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On the Road in the Emerald City: A Conversation with an Irish Traveller in Seattle

 This is a slightly different blog for the week, as it features no picture and is an interview I conducted with a gentleman I met in Seattle not too long ago. Enjoy    For centuries, the Irish Travellers—known in their own language as Pavee or Mincéirí —have carried their culture, language, and traditions across Ireland and beyond. Unlike settled Irish communities, Travellers historically maintained a nomadic lifestyle, specialising in crafts, music, horse trading, tin smithing, and storytelling. Their distinct identity has survived centuries of marginalisation, misunderstanding, and dispersal, including migration to places far from their ancestral lands. Seattle, a city of constant movement and cultural fusion, has become home to a small but vibrant Traveller community. To better understand their life, heritage, and modern experiences, I sat down with Seamus O’Connell , an Irish Traveller who has lived in the city for over twenty years. Q: Seamus, thank you for ta...
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Outlining a Gothic Novel for writing

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  Gothic literature is the art of shadows, crumbling castles, whispered secrets, and the thin veil between love and terror. From Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to Bram Stoker’s Dracula , the gothic novel has long captivated readers with its blend of mystery, romance, horror, and atmosphere. But before you can write your own masterpiece of gloom and grandeur, you need a strong outline. Here’s how to craft one, step by step. 1. Begin with the Core of Gothic Literature Every gothic novel thrives on a few essential ingredients: Atmosphere : Moody, dark, oppressive, and full of suspense. Setting : Ruins, castles, manors, abbeys, foggy moors, or decaying cities. Themes : Death, madness, forbidden love, decay, isolation, and the supernatural. Characters : Doomed lovers, tragic villains, Byronic heroes, or innocent victims. Before outlining, list the themes and motifs that resonate most with your story. Do you want a ghostly revenge tale, a cursed romance, or...
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