Lighting the tombs

A photo of the Tombs of the Nobles, Luxor, Egypt.

Tombs of the Nobles. West Bank, Luxor, Egypt. Jan 2020.

One of the things that has always fascinated me during my visits to Egypt is the astonishing wall reliefs in the underground and rock cut tombs. These days, they are lit with the help of electric bulbs. But surely in ancient times these subterranean sepulchres were DARK !

But of course I should have realised this would present no difficulty whatsoever for the enterprising ancient Egyptians. Let’s face it, they thought nothing of hauling enormous blocks of granite from one end of the country to the other, building gigantic pyramids that are still standing four-and-a-half thousand years later, and mummifying their dead to preserve them, quite literally, forever.

Even so, to carve and paint chambers hundreds of metres underground ? How did they do it ? Well, here’s how …

Here is a short video clip showing yours truly with wonderful Waleed Mostafa, guide on my most recent trip to Egypt. We’re in the tomb of Rekhmire, one of the Tombs of the Nobles.

Sadly, my modern video camera does rather too good of brightening the darkness to really give a good impression of how the ancients turned night to day underground. But hopefully you get the basic idea !

If you’ve been to Egypt, you’ll know how blinding the sunlight is. Apparently the kohl the ancient Egyptians wore around their eyes wasn’t just cosmetic. It was an ancient form of sunglasses to reduce the fierce glare of the sun !

Fiona Deal, Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt, all available on Amazon. To join Merry on her adventures please click on each picture for the link.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Carter's Conundrums

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Carter’s Conundrums. Book 1 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Tutankhamun’s Triumph.

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Tutankhamun’s Triumph. Book 2 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Hatshepsut’s Hideaway.

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Hatshepsut’s Hideaway. Book 3 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Farouk’s Fancies.

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Farouk’s Fancies. Book 4 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Akhenaten’s Alibi.

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Akhenaten’s Alibi. Book 5 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Seti’s Secret.

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Seti’s Secret. Book 6 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Belzoni’s Bequest.

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Belzoni’s Bequest. Book 7 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Nefertari’s Narrative.

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Nefertari’s Narrative. Book 8 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

An image of the cover of the Fiona Deal book, Ramses’ Riches.

The cover of the Fiona Deal book, Ramses’ Riches. Book 9 in the series, Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt.

Restoring Luxor Temple

Pylon of Luxor Temple Photo taken in 2004

I’ve been travelling to Egypt since I was sixteen. I’ve witnessed it change through the years. It’s wonderful to see the conservation, preservation and, in some cases, restoration of Egypt’s ancient monuments.

An example is Luxor Temple, set right in the heart of modern-day Luxor on the Corniche, the boulevard that borders the east bank of the Nile, with hotels strewn along its length.

Luxor Temple dates from circa 1400BC, a New Kingdom temple built under pharaohs such as Amenhotep III and Tutankhamun of the 18th Dynasty, and Ramses II of the 19th Dynasty. Unlike the other temples in Thebes, Luxor temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of the pharaoh in death. Instead, Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship. It may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned.

On my first few trips to Egypt the immense pylon (gateway / entranceway) to the massive temple boasted two enormous seated colossi of Ramses II and a single obelisk. This was originally one of a pair. Its twin stands in Paris at Le Place de la Concorde.

There used to be a shattered colossus of a once-standing Ramses II lying on the western side of the temple. And also a famous head-and-shoulders bust of this same king, set on a plinth on the eastern side of the entrance.

Head of Ramses II

I imagine tourists the world over who’ve visited the temple must have their own version of this photograph taken of me back in 2004.

So it was rather wonderful to visit in late 2018 (after a gap of almost 5 years) and see the incredible changes that had taken place.

Here is the pylon of Luxor Temple as it looks now.

Two standing statues have been reconstructed, one on either side of the seated colossus.

A fabulous feat of modern engineering to bring this fallen giant back from ruin.

And imagine my surprise when I switched on the TV one Sunday evening a couple of weeks ago and saw a Channel 4 documentary which featured the restoration work to raise the fallen statue. Here is Mahmoud Farouk, who leads the restoration team based in Luxor on photos I took of the television while the documentary was playing. I even managed a tiny bit of video!

