Discussion Groups / British English / June 2005

For instance if you were going for a walk, then you could say that that
where you started was a 'stepping off point', the same for the moment
you began a project, or jumped into a river (though that would be
'jumping off point' strictly speaking). So you always go somewhere from
a stepping-off point.

In British English we would probably say "starting point".

I presume that it means that whereas most people might do their
research and stick as closely to the truth as possible, Dan Brown
is not one let mere facts stand in his way.  No, if there's a myth,
then he will use it as a basis for a story and write about it as if it
really is true - it's just that only he has been clever enough to
stumble over it.

"Widow's son" is often a euphemism for an illegitimate child for
fairly obvious reasons.