Fiction set in ancient Greece

Working on new novel - set in Egypt

2008-07-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on a new novel, which will follow the adventures of a young Leonidas in Egypt, soon after he marries princess Zarira - the beautiful, sensual, exotic and very erotic girl he fell in love with during his visit to the strange land of Mithir.

Her outrageous behavior shocks the people of Athens, who are not used to dominant women. She is at first resented by the people in the home village of Leonidas, but her arrival sparks a revolution of sorts, as women become more assertive and start demanding more rights - particularly in regard to their sexual freedom. It is easier for them than in other parts of Greece, as they are strong, assertive Spartan women. They will not be browbeaten easily and stand up to their husbands.

While Leonidas and Zarira try to bring about a radical social change and promote fun ways to dramatically increase their birth rates and population, trouble is brewing for him - from Egypt.

Leonidas does a favor for the Queen Mother of Mithir, by retrieving a precious object that contains the only known map to the kingdom - one that was painstakingly drawn by Ptolemy.

Unfortunately, he has made enemies in that process with one of Egypt's most powerful men - its young, ambitious high priest who is bent upon revenge.

This story will be a non-stop action story filled with intrigue, mystery, love, romance, erotic thrills and of course, plenty of action - from pitched battles to raids on Egyptian soil.

This will be my most ambitious novel to date. Stay tuned for more news on this.

My new novel - "The Roman Slave" - to be released next month!

2007-11-20T15:35:00.000-08:00

A rousing tale filled with passion, sexual excitement and forbidden pleasures, this describes a Rome that has rarely been covered in print or in film. The excesses in that city, from lavish feasts to indescribable orgies are covered in a no holds barred fashion, with a blistering pace that rarely lets up. The tribune Messalla is sent to a remote part of ancient Macedonia as a punishment for rude behavior. Eager to redeem his former privileges, he enslaves Leonidas and his people after a daring mountain raid. In Rome, the beautiful Lavinia, his granddaughter, now a mere slave, proves more than a match for Messalla’s rapacious nature. A born gladiatrix, she not only tames the men with her physical prowess but also her sexual charms, as she has been trained in Mithir, the secret kingdom of pleasure that yields its secrets only to the fortunate few who have lived there.

The story is action packed and starts rolling from the first scene, where Procinus, a centurion who works for the tribune Messalla, plans out a raid to be carried out on the protected hidden village in the mountains, where Leonidas and his family have lived for generations. Lavinia, the granddaughter of Leonidas and Zarira, is visiting the village from the kingdom of Mithir and is celebrating her marriage when the Romans attack suddenly. Taken by surprise, Leonidas cannot fight back and is enslaved by the Romans, along with Lavinia, who is mistaken for a young boy, as she has still not developed fully as a woman at the time. In Rome, Lavinia and Leonidas manage to escape a more vicious fate and find themselves in the custody of Valinus, a relatively kind master. They are still slaves but they have a degree of freedom that is a lot more than what they expected. However, Messalla comes to Rome, to redeem his name and boast about his exploits. Rejected by the senate, who consider his achievements to be insignificant, he is bitter and angry. Lavinia’s mother and brother, a mere boy, are held prisoner by Messalla, who has plans to auction the boy to the highest bidder. Will Leonidas and Lavinia find enough resources to combat Messalla’s goons and stop the auction in time? Will Leonidas ever see his village again? How can he ever become free again? These are questions that can only be answered by reading the novel.

My book covers

2007-08-05T07:55:00.001-07:00

Excerpt from my new novel "The Spartan Slave"

2006-12-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

Please first read the Synopsis of "The Spartan Slave" (previous post).

You can access the above from the sidebar or by simply scrolling below.

The excerpt set out below is "Part 2" of the "Prologue" to the novel, which is quite long and therefore, has been released as a "Special Edition" by the publisher.

You can read Part 1 at the publisher's site : http://www.whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com

Warning: The contents of the excerpt are for mature readers only and if you are offended by certain types of content, you must stop reading immediately and move on to another site !
The content below is under copyright protection and may not be reproduced or published elsewhere or e-mailed without the express permission of the author or the publisher.

Part 2

A few months later, in the kingdom of Mithir, in Phrygia

That scene and that conversation with Kyros echoed in Leonidas’ mind as he waited for the princess. What he witnessed then at the symposium seemed harmless now, especially after having visited this strange kingdom of Mithir, located in a hidden valley within the mountains and accessible only via a secret pass. He was a slave here, about to be evaluated by his future owner, the princess of Mithir.

