VICTORY!



It's been a long journey and an arduous battle but at last, we are victorious!  All those years of persistence and dedication to telling the story of the fall of Alexander the Great's dynasty has finally come to fruition. I HAVE A CONTRACT FOR PUBLICATION!!!

Yes, the Media Arias Publisher in UK have sent me a contract which will be signed and delivered within the next few days. I've gone over it with a knowledgeable friend and will go over it again with information from the Writers' Union, but it looks very good.

I was a bit reluctant when they suggested they would like to make it into two books, because of its length. But after consulting with them and with my friends who know the story, I've decided this may be the best way to go. And it means TWO books instead of one.  The first book will hopefully be published by August 2014 and the second volume a bit later than that (not too much later, I hope!)

This 'victory' was accomplished because I wouldn't give up. Though I'd sent out many queries (most of which didn't even get a reply), just before I left on my journey to UK and Greece in June, I had decided to send out a couple more queries. Two days later Media Arias replied asking to see the full manuscript. I had a good feeling about them -- not only because of their promptness, but because evidently their director is a fan of Mary Renault and other writers about this history.  Meanwhile, when I was away I got three other requests for the MSS but had to wait til I returned. And then the news came that they wanted to publish it and just a couple of weeks later the contract arrived!

The lesson here for other writers is, DON'T GIVE UP! Because eventually someone will recognize the worth of you story. I am more than thrilled. But I won't start to really celebrate until next week when I ink my name onto the last page of the contract and send it off to the publishers. Then it's a done deal. And after all these years I'll be a published author. Not only that, but my novel, which I spent so many years to write, will finally be made available to the public.

Alexander was with me all the way. And when I was in Greece this summer I knew he was there, giving me courage. I am proud of this accomplishment and dedicate this in his memory.

PROGRESS REPORT #10: PLANNING THE COUP

The Macedonian royalty: Philip II and Alexander

(miniature ivory heads found in the royal tomb at Vergina)

"To give the throne to another man would be easy;
to find a man who shall benefit the kingdom is difficult."
Mancius 372-283 BC "Works" III

The weather turned cloudy and cool today so I've taken advantage of it to stay indoors and write. I've been at the computer since early morning and now I'm finished for the day. Progress is being made and I just finished staging a coup.
It brought to mind military juntas and coups in modern times. In particular I recalled all the stories that my friend Anibal told of the junta in Chile that resulted in so much death and destruction. In fact, when I visited Chile last winter I visited the general cometary where some of the victims of the military coup by Pinochet are buried, including the socialist president, Salvator Allende and the folk musician Victor Jara who was killed in the stadium.

This coup I staged today is led by Adeia-Eurydike, the eighteen year old niece of Alexander who is married to his mentally deficient half-brother Philip Arridaios. This young lady has played a major role in my novel, although in history books there isn't too much written about her. I find her fascinating, a tough girl who patterns herself after the Amazon queen Penthesilea (of Troy fame). Just wait and see what a ruckus she causes with her relentless ambition to control the throne of Macedon!

King Philip II
bronze statue, Thessaloniki

"Nothing is easier than self-deciet. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true."
Demosthenes 384-322 BC "Third Olymthiac"

PELLA
In Pella, a galloping horse thundered into the city and a dust-stained herald announced: “Kassandros has taken over Athens. Polyperchon and his army have fled and are camped near the Thessaly border.”
When Adeia-Eurydike heard the news, she immediately called an Assembly, summoning all the top-ranking soldiers, tribal lords and allied envoys.

In the great Hall of Pella’s palace, dressed in her cuirass, greaves and helmet, she mounted the dais to address them. Beside her, Arridaios stood looking anxious and bewildered, gaping at the mass of men who filled the Assembly. She had told him why
the Assembly had been called and instructed him only to speak on command. He was happy to accompany her so long as he did not have to make a speech. She promised that after the Assembly he could go with Konon, his Keeper, to the hunting lodge.

Clear and hard as a trumpet call, her voice carried throughout the Hall. “Men of Macedon, Guest-friends. I declare by order of my husband, King Philip Arridaios, that Kassandros from henceforth is named Supreme Commander of Macedon
and order Polyperchon to relinquish his command over the army and hand over all troops to Kassandros. Polyperchon has proven himself incompetent as Regent. There is chaos everywhere in his wake. Polyperchon has come scurrying back like a rat deserting a sinking ship, hoping to get reinforcements to fight for him. His incompetence has already caused the loss of many lives. This is the end for Polyperchon. Macedon is a rich country. We can not allow him to corrupt it and throw it away because of his ineptitude. He has no longer any talent for war or the ability to rule. He is not worthy of the Regency. Kassandros has established Macedon’s supremecy in Athens. Without him we would have lost our hold on the Greek city states. Because of him Macedon rules all the lands of Hellas!”

She strutted on the dais, her face fierce, her words sharp as a dagger point. A mutter ran around the gathering. The men looked to Kassandros’ brother Nikanor but saw that he, like many others, seemed mesmerized by her speech. Not since Alexander himself had they seen such fire and zeal. Soon they yielded to her, persuaded by her haughty manner, her splendid resolve. She spoke to them in the peasant dialect of the hill country, the language of soldiers. Even the old marshals and lairds who might have protested that a woman was in charge of the Assembly soon forgot that this was a mere girl addressing them. She was Eurydike, a warrior Queen. She was one of them.

“The Soghdian and her child have fled to Epiros and are being sheltered by Olympias the husband-killer who was for so long the enemy of our beloved Regent Antipater. They will do well to never return here. Was not the child’s birth-right questionable? Who can prove he is Alexander’s son? He is Persian, I am true-born Macedonian. I am Philip’s grandchild, Amyntas’ daughter, the great grandchild of two
Macedonian kings and royal on my mother’s side too. By right of my noble birth, I shall assume the Regency.”

At first there was a surge of discontent and some sounds of outrage, but her own faction took control of the Assembly and began to shout their support of her. “Yes! Yes! Long live Queen Eurydike!” Then Kassandros’ brothers and other members of his clan joined them pledging their support. The Assembly passed the motion. She would be
Regent. From now on she would issue orders in her own name and rule on behalf of her husband Philip Arridaios.

Instead of the familiar cry of “Alexander! Alexander!” it was
“Eurydike! Eurydike!” She felt a shiver of exultation. She had waited eighteen years for this moment. Now the throne of Macedon was hers. At last she was fulfilling her true destiny.

* * *

PELLA

"The people have always some champion who they set over themselves and nurse into greatness. This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; while he first appears he is a protector."
Plato 428-348 BC "The Republic" 565 C