Ask the Author: Brian Kitchen
Answered Questions (14)
Brian Kitchen
The last thing he remembered anyone saying was "It's the funeral tomorrow." Problem was he hadn't realised it was going to be his.
Brian Kitchen
If I could travel to any fictional book world, then it would have to be to the Cornwall of Winston Graham's Poldark novels. This is mainly because some of my ancestors lived in Cornwall during the time the novel are set in. What I would do there, is observe what life was like for tin miners, the occupation my ancestors followed. I wouldn't want to be a tin miner though, as it was a very hard life, but to know more about it would satisfy my curiosity and hopefully answer some of the questions I have.
Brian Kitchen
I tend to get books to read as and when I see them and they are usually by Indie authors like myself. One book I intend to read however, is 'Clay Legionary' by J. Clifton Slater as I really enjoyed his Galactic Realm Council series.
Brian Kitchen
Why my great, great grandfather left Cornwall in the 1840s to move north to North Leicestershire
Brian Kitchen
I don't think I really have one, although I suppose the relationship between Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, as related by William Shakespeare, has always fascinated me and shows what can happen when you fall in love with someone, you really shouldn't be falling in love with.
Brian Kitchen
I personally think that there are parallels between Britain and the world today and Britain in the late Roman period. For example issues such as immigration, religious conflict, national identity, inequality between the rich and poor and a host more. A lot is still unknown about events in the late Roman period in Britain and so as a writer that gives me some licence, although as much as possible I try to keep events as historically accurate as I can. So yes, it does offer me more options, than limitations.
Brian Kitchen
The research I've done over the years gave me an outline for the novels I'm writing, but I had to do additional research on Arbogastes and the Emperor Valentinian the second. This was mainly on the events leading up to Valentinian's death and Arbogastes seizure of the throne through a surrogate.
Brian Kitchen
I've been interested in the history of Roman Britain since I was a child. As I grew older I became more interested in the late Roman period and particularly the final years of the 4th century and early 5th century. I've bought just about every non fiction book I could on the period and visited ever Roman site and museum in Britain that I could. So for me the research is always ongoing. At times the research takes over and I have to get back on track and start writing again. I'm also a member of the Association for Roman Archaeology and so also find new information in their journals. I try to be as accurate as I can be, but so much is still unknown about the last years of the Roman reign in Britain and also some of the people who lived, or may have lived in those times.
Brian Kitchen
Go for a walk. It's surprising how therapeutic that is and how it stimulates ideas.
Brian Kitchen
See you ideas in words and better still reading reviews of what someone has written about you book.
Brian Kitchen
Never give up on an idea that you think is good. when you have a completed manuscript, edit it and then again. Don't get hung up on how much you write each day. Writing something each day if you can, even if it's only a 100 words is the important thing.
Brian Kitchen
The sequel to 'Divided Empire' which starts from where that book finished.
Brian Kitchen
I love writing and also researching the period and the research in turn inspires the writing.
Brian Kitchen
I've been interested in Roman Britain since a child and in later life the late 4th century CE period. I decided to write a series about a young soldier who becomes in effect a secret agent and the idea grew from there.
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