How had it all come to this? In a few short weeks, he had descended from the status of a chief’s son, one who was like a prince in his homeland, to one that was no better than some poor helot who toiled all day for a pittance on some citizen’s farm. He was a slave—a mere pleasure slave!

He had nothing now—no possessions, and no name. Nothing except for a thin band of gold around the bottom of his shaft that proclaimed him to be a body slave of the Queen-mother. He was more fortunate than the rest, for even if Zarira did not choose him, he would always belong to Mahilya, the Queen-mother of Mithir and its absolute ruler. Everything had changed the day she used her tongue to cleverly fasten the golden ring at the base of his shaft. ‘It is a trick of the tongue,’ she explained to him later, demonstrating exactly how this was done by applying pressure to a particular point on the cleverly designed ring. She trusted him with these secrets and now, he was entrusting his own person, his body, his soul and all that he was to her daughter. His love reached a depth not possible, as he felt himself naked and alone before Zarira, the princess he had pledged his love to; his very being a mere shadow of her existence.

She would have many slaves who would care for her and love her and he was just one among them. Why had he agreed to this?

A beam of sunlight lit up the central area of the wooden circular platform on which the slave, Gor, stood. This was Leonidas’ new name; his slave name by which people called him. This platform was itself cleverly balanced around a wheel that moved, in a slow rotation that afforded everyone a good view. Two floors below, a pair of mules plodded slowly around a circular shaft in the subterranean depths of the ingenious building—designed by master Nidon for the slave monger, master Bagi, who served the royal house of the satrap of Mithir. The showing would begin shortly, and the Spartan was going to be the first slave that would be shown to the princess for her evaluation. It was not really necessary but the Queen-mother insisted that no changes be made to the traditional procedure, except to add Leonidas as one of the candidates that the princess would choose from.

In order not to waste the energy of the mules, the master Bagi also used them to grind corn that was fed to the slaves in his establishment, as the turning shaft also moved the mill stones that were cleverly attached to this device. It was an ancient Persian design, assured the master Nidon, when the new building, with its private showing area, was inaugurated by the Queen-mother several years ago. The master Bagi was a shrewd man and took great care in managing the business. He had a reputation to keep, as the favored slave vendor for the palaces of both Mithir and Tirnit—two royal kingdoms that were fierce but friendly rivals that sought to maintain the peace through formal marriages.

The master Bagi specialized in body slaves for the royal households and noble families. Any slave unfit for his purposes was quickly resold to one of the other merchants, who dealt in farm slaves or slaves for the household. Over centuries, his family and the master Nidon’s family had established a unique partnership. The master Bagi provided the slaves and the master Nidon’s family was responsible for their intricate and elaborate training. All slaves meant for a Queen-mother, or a future one, were personally trained by the master Nidon himself or his father, as they had their own personal reputations to uphold. Training a body slave for the Queen-mother took several years. The slave was first presented as a candidate. Periodic evaluations were then made by the Queen-mother herself before the final presentation, which was usually a simple ceremony that was open to the public. Various natural gods they worshipped were invoked and their blessings sought, before the Queen-mother took these body slaves back home with her. Trees were especially sacred, and also the living bodies of the slaves, who were worshipped in a way by the Queen-mother and the general populace, as her body slaves commanded great respect throughout the city.

A portion of the huge building was also open to the general public, who would be admitted on several important occasions to witness the selection process—a curiosity for most folks, who actually came there to get a glimpse of their revered Queen-mother. A few of them were even granted private audience, chosen by one of her body slaves at random from the crowd to be brought before her and publicly presented; a great honor that always brought loud hoots and cheers when the lucky man or woman from Mithir was greeted by the Queen-mother.
The showing of the body slaves was a big event in Mithir, especially when the daughter of the satrap was to become the next Queen-mother of Tirnit. There would be feasts galore, dancing, music, theater performances in Greek and other local languages and an atmosphere of joy, comfort and pleasure for the people.

Outside, in the giant courtyard that housed the building where the presentation would take place, a number of colored tents had been set up, each offering guests different treats, delicacies, cooled drinks and tokens or souvenirs baked in clay, with intricate designs, shapes and forms. There were also shows put on by local artistes from Mithir—jugglers, magicians, acrobats and mimes, who put on various street shows based on the ancient legends of Mithir. Many of these involved fierce coupling between various gods, and it was therefore highly amusing to observe the antics of the mimes as one resisted the advances of the other until the final moment, when all resistance was pushed aside and the man possessed by the woman. In most of the legends, the woman was the key player—a daughter who saved the kingdom from destruction by a demon or other tales. In each of the tales, the Queen-mother converted conflict into peace, violence into love, with the performance usually ending in a ritualistic orgy that was cheered on by the spectators.

The giant slave attracted the most attention for he was a Spartan; a captured prince, it was rumored, as he had been a guest in the Queen-mother’s palace, enjoying the comforts she provided for a few weeks before becoming her slave. Now, it was rumored among the populace, the Spartan youth had become desirous of becoming a body slave to the princess Zarira and had offered himself at the showing. Before he was sent to the display area, he and other men stood on a raised platform in a separate part of the courtyard while the general public walked around them and commented on their various attributes. Leonidas attracted the most attention due to his enormous member, and the fact that he was already a body slave of the Queen-mother. Many of the people there could not understand why she did not simply give him to her daughter instead of having her select him from these nine other slaves who hoped to be selected.

Zarira was clad in white—a loose gown that enveloped her from head to toe. It was transparent and light, and she felt as if she was floating in this ancient Persian garment. It was cool, as it trapped all the breezes and fanned them to her naked sides; a naturally relaxing feeling as she stood at the edge of an arched doorway. Small figurines set within the carved niches in the walls of the arch, which were actually tiny phallic shaped lamps, seemed to concur with her hesitation as she balanced herself on the threshold, their flames wavering slightly. Behind her, the Queen-mother—surrounded by several of her body slaves—the satrap, some of his wives, his son Salil, and their slaves, waited in line, as Zarira entered the viewing room. Here, she was met by Master Nidon and Master Bagi, who bowed graciously to her and guided the princess to a luxurious couch that had been set before the wooden platform.

Pulling the gown lightly over her head, Zarira tossed it to Master Bagi before she reclined on the couch and looked directly at Leonidas. Around her couch, but set a little distance away and behind, were numerous other couches where the royals reclined, with the Queen-mother occupying the couch nearest to Zarira along with three of her body slaves.

Some musicians who were hidden in the shadows behind Leonidas started playing their instruments while the Master Nidon, with a bow and a flourish, announced the start of the viewing. Various slaves ran up to the guests, balancing goblets of watered down wine and delicacies in silver goblets that were quickly snapped up by the waiting royals, who settled down in comfort on their couches, as they knew it would be some hours before Zarira was done testing all the slaves. On the other side of the platform, a small fence held back a crowd of curious spectators from Mithir, who wandered in and out of the building, to either view the showing inside, which could get tedious, to the various entertainments outside.

Leonidas felt vulnerable and even a little weak in his knees when he saw Zarira. For a moment, he thought he might faint and his mind wandered, as in a flash, the few weeks he had passed in this strange land of Mithir passed before his eyes. Would he ever be the same again, once this strange viewing ceremony had been concluded? Would he ever return back to his homeland and see his father Lysander again and also his mother?

He knew his parents’ history now, and fully understood why his mother had behaved in that manner in the symposium. In fact, given his current state of knowledge, he was surprised that his mother had shown so much restraint over the years he had known her. It was disconcerting for him to analyze this in his own thoughts, as he realized how shallowly he had understood her and how quick he had been in passing judgment upon her. She had sacrificed a lot for his sake and now, it was his turn to do the same but not for her, but for the sake of his love; his one and only love, Zarira. He was sure that both Lysander as well as his beloved mother would understand. He desired to see his mother so much. He wanted to express how sorry he was for his past behavior, and how poorly he had understood what he’d seen.

“Knowledge is something that is dangerous to men”, his father Lysander had told him once, during a hunting trip. This was his favorite time, as he and his father would often talk quietly for hours, while they waited for their prey in some quiet spot. Here, his father would share his knowledge and wisdom with Leonidas, as he talked to him about various things from philosophy to the ways of men and even the gods, who were all around and who governed every aspect of their lives. During his annual visits to the village, Lysander made it a point to take Leonidas on a hunting trip alone, so that he could bond with his son and pass on his secrets to him; the knowledge that Leonidas would need to know, in order to become a wise chief according to the principles laid down by Lycurgus, in keeping with their ancient Spartan traditions.

“Sometimes”, his father had told him, on one of many such trips out in the mountains while they tracked a rare species of mountain goat, “the right kind of knowledge can prove very dangerous. It may alter a man’s thinking, his perception and beliefs, everything that he has stood for, all at a moment’s notice.”

At the time, he had not understood what Lysander really meant. At this moment, however, those words seemed to echo in his mind, as he finally contemplated his fate and his future. The knowledge he had acquired in the past few weeks had changed him forever. And everything he had learnt in Macedonia, in his home village, seemed meaningless. His very essence, his very being, had undergone a profound change.

