David Roberts: 19th-century paintings of Egypt
May 10, 2021
Inspiration for my novel Song of the Nile, the artworks of 19th-century painter David Roberts…
My latest blog posts
Coptic Cairo and the Hanging Church
May 6, 2021
A place of great significance to many people, Coptic Cairo, with its famous Hanging Church, is one of my favourite parts of the city.
The Khan el-Khalili, Cairo
May 3, 2021
In Song of the Nile, Phares and Aida explore a famous and historic part of Cairo: the Khan el-Khalili bazaar and souk.
The ancient Egyptian signs of the Zodiac
April 29, 2021
For the ancient Egyptians, there was great meaning in the heavens above. The planets and stars could help you understand who you were and what would happen in the future.
Guiding the dead: Ancient Egyptian funerary texts
April 26, 2021
How would a pharaoh’s spirit navigate to the glorious afterlife? For ancient Egyptians, the answer was simple: follow the funerary texts, a kind of ‘afterlife guidebook’.
Karnak Temple, Luxor, ‘the greatest monument ever made’
April 22, 2021
The largest temple complex ever built with a construction history spanning 2,000 years, Karnak is one of the most important ancient sites in Egypt.
Favourite Egyptian proverbs
April 19, 2021
Every country has its proverbs, little sayings passed down from generation to generation that impart wisdom and tell truths, and Egypt is no exception.
Aida: an opera of love and tragedy
April 15, 2021
The heroine of my novel Song of the Nile is named Aida for the opera – a passionate, dramatic story of love and tragedy.
The royal women of ancient Egypt
April 12, 2021
What did it mean to be both royal and female in ancient times? How much autonomy and power did royal women hold? Was it as glamorous as a Cleopatra movie?
The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade, Cairo
April 8, 2021
Saturday was a very big day for the people of Egypt: with great fanfare, eighteen of their ancient kings and four of their queens were transported through Cairo to their new resting place.
The Mosque of Muhammed Ali, Cairo
April 6, 2021
One of the great landmarks of the city, visible from all over, the so-called Alabaster Mosque is a place of great beauty and reverence, a ‘must see’ if you visit Cairo.
A taste of Egypt: Basbousa recipe
April 1, 2021
I love to cook, and I explore cuisines from all over the world in my kitchen. Writing a new novel is the perfect reason to try out recipes from a new country! For Song of the Nile, I returned to dishes from my childhood, growing up in Egypt – in particular, my favourite sweet treat, basbousa.
Deciphering the Rosetta Stone: Jean-François Champollion
March 29, 2021
How is it we can understand the hieroglyphs of the ancient Egyptians today? Two amazing breakthroughs made this possible: the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and the work of French scholar Jean-François Champollion.
Gezireh Island, Cairo
March 25, 2021
Gezireh Island is my favourite part of Cairo, for I lived here for many happy years with my husband and children. It’s a beautiful, multicultural place, and is home to several places of historical and cultural interest. Let me take you on a little tour…
Amelia Edwards: Egyptologist and inspiration
March 22, 2021
Traveller, writer, Egyptologist – Amelia Edwards was a legend of the 19th century, and she continues to be an inspiration to this day.
Chic and elegant: Post-war fashion
March 18, 2021
After the hardships of World War II, it was such a luxury for a young woman to purchase new, fashionable clothes. So it is for Aida in Song of the Nile, when she returns home to Egypt and explores the fashion scene of Cairo.
1940s Cairo – a colourful, cosmopolitan city
March 15, 2021
‘Englishwomen in morning cottons, French and Italian girls in summer dresses, young Egyptian women with black abbas wrapped around their heads, men in tweeds or long white kaftans, a majestic sheikh in richly embroidered silks’ – welcome to the melting pot of 1940s Cairo.
Bayt Al-Suhaymi: The House of Suhaymi in Cairo
March 11, 2021
One of my favourite buildings in Cairo is the Bayt Al-Suhaymi, by the Khan el Khalili bazaar and souk. With its shady latticed mashrabiya windows, it reminds me of illustrations in the Arabian Nights, tales I would read as a child.
