Simon TurneyWhen will the next book be published?
A number of novels are coming up, the closest being the last of my Damned Emperors quartet, Caracalla, on September 14th, and the fourth Viking novel in my Wolves of Odin series, ‘Wolves around the Throne’, on November 23rd. Also forthcoming in 2024 will be a new Roman military series, a standalone Roman adventure novel, the last Viking book, and a non-fiction work on the auxiliary units of Roman Britain.
Why are only some of your titles available in certain formats/regions?
All my books are available in digital format. All are also available in paperback, with the exception of Agricola (hardback only). Several have had hardback editions, though these tend to sell out early. Almost all my fiction works are now on audio, and those that are not have been agreed with publishers and are in the works. Foreign language editions of my books are less certain. Some have been optioned in various countries, but availability is down to publishers within those countries seeking the rights.
Will there be more Marius’ Mules?
With the release of Ides of March (book 15) this year, the series has now come to an end. At this stage I have no plan to write either sequels or prequels. Rest assured if I ever feel the need to delve into Fronto’s world once more, there will be plenty of news.
What Damned Emperor is next?
The fourth and final book, Caracalla, is out this autumn. Again, currently there are no plans for a further volume, though the ground for the series is fertile, so you never know…
Why don’t you do a talk/signing in my area?
The simple upshot is that I probably will, if invited and if it’s cost-effective. If you have a venue in mind and I can do it without huge outlay or there is payment enough to cover expenses, do get in touch.
Why do you also write fantasy works?
There is something liberating about launching into a project that is based entirely on my imagination and not limited by the definitive events laid out in history. I have thoroughly enjoyed telling the tales in Tales of the Empire, and I may return to the genre some time.
Have I thought about writing about (period x) in Roman history?
I have had several suggestions of subjects and periods that I could write about. Some are very good suggestions and I will seriously consider them when the time comes (I have several works scheduled for the next few years). Periods and situations suggested (that I love) include Constantinian Rome and Roman Egypt. Well good news there: Roman Egypt is now well covered in Capsarius and Bellatrix, as well as a book to be released in 2024, and the trilogy written with Gordon Doherty beginning with Sons of Rome is based around the era of the Tetrarchy and the rise of Constantine and Maxentius.
Have I read Wallace Breem’s Eagle in the Snow?
I have been asked this three times and that has astounded me. And the answer was no. Miraculously, given the high esteem in which the book is held, I had remained strangely unaware of it. This has recently been corrected. During the final stages of writing MM3, I took the time to purchase and read Breem’s seminal work. It is an astoundingly emotional ride, I have to say. To those of you who likened Fronto to Maximus in that novel, all I can say is thank you. I can see a similarity myself.
Did the HBO series Rome influence my writing of Caesar?
I actually began writing Marius’ Mules long before Rome came on, but was almost ecstatic to see how well their portrayal meshed with my own view of him. It is, in retrospect, almost as though the MM series is a prequel for the show. In a similar way, since I finished the first novel, I have found echoes of my work in that of others. I guess that’s unavoidable, given the closeness of the subject and period.