Aloha to Jacqueline Webb and PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS

Aloha!  Yesterday at SOS, I interviewed Amanda Grange, coauthor of PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS, at this link.   Today at the Reading Reviewer, I welcome coauthor Jacqueline Webb!


Kim:  What sparked your interest in Egypt? How does one become an Egyptologist?

Jacqueline:  I read a lot of Victoria Holt novels in my teens and my favourites were the ones where her heroines started off as governesses/ladies maids in dull grey Victorian England and were transported by various means to exotic far off countries. A couple of them were set in Egypt, in archaeological digs finding fabulous treasures in tombs and the colour and glamour with which she wrote about these settings used to make me long to be able to join her characters out there. They were romances but they had exciting stories attached to them, with illicit affairs and dark doings and often a murder or two as well which I love, so when I came to write my first historical romance ‘The Scarlet Queen’ I automatically chose Egypt as the backdrop to my story. 

I’m not sure how one becomes an Egyptologist! I’m not even sure I can claim to be one. However when I was researching background information for ‘The Scarlet Queen’ I wanted to make it as authentic as possible so I spent a lot of time in the library and on the Internet making sure I got the details right. When Amanda first approached me to write ‘Pride and Pyramids’ we discussed a few storylines but she knew about my first book (obviously) and it seemed natural to take the idea from there. 

Kim:  What created the interest in Egypt during the Regency era?


Jacqueline:  Napoleon’s first campaign to Egypt was in 1798 ostensibly to protect French trade interests and establish scientific enterprises in the region. He took over a hundred scholars with him and, with the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 by a young French officer, his campaign sparked a Europe-wide fascination with Egypt and Egyptology. The fact that the British Navy seized many of the antiquities collected by the French, including the Rosetta Stone, encouraged the English to become especially interested in the area and culture and so when Amanda and I were discussing where to set the story, my love of Egypt and the historical facts seemed to blend the two naturally. 

BONAPARTE BEFORE THE SPHINX 
by Jean-Leon Gerome (1868)

Kim:  What’s next for Jacqueline Webb?


Jacqueline:  I am very busy at the moment. As well as ‘Pride and Pyramids’ I have just republished my two historical novels, ‘The Scarlet Queen’ and ‘Dragonsheart’ on Amazon kindle. I have also just had an ebook published with Lyrical Press, a paranormal romance entitled ‘Sophronia and the Vampire, under the name Jacqueline Farrell and I am writing a sequel to that. Amanda and I are also in the middle of writing a contemporary Jane Austen ‘sequel’ provisionally called ‘A Jane Austen Christmas’. I am also writing an alternative history fantasy novel using the backdrop of the Roman Empire as my starting point. Sometimes there are enough hours in the day to do everything that I want to do! 

 
Mahalo, Jacqueline, for joining us at SOS Aloha!  I posted my review of PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS on Amazon at this link and Goodreads at this link.  I am giving away a "Pride and Pyramid" prize, combining Regency and Egyptian gifts, to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  What time period would you like to research more?

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Friday, August 3, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Saturday, August 4.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

BATTLE OF ABU BAKIR
by Louis-Francois Lejune (1799)