Found: King Nectanebo Shrine

Shrine Dedicated to King Nectanebo I 
Unearthed in Egypt 

An Egyptian and German archaeological team sifting through the ruins of a temple dedicated to the ancient King Nectanebo I has found building blocks and parts of the ceiling, which was decorated with stars. Authorities hope to rebuild and restore the shrine.

(Egyptian Ministry of Antquities photo)

The 30^th Dynasty king, whose name is also spelled Nakhtanebu, lived in the fourth century BC. His house was the last native Egyptian royal line before Persians reconquered Egypt in 343 BC and overthrew Nectanebo’s grandson.

Shared by Mark Miller in Ancient-Origins 

Read the entire article here: http://www.ancient-origins.net/shrine

Herodotus on Burial in Egypt

Herodotus Wrote:
 * II:85. Their fashions of mourning and of burial are these: Whenever any household has lost a man who is of any regard amongst them, the whole number of women of that house forthwith plaster over their heads or even their faces with mud.

Then leaving the corpse within the house they go themselves to and fro about the city and beat themselves, with their garments bound up by a girdle and their breasts exposed, and with them go all the women who are related to the dead man, and on the other side the men beat themselves, they too having their garments bound up by a girdle; and when they have done this, they then convey the body to the embalming.

Book of the Dead

Read the entire article at Ancient Origins - and perhaps be glad you live in our times. Although women are known to still plaster their faces with mud; but for very different reasons - and usually at considerable cost.

http://www.ancient.eu/article/89/

*Herodotus, The Landmark Herodotus (Quercus Publishing Plc, 2008)

Published under Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Mummification

Woven within the story of KHAMSIN, my readers seem to appreciate learning something new or refreshing their knowledge of fascinating ancient rites, such as mummification.

                       

The questions is not just what drove the Ancient Egyptians to such lengths of wanting to preserve their dead? Rather, how did such a complex culture rise from the harsh sands of the desert? Most of what we know is still spotty, conjecture and theory.

I surely would love to know a lot more. Wouldn’t you?

Herodotus On Cats in Egypt

Many quotes and translations attributed to this Greek historian (484 - 425 BC) have been preserved for us to contemplate (or smile over).

Here is one appropriate for this blog, I think: 

"In houses a cat has died by a natural death, all those who dwell in this house shave their eyebrows only, but those in whose houses a dog has died shave their whole body and also their head."

Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Read this interesting article here: http://www.ancient.eu/article/88/

Move Over Nefertiti

Australian researchers have reconstructed the head of an 18 to 25-year-old Egyptian mummy. The woman lived in ancient Egypt at least 2,000 years ago.

Going by the name Meritamun, meaning the beloved of the god Amun, the mummified Egyptian head lives in the basement of the medical building at the University of Melbourne.

Read a fascinating article about this striking ancient beauty here:

http://stepfeed.com/tech/this-egyptian-mummy-was-reconstructed-with-3d-printing/#.V8oSIPkrLX4

How did they do this: Check out this 4-minute YouTube video from the University on CT-Scanning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSwLbLuAuxw

I can already sense the wheels of Historical Fiction authors starting to spin. What strange and wonderful tales will we be able to read about her?

In the meantime, it will be interesting to find out what science is going to tell us about the beautiful Meritamun.

Wait a minute! I write HF; I write about Egypt. Hm....

Egyptian Law for Building Churches Angers Christians

Coptic Christians seek solace in their faith, 
while facing turmoil in Egypt.

(AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

A general view of the Cave Cathedral or St. Sama'ans Church on the Mokattam Hills overlooking Cairo, Egypt.

After long hoping for an end to restrictions on the building of churches, many of Egypt's Christians are infuriated and feeling betrayed after lawmakers passed a law August 30, 2016, giving authorities broad powers to veto construction for vague reasons including worries over 'national security.'

http://accesswdun.com/print/2016/8/439763

                       (Photo: Reuters)

-
The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, a faith with ancient Christian roots in Egypt. This current holder of this position is Theodoros II or Tawadros II, who was selected as the 118th pope on November 4, 2012.

He is also Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Cathedral, and in the photo above leads the Coptic Christmas Eve Mass in Cairo January 6, 2014.

Photo: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_of_the_Coptic_Orthodox_Church_of_Alexandria

Why Reader Reviews are Important

Did you know August 2016 is Write-An-Amazon-Review Month? No? I didn't either until I read Helen Hollick’s latest blog post on the subject.

