The Tales of Kelnore Series is set in the Kelnorian Empire, which is a fantasy world based on Ancient Roman. For those who have already read the books in my Tales of Pern Coen Series, you know that while the Kelnorian Empire is a part of that series, it isn’t the main event, but for the Tales of Kelnore, it is all about the Roman vibes.

Writing a fantasy series inspired by Ancient Rome meant that research was going to be necessary, and today I wanted to pop on a share a few of the resources I’ve been using in my research that I’ve enjoyed. There is so much out there on the world of Ancient Rome and the Romans who lived in it, which allowed me to find all kinds of inspiration for the Tales of Kelnore, from Alekos’ Death Banquet, to the wax tablets that many of the characters in the series use. The Romans were very much into court intrigue, theatrics, and political maneuverings, and I have had a ton of fun bringing that into my story telling. While I focused largely on the Imperial period in Rome for my inspiration for the books, I still delved into other aspects of Rome’s vast history as well. So, if you’re looking to learn more about the Romans yourself, check out these resources!

Books

• Emperor Of Rome by Mary Beard: This book is full of so much information about the many emperors who ruled the world of Ancient Rome. In this book, Mary Beard doesn’t focus as much on individual emperors, as much as bringing the reader into the world of Rome’s famous rulers. She covers all aspects of an emperor’s life, from his correspondence to his lavish banquets. A very engaging read full of all kinds of fascinating history that I highly recommend.
• Women & Power by Mary Beard: Women & Power isn’t specifically about the world of Ancient Rome, but it does pull from much of Roman civilization as it discusses the history of misogny, which Mary Beard takes all the way back to its ancient origins. With the heavy thread of feminism in the Tales of Kelnore and with the women in the Empire of Kelnore living under an extremely patriarchal rule, this felt like an important read for me as I have been tackling those difficult subjects. As always, Mary Beard presents an engaging narrative that educates and gets readers thinking.

Podcasts

• The History Of Rome by Mike Duncan: This podcast covers the entire expanse of Roman history from the beginnings of the ancient civilization with Romulus and Remus all the way to Rome’s eventual fall. While this is an older podcast, it is full of information and is perfect for anyone who is wanting to discover all facets of Roman history.
• Being Roman by Mary Beard (BBC Podcast): One of the things I love about Mary Beard’s work is that she’s such an engaging storyteller and can share history in such relatable ways. Being Roman focuses more on the people who called Rome home, and has stories from Romans from all walks of life, from an 11 year old Roman poet to an aspiring physician who took care of Rome’s famous gladiators. Highly recommend if you want to learn more about Roman life and the people who called the empire home.

The Princess: Tales of Kelnore features a chronically ill heroine, ambitious princes, and an outcast soldier, and is perfect for readers who enjoy Roman inspired fantasy worlds, court intrigue, forbidden love, mythical creatures, forbidden magic, and low spice romance. Get your copy using the link below!