The prefix Fitz- is an old word for "son of", especially used for the illegitimate sons of royalty.  Bear that in mind as we lay ...

Knowing that Leonardo da Vinci's 15th century painting The Last Supper is the most reproduced religious painting of all time, I'm so...

Goreyana author Irwin Terry out-does himself with his notes about the various pieces of artwork for The Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost ...

In the novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell there is a wonderful passage in which the statues in York Minster Cathedral are brought t...

March 9, 1566 : When you settle down for the night, what sort of book do you dig out of the shelves? History?  Mystery?  Romance?  A book L...

As we prepare for the tenth anniversary of Bellairsia, we’re using our moderately-new Twitter feed to share some memorable moments and...

Long-time fans will recognize the name Hannah Duston from John’s stories as she is memorialized in Johnny Dixon’s adopted home of Duston Hei...

by Novel Nematode (Feb. 26, 2010) ( Originally published at novelnematode.wordpress.com )

Years later, a passage from  The Face in the Frost  reminds a reader about  wider-than-usual mouths .  Take heed, sir: Kuchisake Onna pops u...

What's Kate reading? Bellairs, again, as this prolific reader and blogger (who has reviewed more than a few Bellairs titles ) has a ne...

Vincent Desjardins is an illustrator and a fan of children's book illustrations who noted he was recently inspired by The Dark Secret o...

Notes from Goreyana about The Dark Secret of Weatherend and The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull :

In a 1999 Smithsonian Magazine article , Timothy Foote explained, driven by duty to present himself to the citizens of the shaky new union, ...

In preparation for what would have been Edward Gorey ’s 85th birthday later this month, we’re counting down what are, in our meager opinion,...

February 8, 1910 : 100 years ago today – February 8, 1910 – William D. Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America. Popular legend says th...