Alison Morton, Ruth Downie, and Kate Quinn
A conversation about bringing Roman historical fiction to the public based on experience at public events, especially Roman festivals, library talks, and social media. The session aims to broaden the view of ‘Rome’ beyond battles and ‘the Classical period’. Ideas for bringing the Romans to the public beyond Gladiator, I Claudius, Britannia and HBO’s Rome will be discussed. We will look at ways to increase the use of video and visual media.
A ‘Roman nut’ since the age of eleven, Alison Morton (left) writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Former army captain, city worker and translator with an MA in history, she turned to writing twelve years ago. In her ten-book Roma Nova series, Successio, Aurelia, Insurrectio and Julia Prima have been selected as Historical Novel Society’s Editors’ Choices. Successio was also picked by The Bookseller as Editor’s Choice in its inaugural indie review. Alison lives in Poitou, France, where she is writing the sequel to Julia Prima.
Ruth Downie (right) is the creator of Roman Army medic Gaius Petreius Ruso – a man whose desire for a quiet life is thwarted by unwanted murder investigations and by his British partner, Tilla. Medicus, the first book in the series, was a New York Times bestseller and has been followed by a further seven novels and a novella. Absolutely none of the medical advice in the Ruso books should be followed. Roman and Greek doctors were very wise about many things but they were also known to prescribe donkey dung and boiled cockroaches. Ruth spends the occasional joyous week grovelling in mud with an archaeological trowel. https://ruthdownie.com
Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network, The Huntress, The Rose Code, and The Diamond Eye. Her books have all been translated into multiple languages. Kate and her husband live in San Diego with three rescue dogs. https://www.katequinnauthor.com
The Historical Novel Society UK 2024 conference 