Guest Author Post: Cassandra Dean on Writing Enslaved *Contest*

 Hey peeps! Cassandra Dean here and many thanks to Katiebabs for facilitating this Amazing! Wonderful! Fantastic! blog post! So a little bit about me to begin?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. From the time I first learned to read and write (first phrase read: To The Beach, and I totally had a pen license – did anyone else have one of those??), I’ve imagined stories and adventures. Once I had the tools, and that nifty pen license, I put these imaginings on paper. I have a lot of handwritten stories floating around the place!

As high school drew to a close, I knew I wanted to undertake a career that somehow incorporated writing but never did I think I could actually be a real, live, super cool author. That was for other, way more awesome people than me! In my final year of university I undertook a short story course and this lead to my introduction to a romance writing group where I met my awesome critique partner, Lucy Clark. I then pottered along for years, trying to write books, get them published, running about…and then I created Enslaved.

Enslaved came about as I was watching Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Initially I thought this show would be a waste of space, a place to park my brain and watch as the pretty boys ran about wearing not much at all. It’s reminiscent of the movie 300 with its visual style and sensibilities. What was really odd at the time, for me anyway, is that most of the lead actors are from either Australia or New Zealand and they use their own accents. Now, I’m Australian. We don’t hear our accents a lot in shows produced by American networks, and certainly not in historical epics. The first time I heard a big speech (with swearing and everything!) I think I almost fainted in shock at the Oz twang coming from the actor. However, I quickly got used to it and then…Oh my wordy lordy, then. 

Spartacus is awesome. AWESOME. I don’t quite know how to describe it. Created by Stephen S DeKnight (who used to write for Angel – Joss Whedon alum!), the show seems to be a bit of naked himbos running around but then, around episode five or so, it got so I COULD NOT MISS AN EPISODE. It was Shakespearean and tragic and dramatic and bold and subtle and emotional and the language…Oh, the way they use language is beautiful.

Anyway, I was watching this show, watching Spartacus do his thing, and thought – what if his character, a slave, fell in love with his owner’s daughter? How would that happen? What would keep them apart? How awesome would the star-crosssed loverness of it all be???

So the idea ran around my head for a few days and then I sat down to write it. Three days. It took three days. I’ve NEVER had a story flow that quickly! It was awesome! Three days, and Enslaved was born!

I was to teach a slave.

Marcus, a gladiator in my father’s ludus, was compelled to my presence to learn of Rome’s gods, her legends. When first he came, fear consumed me – fear of this silent, resentful slave who burned with his anger.

Time, though, changes much. Marcus softened and I grew unafraid. As we became closer, I grew more than merely unafraid – I grew to love him. Never did I think we would be separated.

I was wrong.

I forced myself to forget. Forget Marcus, forget the almost-smile he gave to me alone, forget everything but my life as it was now. Then, one day, I wandered into a market and spied Marcus, and the truth I had always hidden, thought to forget, was thrust upon me.

I had never ceased to love my slave.
My heroine, Lucia, practically leapt of the page. I found it extremely easy to write her point of view, to tell her story. Though life threw challenges and setbacks at her, Lucia perseveres and never gives up – never completely.

As for my hero, Marcus...oh, Marcus. He is delicious and strong and just by being him, he encourages Lucia to play and joke, something she has never had. He may be enslaved but he is never cowed, and when he loves, it's with a passion and depth that is blinding.

The more I worked on Enslaved, the more I loved Lucia and Marcus. Their story touched me deeply and I hope you feel the same way!

Cassandra Dean
Check out more details at Cassandra's website!
Enslaved is available now from Decadent Publishing.

Contest time!

How would you like to win an ebook copy of Enslaved, a signed postcard, a keyring and a magnet? All you have to do is leave a comment here for Cassandra by Friday, 7/29.Are you a fan of the show Spartacus? Did you enjoy Gerard Butler's abs... ahem acting in 300? Why not tell us here? This is open for any to enter.