May 14 2014

E is For Egypt

Ancient Egypt of course, given the paranormal novels I write, which are set in 1550 BCE.

Here’s what I said last year in a post on world building for Here Be Magic:

The Egyptian civilization has almost 3000 years of recorded history to work with, beginning over 5000 years ago. They believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses with authority over every aspect of life, many of whom have multiple origin stories and attributes. The Egyptians were lusty and loving, devoted to family and home life, while also building a rich, powerful nation, all things centered around the bounty of the Nile. Despite their endless fascination with preparing for and ensuring a satisfactory afterlife, they were quite practical, yet poetic, in their daily pursuits, leaving us fragments of poems and songs and science, math and medicine, tales of battles and magic and pharaohs.

As a writer, I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful setting.

So far I’ve written four novels in this connected series, with many more ideas queued up in my brain, waiting for me to have time to sit and write.

I keep this gentleman on my writing desk, as a stand-in for my Pharaoh Nat-re-Akhte, the anchor character in my novels. He sends people hither and yon, fighting to protect Egypt.

Found this neat quote from Ray Bradbury: “A new book smells great. An old book smells even better. An old book smells like ancient Egypt.”

So this was my latest entry in the A to Z challenge, which I’m going through at the rate of one letter per week!

Jul 21 2013

Weekend Writing Warriors Khenet’s Three Conditions

As promised, this week I’m continuing on with excerpts from my soon-to-be-released WARRIOR OF THE NILE. (I saw a preliminary cover yesterday – gorgeous, can’t wait to share!). Khenet has told Pharaoh he’ll volunteer to take this deadly mission to the Viper Nome (nome=province) under three conditions. Khenet is Pharaoh’s adopted brother and during the novel we discover the circumstances of his adoption but a key plot point is that his small tribe of people had their own, non-Egyptian religion, which is part of why Pharaoh hopes Khenet might survive this assignment. (NOTE: To fit our eight sentence constraint, I’ve had to do some creative editing and punctuation). Khenet is speaking:

“The first condition we’ve already discussed, that I may seek some other solution to Nephthys’s problem, resolving the black magic without my own death. Secondly, I’ll swear my oath to you, not to her – I can’t give my allegiance to Nephthys.”

“No problem, you serve me and therefore you serve my patron Horus and your own gods,” Nat-re-Akhte said. “Have you forgotten I helped you build that small shrine hidden away from my grandfather’s priests when we were boys; kept watch for you when you went to worship? I understand your qualms about Nephthys, say no more on that issue. What’s the third condition?”

“I want time in the royal library before setting out on this mission.”

Pharoah nodded, “Wise, not much is known about the Viper Nome but I’m sure the oldest scrolls contain some maps, maybe some other useful scraps of information.”

These figurines reside on my writing desk, sort of a fun photo for today. Next week I promise the excerpt will be about Lady Tiya, who definitely deserves equal time.

I love and appreciate your comments and feedback every week! Go here to find all the other Weekend Writing Warriors and read an amazing variety of terrific excerpts…

And the blurb for WARRIOR OF THE NILE (which is available for pre-order at Amazon ):

Egypt, 1500 BCE

Lady Tiya is bound to the service of the goddess Nephthys, who plans to sacrifice Tiya’s body to protect Egypt from an ancient terror. She embarks to meet her grim fate alone but for the hardened warrior Khenet, who is fated to die at her side. Tiya’s dreams of love and family now seem impossible, and Khenet, who is the last of his line, knows his culture will die with him. Struggling with the high cost of Nephthys’s demands, both resolve to remain loyal.

Neither expects the passion that flowers when Tiya’s quiet courage and ethereal beauty meet Khenet’s firm strength and resolve. On a boat down the Nile, their two lonely souls find in each other a reason to live. But time is short and trust elusive.

Without the willing sacrifice of Tiya and Khenet, a great evil will return to Egypt. How could the gods demand their deaths when they’ve only just begun to live?

Jul 14 2013

Weekend Writing Warriors Khenet Says Wait A Minute

Continuing with my Ancient Egyptian paranormal romance WARRIOR OF THE NILE, I thought it might be time to let Khenet the Warrior speak. By the way, he’s Pharaoh’s adopted brother and boyhood companion, so he can be a bit more informal with Pharaoh in private than most people would dare to be. Also (because I can’t give you the entire novel here LOL), Pharaoh did tell Khenet he was asking for a volunteer.

Khenet touched the two braided leather bands on his left wrist, smoothing his fingers over the carved jade and carnelian beads woven into the worn black straps. “If I choose to accept the mission, have I your permission to evade death if possible?”

Pharaoh nodded. “Save the poor girl from Nephthys’s plots as well, if you can, as long as the nomarch and his black magic are thwarted. The safety of Egypt must be paramount, however.”

“I accept this duty, on three conditions.” Khenet was momentarily amazed at himself, dictating terms to Pharaoh, adopted brother or not

“Name them.”

I love and appreciate your comments and feedback every week! Go here to find all the other Weekend Writing Warriors and read an amazing variety of terrific excerpts…

And the blurb for WARRIOR OF THE NILE (which is available for pre-order at Amazon ):

Egypt, 1500 BCE

Without the willing sacrifice of Tiya and Khenet, a great evil will return to Egypt. How could the gods demand their deaths when they’ve only just begun to live?