Tuya, a high
ranking lady-in-waiting at Pharaoh’s court, lives a life of luxury, pageantry
and boredom. Khian, a brave and honorable officer from the provinces
temporarily re-assigned to Thebes, catches her eye at a gold of valor ceremony.
As the pair are thrown together by circumstances, she finds herself
unaccountably attracted to this man so unlike the haughty nobles she’s used to.
But a life with Khian would mean leaving the court and giving up all that she’s
worked so hard to attain. As she goes about her duties, Tuya struggles with her
heart’s desires.
When Tuya is
lured into a dangerous part of Thebes by her disgraced half-brother and
kidnapped by unknown enemies of Egypt, Khian becomes her only hope. Pharaoh
assigns him to bring the lady home.
Aided by the
gods, Khian races into the desert on the trail of the elusive kidnappers,
hoping to find Tuya before it’s too late. Neither of them has any idea of the
dark forces arrayed against them, nor the obstacles to be faced. An ancient
evil from the long gone past wants to claim Tuya for its own purposes and won’t
relinquish her easily.
Can Khian find
her in time? Will he and his uncanny allies be able to prevent her death? And
if the couple escapes and reaches safety, what of their fledgling romance?
Today we’re talking to Lady Tuya of Pharaoh’s Court
from “Lady Of The Nile (Gods Of Egypt),” a Paranormal Romance set in ancient
Egypt by Veronica Scott. Let’s get started. I’m sure our readers are eager to
learn more about you.
What are you
most afraid of?
When
the novel begins, I’m most afraid of standing outside life, being a mere
observer of others’ happiness. Living and dying without really experiencing all
the joys of true love, marriage, motherhood – I have my position as a lady in
waiting to the queen and I serve the goddess as a priestess. And ultimately that
wasn’t enough for me.
What would you
like it to say on your tombstone?
As
you probably know, in the land of the Nile, we have elaborate tombs, with
significant events from our lives depicted in beautiful paintings, as well as
scenes of the life we hope to lead in the afterlife. I can’t reveal spoilers from
the novel of course but there is a scene toward the end of the book, involving Pharaoh
that I definitely will have painted in my tomb! I can say in general, as a
priestess of the goddess Mut, I’ll commission scenes of myself with her. I’ll
also have paintings of my beloved Khian, and if we are blessed to have
children, they’ll be included.
Now on to
something lighter, what is your favorite drink?
Egyptians
are renowned for their beer.
What is your favorite
food?
Honeyed
dates.
What is your
favorite song?
I
doubt you’ve heard of it – a song extolling the accomplishments of Pharaoh.
What was your
first impression of Captain Khian?
I
first saw Khian when he appeared at court to be honored for military valor. He
was so different than the nobles or even the top military men in Pharaoh’s
private guard. Khian seemed like a breath of fresh air, no political artifice,
just honest and forthright. (Tuya
giggles at a private memory.) And as I found out much later, in a moonlit
garden, he can also quote poetry most effectively. And he’s quite handsome.
If you could go
back in time, what one thing would you change in your life?
I’m
content with the changes that occurred for me in the novel, as Fate brought me
Khian. I lost my father at a very early age and of course I’d wish to alter
that sad event, but then I’d never have met Khian. As the wise men say, “There
is no one who can ignore Shai, god of Fate.”
Are you close to
family?
I
have no family left now. I did have a half-brother who was something of a
scoundrel.
Do you see
morality as black-and-white, or with shades of gray?
As
Egyptians, we believe in ma’at – the balance and harmony of the universe, with
truth and justice being very important. After death, each person must pass the
test of having their heart weighed in the balance of the gods, to see if we’re
worthy of achieving the joyous afterlife. I have tried to keep the principles
of ma’at faithfully. I pray the goddess who embodies these traits, Ma’at
herself, will find I have done well and lived a worthy life.
If you could
make any one thing happen, what would it be?
Khian
and I pray to the gods to bless us with children.
What is your
most prized possession?
A
feather from the pure white wings of the goddess Mut herself.
What kinds of
things do you always carry in your pockets or purse?
I
always have my ostrich feather fan, because the days can be quite hot, and I
wear various amulets to ward off evil spirits and bring me good fortune. I have
no purse or pockets, however. I’m told the pocket will be invented some 2000
years or so after I leave the land of the living to travel into the west. (My
author does sometimes talk about pockets on occasion, but she calls them
‘conscious anachronisms’ in her writing. She has a Note on Historical Accuracy
on her blog.)
If you had a
free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself,
what would you do?
Khian
and I would go for a sail on the river Nile, and talk of everything and nothing,
recite poetry to each other, perhaps fish for dinner…and have some very private
moments in our cabin!
“Lady Of The Nile” is available through:
Thanks for having me as your guest today! It was great fun answering the questions :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you could join us today and share Lady Tuya's story.
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