‘Eternal secrecy’: The Sphinx of Giza
March 8, 2021
One of the biggest and the oldest statues in the world, the Great Sphinx of Giza is renowned for its mystic look which speaks of eternal secrecy.
Mysterious giants: The pyramids of Giza
March 4, 2021
‘Mute witnesses to centuries of history, presiding over the graceful shadowy sand hillocks of the Arabian Desert and dark clusters of palm trees, towering up into the clear sky.’ The pyramids of Giza – what better backdrop for the first kiss of Aida and Phares in my novel Song of the Nile?
An epic love story or a marriage of convenience?
March 1, 2021
Is mutual understanding, respect and admiration enough to make a marriage work for Aida? Or does she need more – is love fundamental?
Ancient Egyptian jewellery
February 25, 2021
Beautiful Ancient Egyptian jewellery features in my new novel, Song of the Nile. Thanks to the gifts of her father, a keen archaeologist and Egyptologist, Aida has a huge collection of magnificent pieces: earrings, necklaces, bracelets, arm bands and headpieces dating back as far as the Hellenistic period.
Shepheard’s Hotel, Cairo
February 22, 2021
‘Aida felt a familiar thrill of anticipation as she crossed the wide veranda and went through those hospitable doors; she’d enjoyed many happy times in this old hotel. Shepheard’s was an institution, holding its own unique place in the affections of all who knew and loved Egypt…’
A caged bird? The place of a woman in 1940s Egypt
February 18, 2021
‘I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.’ So declares the heroine of my favourite work of English literature. Jane Eyre was published in the 1840s, yet a century later still a woman has to assert her right to independence in a man’s world…
Escape and unwind with Song of the Nile
February 14, 2021
It’s publication day for my new novel, Song of the Nile,, in ebook format! The book will whisk you away from this long winter to the sultry heat of Egypt…
The natural beauty of the Egyptian deserts
February 11, 2021
Egypt is synonymous with vast sand-strewn landscapes beneath vivid skies. Here, in the driest and sunniest country in the world, most of the land is desert – and such beautiful desert.
The romance of feluccas on the Nile
February 8, 2021
The beautiful landscapes of Upper Egypt, where I grew up, are so vividly etched into my memory. The Nile, of course, is at the heart of the landscapes, and one of the most romantic views is of traditional felucca sailboats gliding on these timeless waters.
Egyptology: an enduring fascination
February 4, 2021
A passion for my home country of Egypt – its history, people and culture – is at the heart of my novel Song of the Nile. Of course, the ancient history of this land is particularly fascinating, and ‘Egyptology’ has wide appeal.
An introduction to the deities of Ancient Egypt
February 1, 2021
When we think of Ancient Egypt, we think of pharaohs and pyramids – and, of course, a large pantheon of gods and goddesses.
The poignancy of a homecoming
January 28, 2021
My new novel, Song of the Nile, opens with the heroine returning to her home in Luxor after an eight-year absence. For Aida, the homecoming is at once wonderful and painful.
My latest blog posts
David Roberts: 19th-century paintings of Egypt
May 10, 2021
Inspiration for my novel Song of the Nile, the artworks of 19th-century painter David Roberts…
Coptic Cairo and the Hanging Church
May 6, 2021
A place of great significance to many people, Coptic Cairo, with its famous Hanging Church, is one of my favourite parts of the city.
The Khan el-Khalili, Cairo
May 3, 2021
In Song of the Nile, Phares and Aida explore a famous and historic part of Cairo: the Khan el-Khalili bazaar and souk.
The ancient Egyptian signs of the Zodiac
April 29, 2021
For the ancient Egyptians, there was great meaning in the heavens above. The planets and stars could help you understand who you were and what would happen in the future.
Guiding the dead: Ancient Egyptian funerary texts
April 26, 2021
How would a pharaoh’s spirit navigate to the glorious afterlife? For ancient Egyptians, the answer was simple: follow the funerary texts, a kind of ‘afterlife guidebook’.
