Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 112
January 29, 2013
Aussie Owned Blog Post
Head on over to Aussie Owned and Read and see my introduction to the group. Also, click follow on the blog and find us on twitter (@aussieownedread) and facebook. Thank you!
World Building Blog Hop - History & Government
Thanks again to Sharon Bayliss for running this, anddon't forget to check out her book!
So, Kiya, Egypt. Let's go!
The world which it is set is real, being historical so I had to learn about the world before I could build it into my story. I read journals, university and museum websites, tonnes of non-fiction books and so forth.
Kiya is set during the late 18th Dynasty. What does that mean? Well, the 18th and 19th Dynasties were the largest and most famous in Egyptian history. The 19th was the Seti's and Rameses', but the 18th was the Amenhotep's, Thutmose's, and the most significant characters were Hatsheput the woman pharaoh, Amenhotep the heretic and Tutankhamen the boy. When Kiya begins it is more than halfway through Akhenaten's reign. So I think we need to back track further.By the 18th Dynasty Egypt is a super power. Think of today's world with dominant countries such as the US and UK being more like the Persians compared to Egypt - advanced, but no where near their standard. It had ideas which the western world didn't pick up again until the 1700, 1800, even the 1900's! Medicine was well in advance, they understood honey's medicinal value, how to fight malaria, hygienic human waste disposal, and how to preserve the human body through mumification.
By the 18th Dynasty the pyramids had been built for hundreds of years and they'd turned instead to tombs to prevent grave robbing, and the bodies of the royals filled the Valley of the Kings. Egypt was no longer ruled by two sovereigns - one for Upper and one for Lower Egypt - and the long slim strip of fertile land along the Nile was coveted by warring neighbors such as the Hittites and Nubians. The Egyptians were cunning warriors as a result, they were also industrious and inventive to optimize their resources.
Moving into the 18th Dynasty, Akhenaten was born Amenhotep IV, son of Amenhotep III, the pharaoh who preceded him. He wasn't the next in line, he had an older brother Thutmose who was supposed to inherit, but he somehow died. During Amenhotep III's reign, the priests of Amun-Ra were growing in power and threatening the Pharaoh's authority as the living Amun on earth. (I'll go into more detail on this later this week during religion) the young Akhenaten would have seen this, and could possibly have been one of the reasons why he moved to monotheism with the Aten.
It wasn't an immediate shift in religion once he became pharaoh. He did pronounce the Aten as his god, but it took a few years for him to promote Aten to the royal god and change his name to reflect his devotion. Soon after that while he was traveling the Nile, he proclaimed he'd seen a vision for a new city and Akhetaten (Tel-El Amarna) was to be built northward of Thebes (Luxor) All were expected to abandon Thebes and the traditional gods and take up the new religion in Akhetaten.
So... I hope that's enough. I hope it covers the history and Government sufficiently, because it crosses over into religion which I'll go into greater depth as I said later this week. Be back tomorrow for more good times!
So, Kiya, Egypt. Let's go!
The world which it is set is real, being historical so I had to learn about the world before I could build it into my story. I read journals, university and museum websites, tonnes of non-fiction books and so forth.
Kiya is set during the late 18th Dynasty. What does that mean? Well, the 18th and 19th Dynasties were the largest and most famous in Egyptian history. The 19th was the Seti's and Rameses', but the 18th was the Amenhotep's, Thutmose's, and the most significant characters were Hatsheput the woman pharaoh, Amenhotep the heretic and Tutankhamen the boy. When Kiya begins it is more than halfway through Akhenaten's reign. So I think we need to back track further.By the 18th Dynasty Egypt is a super power. Think of today's world with dominant countries such as the US and UK being more like the Persians compared to Egypt - advanced, but no where near their standard. It had ideas which the western world didn't pick up again until the 1700, 1800, even the 1900's! Medicine was well in advance, they understood honey's medicinal value, how to fight malaria, hygienic human waste disposal, and how to preserve the human body through mumification.