Only time would tell if he made the right choice. The only choice available to him if he was to pursue his true love. How would it all end? Was this itself the end of his life, as he had become a slave by choice, and did he have nothing to look forward to, apart from being close to his beloved? Was that enough for him? Would he one day, look back with regret to this day? The day his bondage was irrevocably sealed—his fate now tied to the princess for life? He wondered what Lysander would say to him, although he may understand why he chose this path. It was Leonidas’ legacy to become the next chief, and people back home would always blame him for leaving them like this, despite the great fame that his family had achieved over the centuries.
How would they react to this news, that their future chief was now a slave and would no longer return? Who would continue the line of Lysander, as he had no other son? Would his mother Varinia be compelled to produce another son, to replace the one she lost to the land of his birth?
These questions tormented him suddenly, as he stepped down from the revolving platform and approached the lovely princess Zarira, who waited for him with a knowing smile on her lips. She parted her lips and stuck her tongue out seductively as he stepped down, as if anticipating the pleasure she would soon receive from him, as her first candidate. The room erupted into cheers and although the applause was deafening in that enclosed room, he hardly heard it, as his mind was now far away, reliving the first day he set foot in the satrap’s palace.

Had it only been a few months before since he arrived here? It now seemed to him as if an eternity of time had passed since that fateful day when he had crossed over the mountains, along with the ambassadors from Mithir, who accompanied him all the way home from Macedonia. He wondered where they were now and what they were doing. Perhaps they were in the audience, watching with a sense of astonishment, while this proud young man consented to the state he was now reduced to—an animal that would soon be touched, felt and exhibited before a crowd of spectators who had come to watch and comment on his performance.
Per their ancient traditions, he was supposed to put on a show and display his talents before the people of Mithir, as it was their cheers which would ensure that the princess’s choice was well received. The Queen-mother and the rest of the court were counting on him and even expecting him to be the best, so that even Hiral, Zarira’s husband, would have no problems in accepting him.

Unknown to Leonidas, a different fate was in store for him, one that he would have never imagined. To him, the exalted status of body slave to a future Queen-mother meant nothing. To him, it was sheer bondage—a bending of his will and a humiliation that he should not endure, due to his birthright. But who could have predicted this outcome? No one, he thought, as Zarira gripped his shaft firmly in her delicate hands. The noise of the crowd rose to a crescendo of applause, as the showing formally began.

Behind Zarira, Leonidas saw the Queen-mother whispering something to the satrap, who nodded and shouted loudly in the direction of the spectators; “Here is the chosen one, my people of Mithir. This is the choice of the Queen-mother herself for her beloved daughter and your princess. Choose him above the others, if you respect your Queen-mother.”

Synopsis of "The Spartan Slave"

2006-12-08T07:40:00.000-08:00

"The Spartan Slave" is about the adventures of Leonidas, a young Spartan warrior who is descended directly from the line of King Leonidas of Sparta, the one who is famous in the history books for his fight or rather, last stand against the invading hordes of the Persian King Xerxes, in 480 BC. This is the battle of Thermopylae and our story takes place a few centuries later, around 199 BC in the mountains of Macedonia.

Although this is what Leonidas believes to be his heritage, as he is destined to become the next chief of the council in the small colony of Spartans that has been established in this mountainous region, all is not what it seems. There is the sensuous, mysterious and secretive kingdom of Mithir, which is hidden in the remote mountains of Phrygia, where Leonidas will have to make a long journey, if he is to find out his true origins.

Unable to get straight answers from either of his parents, Leonidas is sent by his father, Lysander, to the kingdom of Mithir, accompanied by two of its ambassadors, who have been sent by the Queen Mother, who rules with absolute power in that territory. Ostensibly, his role is to fetch gold and warriors back to his home village in Macedonia, to aid their fight against the invading Roman army, which has already established posts in the coastal regions of Macedonia.

However, in Mithir, Leonidas is literally swept into a sensual world of pleasure, as the kingdom is the most erotic place on Earth. There, he succumbs to the irresistible force of love, as he falls head over heels in love with the Queen Mother's daughter, the lovely Zarira. He voluntarily decides to become her slave, a decision that he makes after much deliberation, as he cannot marry her. He is, after all, an outsider, and she is a princess, already promised to the heir of a rival kingdom in marriage. The only way he can be close to her is to become a lowly body slave.

It is a hard road for Leonidas, as he will not only be abandoning his own heritage but would also break the promise he made to his father. For a Spartan, there is nothing worse than not keeping your word, especially where an honorable promise is concerned, involving your own family. In a way, he will have to make a shameful decision, one that will haunt him for the rest of his life. How will he extricate himself from his current position as a lowly slave? Will he never see his homeland again? Will he ever be able to redeem himself in the eyes of his father and will he ever regain his honor, by keeping the promises he made?