This staunch supporter of Indie Writers and successful author in her own right puts it very succinctly why reviews are so important to us authors; so I won’t repeat what she said.

Rather, I urge you to read her excellent post here:

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/are-reviews-important-yes.html

And now, I better go and read another great Indie book out there so I can put my “review where my mouth is.”

Especially, since I "bragged" about my summer reading list on the B.R.A.G. blog. 

https://www.bragmedallion.com/blog/category/summer-reads/

Most of the books on my reading-wish list have either been chosen to be on the Historical Novel Society's winner list (an association where Helen is a founding member), or were selected as B.R.A.G. Medallion Honorees for excellence in writing. 

So, whenever you see this medallion on a cover, you can be assured that it has passed the most rigorous selection.

Thus, while enjoying a great read, I thought I might as well glean some pointers from the best.

And now, don't forget to write that review. Time (and August) is running out. And know, the diplomatically critical ones are often the most helpful to an author...just don't go overboard if you find some negatives to report; writers are people too.

But we all appreciate your time and effort in Writing that Review on Amazon (or any of the other retailers from where you may be purchasing your reading).

My Review of Regina Jeffers' ANGEL COMES TO DEVIL'S KEEP

Manners, Mayhem, Murder – and Love

...all in the rarefied setting of the British Regency Period.

There are two things I don’t like in a “review.” Spilling the plot so as to become a spoiler; and “I usually don’t read this genre.”

Well, as for the latter, I don’t. Yet, thanks to the author’s deftness in staying “in style” and her flawless writing, I began to enjoy the unraveling story to the point where I was reading instead of doing some previously planned chores.

Having grown up in a somewhat formal European environment, I found it easy to slip into the speech pattern of the British aristocracy with its often painfully reticent demeanor. Trust me, the veiled tongue lashings nevertheless carried a deliciously sharp sting.

It was refreshing to have mayhem and murder heaped upon one without the now sadly so prevalent usage of foul language, nor were there any explicit sex scenes to groan over; however, flowing from the masterful pen of Ms. Jeffers, it all stayed intricately suspenseful and—indeed—exquisitely titillating.

I know how much research it takes to write proficiently about a certain period. Everything has to be correct: mannerisms, speech and clothing, everyday life, titles, social expectations and restrictions as well as locations. As Ms. Jeffers has written many novels in the Regency Romance genre, I suspect by now it may well be second nature to her – and it shows.

No matter what the obstacles, the desires, the ambitions, in the end it all came down to what hasn’t changed over time: The Quest for Love. Indeed, I shut off my Kindle with a satisfied sigh: Well done, Ms. Jeffers. Your readers will be happy with this one.

You can buy your copy at these sites:

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JTK0EJS

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angel-comes-to-the-devils-keep

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/652912

KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/angel-comes-to-the-devil-s-keep

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/angelcomestothedevilskeep

BOB: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/blackopalstore/angel-comes-to-the=devils-keep

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/angel-comes-to-the-devils-keep

A New Regency Romance by Regina Jeffers

 Today, it is my pleasure to introduce to you

Regina Jeffers,

the prolific and award-winning author of historical cozy mysteries, Austenesque sequels and retellings, as well as Regency era romances.

She has worn many hats over her lifetime: daughter, student, military brat, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, tax preparer, journalist, choreographer, Broadway dancer, theatre director, history buff, grant writer, media literacy consultant, and author.

Living outside of Charlotte, NC, Jeffers writes novels that take the ordinary and adds some mayhem, while mastering tension in her own life with a bit of gardening and the exuberance of her “grand joys.”

Her newest book in her Regency Romance genre is:

Angel Comes to the Devil’s Keep

To give you a little taste, here is a brief Description:

Huntington McLaughlin, the Marquess of Malvern, wakes in a farmhouse, after a head injury, being tended by an ethereal "angel," who claims to be his wife. However, reality is often deceptive, and Angelica Lovelace is far from innocent in Hunt's difficulties. Yet, there is something about the woman that calls to him as no other ever has.

When she attends his mother's annual summer house party, their lives are intertwined in a series of mistaken identities, assaults, kidnappings, overlapping relations, and murders, which will either bring them together forever or tear them irretrievably apart. As Hunt attempts to right his world from problems caused by the head injury that has robbed him of parts of his memory, his best friend, the Earl of Remmington, makes it clear that he intends to claim Angelica as his wife.

