Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Guest Post: Michelle Moran (and Cleopatra's Daughter Givaway)!!

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming one of my favorite authors, Michelle Moran! I'm so excited to have you here today, Michelle, and am sooooo looking forward to the publication of Cleopatra's Daughter (coming up on September 15)! I'm interested to know what gave you the idea that became your new book...


It began with a dive. Not the kind of dive that people take into swimming pools, but the kind where you squeeze yourself into a wetsuit and wonder just how tasty your rump must appear to passing sharks now that it looks exactly like an elephant seal. My husband and I had taken a trip to Egypt, and at the suggestion of a friend, we decided to go to Alexandria and do a dive to see the remains of Cleopatra’s underwater city. Let it be known that I had never done an underwater dive before, so after four days with an instructor (and countless questions: Will there be sharks? How about jellyfish? If there is an earthquake, what happens underwater?) we were ready for the real thing.

We drove to the Eastern Harbor in Alexandria. Dozens of other divers were already there, waiting to see what sort of magic lay beneath the waves. I wondered if the real thing could possibly live up to all of the guides and brochures selling this underwater city, lost for thousands of years until now. Then we did the dive, and it was every bit as magical as everyone had promised. You can see the rocks which once formed Marc Antony’s summer palace, come face to face with Cleopatra’s towering sphinx, and take your time floating above ten thousand ancient artifacts, including obelisks, statues, and countless amphorae. By the time we had surfaced, I was Cleopatra-obsessed. I wanted to know what had happened to her city once she and Marc Antony had committed suicide. Where did all of its people go? Were they allowed to remain or were they killed by the Romans? What about her four children?

It was this last question which surprised me the most. I had always believed that all of Cleopatra’s children had been murdered. But the Roman conqueror Octavian had actually spared the three she bore to Marc Antony: her six-year-old son, Ptolemy, and her ten-year-old twins, Alexander and Selene. As soon as I learned that Octavian had taken the three of them for his Triumph in Rome, I knew at once I had my next book. This is how all of my novels seem to begin – with a journey, then an adventure, and finally, enormous amounts of research for what I hope is an exciting story.

I, for one, am grateful for all of your hard work, Michelle, since it means another of your books for us! Thank you so much for joining me here today. And we have great news for my readers, too. Michelle will send a signed copy of Cleopatra's Daughter to the winner of my drawing! To enter, just leave a comment here that includes your email address. This contest will be open WORLDWIDE and the winner will be drawn at random. You can enter until midnight eastern on September 14. If you blog or tweet about this giveaway, become a follower thru Google or Feedburner, or fave at Tecnorati, I'll give you an extra entry for each one. (Anyone who already does any of those will get the extra entries too, just mention them in your comment). Best of luck everyone and, as always, thank you for visiting and commenting!!

Michelle is holding some great contests to celebrate the publication of Cleopatra's Daughter. Check out her Digging for Cleopatra's Daughter contest by clicking on the link. And she has a special contest for teens (they can win a $250 gift certificate!), click here for details.

54 comments:

Amy said...

Thanks for this review. It sounds interesting. I may have to add it to my TBR list.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the review. I'm off to check out the contest.

Anonymous said...

That was really interesting, thanks for posting it!
I'd really love for a chance to nab a copy of her newest, she is a fantastic writer. I'm also a follower of the blog :)
Thanks! (lpmccann(at)gmail.com)

Pam said...

I'm definitely wanting to read this book. Count me in please!

+ follower
+ technorati fave

melacan at hotmail dot com

Linda said...

Having read and enjoyed Nefertiti, I'm anxious to read Ms. Moran's other novels. Thanks for the giveaway.

I follow through Google Reader.

lcbrower40(at)gmail(dot)com

teabird said...

I'm fascinated by Cleopatra - please enter me!

teabird17 **at** yahoo ** dot ** com

melissa @ 1lbr said...

This book looks very interesting (and has a gorgeous cover)! Count me in!

librariansbook(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I would love to win and read this great-looking book. Please enter my name. Thanks.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

I am a follower of your blog and also subscribe via Google Reader.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

Would love to read this book...thanks for the opportunity.

karen k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com

Bridget said...

Great giveaway -- posted about it on Win A Book! No need to enter me.

Beverly said...

I would love to win this book. Very nice cover!!

beachlover20855[AT]yahoo[DOT]com

Zibilee said...

Great post! I am very interested in reading this book, so please enter my name in your giveaway.

zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

I am a follower as well.

Kat Bryan said...

The author's comments were very interesting and the book cover is beautiful.

I'm a Feedburner subscriber.

winterset AT peoplepc.com

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

I would so love to receive a copy of this book--sounds great:

dd DOT bookgoddess AT gmail DOT com

thanks so much

shal said...

