Before Fall of Empire Armies (Romans, Huns and Goths...)

[P. Lilius Frugius Simius]

This sounds really cool.

Alaric features in one of my novel projects, too, but not as the main character. And I have those plotbunnies hopping around that want me to write more books about the Visigoths - like one about the end of the Visigoth Kingdom, but I know close to zero about the Arab culture, thus that would require lots of research.

Actually, the Arabs aren't *that* much important for the end of the Visigothic kindgom in Hispania: they (the Visigoths) managed all basically by themselves... The "arabians" (it's a bit more complex than that) only entered in the scene in the end, like the Byzantines entered years before them after being expulsed from Hispania (except, maybe, from Cartago Nova, depending on how you want to look at the matter...) The Arabs simply arrived, and found a land with virtually no defenses after the last battle they helped to win, and decided to stay. But they were invited, not invaded Europe. OK, they had taken over the Byzantines who had taken over the Vandals over Cartago, and once in Hispania, why not Gallia, and, and... but well... Humans are humans, aren't we? Byzantine Empire history, for the part it affects the Visigoths, is really weird from a military/territory point of view, anyway . . .

My second "series" takes place in Roman Britain.

Ah, Britania . . . Nice, but complex (I'm sure) . . . I guess I'm more . . . continental :-) ) Read Valerio Massimo Manfredi's _Last Legion_? Pretty entertaining and with a couple of fine points . . .

I don't know how long this project will take, I guess quite a lot, but I can do all the NaNoWri*s (Mos, Yes, Wes, Cens) I need to finish it... I can even write outside NaNo ;-) )

The important thing for me is (a) not losing the interest and (b) not getting enthusiastic about something else . . .

Hehe, have fun at NaNo. I tried it the last two years, but speed writing isn't my piece of cake. BTW, are you acquainted with the Forward Motion Writer's site? It's a great place to get all sort of tips from outlining to crit circles (provided you write in English) to publication. It has helped me a lot already.

I'm Excalibor over the NaNo fora, you can look me out... I didn't win, but it's fun, helpful, and motivating... :-) )

Regarding that FMW I didn't know about, I'll look it up (planning on becoming member of the Historical Novel Society, or a similar name...) but I don't usually write in English (except on a Star Trek RPG and one tale I wrote for the NanoBits project, about the Marathon battle, which I'm waiting for Editors' review... If it gets published, nice; if not, I'll probably work over it to send it to the Historical Novel Society 2005 award, which has been extended up to Aug 31...)

You can find out more about me and my writing by clicking on the little Website symbol below and by visiting my Blog.

cool, I'll have a look . . . Thanks for the help, and good luck!

salue,

--
David S. de Lis

[P. Lilius Frugius Simius]

This sounds really cool.

Alaric features in one of my novel projects, too, but not as the main character.

OK, I've checked your blog (at least the part about your novels, it's kind of big :-) ) )...

Is there any way of reading _Endangered Frontiers_? Is it written in English? German I cannot read, but even if the main characters are not the Visigoths "per se", I would be interested in reading the story--which looks pretty engaging--but also in seeing how you have solved some of the problems I'm facing in deciding whom do you trust when saying something about what happened. I mean, we may not know what happened, but we certainly have to choose one option, and write it down. That's the part I am more weak as a historical novelist . . .

Anyway, I'm in reading/chatting mood, so I can grok lots of info about the Goths, and your book can be illuminating aside entertaining and educative (the main points that make me love historical novels/fiction)

aue atque salue!
dvd

[Atrectus]

Ah, Britania . . . Nice, but complex (I'm sure) . . . I guess I'm more . . . continental :-) ) Read Valerio Massimo Manfredi's _Last Legion_? Pretty entertaining and with a couple of fine points . . .

Haven't read Manfredi yet. Well, I've loved Scotland since I went there for the first time in 1998 and so it's no surprise that some of my NiPs are settled there. Also, I'm a great fan of Rosemary Sutcliff.

The important thing for me is (a) not losing the interest and (b) not getting enthusiastic about something else . . .

Ah, Plotbunny Alert, lol. You'll have to find out how many projects you can manage at the same time, the rest has to go in the Future Projects folder. And believe me, all writers get plotbunnies. Plotbunny breeding farms.

Regarding that FMW I didn't know about, I'll look it up (planning on becoming member of the Historical Novel Society, or a similar name...) but I don't usually write in English (except on a Star Trek RPG and one tale I wrote for the NanoBits project, about the Marathon battle, which I'm waiting for Editors' review... If it gets published, nice; if not, I'll probably work over it to send it to the Historical Novel Society 2005 award, which has been extended up to Aug 31...)

