On Amazons
The Amazons of Greek legend have always fascinated me. With the advent of the modern paranormal romance subgenre, I kept waiting for someone to use the Amazons as main characters. (I realize there are numerous works of historical fiction with Amazon characters, but those are definitely not romances.)
Finally, Lori Devoti published two books, Amazon Ink (2009) and Amazon Queen (2010). When I heard about them, I ordered both books, eager to devour them for the strong, fascinating characters I was sure Devoti had created. I opened up the first book and dived in…
…only to find that Devoti had attributed mystical “powers” (i.e. magic) to the Amazonian characters, when I knew from my historical studies that Amazons were non-mystical warriors.
What a disappointment!
I’m not questioning Devoti’s use of magical elements in her series, nor should anyone take this as a criticism of her stories. She’s the author, those were her books and her characters and her story world, and so as long as she doesn’t violate the world she’s created, more power to her.
No, my disappointment centered entirely upon the expectations I had of who the Amazons were and how they should be portrayed. I longed for a good old fashioned Wonder Woman type of character: a warrior with grace and beauty, a strong faith, and a need to see wrongs righted without the use of magic. With paranormal romances leaning more and more toward the use of magical elements (which I personally enjoy), I saw no hope of any author taking the Amazons as they were. The more I thought about it, the stronger my view of this world became, and the more compelled I became to write it all down. This is how the idea of the Daughters of the People was conceived.
Of course, there are mystical elements in the story, beginning with the curse, and I can’t promise that other mystical elements won’t pop up from time to time. Daughters are a bit stronger than average, a little smarter, and a whole lot harder to kill than mortal humans. The first two characteristics are a product of a long life well lived, while the third is a part of the curse. After all, why allow an easy death when the whole object of the curse was harsh penance?
I hope you enjoy these tales, and the warriors they portray, as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.
The Amazons of Greek legend have always fascinated me. With the advent of the modern paranormal romance subgenre, I kept waiting for someone to use the Amazons as main characters. (I realize there are numerous works of historical fiction with Amazon characters, but those are definitely not romances.)
Finally, Lori Devoti published two books, Amazon Ink (2009) and Amazon Queen (2010). When I heard about them, I ordered both books, eager to devour them for the strong, fascinating characters I was sure Devoti had created. I opened up the first book and dived in…
…only to find that Devoti had attributed mystical “powers” (i.e. magic) to the Amazonian characters, when I knew from my historical studies that Amazons were non-mystical warriors.
What a disappointment!
I’m not questioning Devoti’s use of magical elements in her series, nor should anyone take this as a criticism of her stories. She’s the author, those were her books and her characters and her story world, and so as long as she doesn’t violate the world she’s created, more power to her.
No, my disappointment centered entirely upon the expectations I had of who the Amazons were and how they should be portrayed. I longed for a good old fashioned Wonder Woman type of character: a warrior with grace and beauty, a strong faith, and a need to see wrongs righted without the use of magic. With paranormal romances leaning more and more toward the use of magical elements (which I personally enjoy), I saw no hope of any author taking the Amazons as they were. The more I thought about it, the stronger my view of this world became, and the more compelled I became to write it all down. This is how the idea of the Daughters of the People was conceived.
Of course, there are mystical elements in the story, beginning with the curse, and I can’t promise that other mystical elements won’t pop up from time to time. Daughters are a bit stronger than average, a little smarter, and a whole lot harder to kill than mortal humans. The first two characteristics are a product of a long life well lived, while the third is a part of the curse. After all, why allow an easy death when the whole object of the curse was harsh penance?
I hope you enjoy these tales, and the warriors they portray, as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.
Book 1: The Prophecy
Sandby borg, Sweden
Authors often use real settings for their localities, changing details as needed. Such is the case with Sandby borg, the opening locality of The Prophecy. This 5th century land fort is located on Öland Island along Sweden’s southern coast. It was a well-known historical site prior to the discovery of jewelry boxes and brooches there in 2010. Fearing looting, archaeologists began surveying the site and uncovered the first body in 2012.
