Hiya book lovers With Christmas being just around the corner, I thought I’d highlight some South African reads that should go on your TBR pile. We have so many phenomenal SA authors that deserve to be celebrated , and because this list will be an extensive one, I am splitting this post and making it a series. I know it won’t be possible to include every single South African author, but I am going to try to highlight books from every genre and make it as diverse as possible (so, with respect, please don’t ask me why so and so isn’t on the list – there’s more to come). First up: 1. Sing Down the Stars by Nerine Dorman A book I recently received for review ( thanks you NB publishers ) and am super excited about diving into is Sing Down the Stars. I was first introduced to Nerine’s writing years ago, when I read one of her first books, What Sweet Music They Make (Would 100% still love to see more of that). Over the years, I ’ve come to know Nerine as well and she’s not ...
Today I’d like to welcome author Chantal Gadoury to my blog.
I’m particularly excited about this post because Chantal, who’s the author of Seven Seeds of Summer, a YA retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth is going to be chatting about a subject that I absolutely adore – Greek mythology.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a fan of mythological retellings, and Hades and Persephone in particular, happens to be one of my all-time favourites. It’s also one of the few myths that has a relatively open-ended ending; most mythical stories in Greek lore often ending in tragedy.
I could certainly write an entire dissertation on why Greek mythology appeals to me, but I think Chantal covers the topic quite nicely, which is why I’m handing over to her.
You can scroll to the bottom for more information about Chantal and Seven Seeds of Summer.
Chantal, thanks so much for joining me on my blog today!
I’m particularly excited about this post because Chantal, who’s the author of Seven Seeds of Summer, a YA retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth is going to be chatting about a subject that I absolutely adore – Greek mythology.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a fan of mythological retellings, and Hades and Persephone in particular, happens to be one of my all-time favourites. It’s also one of the few myths that has a relatively open-ended ending; most mythical stories in Greek lore often ending in tragedy.
I could certainly write an entire dissertation on why Greek mythology appeals to me, but I think Chantal covers the topic quite nicely, which is why I’m handing over to her.
You can scroll to the bottom for more information about Chantal and Seven Seeds of Summer.
Chantal, thanks so much for joining me on my blog today!
Why Greek Mythology?
Hello wonderful readers, bloggers and writers!
Tammy invited me to write something on her blog today about Greek Mythology, my new and first novel, "Seven Seeds of Summer" and alluring love interests contained in its pages.
I've received the question more often than not, "Why Greek Mythology?"
It really starts back when I was in college, attending my first in-depth "novel" writing class.
Since I was a teenager, I always enjoyed books that stood as retellings of fairy tales; Robin McKinley and Edith Pattou to name but a few.
I knew I wanted to write something just as special and lasting as their words had been for me. And so, in the dead of night, I started to remember a story I had read as a seventh grader in my English Class, about a Greek God named Hades and the love he desired in a woman named Persephone.
I wanted to do something different from the already used "Beauty and the Beast," "Cinderella," and other fairy-tale themed novels. I quickly wrote out a rough draft of simply retelling the story in both of their points of view.
It's always amazing when characters become voices in your head, and your hands can't seem to write down the words fast enough, and this is exactly what happened to me with my main character, and heroine: Summer.
For those who haven't read the book, Summer is a college art student who has always been enraptured by Greek Mythology and most importantly, by Hades.
Hades becomes more than a figment of her imagination, and much more than just a story when he appears on her family beach and takes her away on a whirl-wind adventure of not only discovering who she truly is, but discovering the truth of the love story we all have heard.
When approaching Hades and his appeal to others and to myself, I really took inspiration from novels I had read, and the men who filled their pages.
I watched a lot of "Dracula" (the 1990's version) and "Gossip Girl" (Chuck Bass anybody?) and evaluated my life and the men who had been or were in my life.
I remember sitting down with a librarian I had been close to in high school, as she was reading my rough draft and she pointed out that Hades, at least then, had a lot of the personality traits of people that I had gone to school with.
