Despite what I’ve just said in my audio intro, I’m beginning my June newsletter with an event I’ve been looking forward to for many months: the Eboracum Roman Festival. I just can’t contain my excitement! It’s being held on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th July, in the grounds of the Yorkshire Museum. It’s absolutely free, and packed with all sorts of Roman events like chariot racing, gladiator training, Roman living camp, storytelling and parades — and a fabulous panel of authors of Roman history and fiction. That’s where my books and I come in.
We authors are camping out in the marquee by the Museum Street entrance, immediately next to the food and drink (natch!) and opposite the information tent. The line-up is stunning, and includes Roman historians and archaeologists, artists, a children’s author, and of course my fellow Roman novelists Ruth Downie, Simon Turney, Nancy Jardine and Alison Morton. Here’s our full line-up:
We’ll be there both days to meet you, sign books, and chat about all things Roman. There will be a free prize draw with parcels of our books to be won. I’m especially excited to be in Roman York, surrounded by Roman re-enactment participants and fans, because Eboracum is a major setting for my new book, The Loyal Centurion.
I’m staggered and amazed to be in such brilliant company, but there is a hitch. Of course there’s a hitch. My specially-commissioned stola costume arrived this week, just a trifle long …
Never mind, my amazing seamstress (who’d forgotten what a vertically-challenged person I am) assures me she can and will adjust the length in time for my departure next Friday. A certain amount of breath is being held. Or I may just have to ride around the festival in a litter, like a very rich Roman lady.
The Loyal Centurion
Back to real life, and the big news this month is that I’ve finished my third Quintus Valerius mystery. Sort of. The completed manuscript is now with my beta readers, a handful of fellow authors and keen readers who have nobly volunteered to read the script, warts and all, and tell me bluntly about the warts. Simultaneously, my line editor is delving deep into the text. I aim to get the revised text off to my publishers by the end of July. With any luck, my intrepid Roman duo will be heading up north, onto your Kindles and into your hands in paperback by August.
I’ve had mixed emotions about this new book. Not so much the story itself — it’s been a ball exploring midwinter Britannia Inferior and Caledonia, learning about the Picts and the Gaels, and digging deep into conflicting theories about what really happened to the missing Ninth Hispana legion. But what with a nasty bout of Covid that extended into a four-month drag; train strikes postponing my research trip to Edinburgh, Abernethy and Dundee from December to January; and various family happenings — let’s just say I’m relieved we’ve got here.
One of the things that often happens to me when writing, and I suspect to other writers too, is a loss of perspective. I get so immersed in the world and doings of my characters that I find I lose the sense of whether the story is actually any good. With this book particularly, there were times when I thought I’d never get it right, despite my gallant First Reader (husband Peter) repeatedly telling me successive chapters were great. So you can imagine my relief when I received this early draft feedback:
Don’t change anything about the story, structure, characters, pace, mystery … It’s really — and I mean REALLY — good.
I won’t name names to save her blushes, but I’ll just let drop that this came from one of the top authors in Roman fiction, who writes sublimely and is an actual Latin scholar to boot [check out her marvellous Lucius Sestius mysteries here.]
I’ll be gnawing my nails now till all my reader/editor feedback comes back. Then comes script amends based on their thoughts, a final polish, and the manuscript goes off to my publisher. It really will be a goodbye, of sorts, to the new characters I have grown to love, especially horse-boy Nicomedes, Pictish lass Aila, Kian mac Dougal (a Gael of surprisingly mixed heritage), and Centurion Litorius Pacatianus, to whom I owe the whole story.
My June News
National Crime Reading Month
I joined a panel of local crime authors (Sarah Hawkswood, Linda Mather and Duncan Peberdy) for a delightful panel session at Malvern library. It was an absolute hoot, with some great questions from the audience. I was touched when a newcomer, who hadn’t met me before at my library events, rushed up to ask me to sign and sell my books to him before the event began “In case you run out of books”! I didn’t run out, but was delighted to oblige.
In August I’m heading to Derbyshire for the wonderful Swanwick Writers’ Summer School, my first return visit after a long pause due to the pandemic. This will be five days of learning, laughing, relaxing, resuming friendships, and basically chilling with my friends. I can’t wait!
Scottish Book Tour (autumn 2023)
This is an aspiration at the moment, but I have invitations in Abernethy, Fife and Dundee to do launch events for The Loyal Centurion. I am so looking forward to returning to Scotland, land of hospitality, amazing history, and evocative landscapes. I want to thank the many Scots who helped with my research, and show off the end product. More on these plans soon.
And finally …
Another brand-new book to share with you. I haven’t finished reading this one yet, but if you love Roman action and adventure, check out the new book by Alex Gough. It’s called Caesar’s Soldier, and it’s the first in a series about that larger-than-life figure, Mark Antony. Should be a scorcher!
Ah, nearly forgot the two gladii: I asked my social media followers whether, when two blokes whip out their short swords, it’s “gladiuses” or “gladii”? The vote was for gladiuses. Sorry, Latin scholars. “Gladii” just sounds too much like a flower, apparently.
Thank you, Alistair! I will report back, of course.
Busy lady Jacquie, have a great time in such august company, and in your new frock too. Looking forward to the Loyal Centurion x