Today, I am delighted to welcome Alison Morton back to Yarde Book Promotions to talk about RETALIO, the concluding novel in Aurelia's story in the Roma Nova series.
Aurelia has spent her life defending the country she loves, serving as a soldier, Praetorian and political leader. But now, wounded, exiled and separated from Roma Nova, she finds herself facing perhaps her greatest challenge yet. Caius Tellus has seized power, her reputation has been undermined, and the people she once led are no longer certain they can trust her.
Far from home in Vienna during the early 1980s, Aurelia must somehow rebuild alliances, organise resistance and find a way to reclaim her country. Yet the struggle is not simply about defeating an enemy. With loyalties divided and the people she loves facing dangers of their own, Aurelia must decide how much she is prepared to sacrifice for the future of Roma Nova.
Alison joins me today to talk about Aurelia's most difficult journey, the challenges of writing resistance and political intrigue, and the personal relationships that give this final confrontation its emotional weight. We will also discover how Aurelia has changed throughout the series and what readers can look forward to as they explore more of the Roma Nova world.
But first, let's check out RETALIO
Publisher: Pulcheria Press
Print Length: 338 Pages
Genre: Alternative History / Thriller
Recovering from a near fatal shooting, Aurelia Mitela, former foreign minister of Roma Nova, rages at her enforced exile. She barely escaped from Caius Tellus, who grabbed power in her beloved homeland. Aurelia’s duty and passion fire her determination to liberate its people despite her lover Miklós's desire to protect her. Then Caius sends a hit squad to murder her...
Caius's manipulations isolated her from her fellow exiles, leaving her ostracised and powerless. But without their trust and support Aurelia knows she will never see her beloved Roma Nova again.
Part political thriller, part deadly personal rivalry, part military adventure, this is Roman fiction brought up to the 20th century and delivers noble ideals, passionate love, desperate choices, sacrifice, constant twists and turns and dialogue with a dash of humour in a timeline not so different from our own...
RETALIO finds Aurelia in perhaps her darkest situation yet – wounded, exiled and separated from the country she has devoted her life to serving. How did you approach writing a heroine whose greatest battle is as much emotional as it is physical?
Aurelia is a soldier, a former Praetorian and a politician. She's used to taking action, making decisions and being in control. At the beginning of the book, she feels frustrated and a failure. Looking at a character who’s normally capable, physically and mentally tough and stripping away almost everything she relies on can bring out the character’s inner resources.
She has to deal with frustration, fear and the very human feeling of being powerless. And, perhaps hardest of all, she has to question whether the people she wants to lead still believe in her.
But being a blood-and-bone Roma Novan, Aurelia is not someone who gives up easily. Her determination is still there, although she has to dig deeper to find it. I hope readers see that courage isn't about never being frightened or vulnerable. It's about pushing on despite those feelings.
Exile is a powerful theme throughout the novel. What opportunities did Aurelia's forced separation from Roma Nova give you as a writer that wouldn't have been possible had she remained at home?
Exile gave me a wonderful opportunity to turn Aurelia's world upside down. Roma Nova is not just her home; it's her identity, her history and the place she has devoted her life to serving. Take her away from it and suddenly she's lost her natural environment and much of the authority she's always taken for granted.
There's also a delicious writerly opportunity in making her look at her own country from the outside. When you're at home, you know how things work, who to trust and where you belong. When you're an exile, all those assumptions disappear.
I also wanted to explore the practical difficulties of trying to organise resistance from abroad. It's all very well having a brilliant plan, but you need people, resources and, above all, trust. And Aurelia doesn't have much of any of those!
Added to the mix, we see Vienna in the early 1980s was a city with its own complicated history and atmosphere and a very different environment from Roma Nova.
The title RETALIO suggests retaliation, but the story also explores forgiveness, loyalty and sacrifice. How do these seemingly opposing ideas shape Aurelia's journey?
Yes, RETALIO is about retaliation and the final reckoning between Aurelia and Caius Tellus, plays out, but it’s also about restoration. However, I didn't want it to be a simple case of one side being bad and the other good, followed by a satisfying bang at the end!
Aurelia has to decide what she's prepared to do to achieve her objective. How far can she go without becoming like the people she's fighting? And what does loyalty actually mean? Is it unquestioning obedience, or does it sometimes mean challenging someone because you believe they're wrong?
Forgiveness is perhaps the most difficult of all. Some things can be forgiven, others can't, and sometimes you have to put personal feelings aside for a greater purpose. Sometimes a dilemma in real life as well!
For Aurelia, the struggle is not simply about getting even. It's about restoring something worth having. She wants her country back, but she also wants its people to be free. There's a difference, and I think that's important.
Caius Tellus continues to cast a long shadow over Aurelia's life. How has their rivalry evolved since readers first encountered them, and what makes their conflict so enduring?
Oh, Caius! He's one of those characters writers love writing, even though in real life I would probably cross the street to avoid meeting him.
He's charming, intelligent, manipulative and utterly ruthless. He's also Aurelia's opposite in some important respects. Both are determined, politically astute and capable of taking decisive action, but their values and what they want for Roma Nova are poles apart.
Their rivalry has developed over time from the first time we meet her in AURELIA from a personal and political contest into something much bigger. Caius has seized power, and Aurelia has become the person who represents the greatest threat to his regime. He understands her strengths, but he also knows where she's vulnerable.
What makes their conflict so enduring is that neither can simply walk away. For Aurelia, this is about her country and its people. For Caius, it's about retaining power. They are playing for very different stakes, and that makes the final confrontation particularly compelling.
