“Are all Cabinets congeries of little autocrats with a super-autocrat presiding over them?”~Beatrice Webb English sociologist, economist, feminist, and social reformer Beatrice Webb was born on this day in 1858.
Blog
Happy New Year!
Happy 2026. I have posted little more than my Sunday writing this year as I've been working on my novel. Back in 2022, I completed the first draft of my YA fantasy novel, tentatively titled, Meegan's Quest. It's the story of a sheltered half-elf teen, raised in seclusion by her elven mother, desperate to see … Continue reading Happy New Year!
Random Quote for January 01, 2026
“I suspect that even today, with all the progress we have made in liberal thought, the quality of true tolerance is as rare as the quality of mercy.”~Frank Knox American politician, soldier, newspaper editor, and publisher Frank Knox was born on this day in 1874.
Expectation
My writing group gives us a prompt every week. I don’t always write to it because I’ve been concentrating on finishing my novel. But this week, I thought I’d use the prompt to reflect on past years and look at my expectations of 2026. The word ‘expectation’ is defined as ‘anticipation’ or ‘assurance’. As I … Continue reading Expectation
Random Quote for December 30, 2025
“You can never have international peace as long as you have national poverty.”~Stephen Leacock Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humourist Stephen Leacock was born on this day in 1869.
Random Quote for December 29, 2025
“Justice delayed is justice denied.”~William E. Gladstone British statesman and politician William E. Gladstone was born on this day in 1809.
Hidden Passages
This is the latest story in the series about my continent of Adaran. These stories focus on events that happen around the characters in the novel I just sent off to my editor. Noxport is a sprawling port city perched on the edge of the Southern Sea. It thrives amid the tumult of merchants, pirates, … Continue reading Hidden Passages
Random Quote for December 27, 2025
“Happiness is a real, objective phenomenon, scientifically verifiable. That means people and whole societies can now be measured over time and compared accurately with one another. Causes and cures for unhappiness can be quantified.”~Polly Toynbee British journalist and writer Polly Toynbee was born on this day in 1946.
Random Quote for December 26, 2025
“Peace, if it ever exists, will not be based on the fear of war but on the love of peace.”~Julien Benda French philosopher, novelist, essayist, and cultural critic Julien Benda was born on this day in 1867.
Random Quote for December 25, 2025
“A word to the wise to all the children of the twentieth century, whether their concern be pediatrics or geriatrics, whether they crawl on hands and knees and wear diapers or walk with a cane and comb their beards. There’s a wondrous magic to Christmas, and there’s a special power reserved for little people. In … Continue reading Random Quote for December 25, 2025
J.J. Shaun 