Based on a true story, this is not the enlightened Rome of
myth. This is a city choking on fear, where blood flows on both the battlefield
and altar, and where generals and politicians alike are desperate to appease
rageful gods.
When 50,000 Romans fall in a single day at the Battle of Cannae, priests claim
there can be only one reason the gods abandoned Rome: a Vestal Virgin has
broken her vow of chastity. And they accuse Opimia (Mia), the strongest, most
defiant of the six sacred Vestal priestesses.
Forced as a child into serving Vesta, the goddess of fire, Mia has always
chafed against Rome’s control of her every move—especially after being separated
from her childhood love, Attius. Now, accused of a crime she did not commit,
she must defend herself in a hostile court to avoid being buried alive for her
“crime.”
Betrayed by the high priestess, hunted by Rome’s political and religious elite,
Mia must either accept her fate — or join with the Sybil of Cumae to expose the
truth behind a world built on superstition, fear, and lies.
A story of personal awakening amid public catastrophe,The Cleansingis a haunting journey
through a city at war with itself — and a woman who risks everything to survive
it.
Praise:
"Original, deftly crafted... [and a]
historical thriller with an impressive level of literary excellence."
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Victoria Alvear has written multiple books and novels set in
the ancient world, including A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii, A Song of
War: A Novel of Troy, Cleopatra’s Moon, and others.
She is known as Vicky Alvear Shecter for her children’s
books, which include Warrior Queens, Anubis Speaks!, Hades Speaks!, and
Thor Speaks!
She has served as a docent at the Museum of Antiquities at Emory University for nearly twenty years.
If you enjoy discovering new stories,
you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning
adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY
The sound of rumbling thunder caused
Nero to rush to his bedchamber, where he shut the door behind him. He fell onto
the bed, holding pillows over his ears and muffling the sounds that caused the
hairs on his arms to stand. He closed his eyes tightly, not wishing to see the
lightning striking across the blackened sky.
His body stiffened when his garments moved. Nero screamed, believing a snake
had slithered across his torso, as the bed hangings flapped in the wind.
Agrippina’s apparition appeared before him, close enough to touch. Nero stepped
back, his fearful eyes gazing upon Octavia’s bloodied head with scorpions
crawling out of her eye sockets.
“Leave me be, begone; I command you!” Nero said.
The specters followed him, getting closer and closer. He felt his mother’s
fingernails scratching the side of his face, her mouth close to his, spitting
venom onto his tongue. Serpents slipped up his bare legs and wrapped themselves
around his chest, constricting his breathing.
“Let go of me!”
Nero pulled the cloth away from his chest, his breathing quick and erratic. His
heart beat rapidly, his skin wet and clammy. He fell to the floor, kicking his
feet, his hands flying about. The emperor hit his head against a nearby table,
causing loss of consciousness as roaring thunder forcefully shook the earth.
He’s a soldier, a survivor, and a man
haunted by choices. Now, Traian Aelius Propacius steps forward in a format as
raw and unflinching as his truth.
This AI-generated virtual character
interview captures Traian’s stoic intensity with startling realism. His voice
carries the weight of Rome’s decline, his eyes reflect the cost of loyalty, and
his words reveal the fragile line between justice and vengeance. It’s not just
an interview—it’s a confession.
Watch the full interview here:
This is part of our ongoing series
exploring the world of Forgiving Nero through immersive storytelling.
Each character adds depth to the drama, and Traian’s appearance reminds us that
redemption is never simple—and never free.
Mary Ann Bernal is a distinguished
alumna of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she earned her degree in
Business Administration. Her literary journey began with the 2009 publication
of her debut novel in The Briton and the Dane series, marking the start
of a richly diverse body of work that spans historical fiction, contemporary
short stories, science fiction/fantasy, and fast-paced adventure novellas.
Her recent publications include Crusader’s
Path, a poignant redemption tale set during the First Crusade; Forgiving
Nero, a compelling exploration of familial bonds in Ancient Rome; and the
award-winning AnaRose adventure series, chronicling the daring escapades of a
museum curator-turned-relic hunter. Mary Ann’s work has been honored by the
Independent Press Award, the NYC Big Book Award, Chanticleer International Book
Awards, the B.R.A.G. Medallion, and the Reader Views Reviewer’s Choice Awards.
