Vicky Alvear Shecter's Blog

One of the many lobbies of Caesar’s Palace. It felt like being at an Epcot designed for the rich and sleazy.

Last month, I attended the Historical Novel Society (HNS) conference in Las Vegas. The conference itself was terrific, and I loved meeting and seeing other writers, including my Day of Fire co-writers, Kate Quinn, Eliza Knight, and Sophie Perinot. I also served on a panel, thanks to the amazing Donna Russo, and presented alongside Donna, Zenobia Neil, and the incomparable Stephanie Cowell. Our topic was “The Evolution of Point of View in Historical Fiction.” I will get to that in a moment. But first, I have to chortle over the insane comedy of plunking 600 introverted-living-in-our-heads writers and history nerds in the most overwrought, overstimulating place you can imagine:

[image error][image error]Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. We conference attendees didn’t have to wear name tags to identify each other–we only needed to glimpse the reflected horror and overwhelm in each other’s eyes as we passed in the pulsing, glitzy, screamingly loud hallways of the giant compound.

L to R: Donna Russo, Stephanie Cowell, Zenobia Neil and moi on our POV panel.

The conference itself, though, was amazing. So many panels and presentation focused on craft and creativity led by bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and consultants. My panel on point of view was led by Donna Russo, author of countless excellent books, her latest being, Vincent’s Women. 

We covered the history of POV in historical fiction, with the dominant form in decades past being 3rd omniscient. These long, detail-rich, meandering novels, from such bestsellers like Mary Renault, Jean Aul, and James A. Michener, would not sell today. Sadly.

Close third or first person seem to be more acceptable in today’s market. However, we also highlighted novels that are pushing the form as author’s try to get noticed in our over very competitive market. I highlighted examples such as I Am Red by Orhan Pamuk, which features 21 individual first person points of view, including inanimate objects such as a coin, a color, and a corpse. I pointed out that we’re seeing more and more of inanimate POVs, including Kate Quinn’s The Briar Club which gives us the

Almost a full house for our panel!

perspective of the old house central to the action. Other examples include, The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak (POV of a fig tree observing the conflict between Greek and Turkish characters) and Mrs. Death Misses Death by Salina Godden where the desk (resentful about no longer being a piano) becomes the conduit of stories between the two main characters.

Donna talked about her use of many POVs in Vincent’s Women, Stephanie Cowell reassured the audience by admitting that even established, successful writers struggle with determining the right POV for their stories, and Zenobia Neil read from her book, Ariadne Unraveled. 

After being in introverted-cave mode for years, it was a special treat to be around so many folks who love what I love. The next North America conference, in 2027 is in Pittsburgh and I can’t wait!

 

 

 

 

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I participated in the Redefining Classics Virtual Gathering this past Saturday, held in anticipation of the upcoming in-person conference at the end of May at Catholic University. Unfortunately, I cannot attend the conference but I got a great taste of it. What an extraordinary day! And as a confirmed book addict, it’s no surprise that by the end of the day, I’d already ordered most of the amazing books we discussed.

Being intellectually inspired by new points of view and new information is what Redefining Classics is all about and this gathering did not disappoint. Dr. Anika Prather emceed the day-long virtual event. Archaeologist Dr. Shana O’Connel kicked off the talks with fresh ideas on using online museum resources in the classroom. As a docent for the Carlos Museum with our own online resources, I was intrigued by her experiences and resources. She reminded us of the power of representation and how moving it was when her students at Howard University saw classical and ancient images that included their heritage.

Poet Amber O’Neil Johnston talked about the promise of poetry for inspiring students, while author and chaplain Paul A. Henderson talked about how he used principles learned from engaging with classical texts to both inspire and motivate his own sons and the children he works with. Jacqueline Tuke, executive director at The District School, shared her experiences in creating a racially and economically diverse school in Washington, DC, steeped in classical learning models. Dr. Sheena M. Mason discussed her visionary program for dismantling racism that seemed, to me, the kind of exciting paradigm shift that is needed to really shift things. I immediately ordered her book, The Raceless Antiracist and I can’t wait to dive in.