There are a number of questions here and the only way you can find out what happens is by reading "The Spartan Slave", a tale of adventure, action, excitement, eroticism and above all - true love.

"The Spartan Slave" will be released next month !

2006-11-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

Finally, my full length novel is set to be released next month by the publishers. You can access their site at : http://whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com

This novel, as my earlier post explains, is about a Spartan warrior, descended from the great King of Sparta, Leonidas and bearing his name too.

However, things are not always what they seem and the great warrior's past and ancestry are shrouded in mystery, something which his parents refuse to explain. Instead, they urge him on a journey of self-discovery, to find out who he really is, by sending him to a mysterious kingdom in the East.

This kingdom is ancient beyond belief and is centered around the worship of the Earth Mother, or the Queen Mother, as she is known throughout this kingdom. Sensual, exotic and erotic beyond belief, the Queen Mother symbolizes the living Earth herself, giving herself and her bountiful talents to her people, who not only revere her but also look to her for guidance in every aspect of their lives.

Leonidas, our hero, has lived a life of privilege, as the chief's son and future heir to the small domain that they have preserved in the mountains of Macedonia. Powerful, strong beyond measure, with fighting skills that can defeat a horde of warriors, he is reduced to helplessness and finds himself in a position that he cannot retreat from, as he is rendered powerless by something which no man has any defense against - the power of love.

Enraptured by the beauty of the Queen Mother's daughter, the lovely Zarira, Leonidas has to choose between her and claiming his rightful heritage, once he accomplishes what seems like a simple ambassadorial mission when he visits this mysterious kingdom on the express command and wish of his father.

The only way he can possess her is not as her rightful husband, as she is already promised to someone else, but as her body slave.

Will the proud young man forgo everything for the sake of love? Will he renounce his life of privilege and spend the rest of his life as a mere slave? How will he ever keep the sacred promise he made to his father that he would fulfill his mission and return with gold and warriors, to help their fight against Rome? Is he doomed to stay in the mysterious kingdom forever as a slave and will he never return to Macedonia again?

Find out by reading my full length novel, which is about love, mystery, exotic practices in strange land and full of surprises - entertaining as well as exciting.

At the end of this work, the story doesn't really end but will be pursued years later in a sequel titled "The Roman Slave", which has also been accepted for publication (release date will be announced later).

Update : "The Spartan Beach Boy"

2006-10-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

My work, "The Spartan Beach Boy" has not only received very good reviews so far but has also been entered in an Awards contest - EPPIE 2007.

I'm hoping it does well and I'm very excited about it, as I would certainly like my work to be independently judged and compared with others.

Thanks to everyone, especially my friends, who have supported me through the years and encouraged me to become a writer. What started as a mere hobby has now yielded some fruit, as my next novel, an exciting story set in ancient Phyrgia and Macedonia (around 199 BC) titled "The Spartan Slave" will shortly be released by Whiskey Creek Press (Torrid) in December, 2006.

I will update progress and post excerpts here as we get closer to the publication date.

This was a fairly lengthy novel and required a lot of editing time. I am very satisfied with the final product, especially the cover. Check it out at the Whiskey Creek Press (Torrid) site under "Coming Soon" - http://whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com

Let me know what you think. I know I have not been updating this site regularly and will do so now, as I have been really busy finishing up this project "The Spartan Slave" as well as another novel, a sequel, which will take place in ancient Phyrgia, Macedonia and Rome.

New novel - "The Spartan Beach Boy" has been released!!

2006-03-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

My new work, "The Spartan Beach Boy" was just released today and is available at :

http://www.whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com

Please check it out and would appreciate any feedback on this site or in the Reader group at the publisher site.

On this site, you can scroll down to read my other posts and link to reviews that I have already received.

This is a historical work of fiction / romance / fantasy with strong erotic elements woven into the story. I do hope that those of you who check it out and read my book will like it.

Reviews of upcoming release - "The Spartan Beach Boy"

2006-02-24T06:38:00.000-08:00

My book, which will be released by whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com soon (March 2006) has been reviewed by several sites and set out below are links where you can read this :

1. http://www.hentracks.co.uk/onereviewer/historical.htm

2. http://www.greatebooks.blogspot.com

I would like to thank both reviewers - Carrie White and Herakles, for taking the time to read and comment on my book.

