10 Things I Like About Persephone
Hello! I’m Molly Ringle, and I recently completed a trilogy of novels based on Greek mythology: Persephone’s Orchard, Underworld’s Daughter, and Immortal’s Spring. During this blog tour I’ll be introducing things I love about the myths, and how I used them in my books. Today’s subject is one of my main protagonists: Persephone herself. Here are ten things I like about her.
- She’s the goddess of spring. Spring is my favorite season. Nothing can quite beat the emergence of all those bright flowers and new green leaves, and Persephone is the expert at bringing growing things to life.
- She’s also the goddess of the Underworld. How cool is that? She’s kind of the entire cycle of life in one figure.
- She has an interesting marriage story. The way she got to be goddess of the Underworld was by getting kidnapped by Hades, the Underworld’s king. Or was she enticed by his charms? That’s how I like to play it in my story, of course…
- Like her husband Hades, she places justice high on her priorities. In the myths, she helps judge the souls in the afterlife; in my version, she uses her powers to help the living wherever possible.
- She pretties up the Underworld with landscaping. I’m not sure how much the myths back this up—though they do say she likes to wander in the dark orchards and fields there—but in my stories, she uses her plant skills to start new magical gardens down in the cave.
- She represents daughters everywhere. Her loving relationship with her mother Demeter, who let the world freeze over while she searched for Persephone, is almost as famous as her relationship with Hades. Families are a big thing in Greek myth, and to all of us really. I play that up in my trilogy too.
- She also represents newlyweds everywhere. Her role as an unusual but very powerful and successful bride is part of what makes her so interesting. How she and Hades get to know each other and work alongside each other in the Underworld isn’t detailed in mythology, but I sure had fun figuring it out for my books.
- She had a cult dedicated to her. The Eleusinian Mysteries practiced for centuries in ancient Greece; their rites honored Persephone’s descent into the Underworld, and her return to the surface with spiritual knowledge.
- She’s inquisitive. In the myths, her curiosity about an unusual flower is what draws her near enough for Hades to grab her. In my story, she’s always searching for useful magical properties among her plants.
- She brings a little spring and happiness to the Underworld. Hey, Hades was feeling gloomy down there all by himself. I get why he’d be attracted to a delightful woman from the sunny surface—and why she’d be intrigued by him. It’s an epic love story, really. Trust me.
About the Book
Title: Persephone’s Orchard
Author: Molly Ringle
Genre: Paranormal Romance / NA Fantasy
The Greek gods never actually existed. Did they? Sophie Darrow finds she was wrong about that assumption when she’s pulled into the spirit realm, complete with an Underworld, on her first day at college. Adrian, the mysterious young man who brought her there, simply wants her to taste a pomegranate. Soon, though she returns to her regular life, her mind begins exploding with dreams and memories of ancient times; of a love between two Greeks named Persephone and Hades. But lethal danger has always surrounded the immortals, and now that she’s tainted with the Underworld’s magic, that danger is drawing closer to Sophie.
Author Bio
Molly Ringle has been writing fiction for over 20 years, and her stories always include love and humor, as well as the occasional touch of the paranormal. Molly lives in Seattle with her husband and kids, and worships fragrances and chocolate.
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