Monday, March 22, 2010

Hi!

Hello, and welcome to my blog! A little about me, I suppose.

I'm Libbie Hawker, a writer living in the Seattle area. I write novels (all historical fiction so far, with some science fiction and literary fiction planned for the future), short stories, and a little bit of poetry.

You probably are only interested in my writing, and I don't blame you. It's the most interesting thing about me. I began my first novel in June 2009 and finished it in September of the same year. Yes, I write very fast. I type at the speed of sound, and when I already know what I want to say, books tend to come together very quickly. I am fortunate in that I have a very active imagination (still, at the age of thirty!) and don't have a whole lot to do besides sit and write.

In January of 2010, I signed on with my amazing and very talented literary agent, Natalie Fischer. We worked on revisions for my novel throughout February and the first half of March, and the book went on submission to editors on March 11, 2010. It's still out there somewhere, sitting on an editor's desk. It's thrilling to see how quickly my dream of becoming a working novelist is coming together. I've loved books for as long as I can remember, and have always wanted to be a writer -- but didn't really put much effort or thought into it until 2009. Don't let anybody tell you dreams can't come true, kids! If you work hard and type fast, they certainly do.

My first novel, currently titled Bride of Amun (that is subject to change at the whim of people who know more about selling books than I) is set in ancient Egypt, during the Eighteenth Dynasty (one of the coolest in all the thousands of years of Egyptian history, in my opinion) and follows the early life and career of Queen Ahmose, the mother of Hatshepsut (that's the chick who became king, for those who aren't already acquainted with Her Nibs).

I am hard at work on two more Egyptian novels, both of them featuring Hatshepsut herself; and I've got loads of interesting ideas for even more Egyptian novels cooking up in my head. If you're wondering whether I am just a little bit obsessed with ancient Egypt, I tell you now that I am.

But I also love other ancient cultures, and am toying with ideas and outlines for novels set in terribly fascinating old places such as Mongolia, Byzantium, ancient Australia, and Africa; as well as the Biblical Middle East (although I am not a believer, I find some of the Old Testament characters equally fascinating and disturbing, and dual fascination and disturbement make for my favorite kind of writing). Relatively modern history interests me, too, and has called out to me to slash it all to pieces and fictionalize it. The Lost Colony of Roanoke, Pocahontas, Harry Houdini, and Queen Victoria are all subjects I am eyeing with considerable interest, while rubbing my hands together and twisting the ends of my internal handlebar mustache (very dapper, I assure you.)

I love to talk to other writers as well as readers of all stripes (but especially historical fiction nuts). Please do feel free to comment on my blog any time!

6 comments:

  1. Yahoo! I get to be the first follower AND the first commenter! I'm so excited!

    I have a feeling Egypt is going to be hot in coming years. Rick Riordan is coming out with an Egyptian series and I've discovered a fair number of Egyptian novelists since I started blogging. Plus, Child of the Morning is coming out again next month. That can only be a good thing. The world needs more about Egypt!

    To answer your question about Book #2- I'm writing a novel about Nitokerty. I've got a thing for female Pharaohs, but Hatshepsut will always be my favorite.

    I'm glad you found me and that you're blogging now! It's nice to know there are other Egypt-obsessed writers out there!

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  2. Ooh...Nitokerty! Good one! I'd never thought of writing about her, but she'll be a fun one.

    After I finish my trio of 18th-Dynasty novels, I'm probably going to take a break from Egyptian novels for a bit and play around in some other setting. But I'm such an Egypt nerd, I am already thinking about where to go next for an Egyptian historical. I think it will probably be Ahmose-Nefertari...I have some fun ideas for her story. I guess she's still technically 18th Dynasty...just early. :D

    I didn't know Rick Riordan is doing something Egyptian. How cool is that! and yes, we need MORE EGYPTIAN FICTION! I can't get enough. In fact, I'm about to hop in bed and read The Twelfth Transforming. Woot!

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  3. I think I've read almost all of Pauline Gedge's stuff. Then there's Michelle Moran and Christian Jacq. I never got into Jacq much though.

    I think if I took a break from Egypt I'd head to Mesopotamia, Tikal, or Angor Wat. But I think I'd like to do at least one more book in Egypt- I'm just not sure who it would be about. Yet.

    Ahmose-Nefertari would be a good one and her story hasn't been told to death. I like Mutnodjmet, but I have a very different picture of her compared to Gedge or Moran's versions. There's a lot of great women from ancient Egypt!

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  4. I haven't even heard of Jacq. I'll have to scope her out.

    Wilbur Smith writes mysteries set in ancient Egypt, but I am really not a fan of mysteries, so I've never tried his fiction out. Maybe I ought to!

    There are lots of fascinating women (and men!) in ancient Egypt. It's hard to pick a subject, really. Moran's and Gedge's versions of Mutnodjmet were so widely different...I enjoyed both, though. The nice thing about very ancient history is that nobody really knows what anyone was like, so there is so much room for people like us to play around with it! :D

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  5. Heya Libbie! Welcome to the blogosphere! I know I'm a few days behind the times, but thought I'd say hello at least.

    ~Lia

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  6. Hi!
    Nice blog you have here. Egypt is interesting subject, I must admit that, even my own writing is more...modern.

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