Interview: Kaarina Parker talks about Fulvia

Kaarina Parker is a writer, model, and activist based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, New Zealand). Kaarina studied history and film at the University of Melbourne, where she earned a BA (with Honours). Her area of interest was on queer and feminist representation in media, and the history of women.

She went on to earn a Masters of Creative Writing, with a focus on giving voice to the stories of women and queer people throughout history. She has a particular love for the extraordinary women of the late Roman Republic, who achieved so much and are credited with so little. Kaarina talks to NZ Booklovers.

Tell us a little about Fulvia.

Fulvia Flacca Bambula was a brilliant and singular woman in ancient Rome. She lived during one of the most scandalous and chaotic eras of Roman history, and she used that chaos to carve a place for herself among the most powerful men in the world. She was ambitious and violent and resourceful and unyielding. She was everything a woman was not allowed to be.

What inspired you to write this book?

The woman herself. She lived an extraordinary life, yet so few people have ever heard her name. They know Julius Caesar and Cicero and Marc Antony, men who supported and feared and loved her, yet no one seems to know her name. I want to change that. I want people to know her story. 

What research was involved?

So much research! We are privileged to have as much information as we do about life in ancient Rome, yet the sources are sketchy when it comes to the lives of women. So I spent a lot of time scouring for mentions of Fulvia herself, as well as the women who lived during her time. I wanted to bring their world to life with as much rich detail as possible. I also spent a lot of time plotting out the historical events, both large and small, that were happening at that time, so that I could work out how, when, and why her story would intersect with them.

What was your routine or process when writing this book?

I spent months and months researching and immersing myself into the world as much as possible. Then more months plotting the book out, and bringing the characters to life in my head. When it came time for the bulk of the writing, I tried to write at least four hours each day, no matter what. I’m generally most productive in the evenings, so it was a lot of night writing sessions!

If a soundtrack was made to accompany this book, name a song or two you would include.

Same Old Energy by Kiki Rockwell – this is one of my favourites of all time, it’s a beautiful and haunting song about how women have been blamed and persecuted throughout the ages.

If your book were made into a movie, who would you like to see playing the lead characters?

Oh I love this question! Florence Pugh (with long brown hair, obviously) would be my dream Fulvia. Jamie Campbell Bower for Clodius. Jeremy Strong for Cicero. May El Calamawy for Donata. Natalie Dormer for Clodia.

What did you enjoy the most about writing Fulvia?

Watching her come to life on the page, after living inside my head for so long.

What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?

I think I slept for an entire week. And then I started planning the next one.

What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes. Her writing is evocative and addictive, and this was my favourite take on the myth of Medusa that I’ve ever read.

What’s next on the agenda for you?

The sequel! To Rule a Ruler.

Echo Publishing