Whatdymacallit? #Historical Romance v Historical Fiction

Whatdymacallit? 

This post will be part of a series of blog posts to reflect on my journey to publishing The Celtic Fervour Series during the course of the last nine years. (Gosh, has it really been that long?) My memory has always been of the type that can dredge up facts when the topic is current, so, since I intend to move on to the Victorian era from my next work in progress, I'll need memory jogs for the Celtic Fervour Series. 

When I wrote The Beltane Choice – Book 1 of my Celtic Fervour Series saga – I had priorities for my characters and the setting of the story, though at the time I wasn’t really aware that my choices might prove difficult at the classification stages. I was an avid reader. At that point of 2011, I had retired from upper primary teaching and as such had always been writing something. However, 2011 was the point when I decided to become serious about novel writing with a view to becoming published.

My intention for The Beltane Choice was to write a tale of a relatively ordinary clan, set in an era of great turmoil when armies of the invading Ancient Roman Empire were decimating any Britannic tribes who were resistant to adopting Roman rule and daily ‘Roman’ lifestyles. The setting was northern Roman Britain, chosen because I’d rarely come across published novels set during the first invasions of the barbarian north of Britannia. (Ancient Romans termed everywhere that was not included in their empire boundaries as barbarian)

 Research gleaned virtually nothing written about Brigantia (present day Cumbria/Yorkshire/Northumberland), and even less about over the high hills into the barbarian territory of the tribes of Caledonia (modern-day Scotland). I discovered Brigantia had had a ‘Client Kingdom’ status during the rule of the Brigante Queen Cartimandua, who made deals with the Ancient Roman Empire (somewhere after the Claudian invasion of A.D. 43 and A.D. 69). But since I’d read at least one novel which included Cartimandua as a main character, I decided not to write about her or any ‘documented’ northern King, like her ex-husband Venutius – though they are mentioned in the story. Not having a historically-known main character means there are some who would not regard my novel as traditional historical fiction.

The Beltane Choice would be about tribes who would normally be at war with each other. They would need to unite to fight the Ancient Roman invading scourge together as a stronger force, though what might unite them?

In A.D. 69, the Brigante federation of tribes was enduring a civil war where forces loyal to Queen Cartimandua were fighting against forces of her ex-husband King Venutius. The Roman Empire itself was also in the turmoil of civil war, but when General Titus Flavius Vespasian became emperor (A.D. 69) he took firm control. By A.D. 71, Vespasian’s Britannic empire expansion was well underway and Brigantia was invaded with gusto!

A.D. 71 became my start point for The Beltane Choice but who would be my Celtic clan? I got out a current Ordinance Survey map and looked at the area that would have been northern Brigantia in A.D. 71, the territory which most likely would have bordered the tribes of southern Caledonia. (The only mention of tribal names for these locations wasn’t actually documented till around A.D. 130-150, when the mapmaker Claudius Ptolemaeus wrote down his map references) Ptolemy’s information records the tribes to the north of Brigantia (i.e. those in Caledonia) as being the Novantae, Selgovae and Votadini from west to east, north of what’s currently named the Cheviot Hills. I decided my main female character would be of the Selgovae tribe and the main male character a Brigante.

I searched current north Yorkshire and Cumbria for suitable remains of a Celtic hillfort and settled on the name Garrigill for my Brigante clan. Similarly my O.S. map indicated a Celtic hillfort in the vicinity of Tarras, so that was to be my Selgovae hillfort.

My inclination was to write a historical fiction novel, but when I did some internet research I could see that if  The Beltane Choice have strong elements of romance, it might be more publishable. It turned out that when I sent that 2011 written-manuscript to a US ebook publisher it wasn't 'romancy' enough. 

The first published version of The Beltane Choice was by Crooked Cat Books and it is heavier on the romance/sex than the current Ocelot Press published version. 

However, even with the addition of those more explicit (though not erotica) romantic elements the 2012 published version was still too heavy in historical detail, with too many important secondary characters ,to be termed a historical romance. The first publisher of The Beltane Choice marketed it as a historical romantic adventure. The reader needs to decide for themself what the classification should be…

Meanwhile my current problem with The Beltane Choice, and indeed all of the novels in The Celtic Fervour Series, is what categories should it be listed under on Amazon. Some dedicated romance readers absolutely adore the novel and the characters in Book 1, but seem to find the reduced romance levels in Books 2 onwards less satisfying. I've had reviewers of the series tel me in reviews that they like Books 2 onwards because they are less romantic. 

Readers are so interesting for the very reason that they can have such variable likes and dislikes!

Slàinte!

Anniversary of the death of Agricola!

Today is the 23rd August and on this day in AD 93 General Gnaeus Iulius Agricola died.

The information we have about Agricola's death is according to his son-in-law Publius Cornelius Tacitus. The writing of Tacitus, referring to his father-in-law Agricola ,is sometimes regarded as biased but it's virtually all that's a known original source. 

Whether, or not, Tacitus in his 'Agricolae' is exaggerating is difficult to prove ,but his hints indicate that Agricola died at his Narbonensis estates on the 23rd Aug AD 93 (present day Frejus, fairly near Marseilles)  His death occurred when Agricola was only 53. It had been approximately eight years since his tenure as Governor of the Province of Britannia was terminated, and Agricola had been recalled to Rome by Emperor Domitian. 

Tacitus, and subsequent ancient writes who probably used Tacitus' information, hint that doctors of Domitian visited Agricola prior to his death. If that happened ,it may have been for positive reasons but the inference in Tacitus's work is that the reasons were more likely to be nefarious. 

