by Stephanie Dray | Jan 10, 2012 | Articles, Fun Stuff, Research, Song of the Nile
The heroine of my novels, Cleopatra Selene, is the daughter of the much more famous Cleopatra VII of Egypt, the notorious Queen of the Nile who is best known for having committed suicide by way of clutching a venomous serpent to her breast. There is some debate...
by Stephanie Dray | Jan 5, 2012 | Fun Stuff, Song of the Nile
If it’s good to be the king, it’s even better to be the emperor. At least in ancient Rome. Unless your guards are waiting for you with daggers, or an angry wife feeds you poisoned mushrooms, you get to be the center of the world…wherever you go. Now, when...
by Stephanie Dray | Nov 2, 2011 | Articles, Cleopatra Selene, Daughters of the Nile, For Readers, Heroines, Lily of the Nile, Miscellany, Research, Song of the Nile
For much of its history, Rome depended upon Egypt for grain. While the Romans considered themselves an agricultural nation, and paid great homage to farming in literature, poetry, and art, the simple truth was that they couldn’t feed themselves. By the time Cleopatra...
by Stephanie Dray | Oct 11, 2011 | Historical Fiction Genre, Miscellany
These days, the quickest way to start an internet pie fight is to bring up the subject of historical accuracy in fiction. The discussion almost inevitably breaks down into arguments about personal preference that masquerade as objective tenets of literary faith....
by Stephanie Dray | Aug 15, 2011 | For Writers, Fun Stuff, Historical Fiction Genre, Miscellany, Other Writers
Most novels about Cleopatra focus on the tumultuous events of her adult life–the love affairs, the heart-break, the warfare, and ultimately, her tragic failure. This new novel by historical fiction author Carolyn Meyer zeroes in on Cleopatra’s early life,...
