Have you heard the term ‘method’
actor? These are the actors that don’t break character, even between takes.
Daniel Day Lewis and Dustin Hoffman are two such actors. Dustin Hoffman didn’t
sleep for days to prep for a scene in Marathon Man. Daniel Day Lewis maintained
his John Proctor façade the entire time he was shooting The Crucible.
I think I’m a method writer.
That’s not to say I sit around wrapped in linen robes, using oil lamps for
light, and speak with a more formal vocabulary. I couldn’t get away with it –
my husband and kids are supportive, but… I admit, it does sound divine.
BUT when I’m working on my
Loves of Olympus series, the feel (the way I imagine that time/place to be)
takes over. Food, scents, textures, sounds, and the rhythm of life changes a
little. Research helps, I’ll admit. From historical costuming books, map books,
various ‘Life in the…’ books, and numerous mythology tombs – I am easily (and
eagerly) transported.
Another essential tool that
helps me get lost in my pages: music. I am always on the lookout for new songs
to add to my YouTube playlists. I have specific lists for each book, but there
are a few songs that I’ve listed on each list. Some sound very authentic to me,
while others impart the mood I’m hoping to write. One song that’s made it onto
all my playlists is listed below.
I hope you enjoy the song. And
that you’ll enjoy Medusa, A Love Story too!
Medusa, A Love Story
By Sasha Summers
Blurb:
It's said love
can change a person. Medusa wasn't always a monster...
Medusa is ruled
by duty, to her Titan father and the Goddess Athena. She's no room for the
tenderness her warrior guard, Ariston, stirs. When Olympus frees her from
service, her heart leads her into the arms of the guard she loves... and curses
her as the creature with serpent locks.
Ariston goes to
war with a full heart... and dreadful foreboding. He learns too late of the
danger Medusa faces, alone, and a Persian blade sends him into the Underworld.
But death, curses, nor the wrath of the Gods will keep him from returning to
her.
Poseidon will
use Greece's war to get what he wants: Medusa. He does not care that she
belongs to another. He does not care that she will be damned. He is a God, an
Olympian, and she will be his.
book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fH7xoZiCo
"This tragic and beautiful retelling of one of the
world's oldest stories tackles the eternal battle between duty and happiness.
Medusa, A Love Story broke my heart then filled in the cracks with joy. Sasha
Summers is simply a mesmerizing new talent." ~Stephanie Dray, Author of the critically
acclaimed Song of the Nile
Excerpt:
“You asked for an
audience, you have it. Now tell me, where do you belong?” Hades’ voice was
deep, emotionless.
Ariston
swallowed. “Athens.” He met Hades’ gaze, but the God revealed nothing to him.
“Why? You died with
honor and glory. Is that not what every soldier wants?”
“My
wife…” His voice wavered.
Hades brow lifted
slightly. “Lives. You do not.”
“She
is in danger.”
“Earthly
danger. She is no longer your concern, Ariston.”
“The
danger she faces is not earthly, but far from it…” Ariston’s voice was hoarse,
his desperation mounting. He took a wavering breath before he began again. “She
is everything to me. I am proud of my death, but it means nothing if she is in
peril. I must know.” Ariston kneeled. “I beg you. I beg you to return me to
Athens.”
Ariston
waited, willing himself to be strong.
“Who
is this wife?” Hades asked.
“Medusa
of Athens.” He paused. “Now of Rhodes.”
Hades
was silent, his dark blue eyes regarding him steadily.
“When
I die—” Ariston began.
“You
are dead,” Hades assured him.
“When I return…die
again, I would serve as guardian to Tartarus. I am a skilled warrior, a skill I
might offer you.” He spoke with confidence.
“You
vex me,” Hades muttered, the slightest crease appearing between his eyes. “You
offer this to me for a woman?”
Ariston
nodded. “She is worthy.”
Hades
was silent again, his eyes shifting to the blue-white flames in the massive
fireplace.
“My words do
not…adequately express the love I have for this woman. But I cannot leave her.
She is at risk. I must return.” The words came without thought. How could he
justify such emotion to a God who reviled affection or companionship? “As
Olympus has my arm and sword, she has my heart – a mortal, and perhaps weak,
heart.”
The room was silent for
too long. He would have to fight his way out…
“It
is a weakness not reserved for mortals alone, Ariston of Rhodes.” Hades’ words
were so soft Ariston feared they’d not been spoken. But Hades continued, strong
and clear. “I will return you to your ship so that you may lead your men to
victory. Too many have fallen from this war and I would see it end. When that
is done, you may go to your wife.” He paused then added, “When you return to my
realm, I will have your fealty.”
The
God of the Underworld, Lord of Death, gave him mercy? Mayhap there was one God
he might serve with honor.
Ariston vowed, “You have
it.”
Review:
Some
books speak to a reader before the first page is turned. That’s exactly how I
felt about Medusa, A Love Story when
I saw its cover and read the background information. And, fortunately, it lived
up to the expectations.
Author
Sasha Summers takes one of the most feared mythological creatures – Medusa, a
vile woman with serpents swarming in place of hair, who turns any man who looks
upon her into stone – and instead creates a complex, loving woman who dotes on
her family, and gives up her happiness for that of others.
Not
all born into families look like their siblings and parents. Before Medusa took
on the characteristics a dreaded Gorgon, she was but a lady, a priestess in
Athena’s temple. She took the position as payment for her parents’ misdeeds.
“Love
had never been peaceful, not for Medusa. In truth, she’d seen very little to
indicate love existed. Duty was her fate. Duty did not waver. It was constant.
And she was content with her station – most of the time.” (p. 19)
Medusa’s
view of love shifts with her new guard duty, Ariston. As a leader of soldiers,
Ariston is supposed to escort Medusa to and from the temple, but something
about her calls to him.
“She
was indeed well, easing his worry while tempting his soul. Her veils offered no
buffer to his heart, the whisper of her smile was a shadow through its gossamer
fall – enticing him all the more.” (28)
For
those knowledgeable of Greek mythology, or even viewers of Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Medusa’s
life doesn’t end happily-ever-after. While Summers stays pretty true to the
classic tales, she offers an ending that should leave readers satisfied.
In Medusa, A
Love Story, Summers doesn’t weave a simple tale of romance, but an epic
adventure of the heart.
Author Bio:
Sasha Summers is part gypsy. Her passions have always
been storytelling, history, and travel. It's no surprise that her books visit
times past, set in places rich with legends and myth. Her first play, 'Greek
Gods and Goddesses' (original title, right?), was written for her Girl Scout
troupe.
She's been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in
the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run
the dishwasher or wash socks when she's doing so.
Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring
hubby are super understanding and supportive.
Sasha is an active member of RWA and several Texas
Chapters. A self-proclaimed movie-addict, she is full of all sorts of useless
movie tidbits and trivia.
Facebook Author Page:
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sashasummers/
Twitter: @sashawrites
Webpage: http://www.sashasummers.com
Louisa, Thank you so much for reading and reviewing Medusa. I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the book. I will treasure your review. Especially: In Medusa, A Love Story, Summers doesn’t weave a simple tale of romance, but an epic adventure of the heart. ~ Awesome
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