It might surprise you to know that I date a lot. At seventy-six, I believe I date more than most women my age. I cannot get enough of dating. I probably date a little each and every day. And I suppose there’s many of you, older and younger, who also love to date. My favorite dates are Scottish, Irish, and some English dates, but I can also get enthralled with American dates—although most of my American dates are much younger than the others. If you have never tried dating, you should. It will enrich your life more than I can say.
I do much of my date research on the internet, but my favorite research comes from old books and newer books about earlier times. I am a dating junkie. I can’t get enough historical information on the dates I love most. That would be the 9th century to the 17th century. I don’t know what I love most about dating, the researching or the reading for pleasure.

I like biographies, but lately I read those mostly for factual information on specific times. Also bios have information that can help me visualize my fictional characters. I am a fiction writer, so manipulating the real characteristics of a long dead Scot is exciting and challenging. And because I am not bound by the truth, I can include a bit of the blarney.
In another life I was Egyptian, and Hebrew, and German, and English, and Scottish, and Irish, but not all at the same time. Historical research may talk out loud to me in particular because I am looking for the parts I played in the history of mankind. I know I was at Mount Sinai when Moses read the Ten Commandments. Now that is way back when.
Bringing history to life for readers is opening new worlds to them, no matter how old those worlds are. I believe that many writers are beginning to see the historical trees that have been over shadowed by the forests of sci-fi and apocalyptic books that are filling the bookstores’ shelves. I loved CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY and every book I could get my hands on about medieval history. And I have to confess . . . I read adult books set in eras like Catherine’s. I began many eons ago in England and have traveled across the British Empire to Italy and beyond. Of course Scotland has a special place in my heart as my name is Scottish . . . Gordon. Right! After it was Gordonski or some such, and then my ancestors got off the boat.

I know very little history of my own family, when my ancestors came from Russia, Lithuania, and Romania. The children of my grandparents wanted to be “real” Americans. My father and mother and uncles and aunts asked very few questions. Their parents handed down very little of who and what they were in the Old Countries they came from. I actually know more about my mother-in-law’s family, where they came from and why, than I know about my own. Maybe that is what drives me. That could be the very reason I date so much. Even the reason why I feel as if something is missing and needs to be done when I am not dating. No matter what I am reading or writing, I am waiting to date.

Join me. Enter into the world of dating. It is not too late. History will always be there waiting for you to discover.