I'm going to be celebrating a lot this week, with my novel's launch on Friday, March 15. For those of you who don't know, my husband came up with the launch date, since it's the Ides of March! How appropriate was THAT for a book about Marc Antony, huh? So this week will culminate in fourteen years of research, study, traveling, writing, editing, and proofing to release the first book in my trilogy: Antonius: Son of Rome.

So, let's have some FUN! Anybody who subscribes to my website will be placed in a drawing to be held on Sunday, March 31st. The giveaway will be for 3 signed paperback first edition copies of Son of Rome. Some of you have already subscribed, so consider yourselves already entered. But there are PLENTY of people out there who I'd love to include on this journey with me who still need to hop on board. Remember that by subscribing, you'll automatically get weekly blog posts, announcements, and updates on a once-a-week basis.
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I'm so ready and excited for the week ahead. Of course, I'm also a little nervous--praying that my Kindle eBook distributes without any issues, hoping that I get a lot of positive reviews from new readers, and watching to see whether my readership increases. And once Friday comes, I'll be whipping out a nice glass of wine, thankful for the completion of Son of Rome and toasting to my second book in the trilogy, Second In Command, which is already in the works.

So, everybody get on board and subscribe for a chance at winning one of three signed hard-copies. GAME ON!!!!!

Whenever I discuss my work with friends or acquaintances, I always get at least one pair of raised eyebrows when I tell them I write "historical fiction". Admittedly, it's a sub-genre that, in my opinion, is often mistaken for NON-fiction.

First of all, you can be guaranteed that historical fiction is a story that deals with the past. Some characters are true to history, while others are fictitious. Often, authors will include notes about ones that are or aren't. Though fiction is expected to be present within the inter-weaving of the story/plot, a conscious historical fiction author will strive to have factual content and be as precise as possible when it comes to world-building, constructing chronological order of events, and detailing actual historical characters/incidents.

That being said, enter the FICTION!

I'll use my story as an example. We know that Marc Antony went to Greece and "studied". We don't know for certain WHAT he studied, exactly how LONG he studied, or with WHOM he studied. In an attempt to be as accurate as possible, I researched what sorts of things a young Roman heir his age would have studied. I came up with rhetoric (using public speaking as a persuasive tool), military tactics/strategies, and probably the Greek language itself. To determine how long he may have been in Greece, I had to know what happens after his studying ended. He joined an auxiliary cavalry as a commander. That meant more research as to who his commanding officer was and when that individual headed east from Rome to take his post. Lastly, who did he study with? For this, I turned to a useful source--an actual guide I'd met while doing research in Greece. I learned about a logical location in the Athenian agora (forum) where tutors offered their services for hire. Since nobody really KNOWS who taught Antony, I made up a character, using a unique Greek name and giving him a life of his own: Rhesus of Athens. 

By reading a work of historical fiction, you'll learn about periods in history, be introduced to famous people from long ago, and invest in the lives of spellbinding fictional characters. Well-written historical fiction proves an indelible truth, which the world needs to remember: ALL history is relevant and should be honored.

Embrace adventure, enter the past, and find a historical fiction book to read and enjoy today.

Life is all about journeys. We are all going somewhere. Whether it's to work, Church, school, on vacation... We all have a path. Even deeper than that, we all have a purpose, and raison d'etre. 

Fourteen years ago, when I first starting writing Son of Rome, I found myself walking through a very long desert. Let's just call it the Sahara! We all have to face it--life presents us with deserts sometimes. They're harsh, make us exhausted and thirsty for something better.

Then, out of the blue, come the magnificent mountains. 

I've been privileged to hike up several grand peaks in my life. It's never easy. Sometimes, it's just as arduous as the desert. But there's great refreshment at the top. For many people it's literally a spiritual journey of faith, as it is for me. And once you summit, the view is spectacular, you get to eat some tasty peanut-butter/chocolate chip granola bars, drink ice-cold mountain water, and sit down to rest and enjoy the view.

I guess that's where I am with my writing right now. I'm on the mountaintop and very thankful to be here. As I look around, there are so many amazing memories of places I've visited in the process of writing this book. Then I see the incredible people with whom I've become fast friends and who have assisted me in achieving my goal. Also, I'm reminded of the love and support given to me by my own family members.

Ahead, there will still be plenty of uncharted territories to explore. Marketing my book is a vast unknown land for me. Becoming more proficient in using social media, selling myself confidently and professionally is not something that necessarily comes natural to me all of the time. Public speaking to promote my work, attending book signings, and approaching book-store managers about carrying my novel are all crucial to Son of Rome's success. 

Yes. Plenty of places to visit and navigate. Some may be more exacting to traverse than others. That's the life of an independent author. 

Please join me in continuing the journey. Company is always appreciated.

***ANTONIUS: SON OF ROME is officially on Amazon.com and available for pre-sales. This means that if you order now, it will automatically download to your Kindle on March 15, my official release date.*** 
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This has been such an incredible week--announcing my website and seeing my readership begin to grow. 2019 has (so far) been a year of growth for me technologically-speaking. Not exactly computer-illiterate, I've never been computer-savvy, either. Learning how to set up my own Brook Allen site on Facebook, and then entering the world of Twitter was a real adventure. I'm so thankful for all of you people already reading my blogs, taking an interest in what I'm doing, and tweeting. Please do continue!

I need to praise my web-page designer, the enterprising Michelle Gill (www.maceyhollow.com). She's been my web-page coach, teaching and admonishing me over what is needed to have a successful author site. Now I'm blogging like a BOSS and it feels fantastic! Soon I'll be handling the changes and updates of my site on my own, with her diligent guidance and patience. 

Having a specific place to write is so very important to me. Below is a picture of where it all happens. This is my happy place at home, where I can enjoy social media, tweet, commune with Facebook buds, and most importantly, imagine and scribe the Antonius stories that you'll all be reading. I love this little spot with a passion, and even though the desk is small, it reminds me of my Dad, to whom it once belonged. 

Please watch out for my weekly updates, and if you've not yet subscribed to my website, I invite you to do so. My hope is that you'll find it as inviting as I do! 

Welcome to my world of writing!

Antonius: Son of Rome will be available very soon--in less than a month! It has been a joy, sometimes costly, at times dangerous, and most of all, an adventure to put this book together. I've seen battlefields in Greece that remain unexcavated--probably archaeological treasure-troves. Once I was crazy enough to hire a boatman in Alexandria, Egypt to take a ride through the Great Harbor. I wanted a close-up view of the site where the Pharos Lighthouse stood 2000 years ago, and when he took us that far out, we nearly capsized due to rough seas. On a visit to Rome, I was privileged to see historical sites on the Palatine Hill that are closed to the public. 

So, what is the story? My book won't just be the story of Antony & Cleopatra. In detail, my book will take you into Antony's life, beginning at age eleven. You'll be there when his father has died and he's unsure how to feel about a man he once looked up to who is now scorned by everyone in Rome. He's a kid who grows up surrounded by shame. This story will be his story. Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and the rest of the ancient world will be a part of it, but this will be Marcus Antonius's tale, from his point of view.

So, join me!

​Subscribe to my webpage at brookallenauthor.com for updates, my latest news, and information (and maybe some contests!) so that we can enter the 1st century BC together and see what life was really like. 

Marcus Antonius bust from the 1st century AD, The Vatican Museum, Rome