By the 18th Dynasty the pyramids had been built for hundreds of years and they'd turned instead to tombs to prevent grave robbing, and the bodies of the royals filled the Valley of the Kings. Egypt was no longer ruled by two sovereigns - one for Upper and one for Lower Egypt - and the long slim strip of fertile land along the Nile was coveted by warring neighbors such as the Hittites and Nubians. The Egyptians were cunning warriors as a result, they were also industrious and inventive to optimize their resources.
Moving into the 18th Dynasty, Akhenaten was born Amenhotep IV, son of Amenhotep III, the pharaoh who preceded him. He wasn't the next in line, he had an older brother Thutmose who was supposed to inherit, but he somehow died. During Amenhotep III's reign, the priests of Amun-Ra were growing in power and threatening the Pharaoh's authority as the living Amun on earth. (I'll go into more detail on this later this week during religion) the young Akhenaten would have seen this, and could possibly have been one of the reasons why he moved to monotheism with the Aten.
It wasn't an immediate shift in religion once he became pharaoh. He did pronounce the Aten as his god, but it took a few years for him to promote Aten to the royal god and change his name to reflect his devotion. Soon after that while he was traveling the Nile, he proclaimed he'd seen a vision for a new city and Akhetaten (Tel-El Amarna) was to be built northward of Thebes (Luxor) All were expected to abandon Thebes and the traditional gods and take up the new religion in Akhetaten.
So... I hope that's enough. I hope it covers the history and Government sufficiently, because it crosses over into religion which I'll go into greater depth as I said later this week. Be back tomorrow for more good times!
January 28, 2013
Call Out...
This is just a quick post for any followers who might be interested in hosting me when my book is released in April for a blog tour. Leave a comment below with your blog address if you are interested. Thanks for all the support guys!
World Building Blog Hop - Geography & Climate
Welcome to Day 1 of the World Building Blog Hop! Hosted by Sharon Bayliss to celebrate the release of her new novel The Charge.
So to start. My focus will be on my own soon to be released novel - Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh. So let's get rolling!
Geography - The Egyptian Empire was built around the Nile. At the time of the 18th Dynasty it stretched from Abu Simbel (Which was constantly disputed with the Nubians) up to the Delta and into parts of the Saudi Arabian peninsula.
In general, the area is arid, but along the Nile, it is extremely fertile. The silt which flooded the plains annually comes from the White Nile which starts at the Great Lakes region of central Africa (Rwanda) and also the Blue Nile which begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. They meet in Sudan and form the Nile. Most of the fertile soil which is flushed through is brought up from the the Blue Nile.
If you look at the map to the right, you will see the major cities of Ancient Egypt. Note the location of Thebes in the south (Upper Egypt) and Memphis in the north (Lower Egypt). You will then notice Akhetaten's (Tel El Amarna, which is where Kiya is set) location approx. halfway between. It is not known whether this was deliberate on Akhenaten's account, but it's definitely an interesting theory that he chose the halfway point between the two royal capitals deliberately. It could also have been because the land had not been dedicated to any other god up until then. The legend is that while he was traveling along the Nile, he awoke and saw the sun rising over the cliffs and claimed to have a vision from Aten, telling him it was the place he needed to build his city. Whatever his intentions were, the Egyptian populous moved into the city on his orders.
The Climate - hot, as it's the desert. The area's Kiya is focused in it's very hot and dry during the day and rarely rains, and cools down during the night. Winter is very mild, but the nights can get close to freezing.
Plants are basically reeds and other grasses along the Nile banks, some palms, then desert, desert and more desert!
Being in northern Africa, the animals in the area include lions and crocodiles, both of which are mentioned in the book, along with water fowl, cats dogs, jackals and anything else you can see on traditional Egyptian art.
So, come back tomorrow for some more fun-filled world building!
So to start. My focus will be on my own soon to be released novel - Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh. So let's get rolling!Geography - The Egyptian Empire was built around the Nile. At the time of the 18th Dynasty it stretched from Abu Simbel (Which was constantly disputed with the Nubians) up to the Delta and into parts of the Saudi Arabian peninsula.
