Love Deity Smackdown

In Greek mythology, there are two dieties of love: the goddess Aphrodite and the god Eros. On Valentine's Day, every greeting card and cutsie stuffed doll pays homage to Cupid (aka the Roman incarnation of Eros) but where is Aphrodite? There are no beautiful, long-haired goddesses in sight. Just short, pudgy, arrow-flinging babies.

My question (for a chance to win a copy of Oh. My. Gods. and Goddess Boot Camp) is:

Who would you rather have in charge of your love life?

Option A: The breathtaking goddess, Aphrodite, who embodies everything about beauty and romantic love. Flowers and candlelit dinners an quality time with your other half.

Option B: The diminutive and immature god, Eros, who represents the physical side love and who makes people fall in love by shooting them with magical arrows.

That's an easy choice for me. I'd far rather get bonked on the head with a golden apple by Aphrodite, than shot with a love arrow by Eros.

Choose and defend your love deity in comments and you could win signed copies of Oh. My. Gods. and Goddess Boot Camp.

Hugs,
TLC

Oh. My. Gods. and Goddess Boot Camp (out now)
Forgive My Fins (coming June 1, 2010)

The Toga Party has begun!

I am SO excited to have my turn at congratulating Tera Lynn Childs on the release of her debut novel, OH. MY. GODS. I got a sneak peek at her novel and could not put it down. I've always been mesmorized by Greek mythology and her spin on modernizing these gods is amazing. It got me thinking about when it was that I was introduced to Greek mythology.

It was either 1982 or 1983. My dad was working at a country club and I spent a lot of time in the clubhouse killing flies (hey, they paid me five cents a fly) and drinking Shirley Temples. I'd nurse my kiddy cocktail at the bar and watch television. That's the first time I saw Clash of the Titans. I thought it was awesome. Now, of course, I realize how cheesy it was. But in a good way. From what I remember, Harry Hamlin played Perseus and his quest was to battle both Medusa and the Kraken monster to save the Princess Andromeda. (Nice nipple, Harry!)

That was my first introduction to Medusa. Myth has it that Medusa was a sea nymph, one of three gorgon sisters. Medusa was the most beautiful. She hooked up with Poseidon in a temple of Athena. Athena was outraged and turned Medusa from a beautiful sea nymph to a terrifying creature with snakes for hair whose glance could turn you to stone.

Personally, I think Athena overreacted a bit. Who could resist Poseidon anyway? He's all cut up and that trident is one sexy accessory. But Poseidon swam away to woo other sea nymphs leaving Medusa with a permenent bad hair day. I always felt a little bad for her. But I couldn't help thinking the turning people into stone thing would be sort of cool (I had an evil stepmother at the time). After hundreds of horrifying-cheesy special effects, Harry Hamlin cuts Medusa's head off and takes it back to Athena(Like Athena hadn't already done enough to her). In myth, Medusa had two beings come from her body, Pegasus (the winged horse) and Chrysaor of the Golden Sword. This statue is on the boardwalk at Virginia Beach. It's awesome and you should check it out if you are ever in the area. So, the moral of the story is: Be careful who you hook up with. How about you, does Medusa just gross you out or did she just fall for the bad boy? And who would you turn to stone?

PS- I was also excited to find out while researching this blog that in 2010 a remake of Clash of the Titans will be made. I can hardly wait to see the cast. And don't forget to pick up a copy of OH. MY. GODS.

xo,

Stephanie

http://www.stephaniehale.com/