There is a series of books entitled "Every Day Live in ..."--blanking on the authors--which includes some volumes on medieval and renaissance life. They're not aimed at scholars so should provide some good grounding.

Seconding the Brother Cadfael books rec. Also, since he's a geek, you might try getting him to get some research off the net:

Some sites:

Life During the Middle Ages

[link]

I hated "Eternal Sunshine," y'all. Didn't want to, struggled valiantly, but... Maybe I'm just way the wrong audience for comedy about brain damage. Tapped into more anxiety than whimsy to think about people in my brain while I'm unconscious."It's a gimp thing, you wouldn't understand." And I thought they sucked as a couple, too. Were they supposed to?

I think they were supposed to be whimsical but flawed. (Actually, my one beef with the movie was that she was the flawed one, and his flaws were mostly explained as not being really flaws.) I liked them, together, but I wanted them to get some nice therapy too.

I think the moral of the story is, don't make decisions about a procedure tantamount to brain surgery until after you get off the rebound. Also, generally speaking? Brain surgeons don't operate out of a Queens storefront and a van.

Yeah...he was supposed to be like, too nice. Actually he seemed like the kind of quiet man who could drive someone like...my friend to levels of hysteria trying to get a reaction from him. It's a good thing I'm healthier than she is. ;)

MememeMEEEEEEEEmememe...

My agent would like the following:

A. The first fifty pages of the fourth series book, Cruel Sister. Status: I have 42 pages.

B. Synopsis for Cruel Sister. Status: ready.

C. Blurbs (one or two paragraphs each) for potential books 5 and 6. Status: songs for books chosen, blurbs will take maybe twenty minutes.

I just pinged her to ask if she'd like to see what I've got. Now that the third book, Matty Groves, is officially accepted by St. Martins, we can start the pitch process and from where I'm sitting, the sooner the better.

Exciting. Go get 'em, Deb.

I would like to publically thank Deb for the wonderful feedback she's giving me. In addition to the excellent practical help, she's helping me finally trust myself as a mainstream writer. That was the biggest hurdle.

erika, BTW, check your email.

edit: connie, welcome, ma'am.

Go Deb!

I emailed the contest coordinator to express my concerns and got a very nice email back, saying that I shouldn't have been marked down for first person, and she'll definitely keep a closer eye on this judge in the future. I've also written my thank you notes to the coordinator and judges to mail out today, including a perfectly polite though distant one to the problem judge.

That felt good to cross off the to do list.