Trust becomes a precious commodity as Aurelia struggles to win back the confidence of her fellow exiles. Why was it important to explore the challenges of rebuilding alliances during times of political upheaval?
Because resistance isn't a one-woman operation, however capable that woman might be! Aurelia has military experience, political knowledge and plenty of determination, but she can't liberate Roma Nova on her own.
Caius has been clever in isolating her and undermining her standing with the other exiles. That means she has to do something she finds particularly difficult – persuade people to trust her again.
But once trust is damaged, you can't simply issue an order and expect everyone to fall into line. People have their own fears, ambitions, loyalties and reasons for behaving as they do. Some have suffered, some have become disillusioned; others may have decided that keeping their heads down is the safest option.
I wanted to show that building a resistance movement is as much about understanding people and negotiating differences as it is about strategy, logistics and action. In fact, sometimes the conversations are more difficult than the battles!
Alongside the political intrigue and military action, RETALIO places considerable emphasis on Aurelia's relationship with Miklós. How important was it to show the personal cost of leadership and resistance through their relationship?
Very important. I don't think we can understand a character properly if we only see them in their professional role. Aurelia is a soldier and a political leader, but she's also a woman who loves and is loved.
Her relationship with Miklós gives us a different perspective on her. It shows the personal consequences of the choices she makes and the pressures she puts herself under. When you're fighting for something as enormous as the future of your country, it's easy to convince yourself that everything else must come second.
But those closest to you don't necessarily see things that way. They have their own hopes, fears and needs. And they have to live with the consequences of your decisions, too.
I wanted the relationship to have its own emotional weight, rather than simply provide a romantic interlude between bouts of political intrigue and gunfire. Love doesn't make the dangers disappear – it makes the stakes even higher, sometimes to heartbreak level. Be warned. ;-).
Your novels often combine action with moments of wit and humanity. How do you decide when to introduce lighter moments into stories that deal with danger, betrayal and loss?
I think humour is essential! Even in the most difficult circumstances, people make jokes, see the absurd side of things or find themselves in situations that are unintentionally funny.
In the military, I've experienced how humour often diffuses tension and stress. Nicknamed ‘gallows humour’, sometimes it's very dry, sometimes rather black and occasionally completely inappropriate. But not including it would be unrealistic.
I also find that if you keep the tension at maximum pitch for page after page, readers can become exhausted. A lighter moment gives them a chance to breathe before the next crisis arrives. (And in my books, there's usually another one waiting!)
Any humour has to arise naturally from the characters and the situation. Aurelia has a sharp mind and a certain amount of dry wit. I enjoy letting that side of her emerge, particularly when things are going badly.
Throughout the Roma Nova series, readers have watched Aurelia grow from soldier to diplomat, stateswoman and resistance leader. Looking back, which stage of her journey has been the most rewarding for you to write?
That's a difficult one! Each stage has its attractions, but I think writing Aurelia as a resistance leader in RETALIO has been particularly rewarding.
We first meet the younger Aurelia as someone with a strong military background and a very clear sense of duty. Over the course of her adventures, she has to develop new skills, understand different political environments and learn that being right isn't always enough to persuade other people.
By RETALIO, she's had to bring all those experiences together. She's no longer simply a soldier who can deal with a problem through action. She has to inspire people, negotiate, make compromises and sometimes accept that she can't control everything.
That's a fascinating journey for a writer because a character who has learned and changed is much more interesting than one who remains exactly the same from book to book.
And, of course, it's rather satisfying to bring the story of her younger years to its conclusion!
Resistance movements throughout history have often depended on ordinary people making extraordinary sacrifices. Were there any historical events or real-life figures that influenced the themes explored in RETALIO?
History is full of people who have had to make extraordinary decisions in very difficult circumstances. I've always been interested in what happens when individuals find themselves caught up in events much larger than themselves. Resistance to an authoritarian regime isn't confined to one period or one country.
I was particularly interested in the human side of resistance: how people organise themselves, how they communicate, whom they trust, and what they're prepared to risk. It's easy to admire resistance fighters in retrospect, when we know how events turned out. Much harder to imagine making those choices when the outcome is risky, often dangerous, even lethal.
I also wanted to avoid the idea that resistance is only the business of heroic individuals. Movements depend on all sorts of people, including those whose contributions seem small or may never be recognised. That collective effort, and the sacrifices behind it, are central to the story.
For readers reaching the end of Aurelia's adventures, what do you hope her story leaves them reflecting on – not only about courage and resilience, but also about the enduring value of hope in the face of overwhelming odds?
I hope readers come away feeling that determination and hope can make a real difference, even when the odds look pretty dreadful.
Aurelia is not invincible. She makes mistakes, gets hurt, loses people and sometimes finds herself in situations where she has very little control. But she keeps going because she believes in something bigger than herself.
Perhaps readers might like to reflect about leadership – a slippery concept. It's not simply about having authority or being the person who gives the orders. It's about responsibility, making difficult decisions and being prepared to put yourself on the line for others.
And perhaps most importantly, I hope they enjoy the ride! I've spent a long time with Aurelia and the people of Roma Nova and there is something satisfying about seeing her face her greatest challenge and discovering whether all those years of experience, courage and sheer stubbornness will be enough.
As for Roma Nova itself, well, I hope readers will want to stay a little longer in its world! And be tempted to find out about her granddaughter Carina’s adventures – INCEPTIO, CARINA, PERFIDITAS and SUCCESSIO – in the present or even the foundation story of Roma Nova in the 4th century in JULIA PRIMA and EXSILIUM.
A huge thank you to Alison Morton for joining me once again and sharing more about RETALIO and the conclusion of Aurelia's remarkable journey.
Pick up your copy of RETALIO HERE
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