Author Archives: E. C. Ambrose

About E. C. Ambrose

I spend as much time in my office as I possibly can--thinking up terrible things to do to people who don't exist.

Fantastic Beginnings: taking it slow, with Carol Berg

Posted on May 22, 2013

I have recently started reading Transformation, the first of the Book of Rai-kirah, by Carol Berg. I met the author on a panel about torturing your characters and recognized each other as kindred spirits. She’s actually the first person both … Continue reading →

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Respecting Dan Brown

Posted on May 16, 2013

If you read Elisha Barber all the way to the end, you’ll find an Acknowledgements page. One of the first names on that page is Dan Brown. Yep, the same author everyone’s talking about this week, with the release of … Continue reading →

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Skinning your Own Apes: Researching from Primary Sources

Posted on May 8, 2013

An article in the Stanford magazine this month talks about a new method of teaching history to high schoolers using primary source material, having the teens read several documents about an incident and draw their own conclusions based on the … Continue reading →

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Handgun Control in Medieval Japan

Posted on May 1, 2013

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a nice exhibit of Japanese arms and armor. Toward the end of the exhibit hung two very elegant matchlock guns dating to the Edo period (the 17th century). A small accompanying sign stated … Continue reading →

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Review: Songs for a Machine Age

Posted on April 24, 2013

Songs for a Machine Age by Heather McDougal My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is a delightful journey through an unusual fantasy world where machines and magic co-exist. While I didn’t find the heroine initially engaging, her talent … Continue reading →

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What’s in a Name? The Naming of Elisha

Posted on April 17, 2013

It has come to my attention from two different and equally interesting directions that some people are wondering about the name of my protagonist, Elisha Barber, specifically, his first name. Some folks have even wondered if it’s my name (it’s … Continue reading →

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Focus Groups Taking over the World!

Posted on April 10, 2013

This morning’s Wall Street Journal features an article entitled “Test-marketing a Modern Princess,” about how Disney Junior is developing their new Sofia the First television series. Yes, folks, these executives are sitting down with pre-schoolers, reading them storylines and filming … Continue reading →

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The Hierarchy of Medieval Medical Practitioners

Posted on April 3, 2013

Elisha Barber, the first book in my Dark Apostle series, features a barber-surgeon protagonist. During the Late Middle Ages (about 1300 to 1450, depending on whom you ask) the barber occupied one of the lowest steps in the hierarchy of … Continue reading →

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Kelpie, by T. J. Wooldridge–cover reveal and raffle

Posted on March 27, 2013

So my plan was to return to history for this week’s blog, then I found out about my friend T. J.’s raffle, happening this week only! Read the excerpt below, and scope out the rules to win some fun prizes … Continue reading →

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Review: The Termite Queen: Volume One: The Speaking of the Dead

Posted on March 19, 2013

The Termite Queen: Volume One: The Speaking of the Dead by Lorinda J. Taylor My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book is full of marvelous science fiction elements, building not only a vision of a future academia on Earth, … Continue reading →

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