Ancient FM

05/26/2026

Anyone for a free audiobook? Medieval fantasy from our curator.

“Being a writer is not about your fame or the length of your work - it's about what you do for your reader. If your reader cannot stop reading, then you should not stop writing.” —Susannah Birch

Photo is of my brother reading The Vessel. He’s always asking me when my next book will be out. The first draft of The Vessel 2 is almost finished and should be released this year. Want a free audiobook for the The Vessel? Request one.

05/19/2026

From our curator. Check out her medieval fantasy novels! wkgreyling.com.

This 700-year-old notebook made of leather, wood, and wax, was once used to record personal notes. It was found in one of five medieval latrines during an excavation in Paderborn. The writer used a stylus to scratch text into the wax surface, and the writing could later be erased and reused. A perfect tool for a novelist who wants to jot down ideas while out and about (as I do, quite regularly).

The notebook contains ten pages, eight written on both sides, and beneath the latest writing, traces of older erased inscriptions still survive. Researchers hope modern imaging technology will eventually separate and decipher these hidden layers of text. I doubt they will answer the question as to how the notebook ended up in the toilet, but one never knows...

Photo: Conservator Susanne Bretzel handling the wax booklet. LWL Archaeology for Westphalia / E. Daood

05/17/2026

A lost copy of a 1300-year old poem written by a cowherd in what is now England has been found in Rome. The writer, Caedmon, lived in the 7th century.

From the article referenced below: Bede records that Caedmon was an illiterate farmer working for a monastery who at first avoided singing. "Therefore, at feasts, when it was decided to have a good time by taking turns singing, whenever he would see the harp getting close to his place, he got up in the middle of the meal and went home" Modern commentators presume that Caedmon actually "concealed his skill from his fellow workmen and from the monks because he was ashamed of knowing 'vain and idle' songs." https://public.archive.wsu.edu/delahoyd/public_html/medieval/caedmon.html

Caedmon’s hymn was inspired by a dream, and is the earliest surviving Old English poem.

The poem was meant to be sung with the accompaniment of a hearpe. Enjoy this rendition. https://www.facebook.com/eugene.schreder/videos/2323203484612018

05/15/2026

A little something from our curator. Check out her books! wkgreyling.com

Online radio station Ancient FM is where to go for medieval and Renaissance music! Try it on TuneIn.

05/06/2026

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04/24/2026

After more than two decades of painstaking work on identifying the techniques used to set particular verse forms, research undertaken by Cambridge University’s Dr Sam Barrett has enabled him to reconstruct melodies from the rediscovered leaf of the 11th century ‘Cambridge Songs’.

Above and below, you can watch musicians perform 'Songs of Consolation,' a 1,000-year-old song set 'to the poetic portions of Roman philosopher Boethius’ magnum opus The Consolation of Philosophy,' an influential medieval text written during the 6th century.

04/17/2026

This three-week course begins on April 18th, with live sessions each Saturday from 1:00 to 3:00 pm EST.

04/12/2026

This looks like a movie scene, but it’s actually Najac in France. Najac castle was built in 1253 by locals on the orders of Alphonse de Poitiers. It sits on the summit of a hill formed by a loop of the river. From a distance, it resembles Aure Castle from my Aure fantasy series. My newest Aure book will be out later this year!

Najac holds the record for having the tallest arrow slits in the world. At 22.3 ft, they were designed to allow use by three archers at once. This, combined with the castle’s lofty location, would’ve made Najac an unusually secure fortress.

Enrico Fossati snapped the pic and it has been cropped.

04/05/2026

Ancient AM thanks Anonima Frottolisti for donating songs from their fab new album, Il Fior Della Cecilia! More about them here: https://www.anonimafrottolisti.it/en/homepage-english/

04/04/2026

An ancient shapeshifter dwells in the North Mountains. Sir Avry, Regent to a poisoned king, must decide how to tackle the danger on the kingdom's doorstep. How he chooses to approach the shifter will decide the fate not only of his kingdom but of the world…

White Bird: Book 2 of Aure is one of my best reviewed books. Get book 1 for free now at online stores. Links are in the comments.