by Stephanie Dray | Aug 31, 2010 | Cleopatra Selene, FAQ, Fun Stuff
Though no ancient sources directly link the two monarchs, it’s difficult to write a novel about the life of Cleopatra’s daughter Selene without referencing one of her mother’s bitterest enemies–Herod the Great, a villain of the New Testament....
by Stephanie Dray | Aug 27, 2010 | Fun Stuff, Miscellany
The statuary and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome has inspired us for centuries. Our own nation’s capital, with all its gleaming white marble, is a tribute to what we suppose an ancient city of grandeur ought to look like. And while it is true that many...
by Stephanie Dray | Aug 24, 2010 | Fun Stuff, Miscellany
On August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius exploded, killing thousands and burying Pompeii under a layer of ash. You might not think this is cause to celebrate, but the largest volcanic explosion in recorded history is apparently a holiday. Perhaps this is meant in the sober...
by Stephanie Dray | Aug 22, 2010 | Fun Stuff
Okay, how great is this? My friend Karen Wester Newton just informed me that Vicky Alvear Shecter has a book out this month called Cleopatra Rules: The Amazing Life of the Original Teen Queen. Sure, my books are dark and angsty tomes, but that doesn’t mean I...
by Stephanie Dray | Aug 13, 2010 | Fun Stuff, Miscellany
In writing the sequel to Lily of the Nile, I’ve done a fair amount of research on ancient chariot races, but one of the most distressing things about writing historical fiction is that most of your research never makes it into the book. I guess that’s what...
by Stephanie Dray | Aug 11, 2010 | Fun Stuff
A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities: Strange Tales & Surprising Facts from the World’s Greatest Empire by JC McKeown sounds like it’s a book right up my alley so I thought I’d share it with all of you. This review made me laugh. I’m not sure how...
