Exile - what does it actually mean?

I expect we can all name a number of famous exiles without too much bother – Napoleon Bonaparte, Leon Trotsky, Benazir Bhutto, Roman poet Ovid, Marlene Dietrich, Aristotle, the von Trapp family, Albert Einstein, to name but a few.

Exile is essentially a separation from your homeland and can be temporary or permanent. Sometimes […]

Building Roma Nova – Part 2

Map of North Italy and Austria

What does Roma Nova look like? It’s an alpine country with lower lying valleys a few small towns (Castra Lucilla to the south of the main city, Brancadorum at the east, Aquae Caesaris to the west) and a river city full of columns, a forum, Senate house and temples.

There are high mountains and hills […]

Building Roma Nova – Part 1

Triumphal arch, Roma Nova (Author photo)

When I began writing the adventures of Karen/Carina, readers became very interested in Roma Nova and its people; some wanted to visit and others wanted to sign up to live there! I thought I’d share some of the questions they’ve asked…

Why does the heroine change name? Carina is Karen’s real name. Her mother, who […]