I spoke about how ancient habits of thinking–especially about sex and girls–continues in modern misogyny, particularly as it relates to my upcoming book about Vestal Virgins (which, shhhhh, I haven’t formally announced yet). Michael Adkins, Dean of Academics of St. Agnes school in St. Paul, talked about the need for classics in a free, ordered society (especially in these disordered times!). He is the one who recommended the book, I See Satan Fall Like Lightning, in response to my discussion about the sacrificial nature of Vestal  punishments in ancient Rome.

Dr. Carolivia Herron, classics professor at both Howard University and Arizona State University discussed her love of Dante and Lucan and how poetry can be a catalyst for healing. She mentionedThe Devil’s Half Acre which tells the story of her painful ancestry and also announced that her renowned book, Thereafter Johnnie, is being re-released this fall. Yet another book I will have to order!

Thank you Redefining Classics for hosting such a wonderful program!

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I love Nile Magazine. It’s gorgeous and informative.

But when I saw the current issue’s article about the discovery of Thutmose II’s tomb, I did a double take. While it’s certainly interesting (the discovery was of an abandoned tomb; they believe his real tomb–with his mummy–is nearby), it took me a moment to remember who Thutmose II was. And when I remembered, I couldn’t believe how they barely touched on who really mattered in his story:

He was the sickly husband of HATSHEPSUT! It was his death that allowed Hatshepsut to step up as regent and rule as pharaoh in powerful and transformational ways for nearly two decades!

I think the headline should have read, Tomb of Hatshepsut’s Husband Found!

After all, his only claim to fame was that he was sickly, weak and died young, leaving his brilliant young wife, Hatshepsut, in charge of all of Egypt. Her successor, Thutmose III, was likely an infant at the time she took the reins of power.

Hatshepsut stepped up, kept the succession chaos at bay, took control of the powerful priests who likely wanted someone else to rule, and invested heavily in public works that elevated the economic standing of her people. She also sent (or lead) successful military excursions into Punt (Nubia) and Syria and held the throne steady, all while preparing her successor, Thutmose III, to successfully rule after her.

I think the headline should have read, Tomb of Hatshepsut’s Husband Found! After all, she’s the more interesting ruler.

Yes, I’m being nitpicky and somewhat silly over my contention with how the magazine framed this discovery, but I do think Hatshepsut should have gotten more prominence.

I have a chapter on Hatshepsut in my book, Warrior Queens, so I have a soft-spot for the amazing queen and how she managed to rule so efficiently and effectively amidst a sea of crocodiles, snakes, and scorpions who hated her for the crime of being female.

This issue of Nile also includes terrific articles on Ramses II, as well as on the writings found in Tut’s tomb.

I also loved reading about the Nubian prince Arinkankharer, who died before taking the throne. His parents co-ruled about a generation or so before my other favorite Nubian queen, Amanirenas ruled and went toe to toe with Octavian–and won (also in Warrior Queens). Peter Lacavora, former curator of the Egyptian, Nubian, and Near Eastern galleries at the Carlos Museum, authored the story on the Nubian crown prince. I learned so much from Dr. Lacavora while training as a docent at the Carlos nearly twenty years ago!

Nubia’s crown prince, Arikankharer, slaying his enemies. Notice his dog eating the face off of a prisoner!

The first time I met Dr. Lacavora, he told me I should write a children’s book about a Nubian king he believes should be more well-known–Taharqa. Goodness knows I have tried, but I have yet to find a publisher for it.

All nitpicking aside about the headline for the Thutmose II article, I’m a huge fan of the magazine. I highly recommend subscribing as a special treat for yourself. It is expensive, yes, but you can get a discount if you support the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE).

Go for it!

