I don't know about you guys, but I'm enjoying the Tweets and clues being left by Dan Brown and his publisher over at his Facebook page and his Twitter site. Not because I think that the clues to life the universe and everything are being divulged there, but because its become a great place to people watch. There are several regulars - people who pop up on both the Twitter and Facebook pages with alarming regularity - answering clues and hints as if their life depended on it, even putting up their own in some cases. Its all very entertaining and amusing so far, but it did get me thinking. Why are people so interested and some cases obsessed by all of this mystery? After The Da Vinci Code was published, the phenomena became one of rabid curiosity for quite a while. Then, as soon as it had appeared, it vanished again as people went about their lives and thought less about such things as Mary Magdalene, or whether Christ was human or divine.

  

It was, after all, just a novel. Wasn't it?

Now here we are again. About to embark upon another round of mysteries and revelations that may or may not have validity (you will of course need to read my book, Decoding The Lost Symbol to find out the facts behind the fiction - one and only plug of the blog, I promise) - with America as the central locale, and DC as the center of that locale. It all looks very mysterious and interesting so far - but the clues given out lack any real hint at the religious controversy that must undoubtedly be coming with the publication of The Lost Symbol. Its what Robert Langdon does, unravel the truth behind some arcane religious knowledge and challenge orthodoxy with that truth - so there must be something along those lines with this publication. Back when we all thought the book was to be called The Solomon Key, there were rumors and stories that Brown had been over to Salt Lake City, to consult with some of the Mormon elders there and that Mormonism was likely to feature in the book - maybe in relation to its potential Freemasonic roots. So far in clues and Tweets, nothing to suggest this. Another rumored talking point was the Kryptos sculpture at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Again, nothing mentioned so far. Personally, I think that both may still feature in the book and that clues about them have been deliberately left out so far. Could the undeciphered 4th part of the mysterious Kryptos sculpture be the actual Lost Symbol of the title? Possibly, or it may point in the right direction. The name Kryptos itself points to a possible underground crypt. I have a feeling (though it is only a hunch) that the crypt and tomb of George Washington at Mount Vernon may well also play a part.

We all lead pretty mundane and ordinary lives. Its a refreshing change to think that we can be part of a mystery, able to solve clues and be at the center of revelations. Its great fun and it can get pretty exciting. Then when it all dies down again, most people get back on with life and wait for the next set of interesting mysteries to come along. For myself, I live this every single day. I am a full time researcher of ancient mysteries and alternative history, trying to decipher codes and clues that have been laid down long ages ago. My first love is Egypt and its tantalizing past. A place of symbolic codes and clues, and a place that invites speculation and discovery.  There really are lost symbols everywhere if you look hard enough.

  

Connections between us and a past that seems from a different place and planet. Interestingly, one of the recent clues put up on the Dan Brown Twitter site is an image of the cartouche (royal name) of Queen Nefertiti, great royal wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten, one of the most mysterious kings of ancient Egypt. Nefertiti was renown as an incredible beauty and the bust of her in the Berlin Museum is a piece of breathtaking beauty. The intrigue and speculation surrounding this royal pair has been huge in the past. Akhenaten was even associated with Moses by the great psychologist Sigmund Freud - with his seeming conversion to a monotheistic religious ideal. Nefertiti herself may well have played a role after the death and disappearance of Akhenaten, with some theories claiming that she ruled as a seeming king, just before the reign of Tutankamun, under the name of Smenkhare. Its all wonderfully intriguing and exciting stuff, especially for someone who's first love is Egypt.

I return to England this coming week. Its been a wonderful few weeks in LA and the US in general. But now its time to return to my office, my huge pile of books and set about getting ready for a roller coaster ride of writing and research in a super human time frame. It will be exhilarating and exhausting at the same time, but above all it will be a great moment for me - I love producing books and the research and effort that goes into them - its the thrill of creating something that lasts the test of time that excites me most. Have a great week and I'll be back next week, writing to you from my base just to the North of London, lets see what new clues and hints the week has to offer.

Fun, isnt it?