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A Mythic Retelling
Ariadne, high priestess of Crete, grew up duty-bound to the goddess Artemis. If she takes a husband, she must sacrifice him to her goddess after no more than three years of marriage. For this reason, she refuses to love any man, until a mysterious stranger arrives on her island.
The stranger is Dionysus, the new god of wine who empowers women and breaks the rules of the old gods. He came to Crete seeking vengeance against Artemis. He never expected to fall in love.
Furious that Dionysus would dare meddle with her high priestess, Artemis threatens to kill Ariadne if Dionysus doesn’t abandon her. Heartbroken, the new god leaves Crete, vowing to become better than the Olympians.
From the bloody labyrinth and the shadows of Hades to the halls of Olympus, Dionysus must find a way to defy Artemis and unite with his true love. Forced to betray her people, Ariadne discovers her own power to choose between the goddess she pledged herself to and the god she loves.
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Q&A
When and where do you prefer to write?
I prefer to write in the morning or afternoons. I would love to write in my own space. This last year of being at home with my family has not been easy. I’ve done a lot of writing all over the house, especially in my son’s room when he’s in Zoom school.
Do you need peace and quiet when you are writing?
If I needed peace and quiet, I’d never get anything written. I prefer quiet or soft music, but instead there are often kids shouting in the background. Soft music helps.
If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?
Neil Gaiman is the first person to pop into my mind. I think it would be fascinating to write a novel with him.
Say someone asks if they can use your name in a book. Would you rather be the ‘good one’ or the ‘bad one’?
It would depend on the book, but most likely I’d prefer to be the ‘bad one.’ Writing bad guys is such a fun part of writing.
Who would you like/have liked to interview?
A librarian from the Library of Alexandria. I want to know about the books that were lost. I’m so curious about what was lost to history.
Where can I find you when you are reading?
I enjoy reading at the gym, in the bath, and in bed.
Where can I find you when you are not writing/reading?
Mostly all over the place. Since the pandemic began I’ve been taking a lot of walks around my neighborhood. I also like to visit the beach and the Getty Villa.
What goes through your mind when you hold your new book in your hands for the first time?
Excitement and a great sense of accomplishment.
How do you come up with a title for your book?
I normally don’t end up giving my books the same title that I use when writing them. There are a few factors. For example, for Ariadne Unraveled, I originally called it Twice Born because that’s one of Dionysus’s many names. However, I realized that was a little too esoteric and it might confuse people. I have another book called Psyche Unbound, so I loosely thought of starting a series. Also because this book is a deeper look at the story of Ariadne, using Unraveled and alluding to her thread made sense.
How do you pick a cover for your book?
Every cover has been its own journey. For Ariadne Unraveled, I decided to commission art instead of using stock photos. I contacted five different artists and ended up with Diana Kohne, whose work really spoke to me. I felt like she really understood the feeling of the book. She actually read the first two chapters and then made some adjustments. It’s really exciting to have a cover artist who read part of the book.
Thank you, Zenobia Neil and The Coffee Pot Book Club
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About the Author
Zenobia Neil was named after an ancient warrior queen who fought against the Romans. She writes historical romance about the mythic past and Greek and Roman gods having too much fun
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Author Links
Website: http://www.zenobianeil.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZenobiaNeil
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/zenobianeilauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenobia.neil/?hl=en
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/zenobianeil
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/zenobia-neil
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Zenobia-Neil/e/B01KY86Q46
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15661007.Zenobia_Neil
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Book Links
Universal Amazon Link: https://books2read.com/u/bwolxG
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09647R6CF
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09647R6CF
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09647R6CF
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09647R6CF
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B for Bookreview 