It was believed among the Celts that the women had as much to lose as the men. If in time of war, they chose to fight for their tribes and their survival, it was just fine with the men. And one such woman did. Boudica, queen of the Iceni. Because the Britanni people at this time had an oral language (or not written), no one really knows how to spell her name. Boudicca, Boudicea the list goes on. I chose to spell her name according to a modern-day historian, Graham Webster who spelled her name-Boudica.
I met Boudica in Annapolis MD is a little bookstore there. In a nondescript book, I found there, Boudica stood equally as tall among other remarkable women of the world. She captivated me. This regal Celtic queen of the Iceni tribe rallied approximately 200,000 warriors of various tribes and led them in a fight to remove Rome from their lands. And damn near did.
So she is responsible for my Agricola series which led to another historical character who was present with all the others. Gnaeus Julius Agricola, the one consul who took Rome farther into Britannia than any other governor/consul of Rome. And I became his prisoner. What could cause such a man to seek four tours in the remote province that was considered the armpit province of the Empire? Which he did. So I came up with a reason. It’s a father’s journey to find his son. It started in book one Red Fury Revolt. (winner of the Indiebragg medallion) Here, you meet Boudica who is simply a good wife to King Prasutagus, and together they have two daughters. He dies and the Roman procurator/tax collector Decidianus Catus comes to wreak havoc because he has to deal with a ‘woman’.
Insulted by Boudica, Catus has her lashed and her daughters raped. No one knows the girls’ true names, so I named them ‘Rhianna’ – who well, wasn’t raped in my story, but her sister ‘Morrigan’ was. That created Revolt’s short story…Chrysalis. “Just when the caterpillar thought it was dying, it turned into a butterfly” Well, in Morrigan’s story, she turns into a very dangerous butterfly. She goes from victim to victor.
These stories so far have taken me about fifteen years to get right. I will gladly put Revolt against anything on this queen that you see in any history channel. My goal was to take my readers into this violent time in history that is still being uncovered. It is as accurate as any out there. Well, Julius and Rhianna’s love story may push the limits.
But with that, I now have my Agricola Series where Julius struggles to return to Britannia and finally finds Calgacus at Mons Graupius…historically. It’s how and why they finally meet. And you experience Julius’ one dream with him-to give his son the medallion Rhianna placed over his neck with the promise. “As long as you wear this, my soul will be yours.”
It’s all here or going to be here in my Agricola Series. Revolt and Chrysalis are being released again. Rage and A Roman Affair comes out this fall 2021 and I have to say, this was one fun write where Julius goes from a total wreck to a polished senator. And, Rebellion and Games Romans Play (The year of Four Emperor and Julius having to deal with each one. It will come out early 2022. And like Revolt, each book is as historically accurate as I can write them. And I do love it when I can make a “plan come together.” You do not want to miss any part of Julius and Calgacus’ journey.
Be sure to go to my website. http:www.jfridgley.com and sign up for my newsletter. I will keep you posted on my progress. One signed up, you can enter my contest to win a custom-designed piece of jewelry by E W H Designs that appear in my stories. Coming soon is a new page on my website “Domitia’s Jewelry” Each piece is truly beautiful.
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Caio,
JF Ridgley
