(An article by Rebecca Lochlann)

The island in the Mediterranean nowadays called Santorini has had many names throughout the centuries. One of the oldest known names, and the one I use, is Callisti. In ancient Greek, it means “The Most Beautiful,” and is alternately spelled Kalliste.

Strongyle, another of Santorini’s ancient names, meant, “The Round One.”

Thera, another name long used for this volcanic island, can be translated as “Fear,” which, as it turns out, was rather prophetic, as is the name of the central mountain, rumored to be Alcmene, meaning “Wrath of the Moon.”

The second book of my series, The Thinara King, which comes out in April of 2012, explores this famed volcanic eruption on Callisti.

For many years, until “mega” volcanoes were more clearly understood, this eruption was considered the worst in human history. It was so enormous, so destructive, that it made the eruption of Tambora look like a tiny belch in the earth. It would have made the Mt. Saint Helen’s eruption seem like nothing more than a brief gasp. Read the rest of this entry »