RELEASE BLITZ
Book Title: Meduso: A Greek
Mythology Gay Retelling
Author: B.J.
Irons
Publisher/Cover Artist:
Spectrum Books
Release Date: February 19,
2022
Genre: Fantasy M/M
Romance – Greek Mythology
Tropes: Forbidden
love
Themes: Coming of Age,
Innocence, Betrayal, Tragedy
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 75 000 words/270
pages
It is book 1 of 9 in the
Mythologay Series
Warning: The
book has a sad ending.
Goodreads
Buy Links – Available in Kindle
Unlimited
Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Greek Mythology with a Gay
Twist
Blurb
Venomous snakes for hair.
A glare that will cast people to stone.
Beheaded by the tragic Greek hero,
Perseus.
It’s a safe assumption that we all know the basic facts
about one of Greek Mythology’s most famous monsters, Medusa; the beautiful maiden
cursed and turned into a Gorgon. Her tragic story and death at the hands of the hero,
Perseus, has been told countless times for thousands of years.
But the thing with Greek Mythology is just that. They are
myths. Narrated, fictional legends as old as time that have been passed down from
generation to generation. Time has a way of changing the original tale. So, how can we be
sure that the myths we think we know are the real story?
What if important aspects of these myths have been
altered? What if the monster wasn’t really a monster at all? What if Medusa wasn’t actually
Medusa? What if her name was Meduso? And what if she wasn’t a her, but a him? This is
the tale of Meduso and his death at the hands of the hero Perseus’ sword. It is a tale of
innocence, love, betrayal, and tragedy.
Excerpt
Stheno and I continued to descend the mountain until we
passed the precipice. The slope flattened, leading to a narrow trail. We followed this trail
until we were able to see a bare hole right in the middle of the mountain. Stheno led the
way inside, grabbing a lit torch at the entrance, carrying it with her as we explored deeper
into the cave.
It felt like a never-ending tunnel. We continued to walk for
several minutes until we finally reached a very large and circular room within the cave. The
torch was no longer of use to us since there was a massive oculus overhead, allowing light
to enter.
A figure came forth, stepping into the light. My mouth
gaped open. For being Typhon’s wife, I was expecting to see a monstrous female creature. A
repulsive, murky beast with fangs and talons, smelling of putrid, rotting flesh. But this was
not what stood before me. She had similar features to my mother. The lower half of her
body was composed of forest green scales, coiling into a snake’s tail. Her upper body was
that of a human, but not just any human. An alluring one. Pleasant to the naked eye.
Fair-skinned with shiny hair, the color of emeralds.
“Come forward, brother and sister,” the figure
commanded.
Stheno and I approached her, now allowing me to get a
closer glimpse of her jade eyes that matched the jeweled tiara on her head.
She slithered just inches away from us. Her palm rubbed
along my cheek, with her fingertips tracing my chin. She studied me carefully.
“My. Oh my! And to think Ceto and Phorcys had the
capability to produce such a lovely creation,” she said to me. Her fingers now spun in a
circular motion to feel my hair. “And these beautiful golden locks. You will tempt all of the
mortals with this face. Dare I say the goddesses and even the gods too?” Echidna winked at
me before stepping back to give us separation.
“Meduso has yet to be introduced to the mortals, Echidna.
He will begin to socialize with them soon,” Stheno proclaimed.
“Ahhh. Is that so? His gorgeous features and now the
added layer of innocence and naivety will do wonders in the mortal world,” Echidna
declared.
My face began to turn as red as the rose of Aphrodite. I did
not know whether to be appreciative or stunned by her flattery. I’ve never had anyone pay
me such compliments in my entire life.
“Tell me, my dear, what is it you desire?” Echidna
asked.
“Desire?” I questioned.
“Yes. What is it you seek from this world? Power, riches, a
gorgeous woman… or maybe a handsome man?”
Stheno cut her off. “That will be enough, Echidna. There is
no need to tarnish the boy’s mind.”
I was unsure of what Echidna meant by desiring a handsome man. I’ve never even set sight on a mortal to know what aspects of them I was captivated
by. Most of the stories I’ve been told involved a male being in love with a female. However,
Euryale did share some rumors she had heard about certain Olympian gods taking some of
their male servants as lovers. But I did not know where my attractions lied, based on my lack
of experience.
“Oh, don’t be so dull, Stheno!” Echidna exclaimed. “At least
give the boy some direction! He’ll wind up as dull and stupid as Koalemos if you keep him
secluded any longer.”
Stheno shook her head. “I think you of all people are the
last immortal that should be giving me advice. Look at the direction you chose for yourself.
And know where it put you!”
“Hmph. I’ll never understand you and our parents.
Choosing to stay isolated in the oceans while the rest of the world around you is drastically
changing.” Echidna continued to express her disdain for the traditions and beliefs of our
family.
