Fanmail

Dear Caroline Lawrence
My name is Maddie. I am a nearly 10 year old school girl. I live in Exeter... I'm a very big fans of The Roman Mysteries series. I have read at least 6 or 7 of your amazing titles I love reading. When my teacher Ms Collins introduced me to your first book The Thieves of Ostia in year 4, I loved your first book so much I was eager to read more of them. My favorite characters are Flavia and Nubia. I love your books so much because when I read them I actually feel like I'm in the story. My favorite book has got to be The Twelve Tasks Of Flavia Gemina because when we did the romans for our history topic we loved learning about the twelve tasks of Hercules. Our  favorite part is when Nubia helps to catch the lion. Please Write back soon! Yours Sincerly, Maddie

Caroline says: Thank you, Maddie. And thank you, Mrs. Collins!
 

Dear Mrs. Lawrence

My name is Phoebe. I am 11 years old. I love your Roman Mysteries books. My favourite character is Flavia, then Nubia, Lupus and Jonathan. At the moment I am on The Prophet from Ephesus but my favourite book is The Dolphins of Laurentum. I have also seen the TV series which was good. Did you write 100% of your books by yourself?  Or did you have some help? Which book was the hardest to write? I live in Cornwall. I have a guinea-pig. Do you have any pets? 

Love, Phoebe 

P.S. I would love for you to reply. I am a big Fan. So my address is etc.

Dear Caroline Lawrence,

REF: Your great books (the Roman Mysteries in particular)
I am writing to express my opinion of your great series, the Roman Mysteries. I have not read all of them, but I'm enjoying them all the same. I also have some questions to ask. Surprisingly, I do not have a Ostifavourite book, I have read: the thieves of Ostia, the secrets of Vesuvius, the pirates of Pompeii, the Assassins of Rome, the enemies of Jupiter, the colossus of Rhodes and the Fugitive from Corinth, but I can not choose a favourite! Particularly, I like the way the books flow into each other, but you can still pick up and read one without getting confused. I love the characters, as they all have different backgrounds, allowing them to help in different parts of the mystery. 
Finally, I have a few questions I would like to ask you: Which is your favourite book that you have written in the Roman Mysteries series? Will you, apart from the Western Mysteries, publish another historical mystery series? What is your favourite thing about being an author? Have you done anything else other than being an author/what do you do in your spare time? And finally, what are your plans for the future? I would be honoured if you could reply to this letter. 
Yours sincerely, Anna H. 

Caroline says: My fave Roman Mystery is the final one: The Man from Pomegranate Street! Check out my FAQS page, Anna, for the answers to all your other questions, and more! 
 

Dear Caroline,
I am writing to thank you for visiting the school and for the talk you gave us on the Roman Mysteries. I really enjoyed hearing about the sponge on a stick and the spitting bowl. The cowboy hat had a fascinating design and was awesome. I am on page 36 of your book. We bought the whole collection. I was writing a story and finished it! I would like to go to the wild west and feed the donkeys. I hope you come again. 
Sincerely, Hector L. 

Caroline says: Thanks, Hector. I hope you get a chance to visit Oatman, Arizona one day. 
 

Dear Caroline Lawrence
Thank you for coming to Moreton Hall.
I really enjoyed your talk about how to make a book.
I have read the first chapters of your book and am loving it so far.
My favourite character is Lupus. 
Thank you for coming
from George M
P.S. What car have you got?

Caroline says: I don't have a car, George! I live in London and use public transport and trains. :-)
 

Dear Mrs Lawrence
I am a great fan of your books. I have read all your Roman Mysteries, and the Deadly Desperados. All of which I enjoyed thoroughly. They are very exciting, and there is always a mystery to unravel. I am ten years old and I go to a school... in the Cotswolds... where we all love to read. Last year we opened a new library. I am writing to ask whether you would come and visit us... We would love to meet you and have the opportunity to ask you lots of questions. We would love to know where you get all your fantastic ideas, why you first started writing and things like that!
Yours sincerely, Sylvia (10) 

Caroline says: Wow, Sylvia! I am so impressed that you've read all my books! I'd love to visit your school. Tell your librarian or head teacher to check out my SCHOOLS page for details of my school visit. 
 

Dear Caroline Lawrence
I have writen to you how brilliant your books are! At the moment I am re-reading your books and am on 'The Prophet of Ephesus' which is my favourite book. I am Roman Mysteries crazy! On the Roman Mysteries website I made a stola using the instructions. Also I have every book except 4, the 1st and 2nd Quiz Book, Trimalchio's Feast and From Ostia to Alexandria with Flavia Gemina. The Romans are my favourite History Subject and history is my favourite subject. In the holiday I went to the Roman baths in Bath, it was sooooo cool. 
My parents also like the Roman Mysteries. My Dad likes the action and my Mum likes the last scroll. My brother Matthew (7) isn't that fussed (I can't see why).

