Brook Allen
  • Home
  • About Brook
  • The Antonius Trilogy
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Brook's Research
  • Home
  • About Brook
  • The Antonius Trilogy
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Brook's Research
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

Welcome to
​Brook's Scroll


​If you're historical fiction aficionados, travelers, dreamers, or adventurers, you'll want to take a look. People in the ancient world communicated in a surprising plethora of ways. Scrolls were only one format, and in Marcus Antonius's Rome would have been used specifically by the aristocracy or learned individuals, like scribes, who might even be well-educated slaves. Sometimes scrolls were used for correspondence, especially in arid, hot areas like Egypt or Syria. Other uses were for public records or to record official documents. Though often made of papyrus, scrolls were sometimes made of vellum--leather--which would last longer in humid regions. 

Brook hopes you'll make yourself at home and read through her scrolls to learn more about her work as an author, her research, travels, thoughts, and adventures!"

8/15/2020 0 Comments

Kicking off #3!

It is hard to believe, but I've been an author for nearly a year and a half and it's been the most incredible experience. Researching, traveling WHILE researching, meeting new people, teaching workshops, brushing up on public speaking, seeing things from unique perspectives, and learning how to BE an author. Thank you for following me on this adventure, because that's truly what it is--a rip-roaring ADVENTURE!
Picture
In just two months, I will be done with the Antonius Trilogy. My final book (be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for my first tiny portion of the cover reveal!) will launch on Friday, October 16th. And I CAN'T WAIT to share it with you! I will be announcing another giveaway soon, so be sure to keep an eye out on the website.

One of the most difficult things for me to embrace as an author is to stir up "buzz" about myself. I've never been very comfortable in that department. However, it's part of the game, and though I try to present blogs that are scholarly, interesting, and full of information about my books' period or characters, I feel I also need to share occasionally about myself.

Recently, a Twitter friend, contemporary romance author Elizabeth N. Harris from the UK, offered to interview me. I figured this was perfect timing, since I'd been needing to share a little more about "moi" on my blog in lieu of the upcoming book, so I accepted her kind offer. Here is my interview with her. I hope you'll get a few extra details from it about both my work and my background. 

Elizabeth: Hello! Welcome to the Author of the Week Page, where I interview Indie Authors, This week's Author of the Week is the interesting and wonderful Brook Allen. ​Hi Brook, welcome, let's start with what books you've written.​

Brook: The Antonius Trilogy: Antonius: Son of Rome & Antonius: Second in Command. My third and final book in this trilogy is due to launch on Friday, October 16th.​

Elizabeth: Tell me a little about yourself, see we're all nosy here!

Brook: First off, thanks so much for having me, Elizabeth. I’m a professional musician in my day-job and with rehearsals and performances, it takes up a lot of my time. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, there haven’t been many concerts or music lessons lately. Hopefully, things will be back to normal soon. My husband and I live with our two black Labradors in a rural community in Virginia’s beautiful, Blue Ridge Mountains.​

Elizabeth: I had to look those up Brook, they are really beautiful. What got you into writing?

Brook: I’ve been writing off and on since high school. However, after I focused on Roman Studies while going to grad school, I started the Antonius Trilogy. It’s been a labour of love now for over fifteen years and it’s hard to believe I’ll be done by the end of October. That means new projects, though. I’m looking forward to that!​

Picture
Elizabeth: A long time but when you love something, it flies by. What’s the main thing you love and hate about writing? ​

Brook: For me, writing—real writing—is growth. With every draft, edit, and review, I am able to see what I need to strive toward and focus on. Life should be like that, right? Probably the thing I hate the most is the way some retailers/review sites don’t require an actual “review”, but allow people to give random “ratings”. Random ratings don’t help an author grow as a writer. I want to know what people liked or WHY they didn’t like something.
​

Elizabeth: That's true Brook, who is the worst villain you’ve ever written, and why?