Even the idea of that is interesting because we know almost nothing of what Agricola did after his job in Britannia was over. Tacitus claims that Agricola was offered a post in the province of Africa but exactly what is not known. What Tacitus says is that Agricola refused the offer. Either because it was dangerous to his life, or that it was an offer that was beneath him. Agricola probably should have been lauded for 'conquering' a lot more of Britannia than his predecessors had done. However, that accolade seems to have not been conferred on Agricola whose tenure as Governor of Britannia was probably the longest during the early part of Roman occupation. 

In my recently launched novel, Beathan The Brigante, General Agricola is somewhat nervous about returning to Rome, having been recalled by Emperor Domitian. He reluctantly makes his way south from Taexali territory in northern Caledonia,in no great hurry to get to Rome. 

Here's a little taster from the novel. At this point of the story Beathan has managed to be free of Agricola's clutches in Rome only to find that back in Britannia he is captured again and held in custody by Agricola's second in command, the Judicial Legate Gaius Salvius Liberalis.  

Beathan felt the power of the man when Liberalis stood before him fully armoured. The man’s polished helmet poised on top of the uniform stand drew his gaze, and his awe. The metal ornamentation was even more impressive than Agricola’s, and though more battered the general’s helmet had been stunning.

“You have given me a problem I could well do without, Brigante Beathan.”

He stared. It was not a question, so he gave no response. He had plenty of problems of his own.

“Rome gives men frequent marching orders.”

Beathan absorbed the terse tones and tried to interpret the legate’s words. Although the room was cleared of his staff, it was possibly not a totally private conversation.

“You mean that the Legio II Adiutrix has been recalled to Rome to go to fight a…less cunning enemy?”

Liberalis almost smiled. “The emperor demands their presence.”

He nodded since Liberalis’ expression seemed to indicate it was necessary.

He dared to add a little more. “I have heard that the Legio IX, and the Legio XX, have also been withdrawn from Caledonia. From all of the northern forts.”

The legate’s expression was calculating. “You learn the most fascinating information, Beathan the Brigante. Perhaps General Agricola was correct and that you do need to be handled very carefully.”

He chose not to reply. Handling was something he had plenty of experience of.

“You have seen many of our forts but not, I think, Pinnata Castra?”

He had heard about that one from Ineda of Marske, his Uncle Brennus’ hearth-wife, but he chose to only nod.

“Agricola was very proud of that fortress.” Liberalis sounded reflective. “I believe he would have liked to show you it.”

He found he could not hold back. “It has also been abandoned?”

Liberalis’ chuckles were bitter. “I am glad he was not there to see his beloved Legio XX leave.” The legate’s smile became snide. “You, on the other hand, might have been impressed by the situation.”

The glare that came his way made Beathan refrain from asking any more questions.

Liberalis’ tone dipped again. “Like General Gnaeus Iulius Agricola, past Governor of Britannia, I am also recalled to Rome. Though unlike Agricola, I will be embarking a ship well before Londinium, to take me to the shores of Gaul.” Liberalis’ voice quietened to a rasping whisper, as intense as his stare. “Agricola and I share a friendship and probably the same fate. But presently, I have no desire to leave any unravelling threads which he saw fit to loosen.”

Beathan felt his throat seize up. What was the man talking about?

The reference to withdrawal from Pinnata Castra (present day Inchtuthil Roman Fortress, Perth and Kinross, Scotland) is also written about in my short story involving a different Garrigill Brigante- Ruoridh, who is Beathan's cousin. If you'd like to read about my fictitious withdrawal from Pinnata Castra you'll find the short story - The Pinnacle of Achievement-  in the Ocelot Press anthology 'Doorways to The Past'. 

And...here's the link for Beathan The Brigante.

Enjoy the reading! 

Slàinte! 

A book reading for #Beathan The Brigante launch day!

Today really is the official launch day for Beathan The Brigante! 

As something different to celebrate it, I 'put myself out there'  even more than normal and made a video of me reading Chapter 1 of Beathan The Brigante. 

For anyone who doesn't know me, the video is how I sound and how I am. It was really exciting to read from my brand newly launched novel - once I got the technology working, of course. 

Yesterday, my intention had been to do a Facebook Live video , to practise with it last night, but the technology got me stumped and I couldn't unlock the Camera! Not to be daunted, I borrowed my OH's relatively new USB webcam and plugged it in to do a 'less than live' reading. The USB webcam video quality is much better than the camera on my laptop but there was no sound. It took one sleep, and a lot of trial and error today o get the sound working.

It seems that the setting I need to have sound to listen to a video / film/ movie via  my laptop  isn't the same 'output and input' needed for the webcam, but so long as I remember which is which, and reset as needed, I'll hopefully cope in future. 

I googled the best length for a Facebook Live production and it said a minimum of 10 mins. Once I got the sound organised on the USB webcam, I timed a reading of Chapter 1 of Beathan The Brigante. It was about 10 mins, so there's a few minutes before and after taking the video to around 14 minutes. 

Unfortunately, that's too long for Blogger so I can't share it here ,but it did go on to my profile and author page on Facebook. Swings and roundabouts! Maybe tomorrow I'll work out how to upload the video to Youtube (they've changed the rules since I was last there and I've changed my laptop) It can be viewed more easily form there. 

Since I started to write this post, Facebook has done one of its 'for the better' changes which means spending lots of time tomorrow  working out what is what. The 'classic' version that I was on is disappearing by September ,so I might as well learn the new one right away. 

An author's life is an easy one. Ha, ha! 

Slàinte!