Today, I’d like to welcome author Coreena McBurnie to Confessions of a Book Geek! Coreena is offering an eBook of her new release, Prophecy, in the giveaway at the end of this post! But for now, over to Coreena…

I’ve written several novels, but the first one that I thought was worth publishing is Prophecy, which is based on the ancient Greek myth of King Oedipus, the one who killed his father and married his mother then stuck brooches in his eyes when he found out what he had done. It’s been an interesting challenge, using an existing myth as the basis for my novel rather than solely using my own story.

For Prophecy, I focused on a character I have always loved, Antigone, King Oedipus’ daughter, and I have to say this was a daunting task – creating my own interpretation of a character who’s been around for 3000 years! Along with her character comes literally millennia of interpretations, values, and expectations of a woman’s role. Then I had to present Antigone is a way that we would find interesting in our own culture while maintaining the fundamentals of the myth and presenting it in an historical context, all the while being true to my own artistic vision. No pressure, right?

I opted to present the myth as an historical account, much the way the ancient writers did. First I had to pick a version of the myth to use as there are several. I used the plays of Sophocles for my major plot points. And, I have to say, having the major events already given to me was fantastic. It is fun to write a story where anyone can know what’s ultimately going to happen, either because they’ve read the myth or can easily look it up, but they don’t know how we’re going to get there. I got to focus on the journey more than the destination.

One of the things about myths is that they always come with a lesson, and the myths involving Antigone are no different. I had to decide whether or not to use these as themes in my book, or to come up with my own. Ultimately, the themes in the myth – excessive pride or hubris, and a sense of duty – are fairly universal, which is why they make for good myths. Who was I to go against this? Instead, I tried to explore these themes and present them in a way that would be relevant today.

Having studied ancient Greek myths for many years, it was thrilling to play with one and to bring the characters I love so much to life for others to enjoy in a new way.

Enter the Giveaway here to #win an eBook of Prophecy!

Giveaway is open from 19/04/16 until the 30/04/16. Entries will be verified.

Synopsis of Prophecy: 

An ancient princess, hidden prophecies, impossible choices…

Sixteen-year-old Princess Antigone, daughter of the infamous ancient Greek King Oedipus, wants to lead a normal life and fulfil her duty to the gods, her city, and her family, but fate has other plans. The Olympian gods bless her, the snakes talk to her, her parents want her to marry a foreign prince, her embroidery looks like burial shrouds for dogs, and she has fallen in love with the wrong boy.

When the mysterious and devastating prophecies surrounding her family are revealed, Antigone must choose where her allegiance lies: With the gods who have betrayed her family but who she is obliged to serve? With her plague ridden city? With her family which lay in ruins? Or even with herself?

In Prophecy, Book One of the Antigone: The True Story series, Antigone steps out of the shadows of the past to tell her own story, a story where the truth of history is stranger than the fiction of myth.

Who loves a good myth retelling? Are you already familiar with this story and can’t wait to read a modern version? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!