Theodora comes out in the US this month. Squee! and Eeek.
(Or, indeed, for those of you who prefer your historical fiction with a Booker-winning solemnity : *serious face* Hmmn.)
Actually, a bit of both, I hope. The book is serious, and enjoyable, and honest, and funny in parts, and I did lots of ‘proper’ research (which I’ve tried to be very light with) … and I’m also just telling a story. Just like Theodora – actress and saint, comedian and Empress, Governor’s mistress and religious convert – there’s room for many facets to one person.
Here’s a nice early mention in Publishers Weekly.
And the Penguin link.
With a lovely Reader’s Guide from Penguin Paperback.
Here’s the me talking bit.
Here’s the cover. Again. Because it’s gorgeous.
And because I love that “Guardian (London)” bit.
btw – my Dad (dead 23 years next month) and my Mum (8 years now without her), would be SO proud of that little orange Penguin in the corner.
Not Writing But Blogging 
WOW, that cover sure is sexy! I’d buy it for the cover alone. Sweet.
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I like late antquity finds, and there was a boundary stone found in 1999 in Syria that mentions Justinian and Theodora and states that the area is the property of Jacob-who the archaeology thinks is a martyr. They think the area might be a martyrium but its difficult currently to work on the ruins below the area. Now, I’m not a 100 percent certain but is is probably the most recent inscription found that mentions Theodora and even the most recent I think for Justinian that has more of them that are found. On Google go to The Byzantine Bath, then the search will bring up The Byzantine Bath-School of Archaeology-University of Oxford. And it will discuss the bath and so forth- then look for publications as a link and look under 2006 and 2007-Syria Levant and go to the info on North West reservoir.
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thank you for this. I wonder if the Jacob is Jacob Baradai? possible if it was found in Syria …
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Not as far as the article states.
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Another good point here, Theodora was not presented by a bad light by Evagrius Scholasticus who like Procopius hated Justinian and stated Justinian was going to Hell. Evagrius writes his church history which also included some secular history toward the end of the 6th century. He states that he was confused about Theodora’s real religious beliefs but noted that she was kind to non-monophysites. Just giving a different view from another historian almost from the same time period.
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Thank you.
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