I did a lot of general British history reading in order to select the best time zone. What type of research was required to plan your novels? The preservation of Druid knowledge and traditions is a thread that runs through the series. For her, the legacy of the druids is her tattoo of citizenship -a three spiral triskelion – a sacred and ancient symbol. Rowena is the product of a Celtic nation that defeated the Romans two centuries early, in an alternate time line. The tradition of Druids caring for the Earth and it’s creatures is a powerful influence for Ethan. The knowledge Ethan has of trees, druid practices and pagan herbs is woven into the plot. The ancient language of Ogham is the language that controls time travel.įor the second novel, Ethan has been blessed by Druids, and has an affinity for trees, like the Druids of old. So the first part involves more hinting at the power of the Druids and their beliefs. Daman, another archaeologist from the future, uses the Druid religion and power base to try and defeat the Romans. I spend some of the first novel seeing the Druids from the eyes of an outsider – the Roman soldier Trajan, and the modern archaeologist Janet.

There is a lot of imagery involved in Druidic practices, how do you incorporate that into a fictional novel? Time travel needed a device, and I settled on a magical pendant, and so Druids, ancient goddesses and the combination of modern eyes created the rest. As an Australian, the lure of British history is also very strong. Roman Britain is not an area well covered in fiction, and yet it is a time of two very different cultures clashing and then learning to live together. So my main character, Janet became an archaeologist as some wish fulfilment. I studied archaeology at uni for a year, and although I never made it my profession, I continued my interest in it with digs when I could. What attracted you to write about the Druids and Romans with the modern twist? A second sees the story through the eyes of an archaeologist as finds are made, questions posed and then answered. One timeline explores the Druids, through their own eyes and those of the Romans.

The Druid’s Portal novels by Cindy Tomamichel are intriguing dual timeline novels.

Portal 2 with ethan