Hades is also a mixture of characters I've written about before.
At the time, I had just finished writing a short story for a college class that told of two best friends, and finding out they were attracted to each other. Hades's sarcasm and wit came from that character.
It's really amazing how a mixture of movies and books can inspire you and influence characters who emerge onto the blank pages of your book! When I approached the idea of a God, Hades, and a romance with a girl from our time, I really wanted to stay true to how I thought a God would be like.
Often in the Greek Mythology stories, Gods and Goddesses had human characteristics, ranging from jealousy and love, to anger and sadness.
We know that Zeus slept with many women, goddesses and humans alike, and his wife was jealous of anyone who seemed more beautiful or more desirable than her.
I wanted to keep Hades out of the villainous light that Disney had created in "Hercules," and make him human.
I could only imagine a Hades, who had never seen his love again - someone who was capable of love in its truest form, and yet, be dark enough to tend to his "deadly duties." Great pun there, right?
I wanted to make Hades a man who was a girl's "Dark Fantasy," his flaws included and with the help of my fantastic soundtrack, (The Fountain Soundtrack) Hades and his world was born.
I think it's always safe to say that when writing, even when it's fiction, it's important to write what you know, and who you know. It's just all in how you portray what you know.
Romance is something that I like to think I know ; I've grown up on fairy tales and Disney (and I have yet to find a fan as big as me) and as a girl, have always fallen for the "Dark Princes."
"Seven Seeds of Summer" was my outlet to explore those parts of me, and to write something really fun.
Thanks for stopping by Chantal.
About Seven Seeds of Summer:
What if you were the missing piece in one of the most famous Greek Mythology Romances?
Seven Seeds of Summer follows the story of Summer, a college art student who has grown up in a house full of Greek mythology and legends. Summer grew up with a love for the darkest of all Gods: Hades, which caused tension between her and her mother.
Summer comes home to Point Judith, Rhode Island, to find a mysterious figure on their family beach. The figure comes to her with questions about a familiar myth of her childhood: of Persephone and Hades.
He proceeds to tell her of a new version of the story with a different ending that Summer never knew; an ending that includes herself.
A trip to Greece leads to tragic twists, leaving Summer in the arms of the strange figure whom she had met before. He takes her on a whirlwind through the busy streets of Athens, to the lowest point of Greece where his lair awaits: The Underworld.
Determined to find out the secret of herself and her piece in the story, Summer goes with him, and tries to make herself at home in his world.
Summer has to decide to follow her heart or follow the same footsteps of the mysterious woman in her past life.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR pile.
Purchase a copy from Amazon.
Hello wonderful readers, bloggers and writers!
Tammy invited me to write something on her blog today about Greek Mythology, my new and first novel, "Seven Seeds of Summer" and alluring love interests contained in its pages.
I've received the question more often than not, "Why Greek Mythology?"
It really starts back when I was in college, attending my first in-depth "novel" writing class.
Since I was a teenager, I always enjoyed books that stood as retellings of fairy tales; Robin McKinley and Edith Pattou to name but a few.
I knew I wanted to write something just as special and lasting as their words had been for me. And so, in the dead of night, I started to remember a story I had read as a seventh grader in my English Class, about a Greek God named Hades and the love he desired in a woman named Persephone.
I wanted to do something different from the already used "Beauty and the Beast," "Cinderella," and other fairy-tale themed novels. I quickly wrote out a rough draft of simply retelling the story in both of their points of view.
It's always amazing when characters become voices in your head, and your hands can't seem to write down the words fast enough, and this is exactly what happened to me with my main character, and heroine: Summer.
For those who haven't read the book, Summer is a college art student who has always been enraptured by Greek Mythology and most importantly, by Hades.
Hades becomes more than a figment of her imagination, and much more than just a story when he appears on her family beach and takes her away on a whirl-wind adventure of not only discovering who she truly is, but discovering the truth of the love story we all have heard.