Historical elements of Sparta

2006-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

The first opening paragraphs of my novel attempt to introduce the reader to a world that has largely passed on by that time. Although set in 200 BC, the traditions and other customs depicted in the beginning relate to a time when Sparta was founded. It was Lycurgus, commonly known as the "father of Sparta" who was universally admired as he forged a race of warriors whose very name would cause enemies to shake in fear. The discipline and strength of the ancient Spartans, both men as well as women, is legendary and when confronted with adversity, the Spartans relish it, for it is what they are used to, in their hard methods of training.

Leonidas, the hero in this work, is named after the famous Greek king and hero, Leonidas of the Three Hundred, the group of Spartans who formed the king's bodyguard or his personal troop of warriors, his entourage, whatever you wish to call it.

These few, supported by a few others, withstood hordes and hordes of Persian warriors at the narrow pass near Thermopylae, which is known for its famous hot springs and the nearby temple of Demeter. The story has been recently immortalized in a graphic novel by Frank Miller and I understand that a film version may be out sometime this year with principal photography completed. I do hope they have changed the story as there were few women in the script and I think it would help to introduce some female characters.

My work is a straightforward love story where the hero, Leonidas has everything he needs or desires. As the next chief of the council, he can have the run of the place and everything at his command over a small pocket of Macedonia, in the mountains. However, one moment is going to change all that, as he is overcome by the unknown and by the force of a growing power of love, which swiftly causes him to fall headlong into an abyss, as he learns his true fate and becomes a mere slave, one among hundreds of others in the service of the woman he loves.

Did he make the right choice? Is it even worth it? Can one woman's love be so important to him, over his father, his birthright and his honor as a true Spartan warrior? What can he do? These are questions which plague Leonidas at the very start, when our story begins. This will be a wild ride, with the action shifting between the mountains of Macedonia to a secret kingdom hidden deep in the mountains of Phyrgia, whose very existence has remained a secret of the Ptolemies and one that they zealously guard, a promise made by the great Alexander himself.

The strange and exotic cult that exists, with worship of mother Nature being paramount to all other gods, is a culture shock for our Spartan warrior, who imagines that he's seen it all when it comes to women. Little does he know that the force and power of love is something that is way beyond his imagination, his very limited imagination. The mysterious East beckons and Leonidas is soon trapped within its allure, its aura and its exotic sensuality that explodes around him and captures him. Is he entrapped forever? Will he able to redeem his Spartan pride again?

The only way you can find out is by reading my work when it finally gets released. Stay tuned and keep checking this site for updates.

The Spartan Slave - new work (full length novel)

2006-01-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

My new novel, "The Spartan Slave" has just been accepted for publication by Whiskey Creek Press (Torrid). This is a full length historical work of fiction with strong erotic elements.

The novel is set in ancient Phrygia and in the mountains of Macedonia, where a remote settlement of five villages seeks to emulate the Spartan traditions set forth by Lycurgus, as the founder is directly descended from the great king Leonidas of Sparta. It was he that fought the crucial battle at Thermopylae in 480 BC, where they sacrificed their lives to delay the advance of the Persians under Xerxes.

The events in this novel take place a couple of centuries later, in 200 BC and center around a mysterious cult in the secret kingdom in Phrygia that has formed an alliance with the settlement in Macedonia, where our Spartan hero is from. Things are set in motion quickly from the very start, as ambassadors from the kingdom arrive in Macedonia, ostensibly to help the settlement but with a secret and hidden agenda of their own.

The book is primarily a strong and powerful love story and the theme is that whatever be the circumstances you find yourself in, you just can't ignore the force and the power of love, for which you'll be willing to sacrifice everything - your name, your power, your status and even your life as you know it.

The main story focuses on a young Spartan warrior who is destined to go places. It is his birthright to become the chief of the council and to lead his people to defend themselves against the rapacious Romans, who are seeking to conquer Greece and Macedonia, as they expand their empire.

However, the best plans are derailed quickly when the Spartan prince is in the process of fulfilling a diplomatic mission to the mysterious kingdom in Phrygia, where he makes a fatal mistake.

He falls in love.

Within a short few weeks, of his own volition, with no one forcing him, he becomes a slave in the palace, with no possessions, no status and nothing to call his own. However, he is close to his beloved, his one true object at the time. For her, he has sacrificed everything.

At the start of the book, this is the situation our hero finds himself in as he ponders his fate.

Will love be enough to sustain him for the rest of his life? What about his people? His promises to his father, who is depending on him? What kind of a life will he have? Will he break his word, a sacred promise he made to his father that he would return back to his home with the things necessary to ensure their survival against the Romans - like gold, weapons and even soldiers?