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Photo image by Sophie Perinot

More than ten years ago, I joined Stephanie Dray, Kate Quinn, Sophie Perinot, and Eliza Knight for drinks at the Historical Novel Society conference when someone brought up and interesting idea: What if we collaborated on a novel? What if we each picked a character and then everyone’s else’s characters would weave in and out of our individual stories while still maintaining the narrative arc?

We invited Ben Kane to the project and we were off! Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii was born. We self-published the novel at first and then years later William Morrow picked it up for reissue.

And now it might be a TV series in the UK! Who could have guessed that our joint creative project would have come this far,

Now an option doesn’t mean that they WILL produce it. It only means they’re interested in doing so and wanted to lock it down before anyone else took it.

Either way, I could not be more grateful that this group of authors invited me to be part of the fun!

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Rob Cain of Ancient Rome Refocused challenged those of who love ancient Rome to write a short story about the arguably emotional pre-Raphaelite painting, “The Romans Leaving Britain,” by Sir John Everett Millais (mid19th-century).

The Romans Leaving Britain by Sir John Everett Millais, 1829-1896.

And what a scene it is! The Roman soldier’s body-language is one of despair and pain, and the woman’s appears shocked but stoic. What was the story between these two? The obvious presumption is that they were lovers. But what it if that wasn’t what was going on?

Here’s an early sketch of the painting:

For all the Roman’s clear devotion, he is STILL leaving as we can see by the way he is dressed and his ship in the distance waiting. Why? And what does it mean for her?

That’s the fun thing about prompts–you never know where they are going to lead you. There was something about the woman’s expression that spoke of something besides romantic attachment to me. She did not appear as wrecked by the situation as the poor soldier. Instead, she seemed…determined, perhaps even angry. And the story took off from there.

I also found it interesting that in the early sketch, the shoreline is ambiguous but in the painting it is clearly set in the white cliffs of Dover. That prompted me to wonder about which Celtic tribe had that land before the Romans arrived. And the story took off from there.

You can read it here:

It was a bit of risk to write from this perspective, but also fun. Because what if one moment of insight leads to wrong action? What if you misread a situation and bring the very end that you are trying to avoid into existence?

Those are the questions I grappled with in this story and I’m so glad it won the contest.

Hopefully, I will have the chance to talk with Rob further about it on his Ancient Rome Refocused Podcast.

Thank you, Rob Cain, for hosting this contest and inspiring me to go for it!

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If there is any group of people who understand the joy of learning and making new connections, it’s teachers. So it was a treat for me to speak at the Carlos Museum’s summer Educator’s Summit. We had a mix of art teachers and history teachers attend and I spent the morning yesterday “nerding out” with my people. My goal was to highlight just how drenched we are in the symbols and stories of the ancient world and how they influence today’s artists, musicians, animators, cartoonists, film-makers, game creators, advertisers, playwrights, and so on.

Any child who whines, “I don’t know what to draw,” or “I don’t know what to write,” need only look toward mythology for inspiration. After all that’s what superstar creators do: Set the story of the minotaur in a dystopian world? Hunger Games. Stumped as to what your main character should face in your block-bluster video game? Take the story to ancient Egypt a la Assassin’s Creed: Origins. Not sure what images to use to show your disdain of the industry? Think Greek Goddesses, like Lizzo in the pop video, Rumors. From Yugi -Oh! (Greek monsters) to Hozier singing about reproductive rights (Swan, Upon Leda); from John Wick movies (Sisyphus) to Broadway hits like Hadestown, the ancient myths and personalities continue to be an endless source of inspirations for creators.

One day after talking about how dependent high fashion designers are on ancient/classical inspired looks, I came across this image of Miley Cyrus wearing a beaded dress clearly inspired by the iconic bead dress from Ancient Egypt.

We had one teacher who taught Georgia history so I made a special point to show how many of the state’s cities were inspired by the classical world, including Athens, Rome, Augusta, Smyrna, Damascus, Egypt, etc. And, of course, not to mention, Atlanta, which was named for Atalanta, the female hero of Greek mythology.