I'll send you a PM about Forward Motion. It's the best place to discuss specific writing problems, and except for crits of your very text, the site should work well in English for you.

BTW I go by my real first name, Gabriele, there.

[Atrectus]

OK, I've checked your blog (at least the part about your novels, it's kind of big :-) ) )...

Is there any way of reading _Endangered Frontiers_? Is it written in English? German I cannot read, but even if the main characters are not the Visigoths "per se", I would be interested in reading the story--which looks pretty engaging--but also in seeing how you have solved some of the problems I'm facing in deciding whom do you trust when saying something about what happened. I mean, we may not know what happened, but we certainly have to choose one option, and write it down. That's the part I am more weak as a historical novelist . . .

Anyway, I'm in reading/chatting mood, so I can grok lots of info about the Goths, and your book can be illuminating aside entertaining and educative (the main points that make me love historical novels/fiction)

aue atque salue!
dvd

Unfortunately, there isn't yet anything of Endangered Frontiers good enough to share, though I have some chapters in a first draft. But you will be on my list of people to get access to my protected website as soon as I've got anything up there.

What I do have is the beginning of The Charioteer, which takes place at the same time, in Britain and some chapters in Rome and Gaul.

[P. Lilius Frugius Simius]

Unfortunately, there isn't yet anything of Endangered Frontiers good enough to share, though I have some chapters in a first draft. But you will be on my list of people to get access to my protected website as soon as I've got anything up there.

What I do have is the beginning of The Charioteer, which takes place at the same time, in Britain and some chapters in Rome and Gaul.

OK, I could add you to my friends on LJ (I'm excalibor there, btw, (same as in Nano) but my blog is in Spanish, at least for the time being) I'm sure it will make things easier ;-) )

If I can help you in anything, just ask. I enjoy being a writer (even a bad one) a great deal (because creating worlds out of your own imagination, both unreal and past worlds, is certainly magical), but I enjoy (even more?) being a reader :-) )

take care abd thanks for all!
dvd

[Atrectus]

Fine, I've friended you back, so you can read my LJ.

And I can look whether I'll be able to read Spanish - after all, I have some Latin and Italian, and read French really well. :?

[P. Lilius Frugius Simius]

Fine, I've friended you back, so you can read my LJ.

And I can look whether I'll be able to read Spanish - after all, I have some Latin and Italian, and read French really well. :?

Cool, thanks!

Ah, well, my spanish is not that hard--not that I write *that* much on the blog, either--and I may start doing a multilingual version of it, it may be fun and good exercise as well . . .

Regarding latin, I will have to translate (actually I have just started yesterday) S. Isidorus Hispalensis's _Historia de regibus gothorum, vandalorum et suevorum_, because I cannot find an edition in any language I can read (use the source, Luke!). . . As this will be fun (an interesting Summer, eh?), can I count on you to help me out with the hardest parts? :-) shock: (only if I need help, of course . . . my Latin is very far in my past, and I majored n Physics, but languages are a big passion of mine, and I speak or understand many romance languages, so no problem, but there may always be some dark spots, you know... :-P P )

well . . . that's all . . . btw, if you find out any info about late empire tactics, or Visigothic military tactics, I'm interested!

aue atque salue!
dvd

[Atrectus]

Lol, my Latin is a bit rusty, too. The best use I ever made of it was to teach myself to read French - which I had to for my MA thesis.

Of course, I'll share intersting info with you.

Edited to add: there's a German translation of Isidore's book in the old Fractura print, from 1887.

[P. Lilius Frugius Simius]

Lol, my Latin is a bit rusty, too. The best use I ever made of it was to teach myself to read French - which I had to for my MA thesis.

Of course, I'll share intersting info with you.

Edited to add: there's a German translation of Isidore's book in the old Fractura print, from 1887.

Well, that could be . . . useful (to someone, I guess) hehe . . .

Thanks, but I've decided to read it directly in latin, and then translating so others can read it as well, freely available on the net and so, it may prove useful for someone else, and I am going to read it anyway . . . bought several latin (classic and vulgar) grammar books and stuff, and even Harry Potter in latin (easier to read, and I have a spanish translation, so I can know what's going on), therefore, I will speak and read "native" latin, eventually...

as for the info, it will be much appreciated, i have 5 months to document myself, so anything will be welcome

aue atque salue!