Welcome to My Official Web Page!

Welcome to My Official Web Page!

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Mummies! (Of Usurpers, Head Wounds, & Old Dudes)

I'm pretty much up to my eyeballs in ancient Egypt right now so I thought I'd post about my favorite Egyptian mummies, some of whom are familiar, and others not so much. (Also, I showed these to my six-year-old daughter. I think it says something that she only shrugs when I show her mummy pictures these days).

 1.  Hatshepsut: (Did you really expect someone else for #1?) Hatshepsut's mummy was recently "discovered" after a tooth found in a box marked with her name was matched up with a female mummy missing the exact same tooth. My favorite Egyptian was around fifty at the time she died, obese, and battling arthritis, bone tumors, and bad teeth. (Hey, it's not easy being pharaoh).



2. Seqenenre Tao II: This guy was the first to try to shove the vile Hyksos out of Egypt at the advent of the New Kingdom. He failed, but his sons finished the job, ushering in Egypt's Golden Age. Also, he presumably died on the battle field after taking an axe to the head. (His mummy is none too pretty, but the wounds are marked in the picture. Ouch.)



3. Ramesses II: Good old Ramesses II really was old when he died, right around 90ish years old. (He outlived many of his kids so it was actually his thirteenth son who succeeded him). His hair bears traces of henna and his mummy is in pretty amazing condition. However, in the 1970's, Egyptologists realized his mummy was deteriorating (it had an infestation of fungus) and flew it to Paris for conservation. FUN FACT: He was issued an Egyptian passport listing his occupation as "King (deceased)" and received in Paris with full military honors.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Amalia Dillin's Forged by Fate Cover Reveal!

After Adam fell, God made Eve to protect the world...



I'm thrilled to get to show off the stunning new cover of one of my earliest writerly-friends and critique partners, Amalia Dillin. Yay!

After Adam fell, God made Eve to protect the world. — Adam has pursued Eve since the dawn of creation, intent on using her power to create a new world and make himself its God. Throughout history, Eve has thwarted him, determined to protect the world and all of creation. Unknown to her, the Norse god Thor has been sent by the Council of Gods to keep her from Adam’s influence, and more, to protect the interests of the gods themselves. But this time, Adam is after something more than just Eve’s power — he desires her too, body and soul, even if it means the destruction of the world. Eve cannot allow it, but as one generation melds into the next, she begins to wonder if Adam might be a man she could love.

You can check out Forged by Fate at Goodreads too!

Monday, February 11, 2013

Proof Pages


 I just received the proof pages for THE SECRET HISTORY in the mail today. This is my last chance to make any changes before the book goes to print, which is a little intimidating. 


Also intimidating? That extremely large stack of paper sitting on my table. It's crazy to think that I wrote all that. (And not only that, but there are two more stacks just like that for DAUGHTER OF THE GODS and THE TIGER QUEENS). 

I'll be honest--that stack of dead trees kind of makes me feel like some sort of mad scientist. (Only a word scientist, which doesn't make any sense, but whatever. It's been a long day so I can be a word scientist if I want). 

So a recap of what I've done so far this year:

THE SECRET HISTORY: Final proof pages! (Not done yet, but they will be this week come hell or high water!)

DAUGHTER OF THE GODS: The initial revision for my amazing editor. I'll be honest--this one was a little tough because I've now read the novel roughly 21 times. I'm fully convinced that anyone who reads the same book 21 times is utterly insane. 

THE TIGER QUEENS: Finished the first major overhaul of Part I. This is the messy edit on paper where I have to make sense of the disaster that is Rough Draft #1 when I doubt my sanity more than while re-reading a book 21 times.

Oh yeah, and somewhere in there I went to work, wrote my first grant proposal, did my civic jury via jury duty, and caught rare glimpses of my family. One thing I missed?

SLEEP. 

But then, who needs sleep, right? *twitch*

So tell me... What have you been up to lately?


Sunday, February 3, 2013

Some of My New Favorite Books

I haven't had much time for reading this month, (colossal understatement: NO time whatsoever), what with two looming writing deadlines and a grant proposal that needs to be written (not to mention jury duty and other torture fun stuff). So I thought I'd dedicate this post to books I read last year, when I apparently had time to read. (And yanno, sleep and eat).


Best Ancient Historical Fiction

Empress of the Seven Hills by Kate Quinn
I love anything by Kate Quinn and enjoyed her latest romp through Rome with ex-gladiator Vix and spoiled Sabina. One of my favorite things about Quinn's novels is that I often end up rather attached to the secondary characters--everyone is terribly flawed and occasionally hilarious. This is one of those tear-through-the-pages novels full of non-stop action and drama!


Best "Modern" Historical Fiction

Hemingway's Girl by Erika Robuck
 *whispers* I hate Ernest Hemingway's books. Okay, maybe that's not true as I've only ever read Old Man and the Sea, but I'm pretty sure I'd rather be stuck on that fishing boat with Santiago than ever have to read that book again. However...

I apparently love reading about Ernest Hemingway. While I doubt I would have liked the man in the flesh, he's a pretty phenomenal character to read about, and Robuck brings him to life in this novel. 
 

Favorite Historical Saga

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

(Yes, I'm totally cheating with the categories so I can list multiple historical novels, but it's my list. I can do whatever I want.) This book about four very different women during the Masada seige during ancient Roman is simply stunning. This is not the kind of rip-through-the-pages novel waiting to be devoured in a couple nights, but one you savor for as long as possible. (Part of that also might be because it's like reading about Titanic: you know tragedy is on the horizon). 


Favorite Non-Fiction

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert Massie


This biography kept the pace of a novel and made me want to both cheer and slap Catherine several times. A sort-of Russian Cleopatra, I think Catherine the Great is better known for her many lovers than she is for the coup in which she swiped the throne from her (incompetent) husband (who liked to play with dolls). She was also pen pals with Voltaire which brings me to my next category...


Best Really Old Novel

Candide by Voltaire

I've told you all before that I love Voltaire because he can still make me laugh even though he's been moldering in his grave for over 200 years. And seriously, Candide has it all: fair maidens turned to harpies, a trip to Eldorado (where women have *relations* with monkeys), shipwrecks & volcanoes AND several characters who seriously refuse to die. It's like watching Days of Our Lives (is that even still on?), but during the Enlightenment. 


So those are some of the best of the best. Now let's hope things calm down soon--my TBR pile is probably taller than my daughter right now!