Ruth Downie

Gladiators! And less violent events…

June 7, 2010

York certainly seems to be the place for interesting skeletons. Thanks to Mark for the link to this Times Online article about a possible gladiator cemetery, and to Sandra for a link to the York Archaeological Trust web pages, cheerfully entitled, ‘Romans lose their heads‘.

More to come from Channel 4, 9 pm next Monday (14 June) when we’re promised ‘Gladiators: Back from the Dead‘. Should be interesting!

14 June is also the start of National Crime Fiction Week, and to celebrate I’ll be teaming up with Adrian Magson for an event at Milton Keynes Library on Wednesday 16th. Between now and then, I’m looking forward to visiting Petersfield, Gosport, Bromham and Bedford – details over on the ‘Diary Dates‘ page.

Posted in Archaeology, Events, Television | Leave a Comment »

Invisible ink

June 3, 2010

Sympathies to the researchers at the University of Kentucky. It seems they still can’t read the scorched scrolls rescued from Herculaneum despite the application of huge amounts of computer- and brain-power. Full details are over at Kentucky.com.

While they’re trying to figure it out, the rest of us can marvel at this video in which every little detail of the scroll can be seen – er, except what was written on it before Vesuvius erupted and burned it to a crisp.

Thanks to Rogueclassicism, which is where I found the link.

Posted in Archaeology, Libraries, Technology | Leave a Comment »

Cast your votes, ladies and gentlemen

May 26, 2010

Currently basking in reflected glory, since I’ve recently met two writers whose novels are long-listed for Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.

Caro Ramsay’s ‘Singing to the Dead’ and Elly Griffiths’ ‘The Crossing Places’ are both great books. Presumably the other eighteen aren’t bad either. Read ‘em and make your choice, ladies and gentlemen. As the good folk in Harrogate say, ‘It’s not just your right. It’s your duty.’

Posted in Crime writing, Events, Good reads, Other writers | 2 Comments »

Meeting real people

May 24, 2010

When it’s your job to sit on your own dreaming up imaginary companions, it’s good to get out of the house now and then.

Crimefest was a real tonic – a lively mix of readers, writers and publisher-types, and a rare chance to meet some of Ruso and Tilla’s friends from the States.

Thanks to everyone who saved me from the fate of the splendid Parnell Hall, and thanks to Annie Porthouse, author of ‘Dear Bob’, for the link that reveals his take on every writer’s nightmare:

I’m off to Cheam Library tomorrow evening to join a panel discussing Techno-Crime – the details are here.

Hopefully there will be a good number of folk willing to join in. If not, I’ll have to take up songwriting.

Posted in Being 'A Writer', Crime writing, Events, Readers | 2 Comments »

Crimefest starts tomorrow…

May 19, 2010

…which is both exciting and unfortunate, because it’s now gone 10pm and I haven’t started packing yet. This is because I foolishly promised the nice editors they would have the revised draft of Ruso 4 before the weekend. I also promised Husband to get several trays of seedlings planted out by the same deadline.

Planting was interrupted by having to move out of the way of a mother starling supervising her fluffy baby while it fluttered round the pond and fell in. Luckily baby starlings can swim.

Having spent several hours of daylight getting muddy, I’ve passed most of the evening staring at a computer screen.

If any of the lovely people reading this are planning to go to Crimefest, please come and say hello. I will be the badly dressed one with the earthy fingernails and bloodshot eyes.

On second thoughts, you may want to slink quietly away.

Posted in Book 4, Crime writing, Events, Random distractions | 1 Comment »

And the winners are…

May 13, 2010

Thanks very much to everyone who entered the Free Book Draw, and congratulations to Fiona and Rachel, whose names were first out of the hat. Your signed copies of Ruso and Tilla’s third adventure will be arriving shortly!

Posted in Readers | Leave a Comment »

Free book draw!

May 5, 2010

Last week while I was enjoying a fine lunch arranged by the good folk at Penguin to celebrate the publication of ‘Ruso and the Root of All Evils’, it dawned on me that it would be nice to share the fun.

Leftover lunch didn’t seem like much of an offer, and I wondered if anyone would like the chance of a free book instead. So… signed copies will go to the first two readers whose names come out of the hat and who have correctly answered the not-terribly- taxing questions below.

You don’t need to have read the book yet (that would be pointless, really, wouldn’t it?). All the answers are in the research photos you can find either here on the blog or, for a closer look, under the Photos tab on the Ruso and Tilla Facebook page.

I. Which emperor is the gate named after?

II. Where is the amphitheatre that features in the story?

III. What is the name of the gladiator on the tombstone?

Answers via the box below*, please, by the end of Wednesday 12 May.

(Anyone anywhere is welcome to enter. Winners in the US or Canada will get the American edition, ‘Persona non Grata’, so you won’t have to wince at the spellings.)

*13 May – now removed – it’s too late!

Posted in Book 3, Readers | 5 Comments »

Another technological adventure

April 21, 2010

Following the more-or-less successful foray into slideshows (see below) I’ve finally plucked up the courage to venture onto Facebook. Or rather, Ruso and Tilla have. (They don’t anticipate Twittering any day soon, though. They have more urgent things to do and their author has no plans to inflict the spectacular tedium of her daily life on anyone else.)

Do stroll across to Facebook if you’d like a closer look at the slideshow pictures, though*, and to see the lovely silhouette of a Roman re-enactor and his partner, photographed by my friend Jen Bewick at Hadrian’s Wall.

* for those who haven’t tackled Facebook before, click on the ‘Photos’ tab when you get there. No doubt this was obvious to everyone except me.

Posted in Book 3, Places worth seeing, Technology | Leave a Comment »

A slideshow, perhaps

April 20, 2010

To mark the launch of ‘Ruso and the Root of All Evils’ next week, there’s a slideshow of some of my favourite research photos here. Anyone who’s read Ruso and Tilla’s third adventure may recognise a few of the locations…

This is a new adventure in technology, so I really hope it works.

Posted in Book 3, Places worth seeing, Technology | 2 Comments »