by Stephanie Dray | Apr 3, 2012 | Miscellany
Ok, so how thrilled am I that Kate Quinn’s EMPRESS OF THE SEVEN HILLS is finally out! I pre-ordered it and it can’t get here fast enough for me: From the national bestselling author of Daughters of Rome and Mistress of Rome comes a tale of love, power, and...
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 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 6, 2012 | Miscellany, Other Writers
There are a small number of people in the world who will overlook–much less appreciate–the glazed, distracted, off-putting self-absorption of an author whose eyes are still gleaming with the euphoria of having just finished a book. Kate Quinn is apparently...
by Stephanie Dray | Dec 27, 2011 | Miscellany
To read the original in newsletter form, click here. Io Saturnalia! The other day, I wrapped pine garland around the bannisters and put candles in the windows. As I type this, there are cookies baking in the oven. I’m planning a big feast for my friends and...