Now, I’m lucky enough to have met Mahmoud. When I was last in Egypt over Christmas and New Year 2019-20, my guide introduced me to him, and I was very privileged to have him show me around a part of Karnak Temple usually closed to the public. That’s one of the privileges of being able to tell people I write books set in Egypt ! Here we are together at Karnak.

It really is wonderful to see the work that he and his team are doing to clean and preserve the ancient monuments.

Fiona Deal, Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt, all available on Amazon. To join Merry on her adventures please click on each picture for the link.

Carter’s Conundrums

Carter’s Conundrums is the first book in my fictional series following Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt. It’s available to download at the special promotional price of £0.99/ $1.50 here.

The books are present-day adventure stories. Meredith (Merry) is a thoroughly modern heroine who gets caught up in ancient Egyptian mysteries. No time travel, but in Carter’s Conundrums she embarks on a treasure hunt.

When English tourist Meredith Pink finds herself locked inadvertently in the Howard Carter museum in Luxor for the night, she has no idea about the thrilling Egyptian adventure she’s about to embark on. The museum was once Howard Carter’s home, where he lived during the historic years of his discovery and clearance of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Attempting to break free, Merry accidentally smashes the frame surrounding an original Carter watercolour of an elusive Egyptian queen. The discovery inside of a hidden message from Howard Carter himself, together with a set of mysterious hieroglyphics, sets her off on a quest to solve the puzzle of a lifetime.

Along the way she teams up with the dashing Adam Tennyson, a self-proclaimed “thwarted” Egyptologist. Together they set about unriddling the ancient texts, and find themselves on a madcap treasure hunt around some of Egypt’s most thrilling locations.

An exciting blend of adventure, mystery and romance, Carter’s Conundrums will demand all of Merry’s imagination and love of the fabled ancient land of the pharaohs to keep her on the trail, and out of trouble.

Read the reviews here.

Fiona Deal, Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt, all available on Amazon. To join Merry on her adventures please click on each picture for the link.

The Jolie Ville hotel, Luxor (setting for 3 of my books)

The Jolie Ville hotel is a perfect place to unwind and relax. It’s set on its own island in the Nile – King’s Island – a ten minute drive from central Luxor. Currently ranked 9th of 63 hotels in Luxor on TripAdvisor.

Sadly right now it’s off limits and unable to welcome holidaymakers drawn by its fabulous botanical-like gardens, vast swimming pools and dreamy view of the Nile. So while the Coronavirus lockdown is in place in so much of the world, those of you who, like me, love to travel in your imagination, might like a little look at where my central character Meredith Pink was staying when she embarked on her adventures in Egypt.

The Jolie Ville hotel really is the most magical place to stay. These photographs bring it all flooding back, and remind me to book to go back just as soon as I possibly can.

Merry is on a “time out” holiday after taking voluntary redundancy from her job when she stays there. She couldn’t have imagined the thrilling escapades she was about to embark upon, unlocking mysteries from ancient Egypt.

Here are links (just click the picture) to the first three books, all based at this wonderful hotel – although Merry’s adventures take her all over Egypt.

Another Merry Adventure

There’s nothing quite like a new Amazon review to help one get the writing mojo back:
L. Sheppard reviewed Carter’s Conundrums – Book 1 of Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt: a mystery of modern and ancient Egypt

Provocative
Fiona, I was captivated, romanticised, inspired, thrilled and enlightened by the first instalment of Meredith Pink’s adventures. I read it during the first week of the UK’s coronavirus lockdown and can wholeheartedly say that you’re writing enabled me to disassociate from the stark reality and uncertainties that we as a world are currently facing. For this I am truly grateful – thank you.

So, thank you L. Sheppard, whoever you are. I am now determined to get back into the groove… and if it helps people escape the current awfulness, so much the better…

It’s been almost two years since my last published book – Ramses Riches – in the series following Merry’s adventures in Egypt.

I took on a whole new area of responsibility at work, which meant a very steep learning curve, and also embarked on a new personal relationship. All of which rather shoved Merry into the background.