Find out by reading the book when it becomes available at the Whiskey Creek Press Torrid site, which you may access at : http://whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com

The novel does not have a release date and I will post details here as it becomes available.

Excerpt from my book

2005-10-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here is an excerpt from my book (please review the previous post for the synopsis and also to check out my cover) :

Chapter 1
175 BC
Athens, Greece

Aristrates was highly regarded in Athens and also the proprietor of a prominent eating establishment or rather, tavern, called The Grotto of Aphrodite because of the huge naked statue of the Greek Goddess that straddled its doorway. Gigantic in size, it was a marvelous piece of work and was much admired by the men who frequented the street in which his tavern was located, just a short distance away from the Agora, or main marketplace, in Athens.

Although many citizens had protested to the city council at the inauguration and unveiling of the nude statue with its fanciful pose, its gigantic breasts and its suggested posture of invitation, some of the elders—ex-archon Philon among them—who had been invited to the function, merely laughed and told the women to avert their eyes if it offended them. The kneeling form of Aphrodite seemed to invite the people inside as the entrance to the tavern was framed between her lovely legs, with the outer edges of the doorway resembling the familiar parts of a gigantic vagina. To complete the overall effect, the sculptor had carved an engorged clitoris at the very apex of the opening, from the hood of which hung a ornate, carved wooden sign that simply read, ‘Enter my grotto, if you dare’.

The only concession Aristrates made to those who were sensitive or exhibited a sense of outrage was not to paint the edges of the entrance a bright red, a strong suggestion made by the artist, but to instead, leave the original white marble finish untouched. The wooden sign had been a finishing touch at the behest of Aristrates, despite Aristophanes’ protests—the famous sculptor of the times who designed and sculpted the entire statue in his workshop near the famed Acropolis, the place where all the temples were located. Enraged, he had refused to attend the inaugural event, saying, that as an artist, he refused to be upstaged by a crass merchant.

When a formal complaint was lodged by another prominent citizen of Athens barely days after the formal unveiling of the statue, filed by none other than his hated business rival, Triton, Aristrates coolly responded to this unethical tactic, saying the statue was erected in memory of his beloved first wife and did not actually represent the Goddess of Love. He also produced a letter written by him to the sculptor as evidence, stating he wanted to commission a statue in memory of his first wife. How was he to blame if the memory of his wife’s form closely resembled the famous statue of Aphrodite in her shrine on the Acropolis? As to her suggestive posture, he said that was the way he remembered her and no one should fault a man’s memory and his indulgence in sharing it with the public. If it offended anyone but his rival, who clearly had ulterior designs and wished to eliminate any competition, they could avoid the street altogether as he was not forcing anyone to visit his establishment.

Although Athens was subject to the rule of the Macedonian kings at the time, the city tended to function according to its Hellenistic traditions. Citizens were encouraged to openly discuss their issues if there were matters that affected the community at large, and any one of them could bring a complaint of a civil or criminal nature before the council.

The elders in the council were more worried at the time with the ambitious Romans, who were obviously planning on annexing Greece at some time in the future. Although they were friendly and appeared to court them, none of the Athenians were fooled, as they all feared the Romans’ rapacious appetite for land. Soon, all of Greece would be no more than a Roman province, predicted one of the archons, a grim-faced elder named Pedius.

The council was composed of a group of nine magistrates, known as archons, and decided any civil complaints filed by one citizen against another. As Aristrates was related through his mother’s family to Ariston, the current eponymous archon, or the chief of the council, he had no problem with convincing his distant cousin that the statue did not offend anyone, least of all those who were devoted to the worship of Aphrodite. Based on all the arguments made by Aristrates, the council unanimously voted to throw out the complaint and threatened to levy a fine on Triton if he sought to bring any other actions without evidence to back his claims.

The enmity between the two men was legendary and encompassed various businesses they had interests in. The taverns were a way of showing off their status and power and although they were engaged in their own private war, they made every effort to be polite in public, even to the extent of visiting each other’s establishments frequently.

Aristrates was a wealthy, well-connected man of means, with a penchant for fine food and drink from his early youth, following the dictates of Epicurus, who had died a couple centuries previously. However, Epicurus had left behind a legacy, a school of thought that many in the city widely embraced, devoting their lives to sybaritic pleasure, as opposed to finding ways to save their city from certain conquest by Rome. Unfortunately, in his specific case, Aristrates followed the famous philosopher’s teachings too literally and had gained a number of pounds over the years. He loved to carouse with his friends and at weekly symposions or drinking parties, a popular event among the rich in that city, he indulged in gargantuan feasts that frequently lasted all night. Unable to brook his gluttony, two of his former wives had already abandoned him, with one angrily returning back to her father’s house within a week of their marriage, and the other eloping with a slave.