Karnak Temple, Luxor, ‘the greatest monument ever made’
April 22, 2021
The largest temple complex ever built with a construction history spanning 2,000 years, Karnak is one of the most important ancient sites in Egypt.
Favourite Egyptian proverbs
April 19, 2021
Every country has its proverbs, little sayings passed down from generation to generation that impart wisdom and tell truths, and Egypt is no exception.
Aida: an opera of love and tragedy
April 15, 2021
The heroine of my novel Song of the Nile is named Aida for the opera – a passionate, dramatic story of love and tragedy.
The royal women of ancient Egypt
April 12, 2021
What did it mean to be both royal and female in ancient times? How much autonomy and power did royal women hold? Was it as glamorous as a Cleopatra movie?
The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade, Cairo
April 8, 2021
Saturday was a very big day for the people of Egypt: with great fanfare, eighteen of their ancient kings and four of their queens were transported through Cairo to their new resting place.
The Mosque of Muhammed Ali, Cairo
April 6, 2021
One of the great landmarks of the city, visible from all over, the so-called Alabaster Mosque is a place of great beauty and reverence, a ‘must see’ if you visit Cairo.
A taste of Egypt: Basbousa recipe
April 1, 2021
I love to cook, and I explore cuisines from all over the world in my kitchen. Writing a new novel is the perfect reason to try out recipes from a new country! For Song of the Nile, I returned to dishes from my childhood, growing up in Egypt – in particular, my favourite sweet treat, basbousa.
Deciphering the Rosetta Stone: Jean-François Champollion
March 29, 2021
How is it we can understand the hieroglyphs of the ancient Egyptians today? Two amazing breakthroughs made this possible: the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and the work of French scholar Jean-François Champollion.
Gezireh Island, Cairo
March 25, 2021
Gezireh Island is my favourite part of Cairo, for I lived here for many happy years with my husband and children. It’s a beautiful, multicultural place, and is home to several places of historical and cultural interest. Let me take you on a little tour…
Amelia Edwards: Egyptologist and inspiration
March 22, 2021
Traveller, writer, Egyptologist – Amelia Edwards was a legend of the 19th century, and she continues to be an inspiration to this day.
Chic and elegant: Post-war fashion
March 18, 2021
After the hardships of World War II, it was such a luxury for a young woman to purchase new, fashionable clothes. So it is for Aida in Song of the Nile, when she returns home to Egypt and explores the fashion scene of Cairo.
My latest blog posts
David Roberts: 19th-century paintings of Egypt
May 10, 2021
Inspiration for my novel Song of the Nile, the artworks of 19th-century painter David Roberts…
Coptic Cairo and the Hanging Church
May 6, 2021
A place of great significance to many people, Coptic Cairo, with its famous Hanging Church, is one of my favourite parts of the city.
The Khan el-Khalili, Cairo
May 3, 2021
In Song of the Nile, Phares and Aida explore a famous and historic part of Cairo: the Khan el-Khalili bazaar and souk.
The ancient Egyptian signs of the Zodiac
April 29, 2021
For the ancient Egyptians, there was great meaning in the heavens above. The planets and stars could help you understand who you were and what would happen in the future.
Guiding the dead: Ancient Egyptian funerary texts
April 26, 2021
How would a pharaoh’s spirit navigate to the glorious afterlife? For ancient Egyptians, the answer was simple: follow the funerary texts, a kind of ‘afterlife guidebook’.
Karnak Temple, Luxor, ‘the greatest monument ever made’
April 22, 2021
The largest temple complex ever built with a construction history spanning 2,000 years, Karnak is one of the most important ancient sites in Egypt.
Favourite Egyptian proverbs
April 19, 2021
Every country has its proverbs, little sayings passed down from generation to generation that impart wisdom and tell truths, and Egypt is no exception.
Aida: an opera of love and tragedy
April 15, 2021
The heroine of my novel Song of the Nile is named Aida for the opera – a passionate, dramatic story of love and tragedy.