But she has more adventures in Egypt to share, and I am now ready to get going again…

There are nine books so far in the series following Merry’s adventures along the Nile. I started writing them exactly eight years ago, just after Easter 2012. So it is definitely time to get going again …

If you’re new to the series, here they are. They are all available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle versions.

Ramses’ Riches now published

Please click here to find out more or purchase

book 9 - v3 On a mission to Egypt to retrace the steps of the great explorer Giovanni Belzoni, the next stop is Abu Simbel. But Merry and friends have more reasons for wanting to make the trip down Lake Nasser than just to see The Great Temple of Ramses that Belzoni famously dug from the sand.

First, there’s the golden statuette of Helen of Troy apparently found there. And second, the promise – on very good authority – of a stash of treasure.

Intrigued and mystified – as both are surely impossible – Merry sets sail to find out more.

This is the ninth book in my fiction series following Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt. The books are escapist fiction – adventure stories – set in the present day. All have an ancient Egyptian mystery at their heart.

The first book in the series is Carter’s Conundrums. It starts with Merry, on holiday in Egypt, getting trapped inside the Howard Carter Museum in Luxor, and making a discovery … This sets her off an a treasure hunt, and the adventure of a lifetime.

The books are aimed at adults who enjoy action, mystery and adventure stories. And at anybody with at least a passing interest in ancient Egypt; its mysteries, treasures and enduring civilisation.

All books are available in Kindle and paperback formats on Amazon. I do hope you enjoy them…

Fiona Deal

Nefertari’s Narrative Paperback

BookCoverPreview.do The paperback version of Meredith Pink’s latest adventure in Egypt is now available on Amazon. Nefertari’s Narrative takes Merry on a journey along the Nile where, of course, she gets caught up in another madcap mystery trying to discover what happened to an ancient set of stone tablets which seem to shed light on the origins of the beautiful Queen Nefertari.

As ever, things are not plain sailing for Merry. A series of mishaps leave her wondering if things are quite what they seem, and whether she is the only one hoping to unlock secrets from Egypt’s ancient past.

This version of the paperback has the original style cover. It will be available until end-January 2018 with this cover. I’ll then update it with the new cover design.

I do hope you enjoy this latest Merry adventure. If so please do leave a review on Amazon. I also read and respond to all comments you leave here on my website.

The whole series of Meredith Pink’s adventures in Egypt, starting with Carter’s Conundrums, is available in both ebook and paperback on Amazon.

Belzoni’s Bequest

belzonis-bequest-fiona-deal Here’s the new book cover for my latest novel in the Meredith Pink series, now available on Amazon.

Click here to learn more or to buy now.

Swapping the heat and dust of Egypt for the cooler climes of London, Merry and Adam find themselves caught up in an intrigue involving the Egyptian collection at the exalted British Museum.

First of all, an Egyptologist disappears in the midst of a security evacuation. Then Merry stumbles across a mystery suggesting the circus strongman Giovanni Belzoni and his wife discovered more than just tombs and temples during their excavations in the early 1800s.

A stolen journal, a set of newspaper-wrapped artefacts, and a blast from Adam’s past combine to make this a most perplexing mystery!

I hope you enjoy it. As ever, I welcome feedback and comments. I also read and appreciate all reviews on Amazon.

Fiona Deal, October 2016

Refresh and Relaunch

“Fiona, your books are great fun to read … but your cover designs are doing you no favours.” So I was told recently. “Why don’t you update the jackets so they look like the fictional adventure stories they are? At the moment they look like dull and boring history books!”

I’ve always believed it’s a good thing to respond positively to feedback. So, here are the results. I’ll let you judge for yourselves …

In my first book, Merry gets trapped in the Howard Carter Museum in Luxor, and finds some hidden hieroglyphics. It sets her off on a madcap treasure hunt…

From this … To this …

In Merry’s second adventure, the hieroglyphics have led her to believe there may be precious jewels hidden in Egypt … If only she can find them before anyone else does …

From this … To this …

In book 3, Merry has found the precious jewels … but can she protect them …?