Her short fiction anthologies have likewise earned distinction, most notably
from the American Legacy Book Awards. She was also recognized with the Editor’s
Choice Award for Literary Excellence by Reader’s House magazine.
A dedicated supporter of the United
States military since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has actively engaged in
letter-writing campaigns and related initiatives. Her advocacy has been
featured on KMTV’s The Morning Blend and in the Omaha World-Herald.
As a celebrated author, she has appeared on numerous reader blogs and book
promotion platforms. Mary Ann currently resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where she
continues to craft stories that inspire and endure.
Torchlight flickered across the marble
halls of Rome. The empire whispered of treachery, and every oath was tested by
fire. From the heart of Nero’s court, where loyalty could mean salvation or
ruin, Praetorian Guard Traian Aelius Propacius steps forward to speak of duty,
conscience, and the cost of guarding a man history would never forgive.
Interviewer: Traian, thank you for joining us. For
readers unfamiliar with your role, how would you describe your duty in Nero’s
Rome?
Traian: I was first sworn to guard a child,
not an emperor, a boy barely past his second year, spirited and curious, who
bore the name Lucius. His mother had been sent into exile, and in her absence,
I became his shield. My duty then was simple: to keep him safe from harm, to
guide his steps, to be the steady presence he could trust. Yet even in those
tender years, I understood I was protecting more than a child’s body. I was
guarding the promise of what he might become. Later, when Rome began to call
him Nero, my oath remained unchanged. To me, he was always Lucius, the boy I
once carried on my shoulders, the boy who dreamed of justice before the world
taught him fear.
Interviewer: Many saw Nero as a tyrant. From your
vantage point, what kind of man was he?
Traian: He was both boy and emperor, burdened
with a crown too heavy for his years. There were moments when he longed to rule
with mercy, to be remembered as more than his bloodline’s curse. But Rome was
merciless. The Senate whispered, the people demanded spectacle, and cruelty
became the coin of survival. I saw him hesitate at the edge of mercy, and I saw
him push past it.
Interviewer: The Great Fire of Rome remains one of
the most infamous events of his reign. From what you learned, how did it change
him?
Traian: I was not in Rome when the fire began.
When I finally found him, he told me what had happened. He had been at his
estates outside the city, and when word reached him, he rode into Rome. He
opened his gardens to the homeless, ordered supplies, and tried to fight the
flames. For a time, he was the Lucius I remembered, desperate to help,
desperate to be loved by his people. But when the whispers began, when the
blame turned toward him, everything shifted. To protect himself, he struck
back. That was when the Christians became his scapegoats. It was not mercy or
cruelty that guided him then, but fear.
Interviewer: Do you believe he wanted to be a good
ruler?
Traian: Yes. In his heart, he wanted to be loved,
to be remembered as more than his bloodline’s shadow. But Rome is not kind to
dreamers. Every step he took toward mercy was met with suspicion, every attempt
at justice twisted into weakness. In the end, he became what Rome demanded and
what Rome feared.
Interviewer: The palace halls were rife with
treachery. How did you endure such a world?
Traian: With silence, vigilance, and with the
knowledge that every ally might one day be an enemy. Even among the Guard,
trust was fragile. I stood between Lucius and conspirators cloaked as friends.
But the greater battle was within myself; how long could loyalty endure when it
began to feel like complicity?
Interviewer: History judged Nero harshly. Do you
believe he deserved forgiveness?
Traian: Forgiveness was not mine to grant. I
can only say this: he was not the monster the poets would write about, nor the
saint he once dreamed of being. He was a man caught between fear and destiny.
Perhaps that was the tragedy of Rome, that even emperors were prisoners of the
crown they wore.
Interviewer: And what of you, Traian? What future
did you see for yourself beyond Nero’s shadow?
Traian: When I was discharged, I found myself
standing at a crossroads. I had given my years to Rome, my loyalty to Lucius,
and in return, I carried scars no one could see. What comes next is not glory,
nor triumph. It is simply the search for peace, a life lived quietly, away from
marble halls and whispered conspiracies. Whether I will ever find it, only the
gods know.
Interviewer: Do you have anything to add before we
wrap up?
