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Today, I'm chatting with historical fiction author Nancy Jardine about her novel Before Beltane, the prequel to her much-loved Celtic Fervour series. Set in AD 71, the story explores the lives of Nara and Lorcan before fate brings them together, taking readers deep into the world of tribal politics, druidic beliefs, and the growing threat of Roman expansion. Join us as Nancy shares the inspiration behind the novel, her research into Iron Age Britain, and why this was the perfect time to tell the beginning of their story.
Two lives. Two stories. One future.
AD 71 Northern Britannia
At the Islet of the Priestesses, acolyte Nara greets each new day eager to heal the people at Tarras Hillfort. Weapon training is a guilty pleasure, but she is devastated when she is unexpectedly denied the final rites of an initiated priestess. A shocking new future beckons for Princess Nara of the Selgovae…
In the aftermath of civil war across Brigantia, Lorcan of Garrigill’s promotion of King Venutius is fraught with danger. Potential invasion by Roman legions from the south makes an unstable situation even worse. When Lorcan meets the Druid Maran, the future foretold for him is as enthralling as it is horrifying…
Meet Nara and Lorcan before their tumultuous meeting of each other in The Beltane Choice, Book 1 of the acclaimed Celtic Fervour Series.
Before Beltane takes readers back to AD 71 and serves as a prequel to the Celtic Fervour series. What inspired you to tell Nara and Lorcan's stories before the events of The Beltane Choice?
A few years ago, some reviewer comments indicated that they’d like to have had more of the political and druidic backgrounds in The Beltane Choice. Others asked for more details of the lives of Lorcan and Nara immediately before their tumultuous meeting in Book 1, The Beltane Choice.
Hindsight is a fine thing! The initial publisher I submitted an early version of The Beltane Choice to asked me to remove a lot of the historical background in the manuscript, since they were an American romance publisher. They naturally wanted the romance hyped up, and as such Book 1 The Beltane Choice ended up more of a historical romance than the other books of the series. The prequel Before Beltane is intended to address the ‘removals’ and set a more politically historical scene…
Nara begins the story as an acolyte eager to complete her training, only to find her future taking an unexpected turn. What drew you to her character and the challenges she faces?
From the very beginning of writing the series, I wanted Nara to be horrified by her new situation, vulnerable, yet also resilient. There’s very little known about the druidic pathway for a female some two thousand years ago, but I see Nara as being totally committed and dedicated to what she thinks is her future – till she’s told being a priestess isn’t for her. After years of training in the nemeton, I see Nara as being truly disconcerted, since being thrown out would be a shattering thing to happen. To then be shunned by the locals, who had come to depend on her, is a double blow since they don’t know who she is any more, either. Though Nara can only be adrift for a very short time since her survival depends on her own capabilities to forge a living for herself.
Lorcan finds himself navigating a dangerous and uncertain political landscape in the aftermath of civil war. How important was it for you to explore the wider tribal conflicts affecting northern Britannia during this period?
There’s very little written about this time in northern Britannia, so general research of the Roman invasion of southern Britannia was critical to glean as much as I could about tribal loyalties, and tribal reactions to being invaded. Many, though not all, of the southern iron age tribes capitulated to the mighty Roman Empire relatively quickly, and became ‘client kings/ queens’ ruling for Rome, under Roman conditions, after the Claudian invasion of CE 43. The research also pointed to some recalcitrant tribes who refused to lie down and submit to being Romanised. This appears to have meant warring neighbouring tribes with different concepts of how they wanted their future to unfold. That was key for me to know, since the area covered by the Brigante Federation of Tribes in the north was huge, compared to some smaller southern tribal lands. It then seemed reasonable to me that some Brigantian tribes still favoured being under the Roman thumb and continued to support Queen Cartimandua, even after her fall from grace regarding Roman allegiance. They are the ones Lorcan has to sway into supporting King Venutius who is determined to repel Roman domibnation.
Both Nara and Lorcan must confront futures they never anticipated. How significant is the theme of destiny versus personal choice in the novel?
