Текст книги "Bewitched"
Автор книги: Laura Thalassa
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Текущая страница: 24 (всего у книги 24 страниц)
COMING SOON
Keep a lookout for the next novella in the Bewitched series:
A Curse that Binds
Coming Winter 2023
Keep a lookout for the next full-length book in the Bewitched series!
Coming Spring 2024
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Bewitched is the first time in four years that I’ve been able to share a new fictional world with you all, and I can’t tell you how exciting it is to get to introduce you to this one! Though, to be fair, Bewitched takes place in the same universe as my Bargainer and Unearthly series, so it’s more like returning to an old and beloved place, and discovering something new about it. I’ve been steadily working away on this series for years, and the magic of this world and Selene’s unfailing optimism and humor have been such a joy to write.
That being said, it took so much to get this idea out of my head and into your hands. A huge, huge shout out goes to two ladies in particular who really helped make that happen. My agent, Kimberly Brower, and my editor, Christa Désir, were the first two people to read my manuscript, and their support and guidance has made this such an incredible experience for me. I’ve been a lone wolf in publishing for so long, and both of these ladies have really shown me what it means to not go it all alone. Thank you both from the bottom of my heart for all you’ve done.
I want to also thank who has helped me clean up and polish Bewitched. Your feedback helped so much and I lived for the little asides you sprinkled throughout the manuscript.
To Pam, Katie, Madison, and the rest of the Bloom team, thank you all so much for all the love and enthusiasm you’ve put into this book. I’m honestly blown away that I get to work with all you amazing people.
K.D. Ritchie, thank you for the beautiful cover and all the associated art and graphics you’ve made for this book! I still remember seeing this cover, which had originally been made for one of the series’ novellas, and being adamant that this had to go on the cover of Bewitched. I’m still mesmerized by it.
Dan, thank you for being my real life love story and being proof that soulmates really do exist. Without, you know, all of the angst and conflict of the fictional ones I write. Astrid and Jude, thank you for the love and cuddles and reminding me every day to notice the magic that exists around us. I hope you never lose your wondrous perspective of the world.
To my readers, thank you for taking a chance on Bewitched. I’m always so humbled by the outpouring of love and excitement you all give my books, and this one is no different. Thank you for letting me share my words and worlds with you.
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AUTHOR’S NOTE
The Sarmatians were a real group of pastoral nomads that lived on the Pontic Steppe roughly 2000 years ago. I first became enamored with these nomads fifteen years ago when, back in college, I studied the grave sites of dozens of girls and young women who were buried with warrior’s accoutrements and whose remains showed signs of violence. It’s believed that these women were the real life inspiration for tales of the mythical Amazons, as Scythian and Sarmatian women would ride into battle.
Since first learning about these cultures’ existence, I’ve tried to research as much as I can about who they were and what their lives were like. Unfortunately, the Sarmatians have left behind no written record of their own lives, so the language Memnon and Selene spoke in Bewitched is made up—though I did try to incorporate the common linguistic sounds that I saw in the words that did survive.
While couldn’t find the original Sarmatian word for “queen” I instead used “Amage”, which was the name of an actual Sarmatian queen. Likewise, the name “Roxilana” is based on the Sarmatian word “Roxolani” which roughly means “blessed people”.
It should also be noted that I drew from other pastoral nomadic tribes—most notably the Scythians—to fill in gaps in the archaeological record, as the Sarmatians shared a great many cultural practices and ideologies with tribes that lived adjacent to them in time and space. An example of this is the word “xsaya”, which appears to be the Scythian word for “king” according to one Luwian inscription.
Some additional notable details I wanted to mention: Sarmatian men tattooed themselves, and Memnon’s tattoos in particular are heavily inspired by the tattoos found on the remains of a Pazyryk chieftain. Similarly, Memnon’s scar is a duplicate of a scar found on the body of a Scythian warrior. The skull chalice was based on true—if macabre—practices as well.
Though this book is a work of fiction, it’s been fun to bring to life bits of this culture that has held me in its grip for so long.
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BOOKS BY LAURA THALASSA
The Four Horsemen series:
Pestilence
War
Famine
Death
The Bargainer series:
Rhapsodic
A Strange Hymn
The Emperor of Evening Stars
Dark Harmony
The Fallen World series:
The Queen of All that Dies
The Queen of Traitors
The Queen of All that Lives
The Unearthly series:
The Unearthly
The Coveted
The Cursed
The Forsaken
The Damned
The Vanishing Girl series:
The Vanishing Girl
The Decaying Empire
The Infernari series:
Blood and Sin
Novellas:
Reaping Angels
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Found in the forest when she was young, Laura Thalassa was raised by fairies, kidnapped by werewolves, and given over to vampires as repayment for a hundred-year debt. She’s been brought back to life twice, and with a single kiss, she woke her true love from eternal sleep. She now lives happily ever after with her undead prince in a castle in the woods.
…or something like that anyway.
When not writing, Laura can be found scarfing down guacamole, hoarding chocolate for the apocalypse, or curled up on the couch with a good book.
For more books and updates:
laurathalassa.com
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