The General's Wife
by Sara R. Turnquist
New Book Release & Excerpt!!!!!
Ismene,
a beautiful, somewhat naïve, young noblewoman, is torn from her childhood home
in Greece and her first love. Bound by honor and duty, she marries Pharaoh’s
chief military commander, Alistair. Though determined to remain true to the man
she left behind, her new husband stirs feelings in her she cannot ignore.
Attempting
to accept this brazen new culture, it isn't long before she discovers that the
locals don't like her. The Alexandrian mob starts making anonymous threats.
This faceless group will stop at nothing to achieve its goal of driving out the
unwelcome Greeks. In the midst of these heightening attacks, the general must
leave for battle. Ismene fears that she is on her own.
Evidence of a spy within her own household arises. It soon becomes
apparent that one of these Egyptian rebels wants her dead. The safety of
Ismene, and possibly the entire ruling class of Egypt, hangs in the balance.
Sara has been a guest on my blog before, and I am delighted to have her return, especially with a new book release to share with us! Sara will join us again next week as well!
So, Sara! Welcome! Let's get started! The General's wife is Historical
Fiction?
◦
Yes, but
there is definitely a romance in the book that drives the story.
Care to share the
more historically significant events behind your story? I'm all about some history.
◦
Well, my
favorite thing that I uncovered was that Ptolemy II was a great supporter of
the Library of Alexandria. In fact, he was on a mission to see the collection
within grown to something like 500,000 scrolls. Not only that, it was during
his reign that the Septuagint was written. This was the translation of the
Hebrew Bible into Greek.
What was your
inspiration for The General’s Wife?
◦
I’m going to
share a little secret with you…I hated history as a high school/college
student. But I excelled at it. The only thing I ever enjoyed about history was
Egyptian history. I devoured everything my teachers/professors shared about
ancient Egypt. And I clearly remember the first time I heard about this period
(the Ptolemaic period). I was amazed – Greeks ruling Egypt as Pharaohs!?!? And
so I happily delved into any and all resources I could come across. Be they
museum, book, discovery channel movie…you name it.
I love history, historical fiction, and I know a lot of readers do as well...especially such an interesting time frame. You've done your research! Lots going on back then!!! And being an Army wife, you know I LOVE the military element to your story!
Thank you for being with us today and sharing your latest release, and we can't wait to hear from you again next week!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sara is originally
from Clarksville, TN where she currently resides with her family. She
enjoys writing and spending time with her family traveling. Sara is the
author of The Lady Bornekova and
a member of the ACFW.
CONNECT WITH SARA
- Website/URL: saraturnquist.com
- e-mail: sarav1701@yahoo.com
- Twitter: @sarat1701
- Facebook: Sara R. Turnquist, Author - www.facebook.com/authorsararturnquist
- Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/saravturnquist/
PURCHASE
Readers can pick up a copy of The General's Wife through any of the following venues:
Enjoy and excerpt from The General's Wife:
A
frown was etched into Alistair's features. The sight before him caused his
whole body to tense up. It was a sight that had greeted his staff early that
morning. Neterka had been the only one brave enough to bring him out there to
see it.
“Get
it off,” he said, each word enunciated and pushed out of his mouth with force.
There were plenty of servants gathered around, but he spoke to no one in
particular.
On
the inner wall of their great garden two symbols, two words, were splayed
across the wall in what could only be blood. The thick, red, viscous liquid had
dried as it ran, in stripes reaching to the ground.
A
din of whispered conversation among the servants could be heard, but only just.
No one wanted to speak out for fear of enraging the general further. Many of
the servants were unable to read Greek and had no idea what important message
was scarred into their master's most prized sanctuary. As if the vandalism
alone wasn't enough to evoke a great anger in him, the message itself had
pushed him closer to the edge of violence. They had never seen their kind
master in such a state.
“What
is everybody...” Ismene's voice interrupted their musings. No one, not even
Alistair, had even noticed that she had arrived at the grand estate, least of
all made it all the way out to the gardens. Her voice, which started light and
happy, trailed off as she noticed the source of everyone's fixation.
There
were many audible gasps as the servants, like Alistair, turned and saw Ismene's
paled face, her mouth moving as if trying to form words, though none came
forth.
Alistair
rushed over to her, “Ismene, don't look...it's...” he said, trying to turn her
away, to go back in direction she had just come.
It
was only then that he realized—the message—it was for her. Ismene and Alonah
came to the gardens each day to check on her tiger lilies. This wall faced the
entrance into the gardens closest to her bedchambers, the entrance she came
through every day. How did anyone outside of his house and Pharaoh's know that?
His heart sank. There was a leak in one of these houses.
Ismene
stood her ground, refusing to let Alistair turn her away. She was shaking.
“Who...what...I
don't understand,” she managed after several seconds. As she glanced up at him,
he could see tears in her dark eyes as she repeated the terrible words that
were written there. “Go home?”
His
heart ached for her.
“Who
wants me to go home?” she asked, voice breaking, clearly injured by the
implications.
He
pulled her into his firm embrace.
She
began to cry.
“Shh,
shh.” He soothed her, rubbing her shoulders. “It's all right. It doesn't mean
anything.”
He
knew it wasn't all right. She was in a foreign land, a place she was still
having great difficulty adjusting to—a place where she was surrounded by people
she didn't know and who were so different from her. She was still adapting to
these new people, a new culture, a new way of doing things, a new
government...a new way of life. This must have been her worst fear confirmed.
Not only did she not know these people, not only were they foreign in many
ways, they did not want her here.
He
kissed the top of her head. “Don't give it any thought, Ismene. Remember last
night. Remember how the people cheered for you. They loved you!”
Her
crying stilled for a moment.
“This
is the work of one person who is dissatisfied with me and is doing this
to get back at me. This is not about you. I promise,” he lied. He was
quite certain this was at least the truth in part. But he feared that it may be
the work of the Alexandrian mob and it may well be aimed at her.
Ismene
allowed him to comfort her a little longer, but before he was ready to let go,
she started to pull away. With reluctance, he released his hold on her. He then
tugged on her arm more firmly until she was facing the direction she had just
come, her back to the wall and the horrible message.
“Alonah,
please take the Lady Ismene to her bedchambers. I'll have some refreshments
brought for her.” He made sure that there was no room for argument in his
voice.
Alonah
took Ismene's arm and led her back inside, away from the small crowd and the
offensive markings.
Alistair
watched them go. Once they were inside and a safe distance away, he spun back
toward the small crowd of servants.
“Get.
It. Off.” His voice sharp and his words heated; the words penetrated the air,
thick with apprehension, before he stormed off.
~~~
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