Brook: Octavian’s not really a “villain”. I mean, the guy was a brilliant politician and became Rome’s first and possibly most illustrious Emperor. That being said, he was also ruthless, hypocritical, cruel-spirited, and all about propaganda. Not necessarily what I’d want on my job evaluation! Ha! What he did to Marc Antony, after the fact--damnatio memoriae—was the damning of his name. He outlawed any other man from being named “Marcus Antonius”, he declared Antony’s birthday an official state-day of bad luck, he destroyed his statuary, struck through any of his inscriptions, and pretty much-made life difficult for those of us trying to LEARN about Antony’s history.
​
Elizabeth: What is next on your list to write/publish?


Brook: After I finish the Antonius Trilogy, I’m hoping to work on a time-slice novel from American History. I’ll be focusing on just a few years… around 1803-1806, when the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery was taking place. It’ll be a fascinating period to explore and I hope to incorporate the life of Julia Hancock, who was Clark’s first wife, into the story. The setting will be Fincastle, Virginia… not far from where I live. It’s a place jam-packed with intriguing people.

Picture
Elizabeth: That sounds interesting, who is your favourite author, and why?
 
Brook: Margaret George is my favourite author. She is truly the grande-dame of historical fiction in the US, and her characters are so varied. What a career this lady has had, from reaching the acclaim of being a NYT Bestselling Author to appearing live on a celebration honouring Garth Brooks. Her book, The Memoirs of Cleopatra led me to write my Antonius Trilogy. Best of all, she’s been my mentor along the way.
​
Elizabeth: She sounds like a wonderful mentor. Who encouraged you the most to write?
 
Brook: My parents encouraged me first. I won some awards in high school for my writing. Then came my husband who has slipped into their shoes of being my cheerleader. Lastly, Margaret George’s encouragement, advice, and endorsement have been a great honour and joy to have.
​
Elizabeth: How wonderful you've had so much support, Brook. Are you as avid a reader as a writer?
 
Brook: I try to be. It’s been an easy role to slip into during these months of the pandemic. However, when I’m working full-time in my day-job, it’s pretty much impossible to both read a lot and WRITE novels. I look forward to retiring so I can focus on writing like I’ve been able to do during these months of the pandemic.

Picture
Elizabeth: What’s your favourite genre?

​Brook: Hands down, historical fiction! I’m a member of the Historical Novel Society.​

Elizabeth: I think I walked into that one--Lol! Do you listen to music when you write?​

Brook: Because I’m a professional musician, it’s really difficult to write and have music in the background. My ear is so trained to LISTEN to music, I can’t focus on working. So I’m afraid as much as I love music, I have to have total quiet while writing.

Elizabeth: That does make sense. If you could interview any famous author who would it be and why?

Brook: Actually, I’d love interviewing Kate Quinn and am thinking of approaching her to do so! I’ve met her briefly at conferences and she’s very warm and friendly. Who knows… maybe she’d say YES!​

Elizabeth: Give it a try Brook! Tell me a secret that none of your fans know!

Brook: Long, long ago… I once did pre-training for the Olympics. I was into equestrian arts… dressage, cross-country. I rode a LOT. I was doing well, riding well, and then I graduated from high school and went to college. That ended that!​

Elizabeth: I'm impressed, tell me what your main character would say about you!

Brook: He’d probably be irritated that it’s taken me so long to finish his story, but also appreciative. People are still very polarized when it comes to Antony. There’s seldom any middle-ground where he’s concerned, in scholarly circles. So he’d probably thank me for trying to curb some of the injustices done to him and his family in the course of my research.

Elizabeth: I think people forget there is always a backstory to someone, a reason why! Finally, any words of advice?

Brook: If you really want to be a writer, and your heart loves words, your mind is always constructing stories… don’t WAIT! DO IT! I waited thirty years or more before I was published and I regret not starting sooner.

Elizabeth: Thank you, Brook, for talking with me today, I hope everyone enjoyed the interview as much as I did, now if you want more Brook, find her at:​

Author Website: brookallenauthor.com
Author Email: 1brook.allen@gmail.com
Facebook: @Historical.FictionWriter
Twitter: @1BrookAllen

*NEXT WEEK: The buzz about my next book begins! I'll be discussing three of Marcus Antonius's WOMEN! READ ON, everybody!

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019

    RSS Feed

Picture
© Brook Allen 2020
Website Design by Michelle Gill