Saturday, May 18, 2013

Kiya Blog Tour: Historical New Adult


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

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