In general, the area is arid, but along the Nile, it is extremely fertile. The silt which flooded the plains annually comes from the White Nile which starts at the Great Lakes region of central Africa (Rwanda) and also the Blue Nile which begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. They meet in Sudan and form the Nile. Most of the fertile soil which is flushed through is brought up from the the Blue Nile.
If you look at the map to the right, you will see the major cities of Ancient Egypt. Note the location of Thebes in the south (Upper Egypt) and Memphis in the north (Lower Egypt). You will then notice Akhetaten's (Tel El Amarna, which is where Kiya is set) location approx. halfway between. It is not known whether this was deliberate on Akhenaten's account, but it's definitely an interesting theory that he chose the halfway point between the two royal capitals deliberately. It could also have been because the land had not been dedicated to any other god up until then. The legend is that while he was traveling along the Nile, he awoke and saw the sun rising over the cliffs and claimed to have a vision from Aten, telling him it was the place he needed to build his city. Whatever his intentions were, the Egyptian populous moved into the city on his orders.
The Climate - hot, as it's the desert. The area's Kiya is focused in it's very hot and dry during the day and rarely rains, and cools down during the night. Winter is very mild, but the nights can get close to freezing.Plants are basically reeds and other grasses along the Nile banks, some palms, then desert, desert and more desert!
Being in northern Africa, the animals in the area include lions and crocodiles, both of which are mentioned in the book, along with water fowl, cats dogs, jackals and anything else you can see on traditional Egyptian art.
So, come back tomorrow for some more fun-filled world building!
January 25, 2013
Aussie Owned and Read has been launched!
Today is the day! In celebration of Australia Day, the group blog with eight Aussie writers talking about YA/NA fiction with an Aussie perspective has been launched! We will be holding comps, polls, giving reviews on Aussie titles, and so so so much more! Learn about how Aussies see the literary world at Aussie Owned and Read!
January 23, 2013
Some Good Luck
This week I have received 7, yes SEVEN, books in the mail. Seriously, I think rafflecopter had a thing for my name just recently. Plus I won 4 e-books as well as the 4 I've had sitting waiting to read for a while. I have a tonne of reading ahead of me. So, I think I'll start doing some reviews soon. I've finished going through my critiques for all three Kiya books, and am working through Athenian Rain as we speak. Plus, I have Deceptive Cadence which I'm going to start querying soon. So that's it on the writing front, and reading here soon! Wish me luck!
January 17, 2013
Falling 4 Fiction Critique
Falling For Fiction has my latest MS query letter up for critique! Head over to check it out and leave your opinion. falling4fiction
January 14, 2013
The Typelings Competition
So because I think I'm pretty funny I entered the Typelings AZ contest, even though I'm a Typeling lol! Okay so yes, I did it to show some love since it had been open all week and no one had sent anything in yet but still... don't worry we got plenty of last minute entries! To see the results click here. My choice will be going up soon.
So my entry, just to show off, is below! Enjoy.
Horses clopped along the street behind me, but their sound didn’t register. A blue door, that’s all the message said with a map circling this corner of the city. Glancing over my shoulder, I wondered if someone was watching me. It felt like someone was watching me. I shuddered.
All I could smell was horse manure. Typical really, most of the city smelt like that. But in this corner, it seemed especially pungent. Why was I even there? I had no idea who left me the message or why. But something about it niggled at the recesses of my mind. I had to come.
I stepped toward the door and brushed my fingers over the wood. It felt normal, nothing extraordinary. I rested my hand on the doorknob. Should I knock first? I pulled my hand back and tapped.
The door clicked open a crack. I pushed it all the way and saw a long corridor curving off to the right. It was silent inside. A chill ran down my spine, but yet, the urge to enter was all consuming, so despite reason I stepped in.
The door shut, making me jump, but I needed to know what was at the end of the corridor. I walked steadily down. As I came around the bend, I was met with a blue door, identical to the one I’d left behind. I paused for only a moment, before I rushed over and threw it open.
I was met with a gust of ocean breeze, the sound of waves crashing, and a sunny, abandoned beach. I stepped down onto the soft white sand in awe. Ahead of me stood a man with rich ebony skin dressed in a white cotton shirt and pants. My legs took charge, making me walk straight to him.
