by Stephanie Dray | Feb 16, 2012 | Miscellany
Cleopatra Selene, was the Queen of Mauretania and she ruled over the ancient Berbers, the descendants of whom still live in North Africa. For my first novel, Lily of the Nile, I researched the magic of ancient Egypt because I wanted to know the spiritual traditions...
by Stephanie Dray | Feb 8, 2012 | Fun Stuff
In researching my novels, I’ve had the opportunity to study the leadership styles of some of the most famous ancient rulers, both Roman and otherwise. As a result, I’ve compiled this list of tips and tricks for our next evil overlord: 1. Eliminate the Competition...
by Stephanie Dray | Feb 2, 2012 | FAQ, Historical Fiction Genre, Miscellany, My Works, Song of the Nile
The life of Cleopatra Selene is a story so unlikely that magic sometimes seems like the only explanation. But that isn’t why I chose to include magical realism in my book. I included my heroine’s ability to commune with her goddess through bloody hieroglyphs and some...
by Stephanie Dray | Feb 1, 2012 | Miscellany
I’m an American. My country is only a few hundred years old. My countrymen can be insular; even with jet planes the rest of the world seems very far away. And so, when we hear that a tank was captured by rebel forces in Homs it may not register as part of our...
by Stephanie Dray | Jan 31, 2012 | Articles, Daughters of the Nile, Lily of the Nile, Song of the Nile
The star of my new novel, SONG OF THE NILE, is Cleopatra Selene. However, another young woman plays a very prominent role, and that is Julia, the daughter of Rome’s first emperor. Though their parents were mortal enemies, in my novel, the two teenaged girls form a...
