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| Credit: Deborah Feingold |
Fiona Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of seven historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Spectacular, The Magnolia Palace, The Address, and The Lions of Fifth Avenue, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and the Oprah magazine.
She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages and she's based in New York City.
Visit Fiona online:
**For a chance to join a Zoom chat with Fiona in February, contact robin (at) robinkall (dot) com. You can also check out her interview at Friends and Fiction and her interview at Historical Happy Hour!**
Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. That is until an unbearable tragedy strikes.
New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.”
Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She’s consumed by her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.
The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, and a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
"The Stolen Queen is a powerful ode to both the magic of New York City and the resilience of the human spirit, set both in the storied Met and in the rock-cut pharaohs' tombs of Egypt."
—Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter
"Moving, suspenseful, and entirely vivid, The Stolen Queen is Fiona Davis at her absolute best, balancing history and mystery with her consummate artistry."
—Lisa Grunwald, author of The Evolution of Annabel Craig
"Absolutely spectacular! Davis has done it again in this compulsively readable, unforgettable historical mystery."
—Jo Piazza, bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance
What is one thing you would tell the debut novelist version of yourself?
That the next decade would be one that’s the most fulfilling and fun of my life, and to be sure to enjoy every minute, as well as all the wonderful people I’ll be meeting on the way.
What is the most interesting thing you learned while doing research for The Stolen Queen?
I was surprised to learn that the Met Museum has around 1.5 million objects in its collection, and only six percent are on display at any one time.
If The Stolen Queen were made into a movie, what are some songs that would be on the soundtrack?
A dear friend of mine who’s a singer/songwriter, Jenny Bruce, read the manuscript and wrote the most beautiful, haunting song inspired by the story called “Forgotten Queen.” We even shot a video for it, which you can find online. The song is available on all music platforms, and also plays after the last line of the audiobook. “Forgotten Queen” would open and close the movie for sure!
Do you make any New Year's resolutions? If so, which ones have you stuck with?
I’m heading out on a book tour right after New Year’s, so I hope I can find time to meditate every day while I’m traveling. It’s so good for rebooting your brain, and I know I’ll need all the focus I can get while racing from state to state talking about the book and meeting readers.
If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?
I love Emma Stone’s voice, it’s so rich and resonant. I could listen to her talk all day.
If we were to visit you, what are some places you would take us to see?
I would take you to the Campbell Bar, which is hidden away in a corner of Grand Central Terminal, and is like stepping back in time, decorated with a giant fireplace, stained glass windows, gorgeous woodwork. I’d also take you to the Egyptian Art Collection at the Met and show you the broad collar that figures in The Stolen Queen, the statue “Fragment of a Queen’s Face” that’s the inspiration for the artifact that is stolen in the story, as well as the gallery full of Hatshepsut’s enormous statues.
That the next decade would be one that’s the most fulfilling and fun of my life, and to be sure to enjoy every minute, as well as all the wonderful people I’ll be meeting on the way.
What is the most interesting thing you learned while doing research for The Stolen Queen?
I was surprised to learn that the Met Museum has around 1.5 million objects in its collection, and only six percent are on display at any one time.
If The Stolen Queen were made into a movie, what are some songs that would be on the soundtrack?
A dear friend of mine who’s a singer/songwriter, Jenny Bruce, read the manuscript and wrote the most beautiful, haunting song inspired by the story called “Forgotten Queen.” We even shot a video for it, which you can find online. The song is available on all music platforms, and also plays after the last line of the audiobook. “Forgotten Queen” would open and close the movie for sure!
Do you make any New Year's resolutions? If so, which ones have you stuck with?
I’m heading out on a book tour right after New Year’s, so I hope I can find time to meditate every day while I’m traveling. It’s so good for rebooting your brain, and I know I’ll need all the focus I can get while racing from state to state talking about the book and meeting readers.
If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?
I love Emma Stone’s voice, it’s so rich and resonant. I could listen to her talk all day.
If we were to visit you, what are some places you would take us to see?
I would take you to the Campbell Bar, which is hidden away in a corner of Grand Central Terminal, and is like stepping back in time, decorated with a giant fireplace, stained glass windows, gorgeous woodwork. I’d also take you to the Egyptian Art Collection at the Met and show you the broad collar that figures in The Stolen Queen, the statue “Fragment of a Queen’s Face” that’s the inspiration for the artifact that is stolen in the story, as well as the gallery full of Hatshepsut’s enormous statues.
Thanks to Fiona for visiting with us and to Dutton for sharing her book with our readers.
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Giveaway ends January 12th at midnight EST.
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12 comments:
My favorite museum is the Smithsonian. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity
My favorite museum is the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA
I love the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is my favorite.
National Museum of the American Indian
I love my local Monterey Museum of Art! I always take my friends and families who visit me to this museum. In addition, visiting Smithsonian Museum is on my bucket list!
I love the Met Museum.
The Museum Of Science and Industry
I love The Art Institute of Chicago. Wonderful museum!
I love The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret in London, England. It's great if you're interested in the history of medicine and surgery.
Local or niche ones that aren't too overwhelming.
My favorite museum is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC
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