Welcome, Iris. Thank you for agreeing to answer a few questions. Just relax. No need to be nervous.
Iris: Is there a problem? It’s just that usually when the Praetorians bring people in for questioning, they’ve done something wrong, and I haven’t . . . unless . . . I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, just don’t tear out my fingernails.
What? No! No. That’s extremely disturbing. Nothing’s wrong, we just wanted to get to know you. Chat, you know?
Iris: With me? No one ever wants to talk to me. You know how superstitious Romans are; they just see a blind woman and assume I’m cursed. Maybe I am. I’ve tried everything I can think of to get my sight back. For things to go back to normal, but . . .
You mentioned Romans. Have you always lived in Rome?
Iris: Yes. My pater and I live in a fourth-floor apartment in the insula on Cedar Street. Do you know it? Probably not. It’s not in the nicest part of the city. The stairs can be treacherous, and the neighbors are . . . lively. But it’s our own little place in the world, and it’s not far from the Markets of Trajan. I work in a bakery there.
You’re a baker?
Iris: I don’t do the baking part. Mostly just kneading and shaping, and sometimes if Paulina’s away—it’s her bakery—I work up front. Most of the customers are pleasant, especially Val—never mind. It doesn’t pay much, but every little bit helps, especially now that . . . well, Pater’s debts have been called in.
His debts?
Iris: The gods won’t be bribed for free, you know. And paying physicians to try to heal my eyes isn’t cheap either. They all make grand promises, and in the end, they all disappoint. *shrugs* You probably think me foolish and naive to keep looking for a cure, hoping. But I can’t help it. There’s this part of me that won’t let go of hope no matter how silly it seems.
I don’t think it’s silly. It takes a strong person to keep hoping in the middle of disappointment.
Iris: Maybe. It doesn’t hurt that the man I keep meeting in the market . . . he seems to think I could be healed.
A man?
Iris: Please don’t tell my pater or Titus about him. I don’t think Pater would notice—he’s been worried about money lately and spending a lot of time at the Centaur’s Cup, if you know what I mean. But if Titus knew about this man, he’d do his annoying Praetorian Guard thing and try to hunt him down for questioning—and not this chatting kind.
I see. And Titus is . . . your brother?
Iris: He might as well be. Pater took Titus in and raised him when his father died. He’s hoping to be a Praetorian tribune someday, and I think he’ll make it. He’s very dedicated to eradicating criminals and threats to the empire.
So, going back to this man you met—
Iris: His name is Valentine, of all things. No one could possibly be a criminal with a name like that.
…
Iris: He has a kind voice, and when he comes into the bakery in the mornings, he talks to me the way no one else does. It’s like he sees . . . me.
Why don’t you want your father to know about him?
Iris *whispering*: I think Valentine is a Christian. And they’re not supposed to talk about their God. But he does it anyway and . . . I can’t help it. I want to know more.
And your father would discourage you?
Iris: He’s the head jailor at the carcer, and he’s likelier to throw Valentine in prison than listen to him. It’s illegal for Christians to proselytize and illegal to convert. I . . . I have listened, though, and the Christians are nothing like the stories. I wish Pater could listen. Valentine has a nice voice, and Pater has a heavy mind right now.
Oh?
Iris: I mentioned the money troubles already. If we can’t pay, everything we have will be taken and sold. Including ourselves. The only other way is . . . *shudders*. Pater’s tribune offered to cover the debts . . . in exchange for me.
Oh.
Iris: I don’t know what we’re going to do, but I’m hopeful. If Valentine’s right and I can be healed, perhaps we can find a way out of this mess.
I sincerely hope so. Will you let us know what happens?
Iris: I think you’ll know. This feels like a story that will live on through the ages.
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About Of Love and Treason:
Valentine defies the emperor and becomes a hero . . . and the most wanted man in the empire. Compelled by his faith, he has nothing to lose, until a chance encounter with the daughter of a Roman jailor changes everything.
Rome, AD 270. In the wake of the emperor’s marriage ban, rumors swirl that there is one man brave enough to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. A public notarius and leader of an underground church, Valentine believes the emperor’s edict unjust and risks his own life for the sake of his convictions. But as his fame grows, so do fears for his safety.
Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailor, believes regaining her sight will ease the mounting troubles at home. Her last hope rests in searching out Valentine and his church, but the danger of associating with people labeled a threat to the empire is great. Still, as Iris’s new friends lead her to faith in God, Iris is drawn to Valentine and they both begin to hope for a future together beyond the treacherous empire.
But when a past debt and a staggering betrayal collide, Valentine, Iris, and everyone they love must fight for their lives . . . and wrestle with trusting a God who can restore sight yet does not always keep His followers from peril.
Jamie Ogle is a predawn writer, a homeschool mom by day, and a reader by night. Inspired by her fascination with the storied history of faith, she writes historical fiction infused with hope, adventure, and courageous rebels. A Minnesota native, she now lives in Iowa with her husband and their three children, and she can usually be found gardening, beekeeping, and tromping through the woods.
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