Interview in Spilt Ink
I am honored to have been the featured author interviewed in the April 2009 issue of the Pittsburgh Writer’s Group magazine 'Spilt Ink.' I want to thank the PWG and I look forward to joining them at a future meeting back in my hometown. READ HERE
For the next two days I will be at the National Military Park Service Archives here in Fredericksburg gathering transcripts of primary source material for my "Campfires at the Crossroads: Confederate Encampments in Spotsylvania County" as part of The History Press’ American Chronicles Series. I also have a family coming into town this weekend for a private tour of several historic locations and I hope to film the 4th episode of The Naked Historian as soon as it stops raining here in Spotsylvania.
Stay tuned. I’ll be back to posting in a few days.
A walk in the park.
The Naked Historian: Episode 3. Loriella Park
This rainy day installment takes us to Loriella in Spotsylvania County. The multi-field location is the main site of the county's Parks and Recreation program. It is also located on historically significant land with a circa 1850’s landmark house and tucked-away family cemetery. Next episode: “The caged cannon at Pelham’s Crossing.”
CLARIFICATION: I am aware that there is a small area believed to be a ‘slave cemetery’ on the other side of the park, but I was unable to find any documentation in the local govt. records, or through my contacts at the NPS. They were able to provide background info on the property. Therefore, I stuck to what was documented and refrained from assuming facts about the other site.
Happy Easter and Passover from the Aubrecht family. God bless.
This week I'll be busy writing a series of pieces for Mort Künstler’s upcoming release, updating the National Civil War Life Foundation website, and filming the 3rd installment of The NAKED Historian. I also have an interview coming out this week in The Pittsburgh Writer's Project eZine and a private tour this weekend with the Warren family from Roanoke. Stay tuned for postings as my to-do list is completed.
New side-gig
Guess who accepted an invitation to host a history show on our local TV channel. Yep! A popular tourist publication was granted 3 hours a week on Fredericksburg's cable-access and asked me to host one of their segments. I believe I will be filmed at historical sites of interest. These will be broadcasted on local programming channels and in the hotels. Stay tuned and keep yer' fingers crossed. I'm learning as I go along.
Explain yourself
Someone emailed me last night asking “What’s up with the ‘NAKED’ title in your videos?” Clearly I’m clothed (thank goodness). Perhaps I should have explained that this little side-project, an unscripted and ultimately fun way for me to share some of our local unknown sites, is a take-off from my favorite TV show The Naked Archeologist.
TNA stars Simcha Jacobovici who according to his bio is: “Fast, funny and irreverent (think Ali G. meets Indiana Jones), Jacobovici asks the questions we all want to know the answers to: Why is it so bad to be called a Philistine? Was Jezebel really that sexy? What do you do when you find a 2,000-year-old palace under your house? And where do you stop for a good falafel when you’re on your way to find the real Mount Sinai?”
Jacobovici's archeological theories in some cases have come under fire from Biblical scholars. As a devout Christian, I am firm in my own theological beliefs, which obviously differ from his. That said, I think a similar approach to his can be taken with history. My ‘angle’ is to introduce others to historical places that are off the beaten path. Millions of tourists come to our area each year and the majority of them have no clue the places I’m covering even exist. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll get some real equipment and some software. Until then, please enjoy these installments, missteps, mistakes and all. I am literally turning on the camera and improvising. What you see, is exactly what I see, no cuts, no edits, hence the use of the term 'naked.'