Traian: Only this: be careful how you judge
the past. History is written by those who survived it, and in Nero’s case, by
men who came long after his death, men who had never seen him, who shaped him
into villain or monster to serve their own ends. All documents are hearsay,
colored by fear, politics, or faith. If Rome teaches us anything, it is that
truth is fragile, and if we are not wary, history will repeat itself.
Mary Ann Bernal is a distinguished alumna of Mercy College
in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she earned her degree in Business Administration. Her
literary journey began with the 2009 publication of her debut novel in The
Briton and the Dane series, marking the start of a richly diverse body of work
that spans historical fiction, contemporary short stories, science
fiction/fantasy, and fast-paced adventure novellas.
Her recent publications include Crusader’s Path, a poignant
redemption tale set during the First Crusade; Forgiving Nero, a compelling
exploration of familial bonds in Ancient Rome; and the award-winning AnaRose
adventure series, chronicling the daring escapades of a museum
curator-turned-relic hunter. Mary Ann’s work has been honored by the Independent
Press Award, the NYC Big Book Award, Chanticleer International Book Awards, the
B.R.A.G. Medallion, and the Reader Views Reviewer’s Choice Awards. Her short
fiction anthologies have likewise earned distinction, most notably from the
American Legacy Book Awards. She was also recognized with the Editor’s Choice
Award for Literary Excellence by Reader’s House magazine.
A dedicated supporter of the United States military since
Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has actively engaged in letter-writing campaigns
and related initiatives. Her advocacy has been featured on KMTV’s The Morning
Blend and in the Omaha World-Herald. As a celebrated author, she has appeared
on numerous reader blogs and book promotion platforms. Mary Ann currently
resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where she continues to craft stories that inspire
and endure.
What Remains is a haunting dual-timeline mystery that
bridges centuries-and secrets-between ancient Rome and the modern world.
Forensic
anthropologist Tori Benino has just landed the opportunity of a lifetime:
leading a dig at a long-buried Roman village lost to the eruption of Vesuvius.
But when she uncovers the remains of a Praetorian guard hidden in an ancient
latrine-clearly murdered-Tori realizes she's stumbled onto something far more
sinister than a routine excavation. As she digs deeper into the past, her own
carefully ordered life begins to fall apart.
Nearly two
thousand years earlier, Thalia, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is
desperate to escape an arranged marriage to a brutal and politically powerful
senator. Her only hope lies with a Praetorian soldier assigned to guard her-but
trusting him could cost her everything.
As past and
present collide, What Remains asks: When history is buried, what truths
refuse to stay hidden?
Perfect for fans
of Kathy Reichs and Kate Quinn, this novel is inspired by true events and
delivers a compelling blend of suspense, history, and heart.
Erryn Lee has spent most of her life between the
covers of books, her love for historical fiction drew her to a career as an English
and History teacher, where she enjoys sharing her passion for both language and
the past with young adults (at least until she needs to give it up to write
full time).
When not teaching or writing she is deeply immersed
in research and studying her Masters in History. Erryn lives with her husband,
a fluctuating number of horses and three bossy cavoodles on a horse farm in the
picturesque central west of NSW, Australia.
Smoke coils above Rome’s marble spires. The boy who would be
emperor stands at the edge of greatness and ruin.
Watch the Trailer
Witness the rise and unraveling of Nero like never before.
Behind the Crown: Where Loyalty Ends and Power Begins.
Before the tyranny, there was longing. Before the cruelty,
confusion. A boy raised in shadows, taught to fear love and trust no one. In the
palace halls, whispers of revolt echo. In Nero’s heart, a storm brews.
This quiet moment, fraught with dread and fragile hope,
captures the soul of Forgiving Nero. It’s a story of unraveling. Of how power
distorts intention, and legacy exacts its toll. A boy once desperate to do good
becomes a man shaped by betrayal, forced to choose between survival and
surrendering to the darkness he was born into.
A Note from the Author
I wrote Forgiving Nero to explore the making of a legend and
the unraveling of a man. Was he a monster, or a victim of Rome’s brutal design?
This book invites you to witness his metamorphosis and decide for yourself.
