This post is coming to you a little late due to a family emergency on my side. But I’m thrilled to welcome Veronica Scott to our Time Machine.
What’s the Time Machine about? As a historical romantic suspense author, I love all eras of history. You name an era, I can probably find some sort of trouble to go digging into. So I thought it would be fun to check in with other authors and see what their favorite eras are and what they would do with just 24 hours to spend there. Stay tuned every Monday to see where we’re headed to next…
If you could go back in time for just 24 hours, what era would you go to and where would you land?
I’d go to ancient Egypt, to around 1323 BCE and I’d land in the city of Thebes, somewhere out of sight in the royal palace. I’d need a few moments to get my bearings. Don’t want to drop in on the middle of a banquet or something!
You have 24 hours… what would you do with your short time?
I’d want to be there for the burial ceremonies for King Tutankhamun. I’d love to see who was there at the time, hear the discussion of what he actually died from, find out if that tomb and all the furnishings really were meant for him, and why everything was placed in the tomb in such a hurry. I’d love to know if the High Priest of Amun-Ra uttered a curse on the tomb robbers of the future. You know several garlands of flowers were found in Tut’s tomb and being a romance novelist, I’ve always constructed little stories in my head about the woman or women who left them for him. I imagine it was probably a very sad, poignant moment! I’d also love to see that astounding golden burial mask when it was new, having been lucky enough to view it once in our time, 3000 or so years after he was buried. And I’m sure there was a lot of scheming and plotting going on, pitting his young widow against several powerful men who wanted to be the next Pharaoh. I’d like to watch some of that intrigue play out. But it would be sad, because ultimately, she loses her life and the throne. Just not on that day!
You can personally see, visit, talk with (or whatever….) one historical figure in that time period. Who would it be and what would you do?
If I could find Queen Nefertiti, who might still have been alive at that point in time, I’d love to just sit and talk to her. It would be fascinating to hear about her husband, Akhenaten, and their ultimately futile attempt to move the capital of Egypt to a new city and implement the worship of just one god, Aten the sun. I’d like to know the story of how the famous bust of her came to be sculpted (and see for myself how closely the sculptor captured her real beauty). I’d be curious if she loved anyone else besides Akhenaten. I read a wonderful novel once, whose title escapes me, but at the end she and someone she loved very much – a commoner I think, maybe even the sculptor – escape Thebes and all the royal intrigue after she’s widowed, and live out their lives happily. (If someone recalls that book, I’d really appreciate knowing the title!)
You have your cell phone with you — someone sees it. How would you explain what it is?
I would tell them it was a gift from the gods to me, a magic book, holding many spells that only I could read. The Egyptians revered books and magic – just one example is the Book of the Dead, containing all the spells and instructions to get a person through the perils of the Afterlife and into their idea of a happily ever after. So they’d probably accept that my phone was some kind of magic tablet.
About Veronica
Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library full of books as its heart, and when she ran out of things to read, she started writing her own stories. Married young to her high school sweetheart then widowed, Veronica has two grown daughters, one grandson and cats Keanu and Jake. She’s been through earthquakes, tornadoes and near death experiences, although nothing is as stressful as meeting a book deadline LOL. Honored with two SFR Galaxy Awards for her science fiction romance novels, she’s also the proud recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (but must hasten to add the last honor was not for her romantic fiction!).
You can find Veronica at Blog @vscotttheauthor Facebook
Her most recent book is DANCER OF THE NILE, set a few hundred years before King Tut’s time.
Nima’s beauty and skill as a dancer leads an infatuated enemy to kidnap her after destroying an Egyptian border town. However, she’s not the only hostage in the enemy camp: Kamin, an Egyptian soldier on a secret mission for Pharaoh, has been taken as well. Working together to escape, the two of them embark on a desperate quest across the desert to carry word of the enemy’s invasion plans to Pharaoh’s people.
As they flee for their lives, these two strangers thrown together by misfortune have to trust in each other to survive. Nima suspects Kamin is more than the simple soldier he seems, but she finds it hard to resist the effect he has on her heart. Kamin has a duty to his Pharaoh to see his mission completed, but this clever and courageous dancer is claiming more of his loyalty and love by the moment. Kamin starts to worry, if it comes to a choice between saving Egypt or saving Nima’s life…what will he do?
Aided by the Egyptian god Horus and the Snake Goddess Renenutet, beset by the enemy’s black magic, can Nima and Kamin evade the enemy and reach the safety of the Nile in time to foil the planned attack?
Can there ever be a happy future together for the humble dancer and the brave Egyptian soldier who is so much more than he seems?
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1 comment
Thank you so much for having me as your guest today. The questions were so much fun to answer! Sending good thoughts to you and your family.