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Writers' roll call?

Got a question/comment about the creative process of writing? Post it here!
Julianne Lee
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Post by Julianne Lee » Fri February 19th, 2010, 4:37 am

Thank you, boswellbaxter. I'm glad you liked it.

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fljustice
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What a great thread!

Post by fljustice » Mon April 19th, 2010, 5:25 pm

It took me awhile to go through everyone's stuff, but I've got lots of new suggestions and additions for my wish list. As to my own writing, my debut novel Selene of Alexandria (5C) is finally out and getting good reviews. The titular Selene and is fictional, but many of the major characters including Hypatia the famous mathematician and Lady Philosopher of Alexandria, the Augustal Prefect Orestes and the Patriarch Cyril are historical characters. You can read sample chapters at my website (below) and follow links to the reviews.

I've also finished a manuscript about Galla Placidia, one of the last Empresses in Western Rome (titled Twilight Empress) and have two half-finished manuscripts one set in 5C Constantinople and the second in 1C Pompeii both featuring strong women protagonists. I've been amazed at all the strong women who ruled countries, led armies and religious congregations, healed people, wrote books, conducted science and many other things both good and bad in Late Antiquity. We don't hear much about them, but that's why I enjoy writing about them.
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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LoveHistory
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Post by LoveHistory » Tue April 20th, 2010, 10:08 pm

You've picked a great era, Faith. I'm really interested in the concept of a novel set in Pompeii.

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fljustice
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Post by fljustice » Wed April 21st, 2010, 4:38 pm

[quote=""LoveHistory""]You've picked a great era, Faith. I'm really interested in the concept of a novel set in Pompeii.[/quote]

Thanks, LoveHistory! Pompeii is wonderful, because it's frozen in time. I've visited the site and have tons of books on the art and architecture. It's so much fun to actually walk down the streets, see the fast food places, examine the graffiti in the brothels, feel the claustrophobia of the servant's quarters. I've visited Rome and Istanbul, but had difficulty visualizing the ancient cities under the modern ones - even with maps and museums.
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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Gabriele Campbell
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Post by Gabriele Campbell » Wed April 21st, 2010, 11:18 pm

[quote=""fljustice""] I've also finished a manuscript about Galla Placidia, one of the last Empresses in Western Rome (titled Twilight Empress) and have two half-finished manuscripts one set in 5C Constantinople and the second in 1C Pompeii both featuring strong women protagonists. I've been amazed at all the strong women who ruled countries, led armies and religious congregations, healed people, wrote books, conducted science and many other things both good and bad in Late Antiquity. We don't hear much about them, but that's why I enjoy writing about them.[/quote]

Galla Placidia was a fascinating woman. I hope you'll find a home for that one so I can read it.

annis
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Post by annis » Thu April 22nd, 2010, 3:16 am

Galla Placida features largely in William Napier's novel, Attila (not a very kind portrait, admittedly). Not a bad story if you can accept the premise that Attlia was held as a young hostage at the Western Imperial court at Ravenna under the guardianship of Stilicho. Although this is widely quoted as fact there is no real evidence for it and it appears to be traceable to a later medieval story, so it's probably about as reliable as the story that has an older Attila meeting Pope Leo 1!

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Gabriele Campbell
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Post by Gabriele Campbell » Thu April 22nd, 2010, 8:13 pm

Well, that's not any more exotic than the portrayal of Galla Placidia and her OMG He's Sooo Hawt-infatuation with Athaulf in Felix Dahn's novel, Stilicho. It's 19th century and very pro-Gothic but a fun read nevertheless. Just don't take it for history. ;)

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Gabriele Campbell
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Post by Gabriele Campbell » Sat December 18th, 2010, 12:27 am

[quote=""Gabriele Campbell""]Hey, I missed that one, too. :)

As mentioned in another thread, I'm currently working on a Roman trilogy Endangered Frontiers (I changed the name because 'Empire at War' could be SF as well) that will present three standalone books loosely connected by a family feud spanning several generations. The first book A Land Unconquered features the Roman attempt to turn Germania into a province, with the battle at Teutoburg Forest and Germanicus' later campaigns. The second book, Eagle of the Sea, will take place in Germania and Caledonia, the third, Song of the North Wind, in Caledonia. [/quote]

Well, a fourth book has recently snuck into that series, Tidal Waves Rising. It will become book 2, dealing with the Batavian rebellion, and filling in the generation gap between ALU and Eagle.

I hope that's not going to become a trend. ;)

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Gabriella
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Post by Gabriella » Sat December 18th, 2010, 1:45 am

Wow! There are some really interesting novels mentioned here, I can't wait to go and read some of them. :)
As for my writing, I am currently on my first novel. :o Such a newbie in comparison to most of you, haha! But I have been writing forever and suddenly I suppose I mustered up the courage to start writing an actual 'book'.
It is set in the tail end of the roaring 20s and the beginning of the great depression. From the perspective of a young woman who is unmarried and pregnant. . . :)
I'm about 30 K into the first draft and I am loving it! But of course, my first draft is as bad as a first draft could be.
Thankfully I have all the time in the world to revise. Haha!

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SarahWoodbury
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Post by SarahWoodbury » Sat December 18th, 2010, 2:37 am

I guess I'm not in here either. I've been writing novels for nearly five years now. My agent spent 18 months hawking one around (The Last Pendragon, which I've put up for free here https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25340 or at http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-La ... +pendragon because it seemed far more fun to share it than to have yet another novel retire to the darker reaches of my laptop . . . but am not prepared to go the self-published route just yet. Thankfully, my agent remains enthusiastic and my second novel, also set in Wales (this time 13th century), is presently on submission.

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