Today, I am spotlighting Greta Buckle and her book, Mything You. Greta is taking over today so be sure to check out Mything You and my review following Greta’s take over.
Being Creative in History
Mything You is set on earth, and ancient times. It’s not science fiction or fantasy, alternate world. We have human history and the Greek Myths were clues to human thinking, and not real. I remember that.
And like Maven, I’m a social studies teacher. Usually I lecture on AP US Government and AP Macroeconomics at a great high school. AP means Advanced Placement and the students take a test in May, where if they pass, they get college credit. AP is my day job. Writing is my dream job. Anyhow last year there was an extra random Honors World History class that I was forced to teach. Panic button hit the first week of school for me. The last time I took a world history course, I’d been in high school myself. My college majors were government and then law school. No where did teaching world history fit into the equation. I had no choice. I found a teacher with power points to help me understand and guide and focused on the subject at hand.
Yet I also had all my AP high school seniors which I’m used too. This year I am all AP high school seniors. Every April at our school is called ‘hell month.’ Why is it hell? Cramming for tests, and not just AP tests. The students spend hundreds of hours testing at the end of the year. School is so not like what I went through in the 1990s. It’s test centric. This meant in April, I had to find a way to focus on my testing seniors, without losing my one random freshman class into nothing. April for the freshman became, let’s write the first chapter of our history based novels. We focused on writing and comprehension, which are what they are tested on anyhow. We read our chapters, critiqued, and had fun at the same time. A few of my former students are future writers or could be if they tried.
I wrote the first chapter for them. I had a friend critique or should I say butcher my chapter to show creative feedback to my class. (I had to cut a few words from the word files to not scandalize a class.) The myth had been meant to educate on constructive criticism and to show even I make mistakes. I wrote it by my complex’s pool on a Sunday morning. (In Miami, hot is normal.)
I hadn’t wanted to stop writing. Once I added in Ari, and wasn’t sharing aloud in a classroom, things could heat up the way I wanted them too. Theseus still had to be young, and on his epic adventure. Ari had to be modern and fresh. I wanted to write this story.
And I didn’t want to take the setting of pre-human history out. We don’t know every detail of ancient life out. We don’t know our own human history in detail till much later in time. I love the idea of human history having mythological creatures running around. (And no I don’t believe it anymore than I believe the hot Greek guy on Ancient Aliens with the hair, but I watch anyhow.)
Stories after stories are set in either the future, medieval or Regency England. At least those that I enjoy reading are. Yet no stories took place in the time frame of myths and men take my fancy. Don’t get me wrong, I love and admire Mr. Darcy. I love stories about Dragons or epic quests. I love video games where I get to choose how to proceed (RPG), comic books, and stories of love. To me love stories told in Ancient Athens should not be left to the literary, unhappy endings types. Ari and Theseus deserved better. And they will play a role in the sequel I’m working on now. Hope you enjoyed Mything You.
Book Blurb:
New Adult
Adventurer Theseus had dreamed of meeting his father, King Aegeus. As Theseus journeys to Athens, he meets his match in strength along the way. But is it the will of a beautiful young princess that puts this strong young man finally at his mercy? Or will he be able to conquer the princess’s heart?
She had settled for a life of unhappiness and believed a man who would love her for herself was only in her dreams.
Princess Ari has followed her father’s dictates all her life. On her way to meet her bridegroom, she is attacked. Saved by a handsome adventurer, Theseus, she tempts fate and follows him on his journey to Athens. Being with Theseus opens up a whole new world of opportunity for her. But will she allow her heart or loyal duty choose her life for her?
Review:
Mything You was a great romance book based on Ancient Greek mythology. It takes in myths such as the Minotaur of Crete and King Midas and his Midas touch. We see even more famous/infamous historical figures such as Agamemnon, Theseus, Hercules, Hippolyta, The Oracle of Delphi and King Aegeus. I loved the incorporation of these ancient myths and ancient history. I liked the story and the characters. Theseus and Ari are two incredible characters that you fall in love with while they are falling in love. I also, enjoyed the accurate depiction of ancient traditions and how the views of women, poor people and rich people and men differ from today’s more progressive views. I think Greta Buckle did a terrific job of incorporating history and romance. She thrusts us right into Ancient Greece and makes you not want to leave until you meet a hero of your own. I recommend this for anyone interested in a good romance with a little myth thrown in.
I’d like to thank Greta Buckle for stopping by today and Reading Addiction Book Tours for letting me host this tour stop. If you’d like to learn more about Greta you can check out her links below. For more information about Mything You you can go to Barnes and Noble, Amazon or any other book retailer.
Author Bio:
Greta Buckle grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She’s worked in engineering, then became a lawyer. After realizing she hates clients, she became a high school teacher. Teaching is fun, but writing is a passion. She wrote one hundred and one fan fiction stories online before deciding to transition into writing her own stories. Never ask her to republish her fan stories from age eleven- horribly written stories of princesses. Greta dreams of writing professionally, where her barista can make her coffee and a walk on the beach, can motivate her tales. Theseus story came to her when she was a freshman in high school as her English teacher, the nun, told her how life was hard and tragedy teaches lessons. Greta’s love of writing has kept her centered and focused. How is she crazy? The voices in her head are characters in novels and she’s not insane.
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