When approaching Hades and his appeal to others and to myself, I really took inspiration from novels I had read, and the men who filled their pages.
I watched a lot of "Dracula" (the 1990's version) and "Gossip Girl" (Chuck Bass anybody?) and evaluated my life and the men who had been or were in my life.
I remember sitting down with a librarian I had been close to in high school, as she was reading my rough draft and she pointed out that Hades, at least then, had a lot of the personality traits of people that I had gone to school with.
Hades is also a mixture of characters I've written about before.
At the time, I had just finished writing a short story for a college class that told of two best friends, and finding out they were attracted to each other. Hades's sarcasm and wit came from that character.
It's really amazing how a mixture of movies and books can inspire you and influence characters who emerge onto the blank pages of your book! When I approached the idea of a God, Hades, and a romance with a girl from our time, I really wanted to stay true to how I thought a God would be like.
Often in the Greek Mythology stories, Gods and Goddesses had human characteristics, ranging from jealousy and love, to anger and sadness.
We know that Zeus slept with many women, goddesses and humans alike, and his wife was jealous of anyone who seemed more beautiful or more desirable than her.
I wanted to keep Hades out of the villainous light that Disney had created in "Hercules," and make him human.
I could only imagine a Hades, who had never seen his love again - someone who was capable of love in its truest form, and yet, be dark enough to tend to his "deadly duties." Great pun there, right?
I wanted to make Hades a man who was a girl's "Dark Fantasy," his flaws included and with the help of my fantastic soundtrack, (The Fountain Soundtrack) Hades and his world was born.
I think it's always safe to say that when writing, even when it's fiction, it's important to write what you know, and who you know. It's just all in how you portray what you know.
Romance is something that I like to think I know ; I've grown up on fairy tales and Disney (and I have yet to find a fan as big as me) and as a girl, have always fallen for the "Dark Princes."
"Seven Seeds of Summer" was my outlet to explore those parts of me, and to write something really fun.
Thanks for stopping by Chantal.
About Seven Seeds of Summer:
What if you were the missing piece in one of the most famous Greek Mythology Romances?
Seven Seeds of Summer follows the story of Summer, a college art student who has grown up in a house full of Greek mythology and legends. Summer grew up with a love for the darkest of all Gods: Hades, which caused tension between her and her mother.
Summer comes home to Point Judith, Rhode Island, to find a mysterious figure on their family beach. The figure comes to her with questions about a familiar myth of her childhood: of Persephone and Hades.
He proceeds to tell her of a new version of the story with a different ending that Summer never knew; an ending that includes herself.
A trip to Greece leads to tragic twists, leaving Summer in the arms of the strange figure whom she had met before. He takes her on a whirlwind through the busy streets of Athens, to the lowest point of Greece where his lair awaits: The Underworld.
Determined to find out the secret of herself and her piece in the story, Summer goes with him, and tries to make herself at home in his world.
Summer has to decide to follow her heart or follow the same footsteps of the mysterious woman in her past life.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR pile.
Purchase a copy from Amazon.
About Chantal:
Chantal Gadoury is young author who currently lives in a small town in Delaware with her two cats, Theo and Harper, and her boyfriend, Robert.
Chantal likes anything Disney, plays a mean game of Disney trivia, enjoys painting, and has an interest in British History.
She first started writing stories at the age of seven and continues that love of writing today.
As a recent college graduate from Susquehanna University, with a degree in Creative Writing, Seven Seeds of Summer is her first book.
Where you can find her online:
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Blog
Chantal Gadoury is young author who currently lives in a small town in Delaware with her two cats, Theo and Harper, and her boyfriend, Robert.
Chantal likes anything Disney, plays a mean game of Disney trivia, enjoys painting, and has an interest in British History.
She first started writing stories at the age of seven and continues that love of writing today.
As a recent college graduate from Susquehanna University, with a degree in Creative Writing, Seven Seeds of Summer is her first book.
Where you can find her online:
Goodreads
Blog
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