First published 2018
William Shakespeare puts quill to parchment, crafting his tale of Egypt's last pharaoh and her Roman lover. But vampires stalk the streets of Stratford-Upon-Avon, disrupting his work on the first draft. The playwright must survive supernatural attacks while bringing Cleopatra and Marc Antony to life on the page. Meanwhile, his fictional creations take shape as parallel narratives. Cleopatra commands her ancient kingdom with fierce independence until Roman forces threaten her reign. The African queen's autonomous rule faces its greatest challenge as invaders approach her borders. Shakespeare's creative process intertwines with bloodthirsty creatures and the epic romance he struggles to complete. The playwright fights both writer's block and literal monsters as his characters' destinies unfold across time and space.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, fantasy, horror
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: parallel-narratives, writer-protagonist
Setting: Africa, Egypt, Rome, Stratford-Upon-Avon
Period: Ancient, Early Modern
132 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Content warnings: violence