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May 31st 2024
Pic&Quote 6
#AncientOlympicBoy #Paris2024 #TheConnectionTrilogy
From The Boy in Two Minds 432 BCE, Chapter 11
< So this was the Painted Arcade. This was where the best artists were asked by the City to paint its history. Themis walked over the bridge in a dream.
Panainos came back to take his arm. ‘Come on, fish face. Close your mouth and come and see something wonderful.’ >
Photo 2024
The remains of what may have been the Painted Arcade in the ancient Athenian Agora/market place. Now, Metro Line 1, the Green line, runs through the ruins.
Not quite so 'wonderful' nowadays!
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June 4th 2024
Pic&Quote 7
#AncientOlympicBoy #Paris2024 #TheConnectionTrilogy
From The Boy in Two Minds 432 BCE, Chapter 12
< Looking along the bridge, Themis saw Straton and his brothers walking towards him.
Efsevios leaned towards Themis' ear. 'Drawing insulting
pictures can get you into a lot of trouble,' he whispered.
'Only if they lie,' said Themis with a grin, stepping back.
'Don't go out alone,' threatened Straton as they turned away. >
Photo 2012
Four figures advance onto the pedestrian crossing at The Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Greece in 2012, exactly where the bridge was in the extract above.
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June 7th 2024
Pic&Quote 8
#AncientOlympicBoy #Paris2024 #TheConnectionTrilogy
From The Boy in Two Minds 432 BCE, Chapter 13
< In his dream, Themistokles felt himself picked up as the god leaned forward and he was lifted down and down, past the knee, the sandals, the lion footstool, and at last laid gently on the ground. ‘Come again when you are ready,’ said the voice from far above. >
Photo 2012
An artist's impression in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, of the 12 metre high statue of Zeus built by sculptor and architect Phidias (with the help of an army others, perhaps like my Themistokles). The ivory and gold statue stood - or rather, sat! - in the god's temple (completed around twenty years earlier) for hundreds of years. It became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
I know of no account of the statue's actual creation, so I made it important that it was finished in time for the 87th Games in 432 BCE.
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June 7th 2024
Pic&Quote 9
#AncientOlympicBoy #Paris2024 #TheConnectionTrilogy
From The Boy in Two Minds 432 BCE, Chapter 17
On board “The Pelican”. Themis' uncle Panainos is seasick.
< ‘Of course, everyone in the Peloponnese will be on the lookout for spies ... ’ Then Panainos groaned and sighed as the ship picked up speed. ‘Ergh … Go away, Themis, and let me die in peace.’ >
Photo 2018
A model of an ancient trading vessel with one mast and a square sail similar to The Pelican, in The Archaeological Museum, Thessaloniki.
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June 7th 2024
Pic&Quote 10
#AncientOlympicBoy #Paris2024 #TheConnectionTrilogy
From The Boy in Two Minds 432 BCE, Chapter 18
On board “The Pelican”
< The black clouds had strung out from the land in a long line, pushed towards them by the northwest wind. Under them, the waves were flattened by curtains of leaden rain.
‘We might just make it!’ shouted the captain. ‘Hold on and pray!’ >
Photo 2019, off the Peloponnese.
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The next five Pic&Quotes in the series will appear in my next blog post.
I thought you might also like to see a couple of the reviews of The Boy in Two Minds first edition (2012).
They highlight the relevance of the story to the Paris Olympics 2024:
"This is a story on different levels, from different points of view. It brings ancient Greece to life, especially the OLYMPIC TRAINING [my caps] before the competition." (S K Bracher on Amazon)
"A very clever concept for time travel: the mind of a 21st century girl in the body of a young Greek athlete!” (Caroline Lawrence, author of the million-copy-selling The Roman Mysteries)
Thanks for reading this far, and please let me know whether you are enjoying my Pic&Quotes ...
All photographs ©Julia M Newsome unless otherwise credited.
Birkby Books
The Connection Trilogy by J M Newsome:
1. The Boy in Two Minds 9781838413606
(first edition was The Boy with Two Heads, 2012, Trifolium Books, now out of print)
2. The Girl in Two Worlds 9781838413620
3. An Ancient Connection 9781838413644