About the Book
Nero enters manhood beneath the shadow of a bloodstained
throne. Raised on fear and betrayal, he wears his crown with equal parts of
dread and defiance.
He longs to rule justly, but Rome is built on secrets and
sharpened blades. As treachery grows within the Senate and whispers of revolt
echo through the corridors, Nero leans on the one man who’s never abandoned
him: Traian, a soldier sworn to protect him since boyhood.
But even loyalty has limits. As power corrodes what remains
of his soul, Nero faces a final choice. Rise above the cruelty that shaped him,
or embrace it and be remembered only as a monster.
Forgiving Nero is a sweeping historical epic that explores
ambition, faith, and the human price of legacy in a world where mercy is
weakness and silence is survival.
Ready to Read?
Step into the heart of ancient Rome. Witness the fall.
A Celtic warrior princess accused of
treason for aiding her enemy lover must win back her father’s love and trust
In the rich and vibrant tale, author Linnea
Tanner continues the story of Catrin and Marcellus that began with the
award-winning novel APOLLO’S RAVEN in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series.
Book 2: DAGGER’S DESTINY sweeps you into an epic tale of forbidden love,
mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia.
War looms over 24 AD Britannia where rival
tribal rulers fight each other for power and the Romans threaten to invade to
settle their political differences. King Amren accuses his daughter, Catrin, of
treason for aiding the Roman enemy and her lover, Marcellus. The ultimate
punishment is death unless she can redeem herself. She must prove loyalty to
her father by forsaking Marcellus and defending their kingdom—even to the
death. Forged into a warrior, she must overcome tribulations and make the right
decisions on her quest to break the curse that foretells her banished
half-brother and the Roman Empire will destroy their kingdom.
Yet, when Catrin again reunites with
Marcellus, she is torn between her love for him and duty to King Amren. She
must ultimately face her greatest challenger who could destroy her life,
freedom, and humanity.
Will Catrin finally break the ancient prophecy
that looms over her kingdom? Will she abandon her forbidden love for Marcellus
to win back her father’s trust and love? Can King Amren balance his brutality
to maintain power with the love he feels for Catrin?
Praise:
“Tanner is a masterful wordsmith and
storyteller. There were no plot holes, everything was believable, and her
characters grew as did the plot.” ~ The Audiobook Reviewer
" For those with an interest in
epic fantasy, the characters and their interactions, each with their personal
goals and motivations, and often in conflict with each other, Dagger’s Destiny
is a book sure to keep your interest.” ~ Geoff Habiger
for Readers' Favorite (GOLD MEDAL Fiction: Magic/Wizardry)
A winner will be chosen at random and
announced after the tour has finished.
Award-winning author, Linnea
Tanner weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue
in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about
ancient civilizations and mythology. She is particularly interested in the
enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.
Linnea has extensively researched
ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to
sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings
series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s
Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3), and Skull’s
Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short
story Two Faces of Janus.
A Colorado native, Linnea
attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two
children and six grandchildren.
Finally available in one volume! The decadence of Imperial
Rome comes to life in S.P. Somtow's Literary Titan Award-winning novel about
one of ancient history's wildest characters.
The historian Suetonius tells us that the Emperor Nero
emasculated and married his slave Sporus, the spitting image of murdered
Empress Poppaea. But history has more tidbits about Sporus, who went from
"puer delicatus" to Empress to one Emperor and concubine to another,
and ended up being sentenced to play the Earth-Goddess in the arena.
This title is
available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Once referred to by the International Herald Tribune as 'the
most well-known expatriate Thai in the world,' Somtow Sucharitkul is no longer
an expatriate, since he has returned to Thailand after five decades of
wandering the world. He is best known as an award-winning novelist and a
composer of operas.
Born in Bangkok, Somtow grew up in Europe and was educated at
Eton and Cambridge. His first career was in music and in the 1970s, his first
return to Asia, he acquired a reputation as a revolutionary composer, the first
to combine Thai and Western instruments in radical new sonorities. Conditions
in the arts in the region at the time proved so traumatic for the young
composer that he suffered a major burnout, emigrated to the United States, and
reinvented himself as a novelist.
