Top o’ the week to you, guys and gals! We’re pleased to welcome author Georgie Lee to BLI today for a guest post in which she provides some background and context for her latest story set in ancient Rome, The Mask of the Gladiator. Emperor Caligula and his diabolical influence on ancient Roman society played a large role in both the history books and in this book–Georgie discusses these deets and more. Please show her a warm BLI welcome!

Sic Semper Tyrannis

I’d like to thank everyone for joining me today and to especially thank Book Lovers, Inc. for inviting me here to discuss my new release, Mask of the Gladiator. It is a sexy, suspenseful story of lust, love and conspiracy set in ancient Rome during Emperor Caligula’s reign.

And what a reign it was. Depending on how much you believe the ancient scholars, the vices at Caligula’s court ran the gamut from incest to poisoning, and that was just the emperor himself. Those who weren’t partying with him like it was 41 A.D. were trying to keep their heads down and escape notice. This was one era in history where you didn’t advance at court by attracting the sovereign’s attention. If you were unlucky enough to catch Caligula’s eye, he’d probably accuse you of treason, have you executed, sell your family into slavery and steal your wealth. It’s no wonder the Romans cursed Caligula and the horse he rode in on, which he’d deified the year before his assassination.

Reading about people living under such perilous circumstance gave me the idea for Mask of the Gladiator. I wanted to write a story about two individuals caught up in the extraordinary events of their time, in this case, the tyrannical rule of Caligula and the assassination which brought it to an end. I also wanted to explore how love could help two people survive the danger and give them the courage to stand up to a tyrant.

I had a lot of fun researching ancient Rome and weaving my hero and heroine, Titus and Livia, into the historical record. It was challenging because, not only did I have to wade through a lot of bad ancient publicity about Caligula to get to the truth, but I also had to work within some predetermined constraints when crafting the story. For example, there are ancient accounts of Caligula’s assassination. While I wrote, I had to keep the accounts in mind so that Livia and Titus would be present when the daggers started flying. To add more realism to their story, I surrounded them with actual historical figures involved in the plot. Thankfully, ancient Rome is so well documented that it wasn’t difficult to gather names and details of the era. I was even able to pinpoint specific historical events that took place one year after the assassination and add them to Livia and Titus’ story.

By the time 41 A.D. drew to a close, there was a new emperor on the throne and a sense of peace and optimism for Rome’s future. The empire had survived the crazy antics of Tiberius and Caligula, and was starting to thrive under the stabling influence of Claudius. In an era when many people’s lives did not end with a happily ever after, it was fun to create a story where they did.

Georgie Lee Bio
A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry. When not writing, she enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent.

Where to find Georgie:
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Mask of the Gladiator by Georgie Lee

Rome, 41 AD
Livia Duronius is driven to seek out a gladiator after watching him triumph in the Colosseum. His touch arouses a sense of hope she hasn’t felt since Rome fell under the tyrannical rule of Caligula—and her late husband betrayed her. Though in danger of losing more than her heart, she vows to see him again, even after she learns her uncle has arranged her marriage to a senator.

Senator Titus Marius cannot resist indulging in a passionate encounter with the veiled woman who waits for him after the games, though he faces execution if his true identity is discovered. Bound by honor to wed another, and embroiled in a plot to free Rome from madness, he never expects to see the mystery woman again.

When the fates reunite them in the marriage bed, Titus vows to protect Livia at all costs—even from the lecherous eyes of the emperor…

Find it at:
Goodreads – Amazon – Publisher Website – Barnes and Noble

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~*~*Giveaway*~*~

One lucky commenter will win an ebook copy of The Mask of the Gladiator!

All you have to do is leave a meaningful comment on this post or tell us: what item, person, theme, or event from Ancient Rome is most memorable (or fascinating) to you?

(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).

This giveaway is open to all!

Giveaway ends on Saturday, March 10, 2012; we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good luck!

About Alisha

Alisha, the bespectacled and ever nerdy California girl, simply won't leave home without a book in hand. She loves language learnin' and is working toward becoming a bonafide grammar ninja. On any given day you'll find her haunting local libraries or baking scores of cupcakes and sweet treats.

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