginning to the summer season in the U.K., it means that I’m once again able to enjoy the countless country gardens around and about. Many have seen our gardens on various TV shows … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Culture, Heritage, history | Tagged Blenheim Palace, Capability Brown, Chatsworth House, Culture, English Landscape Garden, Gardening, history, Life, national trust, outdoors, Stowe, Wimpole Hall | 5 Comments

Legends of the Blood Moon

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Stephen Liddell

Much of North America is currently under the gaze of a Blood Moon. We know it today to be formed when light passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, bathing the moon in an eerie red glow. Whilst today’s event is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, News | Tagged 1066, Astrology, Astronomy, Battle of Hastings, Blood Moon, Culture, history, Jesus, weird news, Werewolves | 2 Comments

Women Who Eat On Tubes

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Stephen Liddell

In recent weeks something of a storm has appeared in London and the rest of the U.K. regarding a Facebook page entitled “Women Who Eat On The Tube” and predictably shows photos of women who are eating, sometimes scoffing their … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, London | Tagged Bullying, Culture, food, healthy eating, Junk Food, Life, London, London Underground, News, photos, Rudeness, The Tube, UK, Women who eat on tubes | 12 Comments

Wrestlemania XXX

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Stephen Liddell

With political scandals, the Queen dining with former terrorists and my sending a manuscript to the publishers, it’s a fair question to wonder why I’m writing today about wrestling. The answer is because I had such fun watching it on … Continue reading →