This books sounds really good. i want to try it now.
I've tweeted at http://twitter.com/shalhinds . i am a google follower

smarty91@gmail.com

throuthehaze said...

count me in please

follower

throuthehaze at gmail dot com

buddyt said...

I read Nefertiti and loved her slant on Ancient Egypt and the manners and people so I have been entering for this book all over the web !

Thanks.

Carol

I am a Follower.

buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

Jenny N. said...

I have not read any of Michelle's books and am hoping this could be my first.

jen4777[at]hotmail.com

Cherie J said...

Sounds great! Please enter me in the drawing.

cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sue said...

This looks great. Thanks for sharing it.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

Mozi Esme said...

I'd LOVE to read this book!

janemaritz at yahoo dot com

Simply Stacie said...

Please count me too!

I follow you too.

simplystacieblog@gmail.com

Esme said...

Count me in please-she is won of my favorite authors

chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com

Esme said...

I follow

chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

Michelle must have so much fun researching her books! Please enter me.

I am already a follower!

jgbeads(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I would love to win this book! Sounds fantastic.

bsyb100 at gmail dot com

mariag said...

Great review!

I am a follower.
Mariag

M. said...

That is such a lovely, lovely cover, and such fascinating subject matter. I've been hearing a lot of buzz about this author.

I'm a follower.

mayamissaniATyahooDOTca

PerpetualMist said...

Please enter me, perpetualmist at gmail dot com

I have posted the contest on my sidebar
http://perpetualmist.blogspot.com/

I'm a follower now.

Thanks for the contest.

heatherzilla said...

Please include me in the giveaway. Cleopatra's Daughter is at the top of my wish list.

heatherzilla(at)care2(dot)com

I follow your blog.

chocowafer said...

Please count me in! :)

I'm a follower.
tweeted this:
http://twitter.com/austenfanblogs/status/3776231307
faved your blog on technorati (austenfan)

austenfanblogs[at]gmail[dot]com

Terry said...

I would love to win this book. I have become a follower.

Thanks for hosting this giveaway and for your interesting review.

tmrtini at gmail dot com

Bonnie said...

Please add my name to the giveaway I really want to read this book!

I follow you on google.

redladysreadingroomATgmailDOTcom

FlyFreeMyBooks said...

Please enter me. For extra entries I also signed up as a follower, and posted about your giveaway at
http://giveawayroundup.blogspot.com/2009/09/cleopatras-daughter-giveaways.html

ludeluh at yahaoo dot com

Ladytink_534 said...

I love this author! Please enter me!
Ladytink_534(at)yahoo(dot)com

Ladytink_534 said...

I'm a follower
Ladytink_534(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carol M said...

This is a book I really want to read! I love historicals. Thank you for the giveaway!

I'm a follower.

Carol M
mittens0831 at aol dot com

cqueen2 said...

sounds great thanks

count me in

i follow your blog

wadesherry@hotmail dot com

renee said...

Great review, thanks
reneetaylor at sympatico dot ca

Melissa said...

I would love to win this one!

I also follow.

shhhimreading[at]hotmail[dot]com

Susan said...

I'm really looking forward to reading this book. It's exactly the type I love to read.

ryanw@mts.net

Belinda M said...

tweeted

http://twitter.com/Prairiebelle/status/3944919177


Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Chat - join us at http://forum.coolcanucks.ca/


bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

Nancye said...

This looks like a good book.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Follower

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I faved you on Technorati

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

subscribe via reader/feedburner

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I Tweeted about this Giveaway

http://twitter.com/
NancyeDavis/status/3946455256

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

The Giveaway Diva said...

i would love to be entered!!

i follow too!!

nicolemarielum @gmail.com

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

Please enter me!

Thanks,
Amanda
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

I follow.

Amanda
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

I also tweeted:

http://twitter.com/fitz12383/status/3959066052

Amanda
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

dis.333@hotmail.com said...

I keep trying to win this book. Perhaps this is my time to shine. Lord knows I'm interested in reading it. At this rate I might have to put a few coppers in Heather Reisman's pockets....Perish the thought.

Anonymous said...

It was rather interesting for me to read that post. Thanks for it. I like such themes and everything that is connected to them. I would like to read more soon.

Truly yours
Timm Clade


Thoughts from an Evil Overlord

Thank you!!

Thank you to Beth at Beth Fish Reads and to The Blogger Guide for helping me to customize my template and to Andrea at The Little Bookworm for improving my header!!

About Me

My photo
New Hampshire, United States
Bibliophile, Anglophile, Traveller... I have been an avid reader all of my life, since I took the Dr. Seuss Dictionary away from my Mom when I was less than a year old because I wanted to read it myself. In college, where I earned my degree in English Literature, I was often asked "What are you going to do with it?" Now I finally have the answer to that question!!! Being employed as a Flight Attendant for twenty years has given me a lot of life experience and, better still, a lot of time to read. I love to travel for fun, too.