Victoria Alvear
Author Interview - Victoria Alvear
Author of The Cleansing: A Novel of Ancient Rome
Based on a shocking true story, The Cleansing is about an ancient Roman Vestal Virgin priestess, Opimia (Mia), who is falsely accused of having sex and faces being buried alive for her "crime." Powerful Romans arrest her after losing a major battle to the North African general Hannibal of Carthage. Instead of charging the general responsible for the loss, priests and senators claim the "real reason" for the massacre was that the gods were angry about Mia having sex. Mia defends herself against a hostile religious court, supported by the wisdom of the mysterious prophetess, the Sibyl of Cumae. It's a tale of one woman refusing to be made a scapegoat for the mistakes of men.
Author Interview - Victoria Alvear
Author I draw inspiration from:
Mary Renault, who wrote about Greece in the 60s and 70s, was a huge inspiration for me. Her novels on Alexander the Great (starting with Fire from Heaven) and Theseus (The King Must Die) were almost revelatory for me. Her talent for making you feel completely immersed in another world and time was hugely influential for me. Today, I am inspired by authors such as Donna Tartt and Anthony Doer, by historians such as Kara Cooney, and by historical fiction writers such as Kate Quinn and Stephanie Dray.
Author Interview - Victoria Alvear | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
Curled up in a cozy corner with warm sunlight streaming in!
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Penelope from The Odyssey by Homer. I'd press her for the truth--how she kept the economy and the people of Ithika going while Odyssesus was gone for 20 years. After all, she continued as queen and was not overthrown, despite all those hungry young men yapping at her heels. The Odyssey only talks about her holding off the suitors, but in reality, she kept her people from starving to death or being overrun by invaders during the 20 years Odysseus was gone. How did she do it? I like to imagine she inspired all the women of Ithika--left behind by their glory-seeking husbands, fathers, and brothers--to create a sustainable trading economy (maybe via exporting weaving?) that kept her kingdom stable. Also, did she really miss her husband? I mean, he must have been a stranger when he finally returned. Also, he was a bit of a di*k.
Author Interview - Victoria Alvear | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I never imagined myself as a writer! I always wanted to be an archaeologist. It was only when I had kids, and I began telling them stories, that I wondered if I could do more than just spin tales on a whim.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Hardback: Pure love. It feels special and indulgent. Paperback: Fine, don't mind it. ebook: meh, I get too distracted when I'm on a screen. Audiobook: Also pure love because I can listen while doing chores or while driving so that I can continue to be lost in stories when I'm not able to sit down.
The last book I read:
Son of Nobody by Yann Martel. I really enjoyed it, though it broke my heart at times. Martel also wrote Life of Pi, which was an obsession for me when it first came out. I love that he deals with the big questions of life.
Author Interview - Victoria Alvear | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Computer. However, I have to imagine a scene in my head before I can write it. I envy writers who can stare at a blank screen and begin typing to "discover" a story. It's a cool trick I never mastered!
Also, I have to know the ending of a book or story before I can begin. I work backwards from there.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Janie Crawford from Zora Neal Hurston's, Their Eyes Were Watching God. She was such an interesting character with great depths of feeling and wisdom. I'd love to hang out with her on a porch with some cool iced tea and talk about everything and nothing.
Author Interview - Victoria Alvear | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
An archaeologist and maybe a history professor.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
Don't know about this one--although I'm a fan of the Flapper Era. Maybe because this was also the era of Egyptian revival (around the time Tut's tomb was found) and I particularly love the jewelry that came out of this period.
Place I’d most like to travel:
Egypt, because I write about ancient Egyptians, and I want to stand in front of the pyramids. I'd probably weep and embarrass everyone around me! I'd also likely want to spend days at their new National Museum.
My signature drink:
Creamy hot chai!
Favorite artist:
The painter, Gustav Klimt. I love how he uses shapes, light, and gold reflection to evoke a mood.
Number one on my bucket list:
Take a cruise down the Nile and spend plenty of time at all the sites I've been dreaming about my whole life!
Anything else you'd like to add:
Thanks for this opportunity!
Find more from the author:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vicky_alvear_shecter/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ask.a.docent
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClyvLT_fJuih-1Wq5Wh2L2g
FB: Vicky_Alvear_Shecter
X: @valvearshecter
About Victoria Alvear:
Victoria Alvear
Victoria Alvear writes historical fiction set in the ancient world. She writes for children as Vicky Alvear Shecter. Her fascination with the ancient world began as a small child, and she's never outgrown it. Her books include The Cleansing, A Day of Fire, Cleopatra's Moon, A Song of War, and others. She has served as a docent at the Emory University Museum of Antiquities (The Carlos Museum) for nearly 20 years.
