Tag Archives: History

Another birthday – Pamela Colman Smith

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Brian Bixby

I couldn’t let this day go by without saying a word about Pamela Colman Smith (February 16, 1878 – September 18, 1951), because she was connected to two topics on this blog: the occult and horror fiction. Pamela had an … Continue reading →

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It’s my birthday on February 14

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Birthday rules Rule #1: select your parents well. Mine weren’t rich, nor especially happy, but they dealt fairly with their children. Rule #2: pick your birth date carefully. Being a Valentine baby led to all sorts of embarrassment when I … Continue reading →

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Summer vacations on Winnisquam

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Brian Bixby

In The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge, and in a related blog post, I’ve written about how the wealthy of the Gilded Age erected “cottages” of up to one hundred rooms to spend part of their vacation time. It’s made me reflect … Continue reading →

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The phrenomagnetists, 19th century scientists of the mind

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Brian Bixby

It’s not easy being a researcher into the powers of the human mind. And without today’s technologies, it was even harder in the nineteenth century. But they did have a map of the human brain, and tools to make it … Continue reading →

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Chapter 18 of Dragon Lady, and servants

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Brian Bixby

“A day in the life of Patty Leigh,” chapter 18 of The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge, is now available. Our magicians have been busy. But as everyone ought to know, they could not survive a day without the help of Patty … Continue reading →

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Chapter 16 of Dragon Lady, and money

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Brian Bixby

“Family and friends,” chapter 16 of The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge, is now available. Rebecca goes home to see her parents, only to confront new magical surprises. And how does one receive a daughter who is feared by the town as … Continue reading →

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Inspiration and Transformation

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Brian Bixby

They tell you “write what you know.” But that’s not really what you have to do. What you know is only your start, your inspiration. You need to transform it into something that others will read, that will inspire and … Continue reading →

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Chapter 15 of Dragon Lady, and Bridget Leigh/Lee

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Brian Bixby

“Abigail in Flight,” chapter 15 of The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge: A Tale of Magic in the Gilded Age, has been posted. Injured and on the run, can Abigail acquire allies faster than she acquires enemies? For the many of you who … Continue reading →

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“Teller of Tales”

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Brian Bixby

No, this isn’t about Robert Louis Stevenson, though he does play a part. Stevenson, for those of you who don’t know, was the author of Treasure Island. He spent his last years before he died in 1894 on an island in … Continue reading →

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My own tale of crime (sort of) from the Berkshires

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Brian Bixby

As readers of this blog know, my ongoing story, The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge, is set in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. I’ve traveled all over the region myself, indeed have visited every town in the region. I’ve stood at the mouth … Continue reading →

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