Spotlight: Annabeth Neverending by Leyla Kader Dahm- Guest Post & Giveaway

Hi lovely followers!

On the blog today I have the pleasure of showcasing Annabeth Neverending by Leyla Kader Dahm. I'm looking to reading and review Annabeth Neverending in the coming weeks and with this YA novel featuring ancient Egypt, something I adore, I'm excited to have Leyla Kader Dahm guest post for you guys today. I also have a PAPERBACK copy of Annabeth Neverending to give away to one lucky international follower :)

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At first, teenager Annabeth Prescott thinks she’s found quite a deal when she talks down the price of an ankh pendant she discovers at a flea market. She soon wonders if the bauble is more than she's bargained for when she faints and glimpses images from a past life in ancient Egypt.

The discovery coincides with another new find: Gabriel, a handsome young man who takes an interest in her. When she meets his twin brother C. J. at a Halloween party, she realizes they look exactly like two boys who figure prominently into her memories.

Does C. J. share the heroic qualities held by his past incarnation Sethe, her bodyguard when she was Princess Ana? Does Gabriel possess the same evil powers he wielded as Kha, the black sorcerer who sought her affection?

Love meets the supernatural in this gripping young adult paranormal romance. Readers with an interest in reincarnation, as well as ancient Egypt, will be drawn to its mystical mixture of history and hesitation as Annabeth sways between the two brothers.

Will her reincarnated soulmate win out? Or will Kha finally find the way to her heart?

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ANNABETH NEVERENDING AND 

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HAIR AND MAKEUP

By Leyla Kader Dahm

In my book, Annabeth Neverending, Annabeth Prescott discovers that she’s a reincarnated ancient Egyptian princess. Annabeth takes makeup, its ease of application, and the antiseptic nature of its ingredients for granted before her epiphany. But she soon learns that in ancient Egypt, looking presentable to the opposite sex (as well as the gods) was a dicey proposition. Back then, you couldn’t just pop into the corner drugstore and pick up some Cover Girl. Beautification was much more complicated.

In ancient Egypt, both men and women wore makeup. But it wasn’t just for superficial purposes, even though it looked amazing. That distinctive winged black eyeliner helped ancient Egyptians deflect sunlight in the same way that football players wear black grease paint under their eyes to keep from being blinded while on the field. Eye shadow had medicinal purposes, and helped prevent/cure eye inflammations and ingrown eyelashes (gross). Blush, infused with honey and salt, helped to both disguise and heal sunburns. 

Makeup also assisted in shielding the body from the elements. The air was exceedingly hot, and rubbing oil and other lubricant ointments into the skin provided a literal layer of protection. Who knew that ancient Egyptian makeup wasn’t just beautiful, but practical? It was serious business, and makeup application was a specialized skill. There weren’t YouTube tutorials to help you achieve just the right eyeliner swoop. The rich would routinely hire makeup artists—actually, that’s one thing that has carried over!

Makeup was made of everything from black kohl and green malachite for the eyes to crushed beetles for the cheeks and lips. These powders were mixed with water and applied in paste form. Goose fat was a necessary binder to help the makeup stick to the skin. And that must’ve smelled delightful when sitting out in the desert sun. Let’s not even get into the alligator dung mascara. And of course, makeup could be removed with moisturizing creams made of whipped ostrich eggs and bile. The MAC counter is sounding especially good right now.

Hair was also a major consideration. Depending on the era, clean-shaven heads were all the rage, while at other points longer hair was preferred for men and women alike. For special occasions, the rich wore waxed and perfumed wigs made of natural human hair, while the poor had to resort to vegetable fiber extensions as a substitute. Gray hair was dealt with by using henna dye, though the more desperate tried casting spells on their heads with the aid of ox blood and putrid monkey liver to make the gray flee (I should try this, it sounds cheaper than a salon).

Sadly, the pressure to look good didn’t stop when you died. The dead had to look their best when being presented to the gods in the afterlife. Makeup containers, palettes and wigs have been found in tombs so the deceased ancient Egyptians could achieve that relentless aim. The power of a good makeover has always seemed magical to me, but the ancient Egyptians took it to new heights! If Annabeth Prescott were real, I imagine she’d be just as relieved as I am that we live in the present day. It’s a much better time if you’re a low-maintenance kind of girl.

Eeep! It'd take something fierce to ever get me to put blood and monkey liver in my hair. I'm seriously thinking we have it good in modern times! Don't you agree?
 

American Leyla Kader Dahm popped popcorn and dreamt of a career in show business while working in a movie theater during high school. The small-town Midwestern girl opted for the practical route and studied communications at Carroll College and Cornell University. But her life changed course dramatically when a temp agency placed her in a production and development gig at Miramax/Dimension Films.

Dahm went on to work as a script consultant for numerous production companies. She appeared in the acclaimed spoken word show Sit ‘N Spin and had her comedy feature spec, Due North, optioned by Michael Levy Enterprises. She sold her pitch, Survival Instinct, to Nickelodeon Original Movies.

Dahm lives with her husband and children in Los Angeles, where she focuses on writing quality material for families and young adults.

Visit Leyla:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway I'd like to say a big thank you to author Leyla Kader Dahm for sharing such an insightful guest post with us today and for so generously offering up a copy of her book. Annabeth Neverending sounds like a promising story and I urge you all to check it out!