We had an interesting conversation about the early American habit of renaming enslaved people with classical names such as Caesar, Octavian, Cato, Cassius, etc. The use of the names were meant to both show off the plantation owner’s “learning,” while at the same time heinously mocking the powerlessness of their captives. Names such as Darius and Marcus, often passed down in families, are still in use today. So when Cassius Clay claimed he wasn’t going to use his “slave name” anymore and began to call himself, Mohammed Ali, he meant what he said literally!

We also talked about creative writing and drawing exercises the teachers could use with their students. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such creative and inspiring teachers. Thank you Kris Allen, Senior Manager of School and Volunteer Programs at the Carlos Museum, for inviting me to such a wonderful event!

 

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Audiobooks.com has all three of these fun mid-grade mythology books on sale until April 18, 2024. Save 50% on each book. The actors who gave voice to Anubis, Thor, and Hades really captured their individual quirks. And because these were written for kids, the facts included in these stories–specifically about ancient beliefs and practices–were vetted by Egyptologists, historians, and academicians. So much fun and fascinating information in each book. Take advantage of the steep discount! Thanks, Audiobooks.com!

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My story about Isis won a “Highly Commended” award (in the top 5) of the Ink of Ages Short Story Contest!

Y’all, this was announced more than a month ago, but did I share this news? No, I did not. Why? Because I get attacks of shyness where it seems like drawing attention to myself or my work just feels, icky, ya know? Like bragging? But, I realized after a while, that not sharing this news was a disservice to the great people at World History Encyclopedia (a tremendous resource, by the way). Backed by the Oxford University Press, the short story contest was designed to encourage us history nerds to share our passion for history through story.

I don’t usually write short stories but I’ve been struggling with a book concept and when I saw notice of the contest, I wondered if I could make sense of how to approach the novel by focusing on its essence. So I went for it and was delighted to see “The Untold Murder of Isis” acknowledged with a “Highly Commended” prize. It’s given me the encouragement to keep plugging away into telling my version of Isis’ story in novel form. You can read the story and what the judges said about it here: https://fictionprize.worldhistory.org/hca-2024.

So thanks for letting me share my good news. And thanks to the all the folks at World History Encyclopedia, Oxford University Press, and the international panel of judges who so graciously donated their time and expertise to this project. You can access all of the winning stories here.

And if you are interested in trying your hand at the next Ink of Ages Contest, follow or become a member of World History Encyclopedia for more information.

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I rarely write short fiction, but I felt compelled to write a short story based on a book idea I’ve been considering. So I wrote the story–“The Untold Story of the Murder of Isis”–and submitted it to the Ink of Ages Fiction Contest, hosted by World History Encyclopedia and sponsored by the Oxford University Press.

To my delight, the story made the shortlist! 

Final winners will be announced January 24. Based on the opening lines of the other stories, I’m in good company. I am beyond honored to have had the story selected!

Thank you World History Encyclopedia! If you haven’t checked out their offerings, get to it. It is a GREAT research tool for writers and history buffs alike. 

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The Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University is not a typical venue for one of the greats of modern children’s book illustrators, but for now until December 10th, you can gaze upon the remarkable work of Benny Andrews. Andrews illustrated some of Langston Hughes’ books of poetry for children, some of which are featured in this small show.

The drawing from the cover of the book above takes up an entire wall and it is breathtaking. But the works that moved me the most were the initial sketches. How was it possible to capture so much movement and emotion in such a sparse way?

So much joy and movement in this piece. And in this one:

You can almost hear the jazz of the Harlem Renaissance floating through the air.

Best of all, once you finish checking out these rich paintings and renderings, you can explore the wonder of our Egyptian and Nubian galleries, as well as our Greek/Roman, Ancient Near East, Africa, Asia, and pre-Columbian collections.

Oh, and if you want me to give you a tour, call the Museum’s Education department (404-727-3187) and set one up. I love nothing more than sharing the beauty and wonder of ancient art. Just remember to ask for me!

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