I Didn’t Ask To Be King
Emily A. Weinberg
Type: Beta project
Genre: Young adult, historical fiction
Word count: 56,750
I Didn’t Ask To Be King! is an adventure-filled, YA fictional biography that offers a speculative view of Tutankhamun, who, against all odds, becomes the king and revitalizes the Empire when a cultural revolution fails.
I Didn’t Ask To Be King! is a YA fictional biography. It chronicles the relatively unknown life of King Tutankhamun from his early years to his death at nineteen, describing the unusual Amarna Period of Egypt (1353-1336 BCE) and Tutankhamun’s role in restoring an Empire from a zealous dictator.
When young Tutankhaten discovers he is the son of the radical Pharaoh Akhenaten, he is forced to investigate the ways the Pharaoh has single-handedly tried to destroy the cultural norms of Egypt. Tut must set aside his dreams of becoming a soldier in the royal cavalry to resist his father’s destructive laws that take away religious freedom. When Akhenaten and his successor die of plague, Tut unexpectedly is called to the throne, restoring Egypt to allow its traditions and polytheistic religion, giving grain, celebrating festivals, and boosting the well-being of all.
Emily Weinberg is an Egyptophile and enjoys writing historical fiction. She believes that stories and books are the best way to teleport to exotic places and explore the wonders of our world and the worlds of the imagination. Emily has a BA in English Composition and an MA in Education. She loves studying mythology, world religions, and lost civilizations. Her debut MG novel, The Feather of Truth: An Artist’s Journey in Ancient Egypt, was published in Jan. 2025 with Histria Books.
Emily is an adventurer, scholar, house-builder, and teacher. She lives in Westminster, Vermont, USA.
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