His earliest novels were in the science fiction field and he
soon won the John W. Campbell for Best New Writer as well as being nominated
for and winning numerous other awards in the field. But science fiction was not
able to contain him and he began to cross into other genres. In his 1984 novel
Vampire Junction, he injected a new literary inventiveness into the horror
genre, in the words of Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, 'skillfully combining
the styles of Stephen King, William Burroughs, and the author of the Revelation
to John.' Vampire Junction was voted one of the forty all-time greatest horror
books by the Horror Writers' Association, joining established classics like
Frankenstein and Dracula. He has also published children's books, a historical
novel, and about a hundred works of short fiction.
In the 1990s Somtow became increasingly identified as a
uniquely Asian writer with novels such as the semi-autobiographical Jasmine
Nights and a series of stories noted for a peculiarly Asian brand of magic
realism, such as Dragon's Fin Soup, which is currently being made into a film
directed by Takashi Miike. He recently won the World Fantasy Award, the highest
accolade given in the world of fantastic literature, for his novella The Bird
Catcher. His seventy-plus books have sold about two million copies world-wide.
He has been nominated for or won over forty awards in the fields of science
fiction, fantasy, and horror.
After becoming a Buddhist monk for a period in 2001, Somtow
decided to refocus his attention on the country of his birth, founding Bangkok's
first international opera company and returning to music, where he again
reinvented himself, this time as a neo-Asian neo-Romantic composer. The
Norwegian government commissioned his song cycle Songs Before Dawn for the
100th Anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize, and he composed at the request of
the government of Thailand his Requiem: In Memoriam 9/11 which was dedicated to
the victims of the 9/11 tragedy.
According to London's Opera magazine, 'in just five years,
Somtow has made Bangkok into the operatic hub of Southeast Asia.' His operas on
Thai themes, Madana and Mae Naak, have been well received by international
critics.
Somtow has recently been awarded the 2017 Europa Cultural
Achievement Award for his work in bridging eastern and western cultures. In
2020 he returned to science fiction after a twenty-year absence with
"Homeworld of the Heart", a fifth novel in the Inquestor series.
Currently he has just finished Nero and Sporus, a
massive historical novel set in Imperial Rome.
To support S.P. Somtow's work, visit his patreon account at
patreon.com/spsomtow. His website is at www.somtow.com.
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.
This title is available to read on
#KindleUnlimited.
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.
A Celtic warrior
princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her
people.
AWARD-WINNING APOLLO’S
RAVEN sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological
adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD
British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power.
King Amren’s former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf
and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king’s daughter, Catrin, learns to
her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf.
Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is
torn between her forbidden love for her father’s enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty
to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the
dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom.
Will Catrin overcome
and eradicate the ancient curse? Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love
for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and
save her kingdom?
Buy Links:
*Apollo’s Raven will be free on
Kindle on September 26th – 30th, 2024!*
Award-winning author, Linnea
Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue
in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about
ancient civilizations and mythology. She is particularly interested in the
enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.
Linnea has extensively
researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled
to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and
Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven
(Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3),
and Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical
fiction short story Two Faces of Janus.
A Colorado native, Linnea
attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two
children and six grandchildren.
“If you mingled the history and romance of
Philippa Gregory with the magical fantasy of George R.R. Martin, the result
just might be the fascinating Apollo’s Raven (Curse of Clansmen and
Kings Book 1) by Linnea Tanner. Get ready for a journey filled with the
desires of star-crossed lovers, the horror of a son polishing his own mother’s
skull and the fantasy of humans becoming creatures as a tool to save their very
humanity.”
“Sorcery? Mythology? Forbidden love? An
ancient curse? Yes, please! I fully enjoyed this epic tale of intrigue,
deception, and love. The characters are developed well, while the plot leaves
the reader wanting more.”
“What a story! I am a huge fan of
"Game of Thrones," and this book grabbed me in much the same way. The
author took me inside the world of ancient Romans and Celts. The imagery was
compelling. I could see the characters, the weapons, the countryside, the
lairs, and the castle. She stayed true to the times.”
“A love story full of intrigue, power
struggles, choosing one’s fate and a doomed love, this story reminds me
somewhat of an old book called “The Silver Land” by Nancy Harding or even “The
Forest House” by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The undercurrents are the same as they
are set in similar times, but the finer details are different enough that it
only feels the same while still being uniquely its own.”
