A Greek descendant of Alexander the Great, she is portrayed as a keen observer of her father’s oppressive rule and unpopular submission to Rome as an intellectual who studies the papyrus scrolls in the Library at Alexandria and learns the language of the Egyptian people as a patient, shrewd competitor among her siblings for Ptolemy XII’s throne and as an adolescent who seeks friendship on her own terms with Charmion, a loyal court dancer who later reveals their shared lineage. Living among a cast of both historical and fictional characters, Cleopatra narrates her story from age 10 in 59 BC to her death at age 39. This fictional memoir of Egypt’s alluring, mysterious queen resonates with historical authenticity, plausible emotional dilemmas, and passion for power and survival. A rich assortment of characters, places, and events is woven into this appealing, well-paced, informative examination of Cleopatra’s dramatic life and times.- Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC Readers will savor the angst and “confessions” of an adolescent Cleopatra who secures a place in history as a charismatic, determined royal who raises an army against her brother after being banished from Egypt and who forges political and romantic liaisons with Julius Caesar and later Mark Antony to save Egypt and herself. Key events in history are captured in this riveting, personal tale that seeks to fill gaps in documentation with realistic dialogue, descriptions of daily routines, daring marketplace adventures, royal excursions up the Nile, and poignant reflections on the fear and anxiety of living among a ruthless, ambitious family.

Cleopatra confesses by carolyn meyer

You can make a little eight-foot jump onto a rock.” His smile faded as he stared down at me. “Last night you turned into a big bad-ass jaguar. Even though I watched it happen with my own eyes, the jump looked so effortless it was still hard to believe it was real. “Unbelievable,” I gasped under my breath. He turned and smiled down at me from the top of the boulder. Without a word, he sprinted toward the rock and leapt into the air. Other than the fisherman out on the lake, there didn’t appear to be anyone else around. “Watch me.”Īdam walked back a few paces, and gave the area a quick look-over. He leaned in with a crooked smile and kissed my cheek. “You can’t possibly jump that high.” I crossed my arms over my chest. Nope, it was still much taller than I was. I checked again to see if maybe I exaggerated the height of the rock. I looked way up at the boulder that towered over us. The sound of Adam’s voice jolted me out of my thoughts and back into reality. What was it about this guy? It wasn’t like I’d never had a boyfriend, but none of my boyfriends in high school and college made me feel so aware of their touch. I tried not to notice the electricity that sizzled up my arm the moment our skin touched. A patient fisherman sat at the bow, toying with the line of his fishing pole, and all around us the breeze moaned through the pine trees.Īdam took my hand, and led me along a trail toward a large granite boulder. A small orange fishing boat floated out in the center of the water. The sunlight sparkled on the deep blue surface of Lake Tahoe as we walked along the water’s edge. Thanks for reading and commenting and voting!!! I couldn’t have made it this far without all of you!!! I hope you enjoy the sneak peek inside Moonlight! You can also leave a comment too if you’d like… If you haven’t voted yet, there’s still time… Since we made it to the second round of the Writing with the Stars contest, I thought I’d share an excerpt from the book. I had a lot of fun with the villain in Moonlight. The villains keep pushing the story, raising the stakes. Even though their reasoning might seem flawed or twisted, they’re the ones making things happen. That’s why I love writing a good villain too! So often in stories the hero or heroine are “reacting” to dire situations, but a good villain is planning it out. I like villains because there’s something so attractive about a committed person - they have a plan, an ideology, no matter how twisted. I groped about for an answer, but Russell Crowe really nailed it… Someone asked me why I enjoy Disney villains so much. Panda and I have a list of improvements so it’ll be even better, or at least more comfortable! I’m already looking forward to donning my Evil Queen costume again next year. The costumes are put away (mostly) and I’m left feeling like I don’t have a thing to wear! LOL Well the Halloween decorations have come down.

Roadside Picnic by Arkady Strugatsky