Some background: Cassandra is a secondary character in my young adult novel, Persephone. She’s also a pretty major prophet in Greek Mythology
I can’t really call Cassandra my character. She’s popped up in books, movies, and television shows for centuries. She has a fascinating back story and manages to appear in a huge variety of myths. She helps Hercules, she witnesses the fall of Troy, and she even made a guest appearance on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But every incarnation I’ve ever seen of Cassandra focused on one thing.
Her life sucked. She was raped by Apollo and cursed with visions of the future that no one would believe so long as she lived. The visions drove her nuts. Can you imagine what it would be like to know something horrible was going to happen and not do anything to stop it? As if all that wasn’t bad enough she was part of the royal house in Troy, and they weren’t treated very well after the war.
But that was life. My Cassandra’s a bit different because she’s dead. And she’s having a great time. She still has the visions, but that whole bit about no one believing her so long as she lived no longer applies. She’s Hades’ most trusted advisor, and she practically runs the Underworld. She’s over the top cheerful, but she’s got a healthy sense of snark. She doesn’t put up with much drama and has a very practical way of looking at things.
In all the scenes she’s in, her voice is always a welcome one. I’m even toying with the idea of writing a prequel that’s narrated by her, and her sister-in-law, Helen of Troy. I’d love to write that story, but the research aspect alone is daunting. Persephone appears in three major myths, and those three myths took weeks of research to tie in as many aspects into the story as possible. Troy… that’s a lot of material, and the Trojan war is just a fraction of the myths Helen and Cassandra are a part of.
It would be a long project, but I think it would be worth it. If I’m willing to wade through all that just to write more scenes with her, she really must be my favorite character.
Contest!!!!
Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of my novel, Persephone.
For additional entries, friend me on facebook and twitter. (see sidebar). Please comment once for each entry. Winner will be chosen Monday morning
Wiinner! Congrats Cat!
Kaitlin Bevis 
What a cool spin to have her practically running the underworld! I hear ya. That does sound intimidating – the amount of research involved to take that on, but I’m sure it’d be a fascinating read!
Sounds very interesting!
Cassandra sounds like a fascinating character and so much fun to write. I love it when authors put a new twist on the characters from mythology.
Great post! I never knew that about Cassandra. Very interesting!
I like your version of Cassandra running the underworld! Sounds like a great secondary character. Stopped by as a fellow blog hop host. Happy writing.
Elizabeth Marx
Words Written, Memories Made
Sounds like a fun book! And now I want to hunt down that episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – best show ever 🙂
Sounds like a great book! Putting on my tbr list now! Thanks for the hop!
Nice post.
We should chat sometime – my writing focuses on mythology too. Norse Mythology in my case, but researching the myths and ‘tweaking’ them to make them my own has been so much fun. I’d love to hear about your creative/research process, too! Great idea for a novel, and I look forward to reading more.
I’m intrigued. So totally out of my regular realm of reading. FASCINATING! I hope you’re enjoying the Blog. Feel free to hop over and visit. xo cindy
Thank you for the amazing giveaway! Your books are definitely going on my tbr!
tobihelton at gmail dot com
Liked on FB Tobi Hoffler Helton
Followed on twitter @tobi_helton
Thanks again!
I knew most of that…I looked up my name’s meaning as soon as I was old enough lol I’m happy your Cassandra has a better life though
I’m an email, Facebook (Cassandra Hicks), & Twitter (@KatraCass) follower 🙂
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com
Thanks so much for the entries guys! ST I’d love to chat sometime! Cindy I’ve loved the hop, thanks for stopping by. The winner is comment #4 which is….. Cat!
Congrats Cat!
The rest of you still have a chance to win by commenting on the blog I just posted today, AND you’ll be entered to win a kindle fire!
The winner was chosen via random.org, and the picture is going up on this blog
So enlightening, look frontward to visiting again.