by Stephanie Dray | Feb 23, 2012 | FAQ
A few years ago, I was enraptured by the life story of a nine year old Egyptian princess who was taken prisoner by the Romans, dragged through the streets in chains, and yet went on to be the most powerful queen in Augustus’ empire. I decided to write some books about...
by Stephanie Dray | Jul 12, 2011 | Daughters of the Nile, Lily of the Nile, Research, Song of the Nile
Augustus Caesar’s most lasting monument is the Ara Pacis, a monument to peace. It’s a splendid work of propaganda, and one could spend a lifetime unraveling all its hidden symbols and meanings. After having defeated Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Augustus...
by Stephanie Dray | Apr 4, 2011 | Historical Fiction Genre, Miscellany
It may come as a surprise to most people, but the dominant historical setting in commercial fiction isn’t Tudor England. It’s Regency England–the godzilla of the romantic fiction world. I’d like to point out a surprising number of similarities...
by Stephanie Dray | Jul 5, 2010 | Cleopatra Selene, FAQ, Research
The story of Cleopatra’s death, as handed down to us by her conqueror, is that she killed herself by means of a poisonous snake. According to Suetonius, the stunned Octavian summoned snake charming Psylli to suck the poison from puncture wounds found on her arm....