Heretics or Visionaries?

Natasha Rendell Shares Her Inspiration For Imagining Nefertiti

When I was about ten, I read a book titled Mara, Daughter of the Nile, and this awakened in me a love of Ancient Egypt. However, many years were to pass by before I even considered the possibility that I could write a novel, let alone one about this enigmatic period of history. There had already been much so written as research or as novels, even though most of the events that took place are steeped in supposition and mystery.

Eventually, I settled upon the reign of Akhenaten and his queen, Nefertiti, and so my research into them began. Every documentary on the Discovery Channel was closely watched. I endlessly searched the internet and read just about every book about Ancient Egypt in my own somewhat large library. And yet most of what I found did not resonate with me. Especially when I was fortunate enough to visit Egypt and view many of the amazing structures, the remnants of a wonderous time in history.

Wild Theories and Emotionally-Charged Controversies

I have found that archaeologists, experts and novelists in this subject hold vastly different opinions and suppositions on what actually occurred. The most bizarre being that Akhenaten was an alien or a deformed despot. As for Nefertiti, little is known other than theories and that every member of the royal family was related to each other. And even though very little can be proven, they are all at odds with their differing beliefs and understanding of their reign. Even all the DNA testing on degraded thousands of years old, withered up skeletons, does not seem to be a reliable source to base a definite conclusion on regarding family relationships, their state of health and cause of death.

What I found to be unusual was how emotional, almost somewhat hateful and fiercely adamant many of the people involved become when speaking about anything regarding Akhenaten. He is either depicted as a mad dictator, a deformed monster, or in some cases as a visionary. This is all rather surprising considering how very little is known about him because most everything was erased from the records of the dynasty by one of his successors.

When History Becomes Story

This all set me to thinking and in the end I decided that with what I ascertained from my research, I could let my imagination take flight to do my best to weave my own tale — my own interpretation of the events that occurred during their reign, as well as that of Tutankhamun and those who came after. It seemed an almost impossible task that I had set myself, but to my surprise, once I began, the story of their family flowed and took on a life of its own. This taught me that unless you try, you never know what you are capable of achieving. 

Today, as my novel Imagining Nefertiti is released into the world, I find that I have written an epic chronicle of political intrigue, spiritual awakening, and religious conflict. All embraced within a story of family and friendship, of romantic love and forgiveness, and of the ugly barbs of disappointment, bitterness and revenge. I can’t quite believe it is now time to give this story to readers for them to find and absorb, to consider and interpret, and to make their own.

I send Imagining Nefertiti on her way with love and pride. I have given their story all that I could, inspired by the echoes of these incredible lives that continue to hold meaning for us after 3,000 years.
Natasha

Natasha’s novel Imagining Nefertiti is out now!
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Recommended Further Reading
NON-FICTION
Joann Fletcher: The Search for Nefertiti and Egypt’s Sun King Amenhotep III
Leonard Cottrell: Life under the Pharaohs and Land of the Pharaohs
Reader’s Digest: Life in Ancient Egypt
ANCIENT HISTORICAL FICTION
Eloise Jarvis McGraw: Mara, Daughter of the Nile