I stepped up beside him. “What is this place?”
“It is a place of juncture.” He met my eye, and spoke with a deep voice. “You have many gifts and talents, all of which you are not using in your current state. So you have several choices.”
He gestured northward. “If you travel for a day you will come across a castle with a King who seeks good people to help lead his war torn kingdom back to greatness.” He motioned to the south. “A day’s journey will take you to a port where you can purchase a boat and travel the known world trading, fighting pirates and freeing slaves.” He turned westward. “And out there is a town, cut off from its capital by bandits and cruel men using it to supply their tyranny, and so in desperate need of a hero.”
He motioned to the door in the middle of the sand. “Or you can go back.”
I glanced north, west, south and finally at the door. I took a deep breath and made the only choice that mattered in defining my destiny. I turned my back on the door.
So my entry, just to show off, is below! Enjoy.
Horses clopped along the street behind me, but their sound didn’t register. A blue door, that’s all the message said with a map circling this corner of the city. Glancing over my shoulder, I wondered if someone was watching me. It felt like someone was watching me. I shuddered.
All I could smell was horse manure. Typical really, most of the city smelt like that. But in this corner, it seemed especially pungent. Why was I even there? I had no idea who left me the message or why. But something about it niggled at the recesses of my mind. I had to come.
I stepped toward the door and brushed my fingers over the wood. It felt normal, nothing extraordinary. I rested my hand on the doorknob. Should I knock first? I pulled my hand back and tapped.
The door clicked open a crack. I pushed it all the way and saw a long corridor curving off to the right. It was silent inside. A chill ran down my spine, but yet, the urge to enter was all consuming, so despite reason I stepped in.
The door shut, making me jump, but I needed to know what was at the end of the corridor. I walked steadily down. As I came around the bend, I was met with a blue door, identical to the one I’d left behind. I paused for only a moment, before I rushed over and threw it open.
I was met with a gust of ocean breeze, the sound of waves crashing, and a sunny, abandoned beach. I stepped down onto the soft white sand in awe. Ahead of me stood a man with rich ebony skin dressed in a white cotton shirt and pants. My legs took charge, making me walk straight to him.
I stepped up beside him. “What is this place?”
“It is a place of juncture.” He met my eye, and spoke with a deep voice. “You have many gifts and talents, all of which you are not using in your current state. So you have several choices.”
He gestured northward. “If you travel for a day you will come across a castle with a King who seeks good people to help lead his war torn kingdom back to greatness.” He motioned to the south. “A day’s journey will take you to a port where you can purchase a boat and travel the known world trading, fighting pirates and freeing slaves.” He turned westward. “And out there is a town, cut off from its capital by bandits and cruel men using it to supply their tyranny, and so in desperate need of a hero.”
He motioned to the door in the middle of the sand. “Or you can go back.”
I glanced north, west, south and finally at the door. I took a deep breath and made the only choice that mattered in defining my destiny. I turned my back on the door.
January 13, 2013
Six Sentence Sunday 1/13
Today I'm posting six from Branded. The MC, Ali, is being tortured by the General in an attempt to break her spirit. She has collapsed on the group after being electrocuted with several other prisoners, but still refuses to give in.
He kicked me in the side and hissed, “Your defiance is getting tiresome.” “I will never give in to you,” I answered weakly. He reached down and grabbed me by the hair, but as he did, one of the men lunged forward and caught his arm. He pulled the General to the ground and he and the other man started to beat him. “We won’t let you touch her!” one bellowed. “She’s the hope for our people!”
He kicked me in the side and hissed, “Your defiance is getting tiresome.” “I will never give in to you,” I answered weakly. He reached down and grabbed me by the hair, but as he did, one of the men lunged forward and caught his arm. He pulled the General to the ground and he and the other man started to beat him. “We won’t let you touch her!” one bellowed. “She’s the hope for our people!”
January 12, 2013
Query Critique
Sharon Bayliss had critiqued a query for me! Check out Deceptive Cadence here
