Character Guest Post: Rosa from Cheryl Carpinello's SONS OF THE SPHINX (Ancient Tales & Legends Series Book 2) @ccarpinello #characters #characterguestpost

Have we got a treat for you! Today's guest is Rosa. Haven't heard of her? Shame on you! She's inside the pages of Cheryl Carpinello's SONS OF THE SPHINX (Ancient Tales & Legends Series Book 2). Take it away, Rosa!

My bookshelf reveals a lot about me.

There’s my marked-up copy of The Once and Future King. Read that in Freshman English last year. Loved it. I could see myself learning all that neat stuff from the animals, only I don’t know a wizard who could turn me into different animals. In fact, I don’t even know a wizard.

My favorite horse series The Black Stallion is there. For weeks after reading the first book, I was that boy Alex, except my name was Alexandria. Every day I fed, watered, brushed, and exercised The Black. He was my horse.

My grandma called me a dreamer. I’m like that, I guess. Always dreaming of being someone else whose life sounds better than mine: Alexrandria with my own stallion, the Wart—King Arthur as a boy—who Merlyn teaches by turning into different animals. Beats sitting in a school desk nine months of the year.

My latest dream was inspired by the King Tut exhibit. Here’s a nine-year-old boy who ruled all of Egypt over thirty-five thousand years ago. It wasn’t until 1922, that his hidden burial site was discovered by that man Carter. But I don’t dream of Tut. No. My dream is of his wife, the mysterious and beautiful Ankhesenamun.

I’ve never really embraced the idea that my dreaming makes me different from others. When you’re fifteen and a sophomore in high school, the last thing you want to be is different.

Unfortunately, I’m frequently reminded of my differences.

Just a month ago, I was walking home from the swimming pool—about three blocks from my home—when I hear this boy calling my name.

Geez, I look all over the place. I mean here I am walking down the street with my green towel wrapped about me. My sun-streaked blond hair is pulled back into a wet glob. And this sexy male voice calling my name.

Really? Really? I look like crap, and some boy I don’t know, who sounds cute, is calling me by name!

What the heck? I stop and look all around, twice! I see no one. Then I hear him again.

“Roosa”

Without thinking I blurt out, “It’s Rosa, not Roosa!”

Then I just take off and sprint the rest of the way home.

Holy crap! It’s happening again!

Cheryl Carpinello taught high school English for 25 years. During that time, she worked with numerous students who didn’t like to read for a variety of reasons. However, she discovered that even the most reluctant readers became engaged in the classroom and in reading when she introduced units on King Arthur and the works of ancient world writers. Upon retiring, she set out to write fast-paced, action-filled stories in these setting to encourage young readers to read more. When not writing, you can find her reading, spending time with family, and traveling.

“In 2008, my husband and I spent three weeks traveling around Egypt via train and visiting all those magnificent archeological sites. Since we returned home, Egypt has never been far from my thoughts. I truly believe that I left part of my soul in that ancient land. To satisfy my longing to return, I wrote Sons of the Sphinx and Tutankhamen Speaks.” Visit her on Twitter and Facebook.

A grandmother’s gift usually bring happiness. Rosa’s gift: a very different story. Hearing the dead alienated her from classmates. Not good for a 15-year-old.

Many times very insistent, the dead cared little for her surroundings. They even bothered her in class. Dates? Forget that.

Then one day, he shows up in her room. An old dead guy. A really old famous dead guy. In living human form!

Thrilling story of battling good and evil in an ancient world.