“The stakes?”
“Your clothes,” she answered.
Then they vanished.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I never thought I would write romance, but sometime in the last year, I became brave enough to do just that and it is fitting that I started with a retelling of Hades and Persephone.
I have always loved Greek Mythology. It’s creepy and violent and vicious, and when it came to the tale of Hades and Persephone, I was always intrigued by Persephone, who was the Goddess of Spring but also the Queen of the Underworld. She, like so many, straddled the light and the dark.
When I started writing about Hades and Persephone, I wrote short snippets—pieces of dialogue between the two that kept popping into my head so I started posting pieces on Tumblr. This was my first:
The garden is my solace.
It’s the only life in this horrid place—this dark desert.
The roses smell sweet. The wild flowers smell bitter. The stars shine bright.
In the back of my mind, I marvel at how he crafts such an illusion. How he can blend scents and texture—a master with his brush, stippling and smoothing.
As quick as awe descends, I scoff.
Of course he can stir the air and prick holes in the dark above so light shines through—he is a god.
And my jailer.
I could do better, I think bitterly. I could turn this death-scape into an oasis—the air would smell of spring, and this black canvas would be painted in vibrant, vivacious color.
But that would be a gift.
And I’m not in a giving mood.
The air changes. He is near. I have learned the feel of him. The ruler of the dead is not cold. He blazes, like a hearth in the dead of winter. I shiver as he casts me in his shadow and scent. He smells of pine—of home.
I curl my fingers into my gown.
He is everything I hate and everything I want.
The tone of this is very different from what I ended up writing, but the dynamics are still the same—an ancient god who takes pleasure in crafting his world and an envious goddess who both marvels and despises his work.
From this first scene, I started to ask questions and formulate my world and characters. I ended up with a Persephone who wants adventure and passion more than anything in the world. She wants desperately to be good at something and is very quick to judge Hades who she believes is abusing his power as a god by agreeing to bargain with mortals. I ended up with a Hades who was just as desperate for passion, and was very tired of being alone. When Persephone came along to challenge him, he does the opposite of what she expects and listens.
A Touch of Darkness is Hades and Persephone’s first book, but I plan to explore their story more. Persephone must embrace her power, both as the Goddess of Spring and eventually as the Queen of the Underworld, and Hades has secrets that will challenge the new life he wishes to lead with Persephone.
I’m so happy to finally share my version of the Hades and Persephone story with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Love,
Scarlett
About The Author
Scarlett St. Clair lives in Oklahoma with her husband. She has a Master’s degree in Library Science and Information Studies. She is obsessed with Greek Mythology, murder mysteries, love, and the afterlife. If you are obsessed with these things, then you’ll like her books.
For information on books, tour dates, and content, please visit www.ScarlettStClair.com