History repeating itself

I’ve got to the nitty-gritty part of plotting The Loyal Centurion. This stage is always a challenge, and with this book more than usual. Partly because the Scottish history of the Severan period is only now being uncovered by some brilliant archaeology.

Plus I have to factor in the distances involved in moving my characters between York, Hadrian’s Wall, and as far north as Fife. Even the Roman road network didn’t come complete with fast cars. And beyond the Wall (known as the Aelian Wall to my lovely Roman fellas, after Hadrian’s family name), the roads built by the Roman army would have fallen into disrepair within a few years of the final invasion attempts in AD 208-211.

So timing is critical to the action of this book. There are tools out there to help with planning timing and plot turns. I find Aeon Timeline particularly helpful, but like all software tools it takes some learning.

Then, of course, I have to work in all the clues, red herrings, twists and turns that come with writing a mystery novel. So it’s a slow process right now, akin to trudging up a hill of treacle. Onwards and slowly upwards, I suppose!

Here’s just a sample of the many terrific source books I’m relying on for historical background, with a special debt to the supremely readable Simon Elliott:

Essential source books

Meantime, as my audio clip at the top suggests, the themes of the book are beginning to emerge. I find the trick is to let my characters talk and act through the prism of what matters to them as individuals. Allowing their concerns space illuminates the themes behind those concerns.

So far in The Loyal Centurion I’m uncovering genocide, people trafficking, living with disability, and the pitfalls of ambitious greed. Enough for one novel, I think you’ll agree.

My February News

On 24 January I gave an illustrated talk on behalf of the superb Malvern Book Cooperative. It was a unwelcoming evening of bitter freezing fog, and I despaired of anyone turning up. But Malvern folk are stalwart, and well over thirty hardy fans came out to hear and see “What we thought we knew about the Romans, but maybe didn’t”. Of course the IT tried to let us down, but my in-house whizz-kid, husband Peter, sorted it. The audience’s questions were wonderful, well-informed and genuinely interesting. Fortunately I managed to give answers that seemed to satisfy them. People lingered to buy signed books and share a glass of wine with me. Eventually our hosts at St Peter’s Arts Church had to throw us out as they turned off the lights. My thanks go to St Peter’s and the lovely staff of the Book Cooperative.

• I have an article for Inside History magazine coming out soon. Links to follow next month.

• My next scheduled reader event will be at St Gabriel’s WI, in Hanley Swan village hall, on 11 April. I’m really looking forward to talking to these keen readers about my writing and books. Hopefully spring will be well underway by then!

• Upcoming events include: the Crime Writers’ Conference in April. This year we’re gathering in York, appropriately enough as much of the action of The Loyal Centurion is set in this lovely imperial city. In July (7-9) I’ll be back in York, this time joining other (much more illustrious) Roman writers for the Eboracum Festival weekend. Nervous? Not in the slightest. Not at all phased by the prospect of sitting at a table with the likes of Simon Turney, Ruth Downie, Alison Morton, Alex Gough, LJ Trafford, et al. Oh Lord, what have I let myself in for?

• Somewhere along the line I need to fit in a research trip to Ireland, to begin prep for my fourth Quintus Valerius mystery. Yes, I’m already thinking about The Irish Slave. Those of you wanting me to send Tiro across the Irish Sea will get your wish. Poor Tiro — he's really not keen on water, unless it has hops in it.

Line Editor Rhodri Orders

In recent times I have been lucky enough to benefit from the skills of experienced line editor Rhodri Orders. He has an eagle eye for text, and read history up to doctoral level at university, so particularly helpful for writers in my field. Rhodri is based in Cardiff, but works with writers all over the UK and Europe. Here are more details in his own words:

Would you like your writing proofread for grammatical, punctuation and spelling errors before you publish your work? If so, I may be able to help. I have worked as a professional proofreader and copy-editor of academic and industry-level articles, books and works of fiction. My fee is £25 per hour for a standard proofreading service, or £30 per hour for line-editing and proofreading. Email me if you're interested and I will be happy to provide you with a quotation. Contact me at: rhodriorders@gmail.com

Book review: Stone’s Fall, by Iain Pears

And finally: it’s been a labour of reading love, but I have a review to share for February. Apologies for the image size; it’s not a new book (published 2009).

First the blurb… John Stone, a man so wealthy that in the years before World War One he was able to manipulate markets, industries and indeed whole countries and continents, has been found dead in mysterious circumstances. His beautiful young widow commissions a journalist to carry out an unusual bequest in his will but as he begins his research he soon discovers a story far more complex than he could have ever imagined...

Here is what I thought, in brief:

Dense dark Victorian mystery ★★★★★

Iain Pear’s ‘Stone’s Fall’, a captivating mystery, is set in London and Venice.
I can’t say it’s an easy read, as it is long, dense, and split into three Victorian/Edwardian timelines, going backwards in time. But it really is an outstanding mystery, with several love stories, terrific world-building and a complex plot that seems to spiral through time.
And what a humdinger of a twist at the end! The sort you know you should have seen coming, but it’s such a bold blow you’re left gasping.
Highly recommended for lovers of complex thought-provoking mystery.

So that’s me for now. I hope the weather is kind to you; see you again in March.