Hunt must decide whether to permit her to align herself with the earldom or claim the only woman who stirs his heart--and if he does the latter, can he still serve the dukedom with a hoydenish American heiress at his side?

Here are a couple of Early Reviews:

The story is charming, with interesting and realistic characters, a complex plot with plenty of surprises, and a sweet romance woven through it all. The author has a good command of what it was like to be a woman in nineteenth-century England--almost as if she had been there. She really did her research for this one.

Angel Comes to Devil's Keep is a well-written tale of courage and sacrifice and what women went through in order to marry well in Regency England. The author did her homework and it shows in an authenticity that we don't often see in Regency romances.

Purchase Links:

Amazon-Kindle         Nook                  

Amazon-Print            Kobo           Smashwords 

                                              

BlackOpalBooks

(eBooks and Print copies available ~ Print copies include an autographed bookplate)

Check out all of this writers books on the Amazon-Author Page forRegina-Jeffers

Follow Regina on SOCIAL MEDIA:

Every Woman Dreams Blog - reginajeffers.wordpress.com

Austen Authors Blog - austenauthors.net

Website (excerpts, news and events, reviews, etc.) - www.rjeffers.com

Follow her on Twitter @reginajeffers     https://twitter.com/reginajeffers

Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Regina-Jeffers-Author-Page/141407102548455

And look for her on Pinterest, Goodreads, and LinkedIN

A New Hawaiian Adventure

I love Hawaii and have explored several of the islands' hidden paths on foot, by rental car over lava-strewn "moonscapes" forbidden by the rental companies, and from underwater.

I am therefore especially delighted to bring a new adventure series to your attention. It starts out in Hawaii but promises to take us to many exotic places.

* * *

Return of the Island Curse 

Book One

Freedom Adventures Suspense Series

by AP Pierce

A short entertaining summer read, the story is steeped in the Hawaiian Islands' History and Folklore and serves as an introduction to Pierce's exciting new private investigator series which combines suspense, thrills, and maybe a little mystery.

Kelly Yamada treks from one adventure to the next, tracking down lost property and missing persons, trying to earn a living any way she can.

Recently discharged from the Army where she worked as an MP at an Iraqi detention center, she waits anxiously to be accepted into a police training academy. Skip tracing, bill collections, and the occasional late night repo, nothing is below her when it comes to earning a buck.

Return of the Island Curse is an adventurous story that takes Kelly to the tropical islands of Hawaii. She is hired to return stolen property to a national park, and quickly gets immersed in island folklore.

Between a raging hurricane and hot molten lava spewing from a volcano, she couldn't have picked a worse time for her first visit to the tropics. Meeting a few island residents, she gets some other-worldly assistance in her project. With trouble standing in the way of her quest, can she get the job done? And just exactly who are these new friends of hers, and can they be trusted?

By the end, Kelly has learned there is far more to Hawaii than swaying palms, sandy beaches, and mai tais!

https://amzn.com/B01J2UJWMK

Girls of the Golden Gate: Freedom Adventures:

San Francisco

(Book 2 is already out with 234 pages)

https://amazon.com/B01J2V5HIW

The Freedom Adventures Suspense Series:

Return of the Island Curse: Hawaii

Girls of the Golden Gate: San Francisco

Coming soon:

Legend of the Shining Pearl: China

Rescue from Red Star One: North Korea

Death of the Black Dragon: Vietnam

Stalking the Silk Road: Mongolia

Captive at the Ghost Temple: Japan

* * *

AP PIERCE grew up in Los Angeles during the age of hippies, Nixon, and the Vietnam War, experiencing unforgettable family debates at the dinner table.

He began exploring the world while in college, where he learned how to sweat profusely in Egypt. Since then he has dodged wayward bicyclists in China, drank too much vodka in Mongolia, counted rainy days in the US Northwest, and shared a hacienda with a ghost in Taos, New Mexico.

He and his family consider wild and exotic Palolo Valley home. Semi-retired from a long and tedious career in health care, construction, teaching ESL, and commercial fishing in Alaska, he now writes novels under various pen names. In his time off, he can be found plotting his next excuse to run away from the responsibilities of daily monotony.

From these experiences, and monthly bills, he finds the inspiration to write international intrigue, suspense, and humor.