Bienvenue à Jeffe Kennedy sur le blog. C’est l’auteure de plusieurs séries de fantasy, et de romances. Merci à elle pourle guest post et pour le concours pour gagner un exemplaire signé de Edge of the Blade (The Uncharted Realms, 2). Le concours est international.
Welcome to Jeffe Kennedy on the blog. She is the author of fantasy and romance series. Thanks to her for guest posts and for the international giveaway. The winner can win a signed copy of Edge of Blade (The Uncharted Realms, 2).
When I was a little girl, I found a tattered copy of MYTHOLOGY by Edith Hamilton at a used book sale. The subtitle is “Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes” and it has an image of Perseus with the head of Medusa. He’s naked, posed with a very phallic sword against a full moon (or setting sun) and oh wow, did I want to know what that was all about!
Yes, I was reading way ahead of my grade level. No, my mother never tried to stop me. Yes, I still have that book. (Published by Little, Brown in 1953.)
Of course I read the tiny print cover to cover, and I keep it because I use it for reference still.
While the tale of Perseus and Medusa turned out to be interesting – though I sympathized with Medusa, naturally – the one that truly seized my imagination was the tale of Persephone (or Proserpine).
Like most kids, I was fascination by abductions of all kinds. In this book, Persephone is carried off – complete with a dramatic illustration that includes fabulous horses, a chariot, and her long hair streaming behind her – by a god described as “the lord of the dark underworld, the king of the multitudinous dead.”
What’s not to love?? (I’m also Team Loki. I have my themes.)
Interestingly, this tale is traditionally framed as her mother, Demeter’s. Not all that much focus is placed on Persephone and what actually happens to her – which, of course, led me to imagine all sorts of things.
In some ways, by writing PRISONER OF THE CROWN, I’m still working out that fascination. I always wondered what it was like for these young, innocent daughters sold or stolen away into marriage. While my dark fantasies lead me into tantalizing sexual territory (which I’ve explored in other stories), I also know that these scenarios were the last thing from romantic for many women trapped in them. That’s what PRISONER is about. It’s not a romance. It’s a story of a young woman with no power to save herself, who finally does.
She’s Persephone freed.
Quand j’étais petite fille, j’ai trouvé un exemplaire abîmé de MYTHOLOGY part Edith Hamilton chez un vendeur de livres d’occasion. Le sous-titre était « Contes intemporels des dieux et des héros » et il y avait une image de Perseus avec la tête de Medusa. Il était nu et posait avec une épée très phallique appuyée contre une lune pleine (ou un coucher du soleil) et oh wow, comme je voulais savoir de quoi ça parlait !
Oui, je lisais des romans bien au-dessus de mon âge. Non, ma mère n’a jamais essayé de m’en empêcher. Oui, j’ai toujours ce roman. (Publié par Little, Brown en 1953).
Bien sûr, j’ai lu toute l’écriture toute petite du début à la fin, et je le garde parce que je l’utilise encore comme référence.
Alors que le conte de Perseus et Medusa s’est avéré intéressant – bien que je comprenne Medusa naturellement – celui qui m’a vraiment emportée, c’est celui de Persephone (ou Proserpine).
Comme la plupart des enfants, j’étais fascinée par les kidnappings de toutes sortes. Dans ce livre, Persephone est enlevée – ceci complété par des illustrations dramatiques avec des chevaux fabuleux, un chariot, et avec ses longs cheveux flottant derrière elle – par un dieu décrit comme « le seigneur des enfers sombres, le roi des innombrables morts ».
Comment ne pas aimer ?? (Je suis aussi Team Loki. J’ai mes themes).
Fait intéressant, cette histoire est traditionnellement consacrée à sa mère, Demeter. On ne se concentre pas tellement sur Persephone et sur ce qui lui arrive réellement – ce qui, bien sûr, m’a amenée à imaginer toutes sortes de choses.