Destiny is more significant and very linked to what I believe would have been the mindset of druidic followers of the era. Across continental Europe, Britannia included, it appears that the pantheon of Celtic gods and goddesses controlled the futures of the followers. Nara and Lorcan do have some personal choice ultimately but, in general, since they are destined to be tribal leaders, their personal choices are mostly overridden by tribal needs and loyalties.
Druids, priestesses, and spiritual beliefs play an important role in the story. What research did you undertake to recreate the religious and cultural world of Iron Age Britain?
There’s very little actually known about the impact the druid system really had on daily lives in Britannia, but it’s generally thought that they were a central political driving force as much as the, probably, more local religious dominance. My research sources included the many tomes on Celtic Beliefs, Celtic Myths and European Celtic History that are on my bookshelves, in addition to copious online sites. However, I wanted to create a druid-led belief culture that seemed very grounded in everyday realities rather than one that was more mystical, or fantasy driven.
The world of Before Beltane is one of shifting loyalties, tribal politics, and uncertain futures. What drew you to setting the story during such a pivotal moment in history?
Great question! My initial impulse was to write about when the Roman legions reached current Aberdeenshire (where I live) and the possible Battle of Mons Graupius as written by Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus. But when I looked at the timelines of the Roman occupation of northern Britannia, and Caledonia, it made more sense to begin the journey in Brigantia in such a period of turmoil of CE 69. The year CE 69 was dominated by civil war in Brigantia but there was also civil war across the whole Roman Empire. By CE 71, the (successful new) Roman Emperor Vespasian was keen to continue the expansion of the Roman Empire, giving his Britannic Governor General Cerialis the go-ahead militarily – and undoubtedly the funding needed – for serious invasion of the unclaimed northern barbarian territory.
As someone who regularly gives presentations on Ancient Roman Scotland, do you ever uncover historical details during your research that unexpectedly inspire new storylines or characters?
Yes. As a hobby Roman History enthusiast (though I do have a degree in history and literature) I’ve loved the fact that archaeology is constantly fluid. New discoveries are made all the time which can be very inspiring. It’s a few years since I completed Book 5 of the series, and I had no intentions of continuing the series, but some newer discoveries have me tentatively planning some offshoot stories. I’d be giving limelight to secondary characters, or maybe shifting forward in time with later generations of the Garrigill clan in areas of the north that were still under Roman occupation.
Before Beltane introduces readers to Nara and Lorcan as individuals before their lives become intertwined. What did you enjoy most about exploring their separate journeys?
Lorcan: I loved delving into the possibilities that he wasn’t just a tribal leader’s son. I’d already given each of Lorcan’s siblings a job/function for the tribe, Lorcan being a negotiator, but it wasn’t developed very much in The Beltane Choice. I was able to expand much more into his role as King Venutius’ envoy.
Nara: Although she was a ‘rejected’ priestess in The Beltane Choice, Nara’s early life as an acolyte had been glossed over. I loved being able to set her into her nemeton landscape in Before Beltane. Again, similar to Lorcan, it was fun to enhance Nara’s character formation.
I also thoroughly enjoyed setting out Before Beltane with alternating chapters indicating the daily developments they faced.
The Celtic Fervour series has developed a loyal readership over the years. What made you decide that now was the right time to write a prequel?
I began the prequel in 2021, my intention to address the reader comments in reviews and emails sent to me, and the Prequel was published in 2022.
Whether readers are discovering the Celtic Fervour series for the first time or returning to learn more about Nara and Lorcan's pasts, what do you hope they take away from Before Beltane and the journey that lies ahead for these two characters?
My intention is always to give a believable interpretation of a historical era that’s not well known. I strive to give my characters purpose and authenticity in a realistic historical setting and adore it when a reviewer tells me they felt they lived alongside my characters. I love the idea of a reader being invested in Lorcan and Nara as credible people, and empathising with the contrasting situations they come from. I love to think they will go on to read the rest of the adventures of the warriors from Garrigill and Tarras.
A huge thank you to Nancy for taking the time to chat with me today and for giving us such a fascinating insight into the making of Before Beltane. It's been wonderful learning more about Nara and Lorcan, the history that shaped their world, and the research behind the series. I hope you've enjoyed the interview as much as I have, and if you haven't yet discovered the Celtic Fervour series, Before Beltane is the perfect place to begin.
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Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx