Please review all the topics below. If you have an idea of a topic, please contact me and I’ll let you know if I think it’s something I can do!
I work within any budget for your group, club, class, retreat or conference. I am focused on offering accurate information for your participants’ use. Contact me using the form at the bottom of the page and let’s talk!
Ancient Greece seems to be an under-used time period in fictional romance but the greatest romantic epics comes from this time: The Iliad and The Odyssey. Each story is a thrill a minute ride of military derring-do, seduction, love, elopements, murder, betrayal, clever manipulations, bravery, cowardice, and temper tantrums… and that’s just talking about the human characters. The Gods of the Greeks and Trojans are a whole other tennis match to read and watch in the stories.
The time of the Ancient Greeks is not as long as the ancient Egyptians or even the Romans, but they have been a monumental influence on Western civilization since their very beginnings. So frankly, let’s give the Greeks some love.
In this course I seek to give an overview of being Greek: daily life, religion, politics, a bit of history, military life, theater, education, and, of course, sex. The Greek idea of sex and what was acceptable sex is a far cry of what modern people consider acceptable or sometimes ethical. Th class will go from the of the Greek poleis to the Roman occupation and preoccupation with Greece.
The intent of this class is to give an overview of the life and death of Alexander the Great: his relationships, his battles, his loves, and his afterlife.
Alexander III of Macedon is one of these most important figures in all of Western history and some of Asian history as well. His influence on his conquered territories affect those areas even to this day, 2500 years later. Legends about Iskandarmah, Iskander and more litter the religious and literature histories of the Middle East and India. In some religions, he is considered a devil, in others an angel. Medieval Romances featured him doing fantastic miracles and traveling to wonderous locations under the sea or to the moon. Alexander’s tactics are still taught in military academies throughout the world. His life and times fascinate and scintillate historians and laymen alike today as much as so long ago.
He is Alexander the Great.
Egypt has been a source of fascination since they began constructing their civilization on the banks of the Nile. From Old Kingdom Dynasties starting at 2700 B.C. to the Arab conquest in 600s A.D., Egypt has been one of the most powerful or influential countries in the ancient world.
Archaeology has brought to life not only their funerary practices of mummification but also their lives alive, through excavations of villages, individual homes, and studying funerary art. Egypt gave us the color blue before trade with the Far East was established. The idea of ‘taking it with you’ was given a whole new meaning when Egyptians died.
In this course I will seek to give you a taste of being a New Kingdom Egyptian, from the life in the tomb makers village, civic and priest obligations, to being royal with all the duties and dangers that entailed.
The witch hunts of Europe are infamous in history for the thousands of lives lost in the hysteria. Great Britain was late in joining the craze but the brutality was no less horrific.
This class will cover some of the early witch hunts prior to James I, the rise of the hunts under James until the last witch persecuted in the 20th Century. It will cover the laws and methods of obtaining confessions and convictions in all sections of the British Isles, including focus on individuals like James VI of Scotland/I of England and Matthew Hopkins, the Witch-Finder General. It will feature in depth case studies of various victims of the hunts up to the 20th Century. This class is perfect for the Halloween month of October.
From everyday eating to feasts for religious holidays, join me on an explanation of a Tudor royal kitchen. Learn about the food and drink, sweets and savories, as well as the lingo for the foods and how they were made. Includes recipes at the end of each lesson and chock full of Tudor scrumptiousness. We will look into the Tudor kitchen inside and out, on both sides of the eating table.
What’s the deal with fan fiction? What about cosplay and comic book conventions? When did being geek and nerdy become cool? What’s the story behind it and how can I make a geek character for my book? Join me on a two week quest to learn about all things fandom and how you too, are a fandom geek and don’t even know it!
This slideshow presentation goes into the fashion of the Roaring Twenties, from women’s to men’s and even children. Learn about what to wear to the speakeasy, athletic wear, getting married and even the type of make up women wore. Vintage photos and extant clothing examples are used in this 1 hour presentation on historical fashion. A must for any 1920s enthusiast.
This live class features a slide show presentation on women’s, men’s, teen, and children’s clothing during World War II and after up to the 1950s. Includes evening wear, wedding, athletic wear, makeup and underwear.
Join me for an overview of fashion in a time of wartime restrictions and the era of the Zoot Suit Riots.
This live class features a slide show with information on the development of Victorian fashion starting with the Georgian/American Colonial fashions of the late 18th Century to the death of Victoria in 1901.
Join me for an overview of women’s, men’s and children’s fashion from 1840-1890. We will cover day and evening wear and all the things that were worn underneath.
The phenomena of fan fiction is taking the publishing world by storm. Authors who cut their teeth on this form of entertainment are now superstars of the publishing industry.
Join me for this 1 hour slide show presentation as I explain the concept of fan fiction, how it began, why it’s relevant to our culture and why it’s not for the kids in their parents’ basement, but for the writing community to cut their metaphorical teeth on.