In that locality during the Scandinavian Migration Period (ca. 400 to 550 C.E.), when the fort was occupied, the dead were cremated, not buried. Thus, when bodies were discovered at Sandby borg, they posed a real mystery. Robbery does not appear to have been a motivation for the massacre, during which an unknown number of people were slain. (Archaeologists were still finding bodies as of October 2013.) The dead were left where they fell, and archaeologists speculate that the borg became taboo because of the great tragedy visited there.
I took several liberties with the Sandby borg site. First, I exaggerated both the decay of the ruins (which have been partially rebuilt) and the size and scope of archaeologists’ investigations there. Second, as far as I know, no actual burials have been found on the site, nor have any texts been found. These events were taken purely from my imagination.
On the other hand, the Kalmar Läns Museum is a real place, and the folks there are involved with the work at Sandby borg.
Here are a few links for those wanting to learn more about this area:
Authors often use real settings for their localities, changing details as needed. Such is the case with Sandby borg, the opening locality of The Prophecy. This 5th century land fort is located on Öland Island along Sweden’s southern coast. It was a well-known historical site prior to the discovery of jewelry boxes and brooches there in 2010. Fearing looting, archaeologists began surveying the site and uncovered the first body in 2012.
In that locality during the Scandinavian Migration Period (ca. 400 to 550 C.E.), when the fort was occupied, the dead were cremated, not buried. Thus, when bodies were discovered at Sandby borg, they posed a real mystery. Robbery does not appear to have been a motivation for the massacre, during which an unknown number of people were slain. (Archaeologists were still finding bodies as of October 2013.) The dead were left where they fell, and archaeologists speculate that the borg became taboo because of the great tragedy visited there.
I took several liberties with the Sandby borg site. First, I exaggerated both the decay of the ruins (which have been partially rebuilt) and the size and scope of archaeologists’ investigations there. Second, as far as I know, no actual burials have been found on the site, nor have any texts been found. These events were taken purely from my imagination.
On the other hand, the Kalmar Läns Museum is a real place, and the folks there are involved with the work at Sandby borg.
Here are a few links for those wanting to learn more about this area:
- Sweden's "Pompeii" Massacre Baffles Experts
- 1500 year old Swedish fortress massacre revealed
- Öland Island, Sweden
Book 2: Light's Bane
Knitting
Dani's primary hobby is knitting, something that's referenced several times in Light's Bane and actually plays a role in the story. This is how Dani describes her hobby in Chapter Two:
"Dave hadn’t returned by the time Dani finished reviewing her notes, so she pulled out her knitting, a handicraft she’d picked up as a child. The repetitive nature of the stitches and the gentle clack of the needles were peaceful, soothing, a welcome contrast to her normally hectic schedule.
"She loved having handmade clothes. It reminded her of growing up in Rebecca’s household, the safest, happiest time of her life, with her adoptive mother’s daughters coming in and out and treating Dani like a doll, dressing her in homemade clothes. Spoiling her. Loving her unconditionally. Her life there had almost made up for not knowing her natural parents."
Dani was born in 1939. Her formative years occurred during the Great Depression, a time when money was short and people did without a lot of necessities. Unlike today, society did not have a throw away mentality. People made do with what they had and everyone contributed, even very young children. Dani learned to knit at a young age, and continued doing so in part because of nostalgia.
A large part of the reason she knits is because it's one way she can take care of herself. Personal independence and self-reliance are important components of the People's society, though its members are, in many ways, interdependent. Family and friends are paramount, yes, but everyone pulls their own weight, as much as they're able. In some ways, Dani's knitting exemplifies this ideal.
Over the past few decades, thrifty crafts like knitting have made a resurgence in the United States, a trend Dani and I hope continues long into the future.
Dani's primary hobby is knitting, something that's referenced several times in Light's Bane and actually plays a role in the story. This is how Dani describes her hobby in Chapter Two:
"Dave hadn’t returned by the time Dani finished reviewing her notes, so she pulled out her knitting, a handicraft she’d picked up as a child. The repetitive nature of the stitches and the gentle clack of the needles were peaceful, soothing, a welcome contrast to her normally hectic schedule.
