Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my question about the early Renaissance! I was thrilled that you took time out of your schedule to give me advice. =) My book is historical fantasy, with a setting comparable to 13th century Europe, and I hope to capture a fraction of that time period as well as you’ve channeled the 9th century in the Saxon Stories (I’m finishing up Lords of the North right now and can’t wait to jump into Sword Song). A minor thing, but if you’re ever interested in using Thieves’ Cant (or some form thereof) in one of your future novels, I found a very colorful, and entertaining, database: http://pascalbonenfant.com/18c/cant/. At the very least, it is worth a laugh. Thanks again for being so generous with your fans – you’re my favorite author, and you’ve given my writing some much renewed vigor!

Jay Littlejohn