J.M. Hofer

When most people think of a trip to Ireland, they imagine tapping their foot to a frantic fiddle while quaffing pints of Guinness in a cozy neighborhood pub. While I’m an enthusiastic fan of evenings spent in just that very fashion, pubs hold only the most immediate and obvious of Lady Ireland’s treasures. She loves a good time, to be sure, but she’s about far more than good stout, whiskey, and trad music. For those daring enough to scale her mountains or shimmy into her dark places, a...

The Roots of Inspiration The Islands in the Mist series draws heavily from the ancient history, myths, and folklore of Wales. For centuries, Welsh (Cymric) history, poems, and stories were preserved through oral traditions. To ensure these tales lived on, individuals within ancient clans dedicated themselves to rigorous study. They spent years memorizing the songs, stories, and poems of their ancestors, passing them down as a precious inheritance to the next generation. Bardic traditions date...