To day my friend Katie Hamstead is taking over my blog to talk to you about New Adult in Historical Fiction. Her novel, KIYA: HOPE OF THE PHARAOH takes New Adult back to ancient Egypt. Take it away Katie!
New Adult is a contemporary heavy genre. In
this rising new category of books, we see mostly college kids, and some urban
fantasy, maybe a dystopian. But History hasn’t really taken much of a place in
the New Adult ranks.
The truth is, I had no idea what New Adult
was when I wrote Kiya: Hope of the
Pharaoh, and when I started querying it, I called it Young Adult because it
really didn’t feel like an Adult book. Naomi/Kiya is only eighteen in the
beginning, so her voice starts out quite young.
But, when I began querying, I noticed a new
category of books people were talking about; New Adult. Eighteen to
twenty-something protagonists leading the way. So, with my rejections mounting
because she got married, and people had babies, and the moderately mature
themes, I decided to bump it up to New Adult.
Best decision of my life. Suddenly, Kiya
wasn’t getting rejected. Suddenly I was getting full requests. Then, I got my
offer.
I hope people see New Adult in the same
light as Young Adult, an age group category, and allow it to expand into all
genres. I’d love to see more historical New Adult as writers explore humanity
in all spheres. Kiya is meant to touch on the silent voices of women thousands
of years ago who were expected to have babies and raise children, nothing else,
but they still had thoughts and feelings which burned inside them just like
women today.
Oh
yes, Kiya. Make him love you, make him hold you in his highest regard....
When Naomi’s sisters are snatched up to be taken to be
wives of the erratic Pharaoh, Akhenaten, she knows they won’t survive the
palace, so she offers herself in their place. The fearsome Commander Horemheb
sees her courage, and knows she is exactly what he is looking for…
The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and
strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya.
Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages
her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will
be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy
Kiya.
Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Neferitit who is out for blood.
Twitter - @katieteller1
Purchase links:
