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A Unique Challenge
Skull’s Vengeance follows a woman fulfilling a prophecy to become a Celtic warrior queen as she faces off with her half-brother in the fight of her life. What was the inspiration for the conflict in this installment of your series?
Skull’s Vengeance continues the storyline and conflicts from the first three books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series that began with a revenge curse cast by Queen Rhan against her husband, King Amren. A druidess, Rhan foretells that their son, Marrock, and a daughter sired by a future queen will overthrow him. Amren marries next queen, Rhiannon, with whom he has three daughters, and banishes Marrock for assaulting his youngest daughter, Catrin. Marrock returns with the aid of the Romans and fulfills Rhan’s curse by slaying his father, his stepmother, and eldest half-sister. Catrin is enslaved by a Roman commander but is freed two years later by her secret Roman husband, Marcellus.
At the start of Skull’s Vengeance, King Amren’s spirit charges Catrin to avenge his death and overthrow Marrock who now wields dark magic from the skulls of her slain family members. The inspiration for harnessing the mystical powers from skulls is based on Caesar’s account that Celts believe the soul is immortal and reincarnates into another entity after death. The head is considered the temple where the soul dwells. To possess an enemy’s head is to possess his soul—a symbol of divinity and power from the spiritual world. The story expands on this concept in the conflict between Catrin and Marrock. She must learn how to summon powers from souls trapped in severed skulls to overthrow her half-brother, a powerful sorcerer and shapeshifter.
What challenges, if any, do you face when finding a narrator to help bring your audiobook to life?
Skull’s Vengeance posed a unique challenge because the story is told by Catrin’s point of view and various male characters, including Marcellus and Marrock. I felt the audiobook needed both male and female voices to capture the essence of each character. I met the male narrator, Scott Ellis, at a workshop where I discussed with him the possibility of using two narrators for my audiobook. After listening to narrators who auditioned his organization, I selected Scott Ellis and Heidi Housh and arranged for production through the ACX exchange. Everything went smoothly after that.
What advice would you give authors considering the audiobook route with their work?
Audiobooks offer an additional format for an author’s work that is growing in popularity. Nonetheless, authors need to consider whether the cost of producing an audiobook will yield sufficient royalties to justify the upfront costs. Factors to consider include the following:
- Narrator: The three options for narration are the author, AI-generated narration, or a professional narrator. If the author chooses to narrate, he/she needs access to audio production facilities. AI-generated narration may be cheaper than contracting a narrator, but the quality might not be as good. The upfront costs for obtaining a narrator varies from $100 to $400 per finished hour depending on experience. It is important that an author auditions narrators and selects one who captures the essence of the book.
- Distribution: An author needs to choose whether to distribute exclusively with ACX or go wider (e.g. Findaway Voices by Spotify). Exclusive distribution through ACX offers a higher royalty rate of 40% on the retail price but is limited to Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. ACX also has an exclusive option in which an author can share one-half their royalties to narrators in exchange for reduced or free up-front costs for production. For those who choose to distribute widely, ACX offers a non-exclusive 25% royalty on retail price. Findaway Voices offers 40 options for distribution and charges a flat fee of 20% for each sale minus retailer’s cut. For example, if an audiobook sells for $20, the retailer’s cut is $10, the Findaway fee is $2.00 ($10 x 20%), and the author’s royalty is $8.00.
- Flexibility in Pricing: ACX sets the price of audiobooks while authors set their prices at other sites, including libraries. Being able to set the price allows flexibility for promotion.
- Established Followers: Although wider distribution offers authors more options for distribution and pricing, keep in mind that most audiobooks are sold at Audible and Amazon. Unless you are a well-established author with a strong following, it might be a better option to distribute audiobooks exclusively through ACX at the start. After 90 days, an author can switch to non-exclusive ACX option for wider distribution.
Can fans look forward to a fifth volume in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series? Where will it take readers?
I am currently writing the fifth book, Dragon’s Anvil, in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. The book continues the story of Catrin and her Roman husband, Marcellus, as they prepare their forces to overthrow King Marrock, a sorcerer and dragon shapeshifter. On their quest, enemies from Rome and Britannia stand in their way. Family loyalties fray and warriors fall. Betrayed and torn from those she loves, Catrin journeys to the dark depths of the Otherworld and resurrects with newfound magic matching Marrock’s. But will the mystical power be enough to defeat Marrock and save her husband and son from doom.
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AS FORETOLD BY HER FATHER in a vision, Catrin has become a battle-hardened warrior after her trials in the Roman legion and gladiatorial games. She must return to Britannia and pull the cursed dagger out of the serpent’s stone to fulfill her destiny. Only then can she unleash the vengeance from the ancient druids to destroy her evil half-brother, the powerful sorcerer, King Marrock. Always two steps ahead and seemingly unstoppable, Marrock can summon destructive natural forces to crush any rival trying to stop him and has charged his deadliest assassin to bring back Catrin’s head.
To have the slightest chance of beating Marrock, Catrin must forge alliances with former enemies, but she needs someone she can trust. Her only option is to seek military aid from Marcellus—her secret Roman husband. They rekindle their burning passion, but he is playing a deadly game in the political firestorm of the Julio-Claudian dynasty to support Catrin’s cause.
Ultimately, in order to defeat Marrock, Catrin must align herself with a dark druidess and learn how to summon forces from skulls to exact vengeance. But can she and Marcellus outmaneuver political enemies from Rome and Britannia in their quest to vanquish Marrock?
Through Murder, Conspiracy, and Betrayal
Skull’s Vengeance follows a Celtic warrior queen who must defeat her sorcerer half-brother to claim the throne and outmaneuver political enemies from Rome and Britannia to do so. What were some sources that informed this novels development?
Unlike the previous books in the series, Skull’s Vengeance delves into the political firestorm of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. As I researched the Roman political backdrop during the period when Skull’s Vengeance takes place (27 – 28 AD), I became fascinated with the historical figure, Lucius Aelius Sejanus. He was head of the Praetorian Guard who over-reached to gain power from Emperor Tiberius through murder, conspiracy, and betrayal. Though Tiberius had been an able general and diplomat, his final years as emperor were tyrannical. Roman historians wrote about his sexual perversity and child molestation. At the height of Sejanus’s political power as a consul in 31 A.D., Tiberius unexpectedly had him arrested and mercilessly executed. As a confidant to Tiberius, Antonia Minor had a role in the downfall of Sejanus. She feared her grandson, Caligula, would meet the fate as his older brothers whom Sejanus had imprisoned. Historians surmise that Antonia Minor, the youngest daughter of Mark Antony and Octavia (Augustus Caesar’s Sister), helped bring down Sejanus. She inspired one of the subplots in the novel in which she helped Marcellus navigate the political waters to meet directly with Tiberius.
What scene in the book was the most emotional for you to write?
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but one of my favorite characters dies trying to protect Catrin. It is a poignant moment at the funeral when she reflects what sacrifices she must bear to defeat her evil half-brother.
What was a challenge you set for yourself as a write with this book?
One of the greatest challenges was to provide sufficient background information from the previous three books so it could be read as a standalone for a first-time reader of the series.
What can readers expect in book five in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series?
Book 5, entitled Dragon’s Anvil, will continue Catrin’s quest to strike vengeance against her evil half-brother, King Marrock. With his ability to shapeshift into a dragon, Marrock wreaks havoc on the kingdoms of Britannia. Catrin’s devoted Roman husband, Marcellus, and her Celtic commanders join her in the quest to slay the dragon in the darker half of the year as winter approaches. But other enemies from Rome and Britannia stand in her way. Family loyalties are tested. Warriors fall. Betraryed and torn from those she loves, Catrin must embrace her darker essence as a druidess to face her greatest challenge — battling the dragon and claiming the kingdom as its rightful heir.
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“The requisite fantasy elements of magic and mystery abound…Tanner also does an admirable job weaving in the politics and mythology of a bygone people.” —Kirkus
“Part fantasy, part historical fiction, Linnea Tanner has woven together a wonderful tale of romance, intrigue, mystery, and legend to create an entertaining and complex story.” —The International Review of Books
“[A] captivating tale of triangles; love, lust and espionage, friend, foe, and spies., barbarians, civilized Rome and spiritual-supernatural beings.” —2019 Pencraft Book of the Year Award
A Celtic warrior queen must do the impossible—defeat her sorcerer half-brother and claim the throne. But to do so, she must learn how to strike vengeance from her father’s skull.
AS FORETOLD BY HER FATHER in a vision, Catrin has become a battle-hardened warrior after her trials in the Roman legion and gladiatorial games. She must return to Britannia and pull the cursed dagger out of the serpent’s stone to fulfill her destiny. Only then can she unleash the vengeance from the ancient druids to destroy her evil half-brother, the powerful sorcerer, King Marrock. Always two steps ahead and seemingly unstoppable, Marrock can summon destructive natural forces to crush any rival trying to stop him and has charged his deadliest assassin to bring back Catrin’s head.
To have the slightest chance of beating Marrock, Catrin must forge alliances with former enemies, but she needs someone she can trust. Her only option is to seek military aid from Marcellus—her secret Roman husband. They rekindle their burning passion, but he is playing a deadly game in the political firestorm of the Julio-Claudian dynasty to support Catrin’s cause.
Ultimately, in order to defeat Marrock, Catrin must align herself with a dark druidess and learn how to summon forces from skulls to exact vengeance. But can she and Marcellus outmaneuver political enemies from Rome and Britannia in their quest to vanquish Marrock?
Skull’s Vengeance
This historical fantasy story is set in the first century AD, where Brittania is at constant war with Gaul. The protagonist, Catrin, is a Celtic warrior who has a difficult romantic decision to make when her secret Roman lover, Marcellus, refuses to join her as her king in Brittania. She can either live without him in her homeland or live with him in Rome as his scorned foreign mistress.
I enjoyed the depth of Catrin’s character and how her bravery manifests throughout the story. She is a strong female protagonist that reminds me of Lagertha’s character in the TV show Vikings. Catrin has a wicked half-brother, Marrock, who is a powerful sorcerer who will stop at nothing to destroy her. I reveled in Marrock’s character probably just as much as Catrin’s character. I enjoy a good villain and I think that it’s the villain that really sells a fantasy story, to me anyway. Catrin has no option but to join forces with former enemies. The dramatic turn of events throughout the novel is unpredictable and makes it difficult to choose when to put the book down. I was always interested in seeing how Catrin was going to handle the next twist.
As the fourth book in a series, the action relies on the considerable backstory to make sense of the plot. Tanner does make an effort to fill in the details to get the reader up to speed. I think this book is better as a continuation of an epic rather than as a standalone story, but if you don’t mind missing a few details you’ll still find plenty to enjoy in this novel. The best part of this book, for me, is the way the action is set amongst real-life history and well-known legends. The story fits within the lore of King Arthur and mystical Druids, giving this novel an authenticity that many fantasy stories lack.
Skull’s Vengeance is an evocative and gripping fantasy adventure that long time fans of the series will heartily enjoy. This is a fast-paced read that will appeal to fans of epic fantasy that are looking for a bit of history infused in their fantasy lore. Skull’s Vengeance has well-defined characters, a deep backstory and a well-drawn plot. I think it’s best suited to adult readers who don’t mind some graphic violence and sex scenes.
Pages: 402 | ASIN: B0BC2GCFGG
The Curse of Clansmen and Kings
Two Faces of Janus follows a brash aristocrat as he navigates the perilous politics found in 2 B.C. Rome. What inspired you to write a story about Lucius Antonius?
I’ve always found the legacy of Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) to be one of the most compelling accounts about political corruption, betrayal, and family tragedy. Iullus Antonius was the only son of Mark Antony who Caesar Augustus spared and raised almost like a son in the imperial court. When it came to light in 2 BC that Augustus’s daughter, Julia, was having several affairs and that Iullus was her primary lover, the emperor demanded he commit suicide.
Very little is known about Lucius Antonius except that he had to conceal that he was exiled in Massilia (modern-day Marseille) for his father’s crime as a traitor. I often wondered how Lucius reacted to his father’s disgrace and how it impacted his life. Answering this question inspired me to write the historical fantasy series, The Curse of Clansmen and Kings, and Two Faces of Janus. Lucius is cast as a villain in the series, but his back-story propels what he does and hopefully makes him more relatable.