D’une certaine manière, en écrivant PRISONER OF THE CROWN, j’ai travaillé sur cette fascination. Je me suis toujours demandée ce qu’il se passait pour ces jeunes filles innocentes qui étaient vendues ou volées pour être mariées. Alors que mes fantasmes sombres m’ont menée sur un territoire sexuel fascinant (que j’ai exploré dans mes histoires), je sais aussi que ces scénarios ne sont pas romantiques pour les femmes qui sont piégées. C’est ce dont parle PRISONER. Ce n’est pas une romance. C’est une histoire d’une jeune femme qui n’a pas le pouvoir de se sauver, mais qui le fait finalement.
C’est une Persephone libérée.
The Uncharted Realms, 2
Synopsis: A HAWK’S PLEDGE
“The Twelve Kingdoms rest uneasy under their new High Queen, reeling from civil war and unchecked magics. Few remember that other powers once tested their borders until a troop of foreign warriors emerges with a challenge . . .”Jepp has been the heart of the queen’s elite guard, her Hawks, since long before war split her homeland. But the ease and grace that come to her naturally in fighting leathers disappears when battles turn to politics. When a scouting party arrives from far-away Dasnaria, bearing veiled threats and subtle bluffs, Jepp is happy to let her queen puzzle them out while she samples the pleasures of their prince’s bed.
But the cultural norms allow that a Dasnarian woman may be wife or bed-slave, never her own leader and Jepp’s light use of Prince Kral has sparked a diplomatic crisis. Banished from court, she soon becomes the only envoy to Kral’s strange and dangerous country, with little to rely on but her wits, her knives and the smolder of anger and attraction that burns between her and him . . .
Gaëtane
J’aime beaucoup la mythologie grecque : cela me rend curieuse de découvrir cette Perséphone “moderne” !
Melanie Simmons
I love Jeffe’s fantasy stories. They are so much fun. The worlds are very well developed and the characters are very likeable (and some really not likable, but that is the point too.) I still need to read some of her contemporary romances.
Timitra
So fascinating, I never knew that’s why the inspiration came from for this series! Love this series!
Carole Rae
I can’t help but like Loki 😉
Mary Kirkland
I didn’t start reading for my own pleasure until I was 15 years old. My first book I read because I wanted to was Cujo by Stephen King. My daughter started reading some of my books when she was around 12 and she still likes to borrow my books.
blodeuedd
Ha, we are too alike. I also borrowed home mythology books, oh and Persephone was my fav
Heidi
I always loved the Greek mythology units I did when in school. I was enchanted by the characters and the myths and the gods. This sounds like something I would enjoy.
Greg
I love the idea of Persephone freed because that tale always depressed me a bit- the idea of Hades stealing her away. I always wanted her to get free! And I think it was Bulfinch’s Mythology that captured my imagination at a young age, but yes- same concept. They’re so enthralling when discovered at a young age, and I think for many of us they stay with us. 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Sophia Rose
I was all agog over the mythology stories and how dark they really were when I actually read them. Love that this latest series is based on Persephone.
LilyElement Book Reviews
I have yet to try her books but need to this year!
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
I’ve not read this series, but those covers make me sorely tempted.
Carole @ Carole's Random Life in Books
I have not had a chance to read any of Jeffe Kennedy’s work yet but have several books on my radar that I hope to pick up at some point in the future. This was a fun post! I love that she has such a story memory of reading a book as a child and still has the book.
ingridmaelyne hayden
bonjour je participe avec un grand plaisir merci bonne journée!!!
Mirlou
J’ai beaucoup aimé cette série, je participe avec plaisir pur ce livre.
Northwoman
This is a series I really, REALLY want to read. I enjoy the author. I got this one in a Goodreads giveaway. But I would start at the beginning, of course.
Sarah R
“Oui, je lisais des romans bien au-dessus de mon âge. Non, ma mère n’a jamais essayé de m’en empêcher. Oui, j’ai toujours ce roman. ” L’histoire de ma vie ! A douze ans j’étais passionnée par Zola et Laclos, puis je suis passée à des lectures plus futiles, mais je n’ai jamais lu de romans correspondant à ma tranche d’age. La mythologie grecque était à cette époque une part importante des romans vers lesquels je me dirigeais et il est vrai qu’il est difficile de trouver des romans sur ce thème sans une part d’érotisme, mais cela ne m’a jamais déranger