IMMORTUI - Carpathian Interlude Part I

A while ago, I wrote a post detailing all of the upcoming historical and literary treats that I was planning on releasing in 2014. 

One of those items was a re-release of IMMORTUI, Part I of the Carpathian Interlude series.

If you haven't read this novella yet, it's a cross between historical fiction and horror.

As usual, I've paid a lot of attention to the history of the age (i.e. the reign of Emperor Augustus). I never cheat on the history!

Also, the cult of Mithras plays a big part in this story, so if ancient mystery religions fascinate you, you'll like this. 

Here is the fantastic new cover design for IMMORTUI by LLPix Photography and Design. 

If ancient history and zombies are your thing, be sure to check it out and tell others about it! It's available on Kobo and Amazon. 

This series is a joy to write and the second part is on the way! For now, here is the outline of IMMORTUI:

The Legions of Emperor Augustus have returned victorious from putting down a massive revolt among the Germanic tribes of the Danube frontier. While Rome basks in its success, a new foe is gathering in the darkness of the Carpathian Mountains. When a young boy shows up at the distant fortress of Troesmis, it falls to Optio Gaius Justus Vitalis and his centurion to investigate the horrors described by the young refugee.

It is just the beginning of a struggle between the Eagles of Rome and the undead forces of an enemy that could halt the Empire’s northern advance.

It’s Romans vs. Zombies in this first novella of the Carpathian Interlude series. Get ready for action, mystery and blood in this clash between Light and Dark. 

If you have read and enjoyed this novella do be sure to leave a review wherever you purchased it as this always helps other readers to discover the series. 

Finally, so that I can get a bit more history into this post, here are some pictures related to the story. 

As ever, thank you for reading!

Remains of the Legionary base of Troesmis,
where the story begins on the Danube frontier
in modern Romania.

Image of the 'Tauroctony' - Mithras slaying the Bull.

An ancient Mithraeum.
Mithraic rites took place in caves such as this, where
the worshipers reclined and shared a sacred meal.

If you missed the previous posts called 'IMMORTUI - Fighting the Undead', you can still read them. There are three posts on:

Roman Weapons

Roman Armour and Clothing

and

Mithras, Lord of Light

LYKOI - Carpathian Interlude Part II will be coming this Spring, so stay tuned!

New Short Story Series - Into the Darkness with Gaius Justus Vitalis

Mithras and the
Tauroctony

For a writer, working on a full length novel can be quite a long, burdensome experience. Doing it well can take years and, unless you are Stephen King, typing that last word or getting through that final draft can seem like the far-away end of a long drawn-out campaign. You are in a new world, going to places you have not necessarily been to before, dealing with people whom you may not know, whose actions may come as a surprise. It is a solitary journey as well, getting from the alpha to the omega of your novel.

That is one reason I like to write short stories. It helps to mix things up by writing something in a different period or voice, stretching your literary muscles. For me, short stories are definitely a writing workout. They also allow me to try out new ideas, experiment a little with the craft of writing. If you repeat the same exercise over and over again without changing your weight, you will ‘plateau’ as they say. It is the same with writing. Without changing things up, you will not grow. The short stories I have posted on the right side of this blog are some of my literary exercises written over short periods of time. Of course, they all possess an element of the historical or fantastical – that is what I love to write. But, they were each born of a different image, idea or concept that popped into my head and that I thought would be fun to explore. 

Artist Recreation of Roman fortress at Troesmis

I’ve just begun writing a new series of short stories set during the reign of Augustus, specifically, the year A.D. 8, just prior to the Varus disaster. I won’t give too much away as this will be coming out some time toward the end of October, but it promises to be something quite different, dark and exciting. Here is what I can tell you:

The protagonist is Gaius Justus Vitalis, an optio in the V Macedonica Legion stationed at Troesmis in Moesia Inferior (modern Romania) near where the Danube flows into the Black Sea. At the time, Troesmis was on the frontier and Augustus’ legions, commanded by Tiberius, had been busy putting down a revolt to the east in Pannonia and Dalmatia. Gaius is a long way from his home and family in Rome. He is decorated for his deeds and is a devotee of Mithras, having attained the level of Heliodromus or, Sun-runner.

Carpathian Mountains, Romania

Of course, I am still in the middle of writing this first instalment of the tales of Gaius Justus Vitalis but I hope that this will be very entertaining for everyone. It certainly is fun to research and write about a different period of the Roman Empire, to explore new regions. I’ll be sharing more about the research, setting and characters when the story is out. Suffice it to say that when Samhain comes around (or Halloween as most people refer to it) this story should be an ideal read on a dark, crisp autumn night.