Yours sincerely, Eve (9) 10 on 20th of January

Caroline says: I'm so glad you like my books enough to re-read them, Eve. I love the museum at Bath, too. It is one of the best exhibition on Romans ever! Tell your little brother about the Roman Mystery Scrolls! He might like Threptus, an 8 year old beggar boy who is brave and funny and a little bit rude.
 

Dear Mrs Lawrence

i have wrote to tell you that i love your books because i especially like mystery books but your books are amazing. They are my favourite books and my favourite book out of the series is The secrets of Vesuvius. My favourite character is Nubia because she is the bravest and calmest i think.

Yours sincerely Emily

Caroline says: Thank you, Emily, and Happy Holidays!
 

Hi caroline,
I really love your books my teacher a.k.a Mrs richell is reading us The Thieves of Ostia and 4R are loving it!!!!! My friend matty has read up to the twelve tasks of Flavia gemmina and he loves every minute of it. I'm inspired by your work.
Louis 4R

Caroline says: Oh, thank you Louis! And bless Miss Richell!

an excerpt from Mackey's essay "My Favorite Author"

...I was the kind of reader who loved romance more than adventure. I would settle for those meaningless teenage love books. But after I read the series I changed. I began to love adventure more. Romance didn’t matter to me. The adventures, mysteries, and never-ending trivia’s about ancient Rome added up to my love for the books. I grew up as a reader and as a young girl. When I finished the books, my life as a reader changed completely. Gone, were the books that just made me want to grow up faster and have a boyfriend. Gone, were the books that made me shallow and ignorant. And in its place came the books with lessons and facts on life. In came the books with endless meaning and morals. Thanks to Caroline Lawrence my mother is now content with what I am reading and taking interest in. Her books served as more than entertainment to me. They inspired me to look into history more closely. It made me realize how interesting history can be. Caroline Lawrence made me wish I could go back in time and relive the Roman Period. Flavia Gemina inspired me not to give up and to look closer into what could be because of her character’s traits. I became more curious and began wishing that someday I would have an equally exciting adventure as the characters did. Because of her books I was inspired to get out of the house more often and explore the world...

Caroline says: Thanks, Mackey! I feel honoured!
 

Dear Caroline,

...i would just like to say how much i am enjoying the roman mysteries (my mum has just bought me the complete series!!!!) and how my friend Beatrice is enjoying the western mysteries! believe me! when we meet up that's all she does! read read read! i have been doing that too! on the weekends i will read the roman mysteries for a good 5 hours!! 

Caroline says: Tips for writing description? Just sprinkle it in lightly, like salt and pepper: a line here, a phrase there. Use all five senses. Copy the style of authors who write description in a way that pleases you, including your friend Georgia!
 

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have enjoyed reading your books thoroughly and will keep on reading them until I have read the series. I am your biggest fan and if you are retiring just send me a letter and I will carry on the series for you! 

From your biggest fan, Marco

P.S. please can you send me a signed copy?

Caroline says: Thanks for being my biggest fan, Marco, but I'm not retiring quite yet! lol! I'm writing a spin-off series called The Roman Mysteries Scrolls!

The ENTIRE Roman Mysteries series:

I The Thieves of Ostia - the friends meet and solve their first mystery
II The Secrets of Vesuvius - a riddle and danger as Vesuvius erupts
III The Pirates of Pompeii - who's taking children from the refugee camp?
IV The Assassins of Rome - Jonathan's search takes him to Rome
V The Dolphins of Laurentum - sunken treasure and Lupus's past
VI The Twelve Tasks of Flavia Gemina - romance and mystery in and around Ostia
VII The Enemies of Jupiter - plague and fire in Rome, early AD 80
VIII The Gladiators from Capua - opening of the Colosseum, AD 80
IX The Colossus of Rhodes - the four friends take a cruise in May...
X The Fugitive from Corinth - then pursue a fugitive around Greece
XI The Sirens of Surrentum - the Bay of Naples for poison & decadence
XII The Charioteer of Delphi - a famous racehorse goes missing
The Code of Romulus - a World Book Day booklet (now a collector's item)
The First Roman Mysteries Quiz Book
XIII The Slave-girl from Jerusalem - courtroom drama in Ostia
Trimalchio's Feast and other Mini-Mysteries - a collection of short stories
The Second Roman Mysteries Quiz Book
XIV The Beggar of Volubilis - a caravan across North Africa
From Ostia to Alexandria with Flavia Gemina (a Travel Guide)
XV The Scribes from Alexandria - Egypt and Nubia in Roman times
XVI The Prophet from Ephesus - the four go to Asia Minor (Turkey)
XVII The Man from Pomegranate Street - who killed Titus & whom does Flavia marry?
The First Roman Mysteries Omnibus (new edition)

The Legionary from Londinium and other Mini-Mysteries
THE ROMAN MYSTERIES TREASURY
and...
Roman Mysteries TV series Season One DVD
Roman Mysteries TV series Season Two DVD
Roman Mysteries Box Set; Seasons 1 & 2 DVD
and now:

The Roman Mysteries Scrolls

The Sewer Demon (out 2 Feb 2012)