Why did you feel a short story format worked better for this story rather than a full length novel?
The short story allowed me the opportunity to explore the immediate impact that the death of Iullus Antonius had on his son, Lucius, and for rest of the immediate family. The revelation of how Lucius was devastatingly impacted will be unveiled in the fourth book (Skull’s Vengeance) of my historical fantasy series. Further, I’m also considering a standalone historical fiction novel about the earlier life of Lucius Antonius.
What surprised you the most about Lucius Antonius real life story?
Though Lucius had to conceal he was exiled in disgrace for his father’s crime, the senate decreed that all honor be paid to him at this death. His ashes were laid in the family sepulchre of the Octavvi. This suggests that he was able to restore his standing in Rome. There is conjecture that Lucius’s son/grandson was Marcus Antonius Primus, a general who secured Rome for Vespasian to be emperor after Nero’s downfall.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am completing Book 4 (Skull’s Vengeance) in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series which should be released later in 2022.
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A brash young aristocrat, Lucius Antonius anticipates Emperor Augustus Caesar will support his lofty ambitions to serve as a praetor in the Roman justice system in 2 BC Rome. As the son of the distinguished politician and poet, Iullus Antonius, Lucius prays to Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings, to open the door for him to rise politically. But he is unaware of the political firestorm ready to erupt in the imperial family.
Augustus must confront evidence that his daughter, Julia, has behaved scandalously in public and that Iullus is her lover. The prospect that Julia might want to marry Iullus—the only surviving son of Marcus Antonius—threatens to redirect the glory from Augustus to his most hated rival beyond the grave. Caught in the political crossfire, Lucius must demonstrate his loyalty to Augustus by meeting all of his demands or face the destruction of his family’s legacy and possibly his own life. Will Lucius ultimately choose to betray and abandon his disgraced father?
Two Faces of Janus
![Two Faces of Janus: A Short Story of Ancient Rome by [Linnea Tanner]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+ZRZ+fe3S.jpg)
Two Faces of Janus by Linnea Tanner is a short story set in 2 B.C. Rome. The story follows the life events of Lucius and is told from the perspective of Lucius Antonius, the grandson of Marcus Antonius. The book is aptly named Two Faces of Janus, as the story revolves around how Janus, the two-faced God of beginnings, seemingly opens one door for him to rise politically, but then Lucius is faced with the storm that breaks his family apart.
Author Linnea Tanner is able to expertly introduce an entirely new period, create a vivid backdrop to the story, setup intriguing character dynamics and introduce and conclude a dramatic plot all within six chapters without compromising the quality storytelling. This speaks to the authors fantastic writing ability and I walked away impressed with the story and the author.
The author’s note towards the end of the book that goes further into the details of the historical facts associated with the story under the regime of Augustus Caeser helps the reader further understand and appreciate the storyline. I appreciated this as, not only did it give me more information, it also showed me the amount of research that went into this short story.
Although initially, the book feels like it will be hard to understand because there are a lot of references to the Roman time period, and for a complete beginner like me, it can be quite intimidating. However, the author does a brilliant job of conveying ideas in an easy to understand manner, ensuring readers will be quickly swept up in the riveting story.
Two Faces of Janus is a spellbinding historical fiction novel with deep character development and a gripping plot that is made all the more impressive by the stories short length. I would recommend this book to readers looking for a short but exciting read that stands up to the intensity of a full length historical drama. This tiny six-chapter story packs itself with everything from love, betrayal to scandal and ends with a slight hint of optimism, which is enough to leave room for a sequel. It’s hard to not finish the entire story once you pick the book up.
Pages: 39 | ASIN: B098BH11V3
Dagger’s Destiny – Book Trailer
A Celtic warrior princess accused of treason for aiding her enemy lover must win back her father’s love and trust
In the rich and vibrant tale, Author Linnea Tanner continues the story of Catrin and Marcellus that began with the awarding-winning novel APOLLO’S RAVEN in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series. Book 2: DAGGER’S DESTINY sweeps you into an epic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia.
