PUB NEWS: Dark of the Moon releases today! and a giveaway

I'm excited to announce the release today of my nineteenth book for young readers: Dark of the Moon!

(Amazon says Sept. 20, but my publisher says Sept. 19, so I'm going with the expert!)

This retelling of the myth of the Minotaur is told in alternating points of view by Ariadne, the Minotaur's sister, and Theseus, his killer. But my characters are different from the way they appear in the Greek retelling (yes, the version we know is also a retelling!) of a story taken from the Minoan civilization, which ruled the Mediterranean from the island of Crete in the Bronze Age. Greek travelers to Crete saw a shaman or priest wearing a bull's head or similar costume and either thought he was a half-man, half-bull, or garbled their story when they got home.

My Minotaur is no monster, but a witless and deformed man who kills without meaning to. Think "Lenny" in Of Mice and Men. He must be confined under the palace for his own and others' safety. And his sister adores him.

Ariadne is in training to replace her mother as the incarnation of the moon goddess and ruler of the island. Then Ariadne's world is shaken by the arrival of the Athenian Prince Theseus, who comes from a world of male gods and male rulers. Ariadne's family, her faith, and her entire world are threatened by the newcomer. But Ariadne feels drawn to this outsider, the first man to treat her as a woman, and not as a fearsome priestess and goddess-in-training.

Dark of the Moon has received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, which calls it a “world and story both excitingly alien and pleasingly familiar.” School Library Journal says, "This retelling of the myth of the Minotaur is deft, dark, and enthralling,” and Publishers Weekly says, “Barrett offers clever commentary on the spread of gossip and an intriguing matriarchal version of the story. Fans of Greek mythology should appreciate this edgier twist on one of its most familiar tales.” Complete reviews are on my website.

So here's the giveaway: I'd love to read your comments! I'll send a signed (or unsigned, if you prefer) copy to someone chosen at random from among those who comment on this post over the next week.