Today I have another honoured guest on my blog:
fellow-author Nancy
Jardine. Nancy is here to talk
about her latest novel After Whorl: Bran
Reborn.
A very warm welcome, Nancy. Good to have you here!
Hello, Sue. I’m very pleased to be here with you, so close
to the launch of After Whorl: Bran
Reborn, the second book in my Celtic
Fervour series of historical romantic adventures, which will be published on
Monday 16th December by Crooked Cat Publishing. I’ve been trying to
find something different to write about at all of the stops on my mini- launch
tour. Therefore, today, I’m going to go right to the very top of the Roman
ladder to talk about the ‘big boss’ who has affected what my characters do in After Whorl: Bran Reborn. I hope my
topic isn’t too familiar and that your readers read something new.
It sounds fascinating!
So tell me - what have The Flavians to do with After Whorl: Bran Reborn? And
who was this top ‘Roman’ dog in AD 71, the date at which After Whorl: Bran Reborn begins?
When I wrote the novel, I had to research to be sure of my
facts, my memory being a bit unreliable at times.
The Roman Emperor in AD 71 was Titus Flavius Vespasianus, a man who had risen from relatively
humble origins of equestrian birth to eventually become emperor at the age of
60. It helped that his father had paid for his early career, gaining Vespasian
entry to the army as a young man; his pater having accrued considerable wealth
as a tax collector, elevating their family to patrician status along the way.
Having entered the lower ranks, Vespasian was then able to progress through the
general paths of becoming a military tribune during the reign of Tiberius, and then on to become a praetor during
Caligula’s reign.
Do the early parts of his career have any bearing on your
characters?
Not quite, but the next stages Vespasian went through did to
some extent. When Claudius set to conquer Britannia in AD 43, Vespasian joined
the campaign with his Legio II Augusta. In what is now termed the south of
England, Vespasian distinguished himself with his use of siege weapons against
the heavily fortified settlements of the indigenous Celtic tribes, capturing
and subduing a good number of these substantial hill forts. When sent to the
south-west of England it’s thought that his objectives may have been to secure
the south coast ports and harbours, and to gain control over the tin mines of
Cornwall and the silver and lead mines of Somerset. This fact is important
since, in a way, it has influenced some of the plot of After Whorl: Bran Reborn and
even more so in the third book of my Celtic
Fervour series –After Whorl: Donning
Double Cloaks - which is due sometime around March 2014. The importance
being that Vespasian knew there were natural resources in Britannia which could
swell the Roman coffers.
Having distinguished himself so well as Legate of the Legio
II Augusta, in Britannia, Vespasian was well lauded on his return to Rome with
triumphal regalia.
How did that early posting in Britannia affect the
characters in AD 71 in After Whorl: Bran
Reborn?
It meant Vespasian had a good working knowledge of what the
Celtic tribes of Britannia were like. He had experienced the climate and the customs
of the indigenous people. Military manoeuvres and campaigns in Britannia would
have been enhanced by his background knowledge. The fact that he set up
legionary headquarters at Isca
Dumnoniorum (Exeter) prompted me to add building works of forts and
fortresses into After Whorl: Bran Reborn. I have more on Vespasian, and the
Flavians, on my blog if anyone
is interested in learning a little extra about this particular Roman ‘top dog
and his family’.
Thank you for inviting me here, today, Sue, It’s lovely to
visit other Crooked Cat authors so close to the launch date of 16th
Dec for After Whorl- Bran Reborn.
You’re most welcome, Nancy. And thank you for coming!
After Whorl: Bran Reborn is available for pre-order in paperback from Amazon UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/After-Whorl-Reborn-Nancy-Jardine/dp/1909841323/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_CEPA)
Facebook Launch Party **Giveaways**
For a chance to enter the draw for
a ‘triquetra’ necklace and other prizes, join Nancy’s Facebook Launch party and look for details of
how to win the prizes on offer.
Blog
launch Tour **Special Prize**
A special Blog Tour ‘friend’ will WIN a mystery gift for the
most commented visits to blogs
during the launch tour for After Whorl: Bran Reborn. (i.e. most comments
between 9th Dec and 18th Dec wins the prize) To be sure you don’t miss any blog posts
check Nancy’s Blog regularly between the 9th Dec and the 17th Dec. http://nancyjardine.blogspot.com
Nancy Jardine lives in the fantastic ‘castle country’ of Aberdeenshire,
Scotland, with her husband. She spends her week making creative excuses for her
neglected large garden; doesn’t manage as much writing as she always plans to
do since she’s on Facebook too often, but she does have a thoroughly great time
playing with her toddler granddaughter when she’s just supposed to be ‘just’
childminding her twice a week.
A lover of all things historical it sneaks into most of her
writing along with many of the fantastic world locations she has been fortunate
to visit. Her published work to date has been two non- fiction history-related
projects; two contemporary ancestral mysteries; one light-hearted contemporary
romance mystery and a historical novel. She has been published by The Wild Rose
Press and Crooked Cat Publishing.
You’ll find Nancy at the following places: Amazon UK author page Amazon US
author page Blog Website Facebook
Goodreads
About Me LinkedIn Twitter @nansjar
Google+
In
addition, Nancy’s novel Topaz Eyes has been nominated for the People’s
Book Prize 2014. You can vote for it here.
After Whorl: Bran Reborn
Ravaged by war
…AD 71. After the battle at Whorl, Brennus of Garrigill is
irrevocably changed.
Returning to Marske, Ineda finds her grandmother dead,
though Brennus is not. Snared by a Roman patrol, they are marched to Witton
where he is forced to labour for the Roman IX Legion.
Embracing
his new identity as Bran, Brennus vows to avert Roman occupation of
northernmost Brigantia. Ineda becomes his doughty spying accomplice, though
sometimes she’s too impetuous. Trading with the Romans lends excellent
opportunities for information gathering. Over time, Bran’s feelings for Ineda
mar with his loyalty to Ineda’s father.
When she
disappears, and cannot be found, Bran enters direct service with Venutius, King
of the Brigantes.
