Welcome to Friday Reads!
You can enter to win a print copy of Of Love and Treason by Jamie Ogle, courtesy of the publisher. (US ONLY!) You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the bottom of this post. (Contest ends January 19, 2024.) Click To Tweet If you’re the chosen winner, I’ll contact you for your information to pass along.
About the book…
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.
Q&A with Jamie…
Q: This is your debut novel! What has the process of getting your first book published been like?
A: Like most authors who pursue traditional publishing, there were so many highs and lows (and a lot of rejections) along the way, but God was so faithful to lead, guide, and encourage me through it all. I didn’t know if the end result of the work would be a published novel or if it was going to be a journey where God would grow my faith—it turned out to be both! Getting to publish with Tyndale is a total dream come true!
Q: Of Love and Treason centers on a historical figure. Where did your interest in the legend of St. Valentine come from?
A: I was never really a fan of Valentine’s Day. I thought it was a dumb, commercialized holiday, and my research began as an attempt to justify how stupid I thought it all was. But the more I dug into Valentine, ancient Rome, and church history, I found myself falling in love with the story. As scenes and snippets of conversations popped into my head, I started to write them down, and pretty soon I’d written the first draft of the novel.
Q: This story touches on themes of surrender and sacrifice. How have your own life experiences shaped your exploration of these topics?
A: I’m a planner, a plotter, and a perfectionist—which are fine qualities for a writer, but sort of a detriment when it comes to things like trust and surrender. However, this whole writing and publishing journey has been one of constant surrender and trust that while I can do the work God has called me to, the results are not in my hands. It’s a lesson I am learning and relearning all the time.
Q: What do you enjoy about historical fiction? What was it like writing a fictional retelling?
A: I love that historical fiction lets us explore the adventures of the past, while showing that the inner struggles and desires of people then are still similar and relatable to us today. It’s a dichotomy of being both an escape and a mirror. Writing a historical retelling was an interesting challenge! The history of Saint Valentine has turned to stuff of legend over time, with each version of the story differing here and there. I had to operate under a mindset of “If these stories are true, how could they have happened based on what we know of the culture at that time?” After many edits and revisions, it was really exciting to see it all fit together, even though there were a few things that I wish didn’t have to be historically accurate.
Q: Who is your favorite character in the novel?
A: I don’t know why, but whether I’m reading or writing, I always find myself more attached to a secondary character over a main character. It just happens. Titus was that character for me in Of Love and Treason. In the original drafts, he was always there, doing his job as a secondary character, but when I realized we needed to hear his own side of the events in the story, he took on a whole new level of complexity and became my favorite character to explore.
Q: How does faith play a role in this story?
A: Within the story, we find each of the characters putting their faith in different things. Some place their faith in God; others look to pagan gods, themselves, alcohol, peer acceptance, etc., in hopes that these things will satisfy and solve the problems they face. It’s so easy to look to other things to satisfy—I’ve done it in my own life over and over, and I’m so glad God continually calls us back to what will truly fill our longings (Himself). I think Augustine of Hippo said it best when he wrote, “You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless til they find their rest in You.”
Q: What do you hope readers take away from Of Love and Treason?
A: I hope readers are as captivated by this story as I was. Digging into the courageous stories of how our spiritual ancestors deemed God worthy of their worship and obedience no matter the cost changed me and challenged my own faith to go deeper. The thing I love most about history, and especially church history, is that in the darkest moments, when all seems lost, there’s always a spark of light rebelliously pushing back the dark. I find these stories incredibly hopeful, because if God could use ordinary people to do extraordinary things back then, He can do the same with us today. I hope readers come away from this story with that same knowledge.
Q: Do you have any future writing projects planned?
A: I just turned in my second book, which I can’t speak too much on just yet, since I’m sure there will be changes, but it’s a story of courage and forgiveness set in the early fourth century, involving the legends of Saint Nicholas. A few of the characters from Of Love and Treason make an appearance, and it was really fun to sneak them into this new story and get to see what they’ve been up to.
Thanks, Jamie. I’m sure my readers will enjoy learning more about your and your book!
About Jamie…
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.
Rules for giveaway can be found here.
I love reading historical fiction because I enjoy learning!
I agree! Reading about history in stories is more enjoyable that textbooks were in school. Good luck, Jeanette.
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comment name: bn100
Good luck!
I love the true stories that I learn that I never was taught in school! It’s my biggest reason for enjoying historical fiction.
I feel the same way. History comes alive differently in stories vs. textbooks. Good luck!
Love learning new things in the fascinating way of historical fiction. This may be my second post, but I lost internet so I’m not sure. 🤷♀️
No problem 🙂
Well researched historical fiction is an opportunity to learn new facts that history books never include. My history books were always focused on what men had accomplished and not women, so I especially like reading historical fiction with strong women characters.
Great point! Thanks for sharing. Good luck, Danielle.
I just love Historical Fiction, and the older it is, the better, so Jamie’s book sounds amazing to me. I love learning how people lived before us, and there are so many things we can learn from them, especially now that technology and many modern things may fill our hearts and make us superficial when there are more valuable things that people in the early ages treasured more than us.
Yes! So true. I agree that it’s interesting to see the “simpler” way they used to do things. Good luck, Paty.
I am interested in how people lived in past eras, and since I love to read, historical fiction is my favorite genre.
Then this sounds like a perfect fit for you, Roxanne. Good luck!
I enjoy historical fiction because I like getting to “live” in different time periods and see how life was back then.
I enjoy that, as well. It certainly puts things in perspective and gives you a greater appreciation for some things (and possibly things to long for, with the “simpler” things). Good luck, Megan!
I love reading about life in past eras!
Then this sounds like something you’d enjoy, Antoinette. Good luck!