An Unexpected Ally - A Greek Tale of Love, Revenge, and Redemption

In this retelling of ancient Greek myth, Circe seeks a new lover, amphibian Glaucus, after Odysseus's departure from the island of Aeaea-but in a twist of fortune, mortal Skylla complicates her plans, leading to an adventure threaded with friendship, jealousy, revenge, and redemption . . . and filled with divine interventions, shape-shifting, and magic.

About the author

Sophia Kouidou-Giles was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, and university educated in the USA. Her work has appeared in Voices, Persimmon Tree, Assay, The Raven’s Perch, Story Wits, Women Writers Women Books, The Fantasy Hive, and The Blue Nib. Her poetry chapbook is Transitions and Passages. Her work has appeared in anthologies, including The Time Collection, Visual Verse, and Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis. She is also the author of the memoir Επιστροφ? Στη Θεσσαλον?κη/Return to Thessaloniki, published in Greek (Tyrfi Press); Sophia’s Return: Uncovering My Mother’s Past (She Writes Press); and the novella An Unexpected Ally (She Writes Press). Giles loves music, walking outdoors and travel. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, near her son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons.

Summary

Powerful Circe, daughter of the sun-god Helios, is sad to see Odysseus, King of Ithaca, depart from her island, Aeaea—but her heartbreak is eased after dolphins take her to Delos, where she explores a new love relationship.

Circe has a strained relationship with her mother, Perse, but when she finally listens to Perse’s encouragement to seek out the amphibian god Glaucus, she’s glad she’s heeded her advice. Together, the two embark on underwater adventures, and Circe shares with Glaucus her knowledge about the healing and harmful power of herbs. While in Delos, she also meets and befriends Skylla, a local beauty with whom Glaucus is enthralled, although the girl is indifferent.

Circe eventually returns to Aeaea, but one day she learns, upon consulting her scrying mirror, that there is trouble in Delos that requires her immediate action. In the turbulent world of gods mingling with mortals, our heroine shifts shapes, flies, and uses her superpowers to reverse the course of evil.

In a tangle of love, hate, vengeance, and the final righting of wrongs, a cast of irresistible characters weaves an adventure laced with beauty and terror in An Unexpected Ally—a newly woven set of tales that brings to life ancient Greek myths and revives issues familiar to contemporary readers.

Foreword

AUTHOR HIRED: Books Forward
• Development of a professional press kit
• Media campaign to outlets interested in mythology, historical fiction genre sites, book-centric media, reading lists, author radio and topic-related podcasts
• Social media influencer campaign with Bookstagrammers, BookTokkers and Goodreads reviewers
• Sending any personalized book mailings to media contacts on your behalf
• Launch refreshed author website with www.sophiakouidougiles.com featuring author’s work, presales and promotion for An Unexpected Ally
• Published articles and blog posts leading up to the book launch will include the hashtag #sophiasreturn #shewritespress. Follow and engage with high profile Book Bloggers and Bookstagrammers
• Solicit book reviews, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Midwestern Review, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and Publisher's Weekly, among other book reviewers, including Sophia’s followers and network
• Submit book to American Writing Awards & other similar organizations
• Press Release announcing book launch—national distribution, includes social media boost. On Twitter and Goodreads offer a book giveaway for a chance to win signed copies of An Unexpected Ally
• Feature Sophia’s Return book video promotion on social media and on www.sophiakouidougiles.com
• Secure author events: Third Place Books (Seattle), Book Passage (San Francisco) and (secondary push for the Greek version with womenbloggers.gr and Greek American offerings at Barnes and Noble); host YouTube Live event
• Submit ARCs to bloggers and organizations for review like: AWP, Library Journal, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist and Publisher's Weekly, and Booksirens
• Participate in Conference panels, such as AWP, and local library opportunities
• Promote book through Author talks on Youtube Live, Hugo House, and AWP

Product details

• Authors: Sophia Kouidou-Giles
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 03.10.2023, delayed
• EAN: 9781647425555
• ISBN: 978-1-64742-555-5
• No. of pages: 192
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature > Fairytales, sagas, legends; FICTION / Fantasy / Epic, FICTION / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, FICTION / Fantasy / Historical, FICTION / Fantasy / Dragons & Mythical Creatures