Writing a new book: initial research and themes
"The Loyal Centurion" Diary
[Where I write]
If you’ve downloaded the Substack app with chat feature (see my post 18 Nov), you’ll know I’m experimenting, post-Twitter, with new ways of keeping in touch. Eventually I hope to include video in these newsletters, but as yet Substack is still beta-testing embedded video. People (looking at you, Fiona!) are also encouraging me to try audio, so here goes. You’ll need to click on the brown audio play button above, whilst simultaneously looking at the gallery of books below (mentioned in the audio). Please don’t blame me for any cricked necks!
My news
My busy autumn of promotional events is winding down. I took part in a global live-streamed debate My Era is Better Than Yours! on the evening of Saturday 12th. (Authors based in UK, France, US and Australia took part, so it was disgusting o’clock on the Sunday morning for the Aussie!) I defended Roman Britain, and almost won the audience vote (runner-up by a single vote.) The link is to the full Youtube broadcast, so pour yourself a glass or cup of something before you settle down to watch.
I’m away in Scotland in mid-December to carry out more detailed research at the National Museum in Edinburgh; to field-walk the Roman legionary fortress at Carpow, near Perth; and (excitingly) to pay a visit to the nearby award-winning Abernethy museum. They are very generously opening up during their closed season to give us a private viewing. You see, there are perks to being a historical fiction author!
Coming up in January 2023: I’ll have an article on Roman medicine out in Historical Times; I’m online chatting to the keen book club at Tregolls Lodge in Cornwall; and I’m booked to do an evening on 24th January for the Malvern Book Cooperative, presenting What you thought you knew about the Romans, but didn’t really. Or some such. I have promised them interactive, so I’m hoping Himself will do something whizzy with PowerPoint for me. There will be a bar, by the way, if you live near Great Malvern and fancy coming along. More details to follow.
After that, I suppose I should get on with writing the Scottish book. I hope you’ve enjoyed this slightly different type of blog. There will be more in words and audio about my writing process as The Loyal Centurion progresses. Please do comment if the spirit moves you, and feel free to chat on the app too.
Don’t forget I’m giving away a free Quintus-and-Tiro short story if you subscribe to my newsletter by the end of 2022.
It was good to read and hear your podcastblog, Jacquie. Suits me fine and looking forward to more in the future!
The audio works really well!