"She loved having handmade clothes. It reminded her of growing up in Rebecca’s household, the safest, happiest time of her life, with her adoptive mother’s daughters coming in and out and treating Dani like a doll, dressing her in homemade clothes. Spoiling her. Loving her unconditionally. Her life there had almost made up for not knowing her natural parents."
Dani was born in 1939. Her formative years occurred during the Great Depression, a time when money was short and people did without a lot of necessities. Unlike today, society did not have a throw away mentality. People made do with what they had and everyone contributed, even very young children. Dani learned to knit at a young age, and continued doing so in part because of nostalgia.
A large part of the reason she knits is because it's one way she can take care of herself. Personal independence and self-reliance are important components of the People's society, though its members are, in many ways, interdependent. Family and friends are paramount, yes, but everyone pulls their own weight, as much as they're able. In some ways, Dani's knitting exemplifies this ideal.
Over the past few decades, thrifty crafts like knitting have made a resurgence in the United States, a trend Dani and I hope continues long into the future.
Book 3: The Enemy Within
Movies
Nearly every book in the Daughters of the People series contains references to a couple of movies. The Princess Bride, for instance, is a near-universal favorite among the People. It has everything: action, adventure, love and romance, and a good old-fashioned kidnapping and rescue, plus pirates, princes, giants, awesome sword fights, and true love. I've alluded to this one in several books and wasn't sure if readers would pick up on it. It's definitely one of my all-time favorite movies, one thing the People and I have in common.
Godzilla is another timeless favorite among the People. Don't ask me why, but they return to this one again and again. Possibly, it's because of the meanings underlying the original film, but it's equally possible they simply enjoy the havoc Godzilla wreaks. After all, most Daughters have wreaked a little havoc in their own lifetimes, and a lot of Sons have, too!
The Daughters' Histories
It's always difficult when writing the books in this series to decide how much of a Daughter's background to filter into the story itself. Most Daughters have lived varied lives, and many Sons do as well. Bobby, for instance, served in the US Army for a decade or so, while Indigo spent most of her century and a half bopping around the world serving the People. No matter how much I want to include everything, it's simply not possible. In Bobby and Indigo's case, I had to leave a lot of their respective backgrounds out so that I could focus on the history of their relationship. That means that readers will only catch glimpses of Bobby's time in the military and Indigo's past. I hope what is shown provides an interesting look into this couple's lives, both apart and together.
Nearly every book in the Daughters of the People series contains references to a couple of movies. The Princess Bride, for instance, is a near-universal favorite among the People. It has everything: action, adventure, love and romance, and a good old-fashioned kidnapping and rescue, plus pirates, princes, giants, awesome sword fights, and true love. I've alluded to this one in several books and wasn't sure if readers would pick up on it. It's definitely one of my all-time favorite movies, one thing the People and I have in common.
Godzilla is another timeless favorite among the People. Don't ask me why, but they return to this one again and again. Possibly, it's because of the meanings underlying the original film, but it's equally possible they simply enjoy the havoc Godzilla wreaks. After all, most Daughters have wreaked a little havoc in their own lifetimes, and a lot of Sons have, too!
The Daughters' Histories
It's always difficult when writing the books in this series to decide how much of a Daughter's background to filter into the story itself. Most Daughters have lived varied lives, and many Sons do as well. Bobby, for instance, served in the US Army for a decade or so, while Indigo spent most of her century and a half bopping around the world serving the People. No matter how much I want to include everything, it's simply not possible. In Bobby and Indigo's case, I had to leave a lot of their respective backgrounds out so that I could focus on the history of their relationship. That means that readers will only catch glimpses of Bobby's time in the military and Indigo's past. I hope what is shown provides an interesting look into this couple's lives, both apart and together.
Book 3.5: Tempered
Coming soon!