Roughly a third of the way in. New character introduced, and some nice callbacks. Next chapter should be fun to write!

Assyrian empire written up. Probably not going onto the site until Tuesday, though. Three chapters of novel to go through over the weekend instead. Writing is fun.

To be so hated that you would be scrubbed from the surface of the Earth – quite a feat. But Nineveh managed it. And I managed to write half of the article about it – got up to the meat of the matter, but then ran out of oomph. Will finish tomorrow, though it may not post until next week. Weekend’s for novelling.

The Assyrians next, who prove that ruling through cruelty and fear means it can be pretty bad when your rule fails.

Today we go back – way back – to the first empire known, in fact. And yet for a thousand years only a single word in the book of Genesis remained. The Akkadian Empire.

Wrote up the Akkadian Empire, which faded so thoroughly that only a single word remained of it – until the 19th century led to the deciphering of their ancient script.

Back to the reporter, and things could be going better for him. Still, he’s got a plan. That always works out.

Back into the novel for the weekend. Think this may work. Currently just shy of the 20k words mark, hoping to take this to 70k.

Next empire is Akkad, the first empire. Sargon the great, and Enheduanna, the priestess and author of the oldest surviving poetry. Great stuff.

More specifically, the Maurya Empire. Who I had never heard of before, so at least I’ve learned something. Article should be up tomorrow.