Helen's Daughter

Orestes: The Young Lion has its first review, and it's a five-star one.  Wow!  I was having such doubts over whether people would like the book, and whether it was worth it to start the second one, but this fires me up again.

I normally don't find "the early years" parts of historical bio very interesting, but Ms. Gill makes the telling of Orestes, son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and scion of the cursed house of Atreus, very compelling. In particular, I think the author does two things very well...

First, the author does a very good job dealing with the psychology of Orestes. Orestes reveres his absentee father, and at times, has to come to grips with the fact that Agamemnon was not a very nice man. His interactions with his mother and stepfather are also interesting from a psychological standpoint. Orestes' relationship with his tutor was also heartwarming. But the most interesting aspect, I thought, was Orestes' attempting to come to grips with his destiny, namely that he is cursed to kill his own mother.

Secondly, I was surprised at how, at least in my mind, accurately Ms. Gill was able to get into the mind of a young boy. As a dabbling writer myself, I always find it daunting to attempt to narrate from a feminine point of view, but Orestes rings true as a very compelling boy and young man, with all the emotions, impatience of youth, and flaws portrayed beautifully.

I eagerly await the second installment of this story!

Go forth and see for yourself!  Orestes: The Young Lion is available on Amazon Kindle and Smashwords.  I am already 9,000 words into the second installment, Orestes: The Outcast.

Orestes: The Young Lion is now available through Smashwords, in a variety of e-formats.  More readers should be able to enjoy the story now.

Note:  I know none of my readers would engage in file-sharing or any other illegal activity, but I am obliged to mention it anyway.  I am self-published, which means 70% of the royalties go to me, not to an agent or publisher.  I worked a long time on this book, and worked very hard.  For six months, it was the equivalent of a full time job.  There is no such thing as an advance in electronic publishing, so my sales are it as far as income is concerned.  People who participate in file-sharing are engaged in theft, no matter what the reason, and thus they are depriving me of the fruits of my labor. 

If you liked the book, mention it to your friends, but don't give them free copies.  Smashwords allows readers to preview sample chapters for free.  $2.99 is a small price to pay for an ebook of 105,300 words.

I just submitted The Young Lion to my beta reader at 106,000 words.  We'll see what he thinks.  I am simply exhausted after 16 days of editing, and need a nap.

Meanwhile, have some artwork.  A Mycenaean woman standing outside in the courtyard seeing two men off.  You just know she's about to tell the man talking to her that, "My eyes are up here."  Unfortunately, I don't know who the artist is.

At last, a genealogical chart I can be satisfied with.  Note: the actual image is larger, and will show up clearer in the book.  (I hope).

Also, I should be finishing the rough draft of The Young Lion this evening.