14 AD.
When Dokimos the vegetable seller is found bludgeoned to death in the Black Sea town of Tomis, it’s the most exciting thing to have happened in the region for years. Now reluctantly settled into life in exile, the disgraced Roman poet Ovid helps his friend Avitius to investigate the crime, with the evidence pointing straight at a cuckolded neighbour.
But Ovid is also on edge, waiting for the most momentous death of all. Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome, is nearing his end, and the future of the whole Roman world is uncertain.
Even as far away as Tomis, this political shadow creates tension as the pompous Roman legate Flaccus thinks more of his career than solving a local murder.
Avitius and Ovid become convinced that an injustice has been done in the case of the murdered vegetable seller. But Flaccus continues to turn a deaf ear.
When Ovid’s wife, Fabia, arrives unexpectedly, carrying a cryptic message from the Empress Livia, the poet becomes distracted - and another crime is committed.
Ovid hopes for a return to Rome - only to discover that he is under threat from an enemy much closer to home.
Writing Interview Questions.
Why did you choose to write your book in this era?
There wasn’t any choice about this – I have wanted to write novels set in ancient Rome since my teens. I was particularly drawn in by the lawcourt speeches of the lawyer and politician Cicero, which show the complex and dangerous political background in which he worked. Uncovering the links between the players as the Roman Republic careers towards ruin is fascinating, but many people get a brief mention only in our sources. I always wanted to tell their stories.
Did you find researching this era particularly difficult? What was the hardest thing to find out, and did you come across anything particularly surprising?
It’s no harder than any other era, I suppose, once you accept the number of gaps in the evidence – and the way ancient historians contradict each other! I once tried to write an article on whether or not there was a conspiracy against Augustus in 23 BCE. I got as far as “maybe, but it might have been in 22, and it might not really have been a conspiracy as such, and the person who led it could have been called any combination of Aulus, Lucius, Licinius, Murena and Varro. Actually, he might not have existed”. Then I gave up.
I discovered something very surprising yesterday – Pliny the Elder says that ginger is called “zingiberi”, which seems a wonderful name. I think it should be more widely used.
Can you share something about the book that isn’t covered in the blurb?
I absolutely loved populating the little town of Tomis with people who ran vegetable stalls or bars or temples. When I look at current media, Rome gets all the attention, and yes, it had amazing buildings and a huge population, but most inhabitants of the Empire lived in much less cinematic locations and just got on with their lives. And not everyone in the Roman Empire was a gladiator!
If you had to describe your protagonist(s), in three words, what would those three words be and why?
Self-centred, charming, poetic. Poetry is the first thing Ovid thinks about when he wakes up and the last thing as he falls asleep. This makes him highly self-absorbed, but people like him anyway. My version of Ovid is well-meaning, and that goes a long way, along with his sense of humour. Whether the real-life poet Ovid was anything like this – well, I stand by the poetry. I think someone who writes poetry with that energy, humour and empathy for the human condition is likely to have some good qualities!
What was the most challenging part about writing your book?
I write in bursts – I scribble away happily for several weeks then go through a patch where it is a struggle to get a sentence down. I know from experience that these dry patches just have to be endured, so as long as I am doing something productive, it doesn’t have to be writing the novel. I try to give myself permission to do this but sometimes I cannot help feeling frustrated.
Was there anything that you edited out of this book that would have drastically affected the story, should it be left in?
Yes! But I can’t tell you what it is because it is now vital to book three in the series. I was happily constructing an explosive revelation when I realized that it was going to give away everything in the second book of the trilogy – and make the book too long.
What are you currently working on?
I am now drafting the third book, complete with the explosive revelation mentioned above. The working title is “The Poet’s Funeral”, so I shall let you ponder on that!
What would you tell an aspiring author who had some doubts about their writing abilities?
I would ask them if they had written something. If the answer is “Yes,” then they are a writer/author (whichever term the prefer), no qualifications. That’s important for confidence. Then I would say - keep on writing. We all doubt ourselves at some point, but ploughing on gets many of us through those patches. Try looking at it like this - if you don’t like what you have written, you can rewrite it. That isn’t “doubting my ability”, that is “honing my craft”. That way you look forward instead of worrying about where you are.
Personal Interview Questions.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I absolutely love going for a good meal with friends.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was very young, I wanted to be a petrol pump attendant. Then I rather fancied being a pathologist, but loathed science subjects at school.
What’s dinner tonight? What would you rather be eating?
I’m going out with someone who has a lot of allergies – it will be down to her. If money was no object, my dream meal would be dinner at Nobu, in Doha. But there are days when all I need is a peanut butter and marmite sandwich. (Don’t hate me)
What would be a perfect day?
Coffee in bed, potter in the garden, the house cleans itself. I stroll to a handy nearby Roman museum and then have another coffee in a large second-hand bookshop. Then home for a long read on the sofa with my cat in my lap. Oh, and I might do some writing, of course…
What is the best part of your day?
I do love sunny mornings, drinking my coffee and planning. At 2 pm, my writing routine begins, which is exciting - I log onto Second Life and join my in-world writing group and anything can happen. And then making it to the end of the day and feeling I have got things done is very satisfying.
Either or!
Tea or coffee: coffee
Hot or cold: both are horrible! If I must - cold
Movie or book: book
Morning person or Night owl: morning
City or country: country
Social Media or book: book
Paperback or ebook: ebook
Fiona studied Classics at Oxford before teaching it for 25 years. A family move to Qatar gave her the opportunity to write about ancient Rome, and she is now back in the UK, working on her seventh novel.
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Thanks so much for hosting Fiona Forsyth, with such a great interview. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club
Thank you for such a great interview - I really enjoyed answering such interesting questions.
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