Ruth Downie's Blog, page 13

And there’s more…

They say you should put the important information at the top of a piece, just in case nobody reads any further, so here it is -

I’ll be at Calne Library in Wiltshire this Tuesday evening with the irrepressible Ben Kane, author of Roman military fiction and owner of a pair of repro Roman boots that walked Hadrian’s Wall last summer and helped to raise thousands of pounds for charity. You won’t have to donate to come in – just pay £3 for a ticket. Phone01249 813128 to book.

I’ll be in Bristol Lib...

What a weekend!

Sometimes I can’t believe the amazing places writers get to sneak into. Next weekend I’ll be privileged to be involved in three fabulous events. If you’re anywhere near any of them please do come and join us. I’ve mentioned the first two before, but here they are again -

Friday 1st November – at Eton Natural History Museum, talking Leeches and Prayer with Karen Maitland as part of the Thames Valley History Festival. I’m told the museum has real leeches. I hope they’re deceased.

Saturday 2nd Nov...

Meanwhile…

While I’m busy talking, two friends will be sending their new books out into the world this month. Good luck to Rebecca Alexander, whose debut THE SECRETS OF LIFE AND DEATH has just been launched by Del Rey. My copy hasn’t arrived yet but I’ve read some of the early chapters of the book that Rebecca’s working on at the moment, and they’re gripping.

Alison Morton’s PERFIDITAS comes out today – the sequel to INCEPTIO. What would have happened if Rome had never fallen? Well, Latin homework would...

Events, dear boy,* events

[*or girl - Ed.]

For those of us who sit hunched over a computer all day, a chance to get out and meet real people is very exciting. I’ll be taking part in several events over the next few weeks so if you’re able to join us, please come and say hello.

16 October – 7.00 pm at Barton Library (Barton le Clay, Bedfordshire) “Writing the Romans” with Henry Venmore-Rowland. Henry is the author of “The Last Caesar” and “The Sword and the Throne,” bringing to life the tumultuous events of AD 69 when Ro...

The un-stately home

Not a trip into ancient history this time, but a visit to the relatively modern Calke Abbey, It isn’t really an abbey but a house, built in 1704.

The outside is deceptive. Unlike many properties in the care of the National Trust, this one has been left pretty much the way they found it in the 1980′s. Which in some places was splendid…

While in others…

The owners of the house were great collectors, and there are rooms full of things in glass cases that I’m certain didn’t want to be collected, or...

Ham Hill

To my shame, I knew next to nothing about Ham Hill until it appeared on the news a couple of weeks ago. Turns out it’s by far the biggest Hill Fort in the country, and it’s day-trip distance from our house. So last week, prompted by this link sent by a couple of kind readers, I abandoned the desk and headed over there to catch the site tour on the final day of the dig.

For proper pictures and text written by people who know what they’re talking about, I recommend the official website… but thes...

And the winner is…

Thank you to everyone who took time to read the Blog Hop post, and especially to people who joined in and kept me entertained with some great comments and questions.

Congratulations to Russ, whose name was first out of the ‘hat’ to win a copy of the Ruso book of his choice. Russ, my email may be stuck in your spam filter, so please get in touch.

Welcome…

…and thank you for visiting. If you’ve come here looking for the Blog Hop, you’ll find it a little further down the page.

I’m the author of a series of mysteries featuring Roman Army medic and reluctant sleuth, Gaius Petreius Ruso.

His latest adventure, SEMPER FIDELIS is now available in ebook and print, and there’s also an audiobook, read by Simon Vance, tho’ I fear that may only be accessible in the US and Canada.

So, what’s it about?

Ruso, back with the 20th Legion, is doing his best to avoid...

First, drown your ape.

Welcome to my corner of the 2013 Wonder of Rome Blog Hop! There are (I think) seventeen of us linking up this weekend to offer blog posts on some aspect of Rome for your enjoyment. As you’ll have gathered, I’m Ruth Downie, and I write a series of crime novels featuring Roman army medic Ruso, and his British partner Tilla. Predictably, my choice for the Wonder of Rome is its doctors (even if they did learn most of what they knew from the Greeks).

As part of the Hop I’ll be giving a copy of the...

Last month I didn’t know what a Blog Hop was…

…and now I’m about to be in one. Ladies and gentlemen, for your entertainment and edification, this coming Thursday a varied group of writers will be presenting a round of blog posts entitled:

Goodness knows what will be on offer as to the best of my knowledge, hardly anyone knows what anyone else has chosen to write about, However, rumour has it that there will be book giveaways. My piece will be posted here on Thursday along with links to all the others, and I’m looking forward to some good...