A fatal beauty? Beware the Siren
There is the heat of Love, the pulsing rush of Longing, the lover’s whisper, irresistible — magic to make the sanest man go mad. –
Category: Legends and myths
Calypso and Odysseus: a tale of love, or bewitchment?
‘What brings a beautiful girl to such a deserted place on this enchanting night? … You look like the ocean nymph, Calypso, waiting for Odysseus
Inspired by Helios, the Greek sun god
This sandy-hued island of eternal azure skies, ever-changing blue sea, beaming sunshine and ancient stone temples… Welcome to Helios, the setting for my novel Aphrodite’s
Hero or villain? A matter of perspective – and choice
In my novel Aphrodite’s Tears, the heroine, Oriel, comes to work on the Greek island of Helios. Her new boss is Damianos (Damian) Lekkas, the
An ancient treasure trail… to the lost city of Helice?
‘Tell me,’ says Damian, the hero of my latest book Aphrodite’s Tears, ‘how did you become so keen on archaeology?’ ‘My father used to tell
Andromeda: the original damsel in distress
For my latest novel Aphrodite’s Tears, I took inspiration from the stories of the Ancient Greeks. Interwoven within the narrative you’ll find reference to plenty
Prometheus: the Titan who endured
I have always been interested in mythology. The Greek myths, which inspired my new book Aphrodite’s Tears, were written thousands of years ago by wise
The Ancient Greek myths of Delos
A maze of dry, meandering paths led them across the island. On either side crumbling stone temples, toppled columns and the remains of statues told
Taking inspiration from the Labyrinth of Greek mythology
‘Tell me about this house. It seems enormous, a real labyrinth…’ So says Oriel, the heroine of my new novel Aphrodite’s Tears, with regard to
A heroine with the passion (and fate?) of Antigone
For my latest novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, I took inspiration from the classic stories of Greek mythology. I grew up with these stories, told to me
Falling in love: A choice to fly perilously close to the sun?
In my new novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, the heroine Oriel is struggling to maintain a professional distance from her new employer, Damian, with whom, years ago,
Don’t look back! A lesson from Orpheus and Eurydice of Greek mythology
I find inspiration for my writing from all kinds of sources. For Burning Embers, I was inspired by the poetry of French poet Leconte de
Psyche and Cupid: the ancient story with a happy-ever-after
Researching my latest novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, was an absolute pleasure, for it involved reading up on ancient mythology. I was especially interested, as the novel’s
The Christmas goblins of Greek folklore
We are into the Twelve Days of Christmas (the Twelvetide), that period between Christmas Day and the Twelfth Night before Epiphany. For most people worldwide,
8 things to know about the Acropolis, Athens
In the bottom drawer of my desk, I keep a scrapbook, within which I have pasted mementos of my travels. The book falls open on
The legacy of Pandora’s box
No doubt you’ve heard the term ‘opening a Pandora’s box’ before. It’s used to express that an action that may seem small or inconsequential may
Epic stories of Ancient Greece: The Iliad and The Odyssey
“There is the heat of Love, the pulsing rush of Longing, the lover’s whisper, irresistible – magic to make the sanest man go mad.” So
A visual who’s who of Greek mythology
My new novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, is set in the Greek islands, and as the title suggests, I touch on Greek mythology throughout the book. Do
Phantom islands and lost cities: fact or fiction?
Recently, I was reflecting on a trip I took to the Greek island of Santorini, whose culture, history and mythology helped to inspire my new novel, Aphrodite’s
Spain’s legendary female knight: the Lady of Arintero
‘Female knight’ may well strike you as a contradiction in terms: how could a knight of medieval times be a woman? Surely this was a
Epic love stories of history: Layla and Majnun
‘Layla, you’ve got me on my knees. Layla, I’m begging, darling, please. Layla, darling, won’t you ease my worried mind.’ So sang Eric Clapton. ‘Layla’
Romancing the moon
‘The moon lives in the lining of your skin.’ So wrote the poet Pablo Neruda in his ‘Ode to a Beautiful Nude’. This line resonated
When old and new collide: Banning the nymphs of Cadiz
Of all the mythical creatures – and there are many – the nymph has always been one of my favourites. What image does the word
The fairy tale: a foundation for modern writing
I do not know that I would be a writer today were it not for fairy tales. I was fortunate to have parents who had
Fairy tale week: Live-action Disney – making fantasy reality
The news has been abuzz in recent weeks about the movie Beauty and the Beast, which will release next spring. Why all the interest? Well,
Fairy tale week: Cinderella’s shoe – an enduring symbol
This week, I’ve decided to theme my posts on fairy tales, because they have played an integral part in shaping the writer I am today.
Believing in fate, honouring the Fates
In my latest novel Legacy, the male protagonist, Ruy, is a man faced with two legacies: that of his mother, Luz, who is descended from
The legend at the heart of Andalucían Nights
Last year, I wrote about one of my favourite works of literature, One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of stories from ancient and medieval Arabic, Persian, Indian, Egyptian and
The legendary Don Juan
What does the name ‘Don Juan’ mean to you? No doubt you can think of various characters with the name and attributes of Juan, the
‘Legendary’ Indiscretion
Whenever I write a new book, I immerse myself in the history and culture of the country in which the story is set. Legends