Zara Altair - The Used Virgin

Please tell us a bit about yourself

Zara Altair combines mystery with a bit of adventure in the Argolicus mysteries. The Used Virgin is the first in a series of mysteries based in southern Italy at the time of the Ostrogoth rule of Italy under Theoderic the Great. Italians (Romans) and Goths live under one king while the Roman Empire is ruled from Constantinople. At times the cultures clash, but Argolicus uses his wit, sometimes with help from his tutor Nikolaos, to provide justice in a province far from the King’s court.

Zara Altair lives in Beaverton, Oregon. She is a fiction author writing in the historical fiction genre. Her approach to writing is to present the puzzle and let Argolicus and Nikolaos find the solution encountering a bit of adventure and some humor in their search. Her stories are rich in historical detail based on years of research. Zara is working on a historical novel Felix Ravenna: A Mosaic set in the same time period with Argolicus as the main character. To get on the reader list for Argolicus fans go here http://goo.gl/m5aL3E (copy and paste to your browser).

Zara loves reader feedback. Be sure to leave a review. Write comments here on the Author Page. Zara replies to all comments.

Author Q&A

What genre are your books?

Historical mystery. In Italy, giallo storico.

What draws you to this genre?

I’ve been reading in this genre since Nancy Drew for mystery and a gift subscription to monthly history books for kids.

Have you ever considered writing stories for other genres?

Yes. I’ve ghostwritten a number of steamy romance books and sometimes I write science fiction.

When did you first discover your passion for writing?

I’ve been telling stories since I was two when I sat on the back porch and told stories to Yoohoody, the owl who perched in the tree. I’ve been writing stories since I was seven.

What inspired your latest novel?

A phone conversation with my daughter. We were talking about how much we love the Italian day and she said, “Mommy, you should go to Ravenna.” Then she told me about Theoderic leading his people across the frozen Danube and eventually arriving in Ravenna. I thought, “I wonder what it was like then?”

I started researching and discovered a time of divided loyalties, intense theological differences, and a “barbarian” who lived like an emperor.

Do you have a teaser for The Used Virgin?

After Rome, before the Middle Ages, Italy belonged to the Ostrogoths. A young magistrate of mixed ancestry retires to find people are just as corrupt and venal in the provinces.

A corrupt Governor. A young girl. And old man.

A ruined reputation is worse than murder in Italy. Argolicus and his lifelong tutor, Nikolaos, discover evil, greed, and extreme extortion.

Argolicus unravels the threads.

What is your least favorite word?

Nice.

Do you ever read your stories out loud?

Always. And in my writing group we read each other’s work. You can instantly hear the clunks or the stumbles over awkward phrasing.

What’s the first book you remember making an indelible impression on you?

Anna Karenina. I couldn’t stop. I read all night and finished just after dawn.

Do you have a favorite author?

In historical fiction, Robert Harris. My favorite is Pompeii. I love how his “Roman” is an engineer. And, the reader knows from the beginning that Vesuvius is going to erupt. From that moment on, it is a cliffhanger. Plus, for world builders, his alternative history, Fatherland, is a prime example of a character caught in the surrounding culture.

What are you currently working on?

Along with the next short story, The Peach Widow, I’m always at work on the novel Felix Ravenna: A Mosaic which takes place two years after the mystery series. Oh, and there’s that other contemporary mystery series that is percolating in my head with retired detective, Jake “Cozy” Cozzens.

If your book were made into a movie, who would you cast?

When I started, it was Tom Hardy as Argolicus for the smoldering undercurrent, but Argolicus is 32 at the time of the mysteries, so I needed a new actor. Argolicus Clive Standen. Nikolaos Dragos Bucur.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Write. Study story. Read in your genre. Start your author platform. It takes time. Have everything—author bio, book description, website, email autoresponder (emails written and sequenced), email opt-in—set up before you publish. Write. Edit. Keep writing. Connect with other writers. Plan you next book. Keep writing.

That’s all practical. Most importantly, believe in your story.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Katherine, thank you so much for the interview. Although writing is a solitary activity, sharing our individual stories is part of building a community.

Thank you, Zara. How can readers keep in touch?

Author Website, Author Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Goodreads, Amazon Author Page, THE USED VIRGIN