Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in London, where I work for the exciting, and sometimes crazy, fashion world. I am a also a committed writer and have written two historic novels, one set in Ancient Greece, and the latest one set in the Roman world of AD 9.
As well as writing novels, I also write a blog on both historical and fantasy genre novels.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest novel is Roman Mask. The inspiration for my novel was a strange one, and not one I would really recommend to anyone. The idea behind my novel came about after a street mugging in which I was lucky to survive after being attacked and beaten to within an inch of my life. Physically I recovered quite quickly, but the emotional and mental side was a different matter altogether and it affected me quite badly. I was completely unprepared for the mental-trauma that such an incident inflicts on you. So I decided to put my experiences to good use, and use it for the basis of a novel. Rather than having it a weight bearing me down, let it be something that produces something positive. At the time, the news on the television was full of stories of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress and it made me think how soldiers dealt with such issues in the ancient world. My experiences had shown me the power that traumatic events can play on the mind, and I quite simply didn’t believe anyone who claimed that in the ancient world such a thing was not a concern because life was different back then. The human mind was biologically exactly the same then as it is now, and just as fallible to conditions we now diagnose and understand the importance of.
So I came up with the character Cassius, a great soldier, but someone who’d been affected by a terrible battle a few years before in the forests of Germany. I knew from my own experiences how easy it was to fall into a trap of blaming yourself for your own perceived weakness, and I knew how living a lie to hide that same weakness can become a part of life. I then started my novel in Rome so I could show Cassius being seduced by the many vices of that ancient city – something that is all too easy under such circumstances. I then returned Cassius to Germany where he learns to understand and come to terms with his fears, just as I did whilst writing my novel. The novel culminates in the Teutoburg forest and one of the most dramatic and historically significant battles of the ancient world. Cassius needs to draw on all his courage and strength in the midst of that terrible event.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. Most of my writing has been done my cottage in the Northumbrian hills, where up until recently you could find me walking with my black Labrador Fergus, who sadly passed in January 2015. Fergus was a constant companion to the writing of the novel and prevented many writers’ tantrums.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always loved both the Historical fiction genre, and fantasy novels. My blog is based around both genres.
Favorite authors of mine from the fantasy world have been David Gemmell, Robin Hobb, and of course J.R.R Tolkien. For historical novels, it would have to be Mary Renault and Bernard Cornwell.
What are you working on now?
I have been so overwhelmed by how well Roman Mask has been received by both the critics and my readers, that I thought it was about time I started the sequel. I started two weeks ago, so although you won’t be seeing anything for quite some time, it is on its way.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far it has been my own website www.romanmask.com
As I control the content, I can write about what I want, and this makes it the perfect channel to advertise my own work.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always write about what you love, don’t get hung up on what you think will be successful or sell well in the marketplace. If you are going to write a good novel, it is going to be a long project and fill your thoughts for large amounts of that time – this is much easier if the subject you write about is one you love. Sometimes I hear of authors who choose a period of history or subject because they thought no one else had written about it before. That’s all very well, but the best way to make your novel unique is through its characters, the emotions you explore, and the story’s plot-line – the period you set it in is immaterial.
Also, whether you are a first time author, or an old hand, always aim for your novel to be the best in your chosen genre. You might not achieve this, but it is best if that aspiration is always there. Never should your thought process be of thinking that your book should be merely adequate or better than some.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be yourself and embrace your individuality.
What are you reading now?
Believe it or not, I am reading War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (honestly I am!). I have been surprised how easy to read it is, and how relevant it still feels. I think with great classics like War and Peace we can be reluctant in to start such a long novel in case it is difficult to read or incomprehensible. But getting to grips with it has been far easier than I thought, and I’m really enjoying it.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have no idea….
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I think I will have to go for the longest three I can find! How about War and Peace, The Lord of the Rings, and the entire series of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time.
Author Websites and Profiles
Thomas M D Brooke Website
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