As my sisters continued to banter back and forth, I stood
still, just staring ahead at them. Their silhouettes became blurry and then non-existent in my
line of vision. Was I having an out-of-body experience? Instead, a new sight was before me.
Some sort of rope. No, it was a net with a
gigantic fish caught in it, in the water, except the water was fairly shallow. I could see its
translucence and the glimmer of light shining through it. I swam toward the caught fish,
trying to free it with my bare hands. The fish was able to escape, but as I tugged away, I
realized I was snagged within the confines of the net. I tried my best to yank away, but to no
avail. As I glanced upward, I realized I was being pulled towards the surface, until…
Stheno called out to me, bringing me back to reality.
“Meduso! Are you okay!?”
I just glanced at her blankly. “Yes. I’m fine. Why? What is
wrong?”
“Your eyes…” Stheno began, with a worried expression on
her face. “They turned pure silver, for a moment,” she revealed.
“What? Are you sure?” I was extremely bewildered, not
even sure if I believed what she had just shared.
“A vision.” Echidna slid close to me and raised my chin up
with her hand, glaring into my eyes. “Did you have a vision, Meduso?”
“A vision? I mean, I saw a fish being caught in a net just
now. I’m not sure where. I’ve never experienced anything like this. What is happening?” I
felt shook up.
“It’s nothing to worry about, dear brother. You just had a
vision. Call it a gift, if you will. A sight into the future or a major phenomenon
happening elsewhere in the world. Such things gods usually experience. I’m surprised you,
as a mortal, are able to have them,” Echidna confessed.
“This truly is your first time experiencing this, Meduso?”
Stheno asked.
“Yes,” I admitted.
“Hmm. I wonder what it could mean. A fish in a net?”
Stheno was puzzled.
“View it as a mark of destiny, Meduso.” Echidna advised.
“Whatever you do, never run from these visions you have. The Fates are reaching out to
you, for a reason. They want you to see this. They want you to be brave and follow through
with these visions.”
“Do you really think so?” I turned to Stheno to see if she
had the same opinion.
“I think you should inform our mother and father about
this first,” Stheno recommended.
“Oh. Don’t listen to her, Meduso! They’ve held you back
long enough from whatever your destiny may be. Press onward, dear brother. If I were you, I
would leave the oceans the second you get the chance to, and never look back,” Echidna
advised.
“Yes. Echidna did the same, Meduso, and look where she
ended up. Locked away, alone in a barren cave in the mountains!” Stheno wittily
remarked.
Echidna’s eyes flared at Stheno as she made this comment.
Her once pale skin shifted to a dark green color to match her scales. She was now angered.
“I’d watch your tongue, Stheno! Although I am your sister, I am not to be made a fool of! Do
not trifle with me!” Echidna threatened.
Stheno stood her ground. “And what are you going to do?
Make any tumultuous action and the gods and goddesses will know of your location. An
empty threat, if I’ve ever heard one.”
“How dare you! Get out, now!” Echidna vilely
screeched.
Stheno grabbed the torch and turned back to face me.
“Come, Meduso. We leave!”
I just stood there, equidistant between both of my sisters.
Echidna glided to me, caressing my cheek one last time before our departure. “You are more
beautiful than I had ever imagined, brother. It will serve you well in their world. Never put
that beauty to waste.” Those were her parting words as Echidna swiftly skidded out of sight
in the blink of an eye, deeper into the dwelling of her cave.
I followed behind Stheno as we left, ascending the
mountain once again.
“That Echidna! Curse her!” Stheno grumbled.
“I don’t think she was so bad, Stheno. Much more pleasant
than I had imagined.”
“Meduso, that was only one side of Echidna that you saw.
Remember, she is the wife of the most cruel and vicious monster known to existence. Do
not forget. It takes a certain someone to be able to commit to that,” she explained.
Once we reached the summit, Stheno held out her hands
to me for me to take. I clasped onto them and we closed our eyes, summoning our mother
for our return. Within a flash, I opened my eyes, and I was once again standing on the ledge
of the cliff in our grotto.
“How does Echidna fare?” my mother, Ceto, asked.
Stheno shook her head and dismissed herself.
“Troublesome as ever! We have much to talk about, mother!” She headed back into the
palace, with my mother following in pursuit.
I chose not to join them, knowing Stheno would have
private affairs to discuss with my mother and father. I sat on the edge of the bluff, gleaming
into the crystal blue water, reflecting on the vision I had.
A net with a fish? What could it mean?
I found myself coming up with little to no answers or
guesses.
I was then reminded of Echidna’s counsel and the last
words she spoke to me.
Never put that beauty to waste.
Little did I know that I would carry this guidance with me
for years to come. Never did I picture that it would end up shaping my future.
About the Author
BJ Irons works in the field of
education as an educational leader and college professor. Many of his personal experiences
as a gay man, have contributed to his works. Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community
himself, BJ hopes to continue to bring more fun fictional works to his LGBTQIA+ readers. The
world could always use a little more color and fun.
Social Media Links
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