KenKen asked Vicky Alvear Shecter:

Hello Mrs. Shecter! I think it's safe to say I'm not the only person who enjoyed Curses And Smoke (it's one of my favorites!), and I'm planning on reading Cleopatra's Moon soon. I've always had a love for historical fiction, and I was wondering: How do you come up with ideas for these books? And when did you really start to have a love for writing? Thanks :)

Vicky Alvear Shecter Hi KenKen:

Thanks so much for writing. I was always a huge fan of historical fiction too--and I still am!

Coming up with ideas for books happens in all kinds of ways--usually, there's an aspect of history that surprises me and fascinates me and I want to go deeper into exploring it. For CURSES, for example, I was fascinated by how people thought about curses and religion and how they would've used their views to deal with an unimaginable disaster. For CLEOPATRA'S MOON, I was fascinated by the fact that Cleopatra VII had a daughter and that she was the only one of the queen's four children to survive to adulthood--and that she ended up ruling in North Africa.

Usually, it's something that I can't stop thinking about!

I actually didn't start writing until fairly late but I have always loved history, reading, archaeology and the ancient world.

Do you love ancient history or all history? Do you want to be a writer as well?

Thanks again for your questions! Vicky

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