War looms over 24 AD Britannia where rival tribal rulers fight each other for power and the Romans threaten to invade to settle their political differences. King Amren accuses his daughter, Catrin, of treason for aiding the Roman enemy and her lover, Marcellus. The ultimate punishment is death unless she can redeem herself. She must prove loyalty to her father by forsaking Marcellus and defending their kingdom—even to the death. Forged into a warrior, she must overcome tribulations and make the right decisions on her quest to break the curse that foretells her banished half-brother and the Roman Empire will destroy their kingdom.
Yet, when Catrin again reunites with Marcellus, she is torn between her love for him and duty to King Amren. She must ultimately face her greatest challenger who could destroy her life, freedom, and humanity.
Will Catrin finally break the ancient prophecy that looms over her kingdom? Will she abandon her forbidden love for Marcellus to win back her father’s trust and love? Can King Amren balance his brutality to maintain power with the love he feels for Catrin?
Epic Historical Fantasy
I loved the narration in this audiobook. What was the collaboration like with narrator Kristen James to bring your book to life?
I’ve always had a great collaboration with Kristen James, the narrator of all of my audiobooks in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Whenever we’re ready to do an audiobook, I send her a list of the most important characters along with their traits and background. For the new characters introduced in Amulet’s Rapture, Kristen provided me an audio example of the voice she would use for each of them. For the most part, her voice inflections of characters are spot on and I give her free rein on the dramatic interpretation of the book. She enjoys narrating some of the villainous or quirky characters such as Decimus (Catrin’s Roman master), Myrddin (Merlin-like Druid), Rhan (Sorceress), and Marrock (Catrin’s half-brother).
Were there any challenges or unique opportunities that were presented when creating your audiobook?
There are devoted fans of audiobooks that I might not reach with an e-book or printed book. It is always a thrill to hear Kristen’s narrative interpretation of my books. She brings the characters to life on the page. One of the biggest challenges of producing an audiobook for an epic historical fantasy is finding a narrator with a wide range of voices for the myriad of characters from different regions in the ancient world. Kristen has done a fantastic job for creating distinctive voices, both male and female. For characters from Britannia who only speak Celtic, Kristen narrates their dialogue with a Gaelic accent. The Roman characters have various British accents while the other Celtic characters who can speak Latin have a US accent. One of the new characters in Amulet’s Rapture is Negasi, an Ethiopian gladiator who befriends Catrin, speaks with an African accent.
What is one scene from the audiobook that stands out to you as different from the way it’s presented in the book?
This is a hard question to answer. There were several scenes that Kristen brings to life with her narration. One of the scenes that gives hints on how the series will unfold is provided in Chapter 8 entitled, “Rhan’s Baby.” This is a surrealistic scene in which Rhan—a sorceress who cast a curse that Catrin’s father would be be slain and overthrown by his son, Marrock— levitates between life and death after giving birth to her daughter. Rhan envisions her curse, which has been etched on a dagger blade, melting and transforming into another curse, foretelling Marrock will meet the safe fate as his father at the hands of Catrin. Kristen captures the dreamlike scene as though it is actually happening to Rhan. There are other similar scenes in which fantasy and reality weave together to drive the story.
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Blood stains her Celtic home and kingdom.
The warrior Druid princess will do anything to retake her kingdom.
Although Catrin is the rightful heir to the Celtic throne in Britannia, she is lucky to be alive. After witnessing the slaughter of her family at the hands of her half-brother, who was aided by the Romans, she is enslaved by a Roman commander. He disguises her as a boy in the Roman Legion with the belief that she is an oracle of Apollo and can foretell his future. The sole bright spot in her miserable new life is her forbidden lover Marcellus, the great-grandson of the famed Roman General Mark Antony.
But Marcellus has been wounded and his memories of Catrin and their secret marriage were erased by a dark Druidess. Though Marcellus reunites with Catrin in Gaul and becomes her ally as she struggles to survive the brutality of her Roman master, he questions the legitimacy of their marriage and hesitates to help her escape and retake her kingdom. If their forbidden love and alliance are discovered, her dreams of returning to her Celtic home with Marcellus will be shattered.
LITERARY TITAN 