Hannah Lokos
In my series The Write Path, my guests talk to me about their books. Today I welcome author Hannah Lokos, who will be discussing Labyrinth of Lies with me.
Let me hand over my mic. The next voice you’ll hear will be Hannah’s.
1. What is your book about?
Many are familiar with the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. I was no exception. When I was very young, I first heard the story of two kings who went to war, good King Aegeus of Athens and mean King Minos of Crete. As the story goes, King Aegeus lost, so as part of a “peace” treaty, King Minos forced him to annually send 14 young Athenians to Crete to be fed to the Minotaur, a terrible half-man/half-bull beast that dwelt in a labyrinth. This went on for years until Theseus, the young son of King Aegeus, decided that enough was enough. He jumped on a black ship with black sails, went to Crete, killed the Minotaur, and ended the peace treaty to protect his people.
It’s not a particularly scintillating tale and, for a long while, I didn’t really give it a second thought. However, when I reached high school, I discovered something. While doing an art history project, I discovered that certain historians believe Theseus was a real person. This caught my attention, so I delved a little deeper and found that evidence suggests that King Aegeus was real as well (the Aegean Sea was named after him). Stranger still, the palace of Minos at Knossos still stands, and you can actually still take tours of it today. All of this was crazy, but there was more. I then learned that in the ruins at Knossos there stands a structure that resembles a labyrinth. “What the heck?” I thought. “If Theseus was real, and King Aegeus and King Minos were real, and there really was a labyrinth, then what could possibly have been going on? The Minotaur could not possibly exist—you can’t actually have a half-man/half-bull beast. It isn’t possible. So why the maze, then? Why build a labyrinth and sacrifice fourteen innocent kids for a monster that doesn’t even exist? Was it a cover-up? A secret? But what secret could be worth covering with blood?”
And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how my story was born. It is the backstory behind a classic Greek myth, and while it is based on some actual historical evidence, it is packed with some twists I can nearly guarantee you never saw coming. And…there might also be a romance…
2. What do you think attracts readers to your main characters?
Theseus, my main character, is the young and privileged prince of Athens. However, despite his external appearance of strength and power, Theseus is, to a large degree, insecure. He has never been given the chance to prove himself, and he secretly feels powerless and even afraid. I think, in a lot of ways, he is relatable. Many of us, at points throughout our lives, wear a “mask” of sorts. We have to act like we have it all figured out, even when we are really just confused. No matter how young or old we are, we ALWAYS have questions without answers; we never know what’s lurking around the next corner. Yet, just like Theseus, we all have a choice to make, an opportunity to set aside the fears and insecurities, decide what is important, and run toward it with all the strength we’ve got. Also, young though he is, Theseus loves Zosemine with all of his heart and will stop at nothing to protect her, a factor which, I believe, endears him to many.
3. What message do you hope the reader takes away from your book?
When I first set out to write Labyrinth of Lies, I did set out with a message in mind, but as I wrote, a couple of minor themes took shape as well. Life matters—this was a significant part of my plot from the very beginning. It was always the impetus, the driving force, behind the plot. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but Theseus follows Zosemine to Crete because he loves her, but the reason Zosemine goes to Crete is because she values the lives of her fellow Athenians, whether rich or poor, and cannot bear to think of them perishing in her place.
Another theme, one that developed as I went along, was that you don’t have to be old to do great things. Theseus is only about twenty when he sets off to slay the Minotaur, thereby doing what even his father, the king, would not dare to attempt. You don’t have to be “grown up” to make a difference or to do something remarkable, and you certainly don’t have to have all the answers. When I first began writing Labyrinth of Lies, I was only 17. I definitely didn’t have all the answers (and I still don’t), but I did know that I really wanted to write. It was important to me, so I did it. Zosemine was important to Theseus, so he risked everything for her. You don’t have to be old to do great things, and you don’t have to know all the answers, but you do have to decide what matters and commit to see it through to the end.
4. What do you think was it about your book that attracted your publisher?
I think my book fits a very unusual niche. In one of the rejection letters I received, an acquisitions editor cited the historical nature of my book as the main reason for its rejection. Historical fiction is a genre that often appeals mainly to adults. However, there is virtually no adult content in my book—no steamy scenes, foul language, etc. When I wrote Labyrinth of Lies, I wanted to write a book that would appeal to adults, a book that possessed structural and literary integrity as well as colorful characters and a captivating plot. However, I also wanted to write a book that could be read and enjoyed by young adults as well (besides, I was only a teenager when I wrote the first draft!). I think some editors found this a shade confusing.
Yet, my book has been read and enjoyed by both adults as well as a younger audience, so I think my original intent has been successful.
5. Comparing the ideas you had before writing the book with the finished product, would you change anything if you could travel back in time?
Hehehe, I wish I could travel back in time! I would get so much more homework done!!
On a slightly more serious note, I think I would make some adjustments to the timing. When I initially wrote Labyrinth of Lies, one of my goals was to not have a slow beginning. I had a lot of background to cover, especially the relationship between Theseus and Zosemine, and I didn’t want readers to get bored before I got to the action. So I sped through the background info and setting pretty quickly. However, if I had it all to do again, I would probably spend a little more time on setting up their relationship, because it would have lent even more significance to the rest of the plot.
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