Lafayette Author Pens the Story of a Hidden Medieval Heroine

Lafayette Author Pens the Story of a Hidden Medieval Heroine

It's never too late to cross an item off your bucket list. That is definitely true for Lafayette author Hilary Benford, who has just had her historical fiction novel published at the age of 79. "Sister of the Lionheart", published by Wordfire Press in July and available through Amazon.com, is the story of Joanna Plantagenet, a young princess in England during the Middle Ages. 

"Much has been documented about her famous parents, King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and her brother, Richard the Lionheart, but I always wondered about the women of that time period, what they were doing and thinking," says Benford. "All of my history classes always focused on the men and the battles and laws."

Read rest of story here at Lamorinda Weekly and more on Hilary at Smashwords and Goodreads 

Women in science: 50 fearless pioneers who changed the world

Women in science: 50 fearless pioneers who changed the world | Chemistry World

Does science need to be pretty? Some say the facts’ inherent beauty should speak for itself. Others believe it needs a powerful picture to get a story across to a wider audience.  

No matter what you think, Rachel Ignotofsky’s bold illustrations are certainly eye-catching. She has penned serious scientific drawings, illustrations for The New York Times, as well as hilarious anatomies of Godzilla and Sharknado. Ignotofsky’s first book, Women in Science, is a celebration of her art and is as delightful as the rest of her work.

However, that doesn’t mean the book lacks content. Ignotofsky dedicates each double page to one of 50 women in science, from ancient Greek philosopher Hypatia to neuroscientist and 2014 Nobel laureate May-Britt Moser. The author recounts each scientist’s life story, combining aspects of their personal life and scientific discoveries. While the usual suspects, Ada Lovelace, Marie Curie and Rosalind Franklin, make an appearance, the book also features many scientists I had never heard of: African-American chemist Alice Ball, for example, who developed a leprosy treatment in the early 20th century long before antibiotics became commonplace.

Many of the situations the female scientists found themselves in – not being allowed to attend science classes, or having to sit behind a screen in lectures so as not to disturb their male colleagues – seem inconceivable from today’s perspective. However, a statistics page serves as a reminder that a severe gender gap still exists in science, though the author leaves it to the reader to find out why this might be the case.

Spirit of Fire: The Tale of Marjorie Bruce

Spirit of Fire: Eastern Hills student's exciting new chapter - Community News GroupCommunity News Group

MOST people spend a lifetime finding the book in them but for Eastern Hills Senior High School student Emmerson Brand, her first novel Spirit of Fire: The Tale of Marjorie Bruce is already published and available for sale.

The 16-year-old is already wise in the ways of publishing houses, books, cover designs and dealing with editors. Her publishers, based in Finland, have been selling the book on Amazon and in hardcover through bookshops.

Emmerson said her historical fiction book was set in medieval Scotland during the War of Independence.

Read More at Hills Gazette