Tag: Aphrodite

Could you tell us about your novel, Aphrodite, and what made you decide to write it?

Aphrodite is a retelling of the life of the Greek goddess of love and beauty, a story that contains themes of power, love, betrayal and family.  

I have always loved myths from around the world and characters from mythology have appeared in many of my other novels: Angels Fury contains Nephilim; The Weight of Souls, Anubis; in Savage Island Carmen is a modern day Maenad; Hannah Messenger and the Gods of Hockwold contains many of the Greek gods.  

I have a particular fascination with Greek mythology and have been wanting to construct a complete Greek myth retelling for some time. Aphrodite struck me as the perfect vehicle for a modern rewrite, with the confusion about her birth, the possibilities of her power and the way she is a catalyst in so many stories.

This Greek retelling gives Aphrodite a powerful voice in a way that she hasn’t had before. What elements of her story did you enjoy writing the most?

I am so glad you saw the power in Aphrodite, as I was keen to give her that strength. In many ways she represents womanhood as a whole, and her story highlights the dangers for powerful women when they threaten the status quo.  

I loved writing the scenes where her power emerges, where she literally battles for her life. I also loved writing the scenes where she uses her cunning, hidden behind the mask of her pretty face.

From the beginning, parts of Aphrodite’s character are quite innocent, despite the violent nature of the world all around her and how she must protect herself. Was this balance hard to get right as you were drafting?

What I found most difficult was remembering to make sure that she retained her innocence and didn’t have more knowledge than she should. It is easy to allow authorial voice to creep in, for example, in naming plants, animals and so on, so I had to keep checking myself – does she know this yet? How would she react to this thing that is so strange to her? What would she do here? How would she learn? Who will teach her?

What does your writing process look like? Do you plot or pants your way through a novel, and what was it like working with an editor on this book?

I am one of the strictest plotters you’ll ever meet. I do character work, world-building research (I researched an awful lot about Ancient Greece from food to clothes to geography, politics, marriage customs and religious observations). Then I plan every beat of the story in advance. Following this, I write a chapter outline. And only then do I start to write.  

Some writers feel that writing like this removes the freshness from their work and cannot bring themselves to do it, but I feel that it allows me to focus on the language rather than worrying about what is going to happen next, to construct beautiful scenes, to ensure that everything fits together, that every action has consequences, that every scene moves the story on and every word has a role to play, and I can seed, early on, themes and elements that will be important much later.

You obviously know Greek mythology very well. Did you always love these stories growing up, or did you come to them later on?

I have always been a fan of world mythology. From a pre-teen I I had books about various myths, Egyptian tombs, the lives of the Mayans and Aztecs and explorations of religions and how they developed.  

My favourite stories have always been folklore and myths, from Havelock the Dane to King Arthur. Pantheons and heroes fascinate me and have so much to say about the values of a culture and how, ultimately, we are all so similar.

What has your writing journey looked like so far, leading up to the publication of this novel? Do you have any tips for other writers on a similar journey?

This is the thirteenth full length novel I have had published (and I’m hoping it isn’t unlucky number thirteen). I started to write in 2004, with the aim of seeing if it was possible for me to write a novel. I had no intention of trying for publication. However, once it was ‘finished’, I realised that I had a lot of love for it, and approached agents, who sent me to Cornerstones Literary Consultancy for feedback. After a rewrite following their advice, I entered the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices Competition 2008 and was one of the winners. From there I got my first agent and, in 2009, my first book deal.  

I also write short stories for adults which have appeared in various anthologies and magazines.  

In terms of tips for other writers, I would recommend that you read widely within your genre, and that once you have taken your first draft as far as you can alone, seek constructive feedback before approaching agents, whether that be through paid support such as literary consultancies, or through writing groups, mentors, or critique centres such as Wattpad.

I also recommend entering competitions, which are usually run by industry professionals, who might remember you and which often have great prizes from free feedback to book deals. Be polite, persistent, resilient and keep your love of writing – that is the most important thing, that you keep loving what you do

What can readers expect from you next, and can you share what you are writing at the moment?

I am hoping to see my third adult thriller on the shelves, which is doing the rounds with publishers at the moment. This is set in London, and involves a woman who ends up entangled in a children’s game, gone terribly wrong. The current title is Simon Says.  

I am hoping also to write a sequel to Aphrodite, which goes into her role in the Trojan War (which in my version she starts deliberately, as a gift to her lover, Ares).  

I will be able to write the sequel if Aphrodite does well, so … hint, hint …

Bryony’s writing prompt:

Imagine that you wake, full grown, in a strange world, naked and alone, with no memory and no skills. Where are you? Why and how did you end up there? Do you have the ability to survive, or are you helpless? What are your priorities (shelter, clothing, food, exploration, weapons etc.)? Do you receive help and support from the locals, or are you in great danger? What do you find when you explore? What do you become?

Bryony Pearce

Bryony Pearce is a multi-award-winning novelist and short story writer. She has written a mixture of thrillers, paranormal adventures, science fiction and horror, for Mid-grade, Young Adult and Adult readers. Her most recent novels are based on Greek mythology: Hannah Messenger and the Gods of Hockwold, for readers aged 9-12, and Aphrodite, for young adults.

In addition to writing her own novels, Bryony teaches creative writing at City University (London) and works as a consultant and mentor, in order to help aspiring authors achieve their dreams.

She lives in Gloucestershire and has two teenagers. Consequently she spends a lot of time at the side of sports fields, listening to concerts and being creative in car-parks.

www.bryonypearce.co.uk