Synopsis
Hera couldn't care
less what the other gods think, even when it's about her. And it often is.
Frankly, Hera couldn't care less about anything, except doing her duty as queen
- protecting order and defending the mortal world against any threats. But when
the Fates go missing, Hera and a handful of other gods must temporarily become
mortal to search the human world for the missing goddesses.
Hera finds that
mortality begins to change her. It's not just the loss of her divine powers.
It's deeper somehow. It's affecting how she thinks, how she feels, what's important
to her. And it gets much worse after she meets Justin, who defies every
prejudice she once had about mortals. At the worst possible time, and despite
all her efforts, Hera's black-and-white world starts to unravel.
Torn between who
she's becoming and who she needs to be in order to fulfill her duty, Hera must
survive a horde of murderous creatures sent to exploit her new weakness. In the
end, only she can stop a traitorous plot conceived by a secret alliance of
ancient and new enemies, a plot that threatens to destroy not only the order Hera
is sworn to protect, but all of existence itself.
Bio
When he's not
battling to save Azeroth from its latest calamity, T.D. Thomas lives with six
of his closest friends in a tiny house in the frosty north known as Canada.
They are all ruled over by a little white dog named Teo, who firmly believes
he's a reincarnated Egyptian pharaoh and demands to be treated as such. T.D.'s
favourite things include personal space, temperatures above 0 degrees Celsius,
and cats who don't take guff from pretentious little white dogs.
Links
-Website:
http://www.td-thomas.com
Guest Post:
Mythic Proportions: Ancient Stories, New Novels
Today is my birthday (Sagittarii, for
the win!), and when I had the opportunity to do this guest post, I wanted to do
something undeniably awesome to celebrate, well, me.
Unfortunately, that’s a lot of
pressure. I’d love to drop some great truth or reveal some cosmic secret, but I
can’t. Just give me a few more years and check back in.
Until then, I’ll talk about something
just as awesome. Well, not really. But close. At least to me.
Mythology.
I’ve been obsessed with mythology since
I was very young, because mythology kicks ass. Quite a lot of ass. Let’s be
honest: it was basically the ancient version of comic books. Superheroes, supervillains,
epic plots, love, heartbreak, defeat, triumph. And best of all: wicked powers. All
the ingredients for a great Marvel or DC plot arc. And all from hundreds upon
hundreds of years ago.
So, when I took up the proverbial pen for
my first novel (“started tapping away on the keyboard” just doesn’t have the
same ring to it), it was about mythology, of course. Now I’m not pretending to
be the first to do it. And I certainly hope I’m not the last. The real
question, I guess, is why.
Why (Re)Write Mythology: Five Reasons (but there are
probably way more)
1. People like familiar things.
Readers
enjoy points of reference. They like rules. They like to be “in the know.” Think
about it. It’s far more fun to watch a game if you have some idea of what’s
going on. Mythology does that. Mythology provides people with a world they’ve
already been exposed to. They know the game. So, when you incorporate mythology
into your writing (or reading), there’s less world-building required, fewer
blanks to be filled in. Which means you can skip all that boring stuff and get
to the good stuff: the characters and the plot!
2. Mythology is very human.
Sure, a satyr is half-goat, and gods can turn into livestock
and hurl lightning. But they still have feelings! Desires, fears, hates, loves:
all the human junk that makes for great stories. Mythology is relatable
fantasy. It lets your imagination soar, but it also keeps you grounded in what
really matters. The heart.
(Aw.....)
3. Mythology is not human.
Let’s face it: a lot of us live pretty pedestrian lives, and
when we get the chance to indulge in a little fiction, we want to leave the
world behind and go on an adventure. Mythology is an adventure. Gods and
monsters may have human feelings, but they also have things average people
don’t. Like crazy, cool powers. And that firepower means doing things regular
people dream of doing but can’t do themselves. I’m talking about epic battles
with worlds in the balance. Excitement and mythology go hand-in-hand, no
question.
4. Mythology isn’t set in stone.
Mythology is the Play-Doh of the literary world. It’s
entirely in your hands. When you play with mythology, it’s like taking your
favourite recipe, and then spicing it up in a new and incredible way. It’s like
the first person to put nuts on an ice cream sundae. They were insane. But also
a genius. Think about it. Take any myth, and you can create an entirely new
story by playing with one key element. Imagine if Hercules was a total, puppy-kicking
jerk? Or maybe he was a drunk, and if it wasn’t for Iolaus, he’d never have
accomplished anything with his life? What if Aphrodite, the most beautiful goddess of all, could
never find someone to love her for more than her looks? What if Hades didn’t
kidnap Persephone? What if they just eloped to consummate their forbidden love?
The possibilities are endless. Change one thing, and you change everything.
Best of all, you surprise your readers in ways they don’t expect and challenge
them to rethink what they thought they knew. Minds. Blown.
5. Mythology works.
It hasn’t lasted for hundreds of years by chance. Cultures
have changed. In fact, the world is so incredibly different now than in ancient
times, it might as well be a different planet. But the same mythology remains.
Why? Because mythology works. The stories it tells matter. They communicate
something of value, something people are willing to listen to. And if you have
something you want to say as a writer, mythology is a perfect vehicle for you
to use. Because it works.
The Big (or maybe not-so-big) Finish
So, if you’re thinking of taking the
plunge into writing, or maybe just changing direction in what you read or
write, don’t be afraid to take a walk on the mythology side. You won’t be
disappointed. Mythology is where it’s at. It’s an endless playground.
So, experiment. Play with settings
(both time and place). And play with different mythologies too. Greek.
Egyptian. Babylonian. Celtic. The list goes on and on. Hell, combine them all! Every
culture has a story to tell, and every person does too.
Don’t be afraid to tell yours.
Also, happy birthday to me.
~T.D.
Thomas
Thanks T.D, and I hope you have a very Happy Birthday!
No comments:
Post a Comment