From this … To this …

Her fourth adventure finds Merry racing to find a Dead Sea Scroll, perhaps hidden by King Farouk before it can fall into the wrong hands …

From this … To this …

In book 5, Merry is trying to stay one step ahead of a blackmailer intent on exposing her explosive secrets …

From this … To this …

And her most recent adventure finds Merry on a quest to discover the inside track on “The Greatest Story Ever Told” – The Exodus …

From this … To this …

Hmm, I can completely see where the person was coming from …

Personally, I love them. I hope you do, too.

Fiona Deal

Carter’s Conundrums

Carter’s Conundrums is the first book in my fictional series following Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt. It’s available to download at the special promotional price of £0.99/ $1.50 here.

Read the reviews here.

Fiona Deal – author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt

Levison Wood. Walking the Nile

Photo Credit : Channel 4

Last night I watched the last episode of Channel 4’s documentary ‘Walking the Nile’. This four-part series followed former soldier Levison Wood as he set out to walk along the longest river on earth, from its source in deepest Africa, to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt. That’s 7 million steps and nine months of solid walking!

This was an impressive undertaking, given the heat, the distance and the painful foot blisters (shown in all their graphic glory!).

I found myself unexpectedly moved when Mr Wood – or ‘Lev’ as he introduced himself – reached the end of his epic journey and dived into the sea before an emotional reunion with his family.

I’ll be honest and say I haven’t watched all four episodes although I’ve seen bits of the previous ones, showing Levison travelling through Ethiopia and Sudan. It was the final leg of his journey – through Egypt – that I wanted to see. I’d hoped this might show Egypt in a light that would encourage tourists to return. In this wish, I was disappointed.

I’m sure much of the challenge for Levison Wood was to be seen to walk through parts of the world that might be described as ‘trouble spots’. He’s a battle-hardened man, who’s made a name for himself trekking across war zones. But, to me, it was disappointing to see Egypt given this treatment.

I’m not so naive as to think everything in the garden is rosy in Egypt. The News reports over the weekend of clashes in Cairo marking the 4-year anniversary of the Revolution to topple Hosni Mubarak – which have left 18 people dead – are testament enough to the on-going political unrest. But I thought the Walking the Nile documentary was overly skewed towards portraying a country apparently rife with gun smugglers, where the atmosphere is one of tension and mistrust of foreigners.

In my 11 visits to Egypt (including trips in each of the last four years 2011-14), I have never experienced this sense of unease at all. Admittedly, I have been a visitor to Luxor, not to any of the towns previously strongholds for the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Even so, I thought Egypt was misrepresented in last night’s programme.

Levison Wood paused briefly to enjoy the hospitality of the famous Old Cataract hotel in Aswan. Previously host to Sir Winston Churchill and Agatha Christie, the hotel was conspicuously devoid of guests. He also made short stops at some of the temples along Lake Nasser (although we weren’t shown him visiting Abu Simbel, despite the promise of the opening titles) and in Luxor. But the jaw-dropping history and archaeological sites of Egypt were given scant air time, brushed over in favour of scenes of Mr Wood being followed by the police. In this, too, I felt the Egyptian authorities were done a disservice. It seemed clear to me the police officers concerned were good natured and concerned for Mr Wood’s safety whilst in their country, nothing more sinister than that.

I’m not sure what it will take for tourists to venture back to Egypt. To be fair, the purpose of Channel 4’s documentary was not to be a travelogue. Nevertheless I thought it a shame that such a spectacular country, one with so much to offer its visitors, was represented as a war zone.

I applaud Levison Wood for his courageous journey. What a remarkable achievement. Nevertheless, I hope I will be believed when I say Egypt remains a fabulous destination for a holiday. I hope to go again during 2015, and make it a fifth consecutive year for a visit. True, I may not have Cairo on my itinerary – and I will certainly avoid the Sinai Peninsula. But Luxor is a treasure not to be missed. I hope even Levison Wood would agree with that !

Fiona Deal

Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt – a series of mystery/adventure novels set in Luxor. Available on Amazon.

Tutankhamun’s Death Mask damaged

It just goes to show … fact can sometimes be stranger than fiction ! Yesterday, 22 January 2015, the story hit the world’s headlines that the famous death mask of Tutankhamun, on display at the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Cairo, was allegedly damaged last year. The blue plaited beard was apparently knocked off. A botched repair job appears to have been undertaken to glue it back on with epoxy, leaving a discernible line of glue. To make matters worse, it’s reported that attempts to scratch off the visible glue inflicted more damage. There are conflicting reports about whether the damage was purely accidental, or whether the – detachable – beard was knocked off during cleaning.

A committee has now been set up to investigate exactly what happened.

Whatever the truth or real circumstances of what happened, this story raises all sorts of questions about the protection, care and preservation of Egypt’s ancient artefacts in the years since the revolution that removed Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

My series of novels following Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt has many scenes set at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. A couple of my key fictional characters work there. I suspect had I included something like accidental damage to Tutankhamun’s death mask as part of one of my stories, I’d have been told it was too far-fetched and could never happen. These reports just go to show that truth really can be stranger than fiction !

We can only hope the investigation will get to the bottom of what really happened, and lessons will be learnt.

Fiona Deal

Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt – available on Amazon.

Causeway of the Great Pyramid Found

Photo Credit : Ahram.org

Reading ‘Ancient Origins’ online, I see a report that after years of searching, the causeway for the Great Pyramid of Egypt has been found.

As is often the case, the facts read like something from a novel: a local resident living near the Giza Plateau was illegally digging beneath his home when he discovered a tunnel leading to the Pyramid of Khufu, the largest of the three pyramids in Giza.

Apparently a resident in the village of El Haraneya in Giza, a prohibited area for drilling, began digging beneath his house to a depth of about 10 meters. He discovered a passage consisting of huge stone blocks.

reconstruction-of-the-pyramids-of-Giza-causeways

Artists impression showing pyramid causeways. Credit: Saint Anselm College

The Minister of Police for Tourism and Antiquities was alerted to the discovery (it’s not clear whether this was by the resident himself). Whatever, security forces immediately placed a cordon around his property. An archaeologist was placed in charge of a committee to investigate. The committee’s report confirms the finding of the corridor leading to the Great Pyramid, the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in Giza. It’s thought these causeways were covered corridors or passages linking each pyramid to its temple complex or maybe with the Nile.

How exciting! I love it when new discoveries are made in Egypt. As a writer of fiction, it’s a never-ending source of inspiration.

What became of the resident beneath whose home the causeway was found is not clear. Perhaps I can somehow weave him into a story !

Fiona Deal

Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt

My top 10 historical sites in Egypt

I’ve visited Egypt 11 times in total, since falling in love with it on my first visit with my parents in 1983. Now I write a fictional adventure / mystery series set there : Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt. There are six books in the series so far. Each is a modern adventure with an ancient Egyptian mystery at its heart.

As a frequent visitor to Egypt, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of my favourite places to visit. This list is my personal top 10, so feel free to disagree with me. I think I’ll do it as a countdown …

So, in at number 10. The stepped pyramid at Sakkara (or Saqqara as it’s sometimes spelled). My lead characters Merry and Adam take a trip to see the stepped pyramid in my first book Carter’s Conundrums. II was last at Sakkara in 2008.

At number 9, the Temple of Edfu, probably the best preserved of all the ancient Egyptian temples. It dates from the Graeco-Roman period, and is included on any Nile cruise itinerary. It’s the location of a scene in Hatshepsut’s Hideaway, the third book in my series.

Here I am outside the main pylon – March 2008.

At number 8, the Temple of Philae, near Aswan. It’s a lovely temple, also dating from the Graeco-Roman period, and dedicated to the goddess Isis. It was rescued by UNESCO as after the British dam was built in the early twentieth century it spent half the year under water. UNESCO moved it piece by piece to the nearby island of Agilika. Not yet used as a location in my books. Here I am in January 2012.

Number 7 is the pyramid and sphinx (not sure if it’s cheating to put them together) on the Giza plateau in Cairo. The pyramids tower over the surrounding suburbia. Merry sits near the swimming pool in Le Meridien hotel, gazing in awe at the pyramids in my second book Tutankhamun’s Triumph.

At number 6, I’ll go for the Temple of Medinet Habu, built by Ramses III and located on the West Bank at Luxor. It’s not always included in the touring itineraries, but well worth an independent visit. The original colours are beautifully preserved.

Not yet used as a location in my books.

At number 5, The Valley of the Kings. A barren, desolate and rather forbidding place … once stuffed with enough gold to sink a battle ship, buried in the tombs of the dead pharaohs. It’s forbidden to take photographs nowadays – so here’s one of me taken back in 2004. The Valley of the Kings features prominently in all of my novels.

Number 4, the wonderful Winter Palace hotel. I was lucky enough to stay here for New Year in 2008-9; the best New Year’s Eve ever! Frequented by both Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon in the years leading up to the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun.

Once used literally as a palace for King Fuad and King Farouk I used it as a location in both Carter’s Conundrums and Farouk’s Fancies.

So, to my personal top 3.

At number 3 I think it has to be Hatshepsut’s Temple on the West Bank in Luxor. It features prominently in all six books. Set dramatically against the craggy cliff face at Deir el Bahri, and backed by the Valley of the Kings, it’s rich with dramatic potential.

At number 2, the complex of temples that make up Karnak. The Hypostyle Hall takes my breath away every time I go there. The temple is the largest religious structure ever built. Words are inadequate to the task of describing it. As yet, I’ve perhaps not made as much of its dramatic potential as I could. Merry and Adam go there to look at the obelisks in Carter’s Conundrums.

So, we’ve arrived at number 1. Personally, for sheer egotistical magnificence, I don’t think you can beat the temples of Abu Simbel, built by Ramses II. Yes, I’m cheating again. There are actually two temples… one for Ramses himself, and a smaller one for his great royal wife Nefertari. I walked around the latter with a lump in my throat – it’s exquisite. They’re also a marvel of modern engineering, raised to higher ground by UNESCO to escape the rising waters of Lake Nasser.

So, there you have it. My personal top 10. I’ve not mentioned Luxor Temple, the Ramesseum, Denderah, Abydos – all equally awe-inspiring. … Great! Another reason to go back and loads more opportunities for book settings ! I guess maybe I should have done a top 20!

Fiona Deal

Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt, available to download or in paperback on Amazon.

Is it always hot in Egypt…?

Sitting at home in the UK in January (blue sky but only 4 degrees C outside) it’s easy to dream about Egypt as somewhere always hot. Not so. Sunny, yes. But not necessarily warm. My friends in Luxor are complaining about the cold on their Facebook posts at the moment.

On a Nile cruise in January 2012 it was so chilly I was forced to use the hairdryer as a fan heater – hooking it over the bathroom door so it would warm up the cabin.

Philae Temple – January 2012

Here I am dressed in my woollens to stave off the chill …

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Photo: Ahmed Sayed Ahmed

This was the Sinai Peninsular near St Catherines a couple of days ago…

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Photo : Jaime Clark-Soles

And this picture was taken last week in Israel …

So, sitting in the UK in midwinter dreaming of warmer climes is all very well. But warmth is not guaranteed, even in Egypt ! So, maybe just for January, I’ll stick to going there in my imagination.

Fiona Deal

Author of Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt

Fiona Deal

Author of series “Meredith Pink’s Adventures in Egypt”Ancient Egyptian mysteries wrapped up in modern Egyptian adventures. Escapist fiction centred on Ancient Egypt.

Tag Archives: egypt

Lighting the tombs

Restoring Luxor Temple

Carter’s Conundrums

The Jolie Ville hotel, Luxor (setting for 3 of my books)

Another Merry Adventure

Ramses’ Riches now published

Nefertari’s Narrative Paperback

Belzoni’s Bequest

Refresh and Relaunch

Carter’s Conundrums

Levison Wood. Walking the Nile

Tutankhamun’s Death Mask damaged

Causeway of the Great Pyramid Found

My top 10 historical sites in Egypt

Is it always hot in Egypt…?