Aristrates pretended to remember his first wife as Aphrodite, as she had been truly beautiful when he married her, although she was nowhere near as voluptuous as her statue that graced the entrance to his tavern. Unfortunately, no one could corroborate his memory as her entire family had left Athens many years ago.

Pondering his limp condition one morning after lifting folds of ugly belly fat to inspect his member more closely, Aristrates decided he needed new blood to revitalize his spirits. Looking for a young girl this time, maybe twenty years, but no more, he wanted a spouse who could satisfy his carnal needs, as it had been over a year since any wife had graced his bed. He remembered with a wistful sigh his last wife, Hypatia, who had become enamored of a slave in his tavern. This particular slave had worked as a juggler, conjurer, flute player and even erotic dancer as he used to entertain them while Aristrates relaxed in his andron, or dining room, along with several of his friends during his weekly symposion. Drinking parties were common in his house, which was attached to the tavern itself, and opened directly into his vast, airy and open courtyard. His house had been built around the courtyard, with most of the rooms looking into that space from a height of two stories.

Hypatia, although forbidden to attend these parties as no wives were allowed, since they were wild and often culminated in drunken orgies, invariably watched the dance at the very end of the event from behind a column. She would be watching the slave, Pinar, a tall, handsome youth of around twenty, perform his erotic dance with one or more of the slave girls. Pinar was from a mysterious land to the east, a former province of Persia. Since Alexander’s death, this tiny kingdom had declared itself independent of any outside rule and occasional skirmishes with the Greek city states resulted in the capture of slaves. As their people were highly trained in all forms of lovemaking, they were highly prized as slaves in Athens for their skills, particularly their erotic talents. When Pinar was not dancing, he was taking care of his mistress and Aristrates had caught him pleasuring Hypatia on numerous occasions within the house, or even in the courtyard.

At the time, he had thought nothing of it, thinking it to be a passing fancy of hers. Feeling secure in the love she appeared to bear him, he did permit her to enjoy herself with any slave she desired,. In fact, he considered himself liberal and magnanimous and even boasted to his friends that he allowed his wife a degree of freedom seldom seen in Athens.

When she had run away with the slave back to his kingdom—Pinar claimed to be some kind of prince in his own land—Aristrates was extremely surprised, as she hadn’t even left him a note.
For days, Aristrates wept silently and drowned himself in drink, as he genuinely believed she had loved him, especially for the care, comfort and various luxuries he had lavished on her. That was it, he realized one day with a rueful smile, as he contemplated his appearance in a silver, polished mirror his slave girls held in the courtyard as he tried on a new snow white chlamys—a fine woolen cloak that he fastened to his throat with a jeweled clasp. He had given Hypatia too much freedom as his wife. He had permitted her to go to the Agora, to the Acropolis and anywhere she wished to go in Athens, since she had numerous friends throughout the city she liked to visit. She was always accompanied by Pinar, who was her body slave and bodyguard, as he was skilled in various fighting arts, a true prodigy. Aristrates often wondered if he would have been a champion athlete if he had been born a Greek.

At the moment, Aristrates was really tired of his two personal slave girls, who performed more out of compulsion than from any kind of affection. Ever since his wife had left him, the numerous women he enjoyed on a daily basis left him unsatisfied and empty. If only he could rescue a girl from an impoverished existence and give her every luxury imaginable, perhaps she would respond to him with some feeling, some spark of emotion that would satisfy him. Ever since his wife had left him, he felt the need to be loved, to be desired by someone.

The Spartan Beach Boy - erotic novella set in ancient Greece

2005-10-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

The place is Athens, Greece.

The time - 175 BC.

Jason is caught in a dilemma. In order to rescue his beloved Minerva, her beautiful sister Athena and the rest of her family from certain slavery, he is forced to make a painful choice. Should he accept the gold offered by the gross, lecherous master in the tavern he works or should he allow his future wife and her family to suffer the horrors of slavery? Jason also has a heavy secret, as it is he that ruined their family in the first place. Filled with remorse, he swears an oath to save them. Can Jason fulfill his promise to them or will he betray them once again? Does love triumph in the end? Can Jason really rescue them from his master’s vile desires? Find out by reading this exciting tale filled with lust, treachery, romance and ultimately, true love.

This novella will soon be published by Whiskey Creek Press in March, 2006

http://www.whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/

Check out the cover to my book here : [Scroll down to the March 2006 releases]

http://www.whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/comingsoon.shtml