Origins by Nicole Sallak Anderson + Giveaway!

Origins by Nicole Sallak Anderson

Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Literary Wanderlust
Paperback & eBook; 229 Pages

Series: Song of the King’s Heart, Book 1
Genre: Historical Fiction

This is the lost story of Lord Ankhwenefer, known to the Greeks as Chaonnophris the Rebel, the last native Egyptian Pharaoh. The brilliance and heartache of his rebellion weave a tale that history has forgotten.

Until now.

In the year 205 B.C., after centuries of Persian and Macedonian occupation, a rebel king rises from the south to take ancient Egypt back unto native hands. He will battle the Ptolemy line for twenty years, and rule almost eighty percent of Egypt, yet in the end, history will never mention his name.

Born Prince Ankhmakis, the last in a line of native Egyptian kings, he is raised with one purpose—to help his father reclaim Egypt from the Macedonian occupiers and return their country to dynastic greatness. Fate, however, has its own plans. For lies and deceit live in the hearts of all involved, from his family to the priesthood, and the Greeks aren’t the only ones who seek to destroy him.

Natasa is in training to become the High Priestess of the temple of Isis. Her task is to strengthen the royal family with the magic of the goddess through love and pleasure. She never thought the connection between her and Ankhmakis could be so strong, or carry a power coveted by those lurking in the shadows. Nor did she know that the child they would create would have her own great destiny to fulfill.

Together, Ankhmakis and Natasa must defend the potential of their love from those who would seek to use it for their own gain. Theirs is a world of magic, power, riches, and lust, and there are those within the court who would do anything to keep Ankhmakis and Natasa apart. Between mystical forces, murder, and illicit schemes–only the gods know if they’ll survive.

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Praise for Origins

“ORIGINS is an enthralling, cinematic tale set in Ancient Egypt, seeping with magic, intrigue, treachery, and romance. I was hooked from the beginning and holding my breath until the very last page.” — Stephanie Diaz, author of the Extraction Series

“Nicole Sallak Anderson’s detailed research of costumes, history, and rituals illuminate a long-vanished culture and makes it interesting and she has skillfully breathed life into mere hieroglyphs turning them into vibrant people whose lives are filled with love, jealousy, intrigue, and ambition. A must-read for anyone fascinated by Egyptology or who just wants to read a great story.” — Nancy Lynn Jarvis, author of the Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries series and the PIP Inc. series.

Historical fiction novels are amazing. They transport you to a period in history that you can only dream of, introduce you to characters that you otherwise could never meet and put you into situations that normally you would never get to experience. But the best novels are the ones that, when you’ve turned the last page, drive you to your history books. Such is the case with the first book in the “Song of the King’s Heart” series, entitled Origins. (Dear Nicole Sallak Anderson, THANK YOU for making this book into a series! I think my heart would explode if this was a stand-alone novel. I need more!)

Okay, let’s dig into the novel. Origins tells the lost story of Lord Ankhwenefer, born Prince Ankhmakis. (Y’all, the fact that his story is “lost” should make you curious about him.) (Hint: He’s amazing.)

The novel follows the story of  Prince Ankhmakis, who’s whole purpose in life is to help his father reclaim Egypt from Macedonia. He falls in love with Natasa, the head priestess of Isis, who is destined to become his spiritual companion. The story then unfolds with the two of them taking on the world together; a world full of deceit, treachery, fear, love, magic and the gods. And y’all, believe me when I tell you that this book is impossible to put down. Impossible. As in, make-crockpot-meals-while-you’re-reading-this-book-so-that-you-don’t-burn-dinner-while-you’re-hanging-out-in-Egypt, impossible.

Nicole Sallak Anderson brings Lord Ankhwenefer to life. He becomes a living, breathing human being, rising from the annals of history with his own story to tell. Natasa is a strong, female lead with the wisdom to know her own power and the humility to wield it wisely. And while their story together is an integral thread throughout the novel, the story almost weaves itself around their relationship. Origins has such a fantastically brilliant story line, and the author captures the sights and settings so well, that the relationship between the two characters becomes a spellbinding facet to all of the other awesomeness that is happening around them.

Bottom Line: The author literally picks you up and sets you down in the middle of Ancient Egypt. Ready yourself for a wild ride.

About the Author

Nicole Sallak Anderson is a Computer Science graduate from Purdue University, and former CTO for a small Silicon Valley startup, turned novelist and blogger, focusing on the intersection of technology and consciousness. She currently lives in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains in California with her husband, where she raises goats and bees. She enjoys spinning, knitting, playing the bass, and dancing, particularly the tango.

You can keep up with all her latest writing by following @NSallakAnderson on Facebook, Twitter and Medium or her website www.nicolesallakanderson.com. Feel free to contact her, she almost always answers to any query or comment!

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, August 24
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, August 25
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Wednesday, August 26
Review at YA, it’s Lit

Thursday, August 27
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Friday, August 28
Review at Books and Zebras

Monday, August 31
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Tuesday, September 1
Review at Books Cooks Looks

Wednesday, September 2
Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, September 3
Review & Excerpt at Journey in Bookland

Monday, September 7
Feature at I’m Into Books
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Review at History + Fiction + Adirondack Spirit

Friday, September 11
Review at Jessica Belmont

Wednesday, September 16
Review at Hoover Book Reviews

Friday, September 18
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback copy of Origins! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on September 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Origins