I’m delighted to welcome fellow Ocelot Press author, Nancy Jardine, to the blog today. She published a new book this week in her gripping and thoroughly researched Celtic Fervour series, set in Roman Britain. I’ll let Nancy tell you about it.
Thank you for inviting me today, Vanessa, to share a little about Beathan The Brigante, the 5th book in my highly acclaimed Celtic Fervour Saga Series. The novel launched two days ago with Ocelot Press and I’m still not down from the ceiling! It’s available in e-book and paperback from Amazon, and in paperback format via Ingram Spark (bookstores and libraries).
An offer from Nancy
Something your readers might find of interest is that the ebook versions of Books 1-4 in the Celtic Fervour Saga Series are reduced to only 99p/99c/0.99euros each, for some days around Book 5’s launch day and, depending on when your readers see this post, the offer may still be available. You can find the ebooks via my Amazon author page.
Writing the Celtic Fervour saga
I’ve loved writing all five books of the series, though honesty makes me confess that sometimes it’s been difficult at times knowing what to keep and what to remove from my final copies. I love to research and, like most historical authors I know, always want desperately to keep every little detail in the final copy. That is, naturally, entirely unrealistic but authors live to dream! I hope in Beathan The Brigante that the balance is just right for making the settings credible.
Although I’ve endeavoured to create each book as a ‘stand-alone’ read, the links between all of the books – and the development of the Garrigill Clan as the saga unfolds – make that difficult. Recurring themes also permeate the books, some being more relevant to my Roman Iron Age ‘Celts’ and others to the Ancient Roman characters.
Beathan The Brigante
Beathan The Brigante brings one particular theme of the series to a full circle. The birth of a baby is prophesied in The Beltane Choice (Book 1), a son who is destined to become a famous tribal leader. Nara and Lorcan of the Garrigill Brigantes name their child Beathan – which means ‘life’.
Beathan’s upbringing is tinged with the constant threat of domination by the legions of Ancient Rome. When Beathan is seven, his Brigante clan from Garrigill Hillfort become refugees and trek northwards to Nara’s birthplace (Book 3). However, living there is very temporary since the Roman invasion continues northwards, led by the new Governor of Britannia, General Agricola. At the age of almost thirteen, Beathan goes to battle at Beinn na Ciche against the Ancient Roman legions of General Agricola. That battle is lost by the Caledonians and we subsequently find Beathan is captured by Roman auxiliaries (Book 4).
Book 5 is Beathan’s story and tells the tale of what happens to him from his imprisonment at the age of almost thirteen to revenge against his Roman captors when he is a very mature seventeen-year-old. However, Book 5 is also partly the story of Beathan’s unique relationship with the Ancient Roman general, Gnaeus Iulius Agricola. Dragged in chains to Rome doesn’t mean that Beathan has lost all sense of honour. Equally, Agricola has enemies of his own and finds impartiality an impossible burden. And it isn’t only the main characters in Book 5 who make surprising choices!
Beathan endures so much during his early teenage years. He deserves some happiness but finds that Torrin is a determined young Brigante lass with her own plans mapped out. Love rarely comes easily for my Garrigill warriors and readers will find that young Beathan is no different!
There are repeated themes throughout the five books – threads which are sometimes fragile but also have a tensile strength that’s needed to face up to the Roman invaders. What keeps Beathan going during his years of captivity is the desire to be back in the bosom of his Garrigill family, but there is also an all-encompassing hunger to wreak havoc and disaster on his Roman tormentors.
Beathan is my current hero – might be for some time to come – and I do hope readers like him, too!
About the book
AD 85 Roman Empire
How can young Beathan of Garrigill – held hostage by General Agricola and dragged in chains to Rome – escape and wreak vengeance on his enemies?
Torrin is a strong-minded Brigante warrior-woman who forges her own future. She willingly takes care of him in a time of need, but her own plans are paramount.
Agricola’s career is in tatters. Attempts on his life are plentiful, having lost favour with Emperor Domitian. His gods have abandoned him, though assistance comes from a surprising source.
Will Beathan gain his freedom to return to his kin in Caledonia? Will Torrin be by his side? And how will Agricola survive without the emperor’s benevolence?
Beathan the Brigante is the fifth in the bestselling Celtic Fervour series.
Beathan The Brigante ebook edition
Beathan the Brigante paperback edition
About Nancy
Nancy Jardine writes historical fiction, time travel historical adventure and contemporary mysteries. When not writing or researching (a compulsion she can’t give up), she’ll be with her grandchildren, gardening, or reading novels. She loves to interact with her readers when regularly signing/ selling paperback versions of her novels at local Craft Fairs, and at larger event venues. She enjoys presenting author talks and gives formal presentations on her novels, and on Ancient Roman Scotland, to groups large and small.
She’s a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Scottish Association of Writers, the Federation of Writers Scotland, the Romantic Novelists Association and the Alliance of Independent Authors. She’s self-published with Ocelot Press.
Find Nancy at these places:
Copyright © Nancy Jardine, Vanessa Couchman 2020, all rights reserved.
Here’s the blurb, to tempt you in…
