Angela Hunt is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 160 books, with nearly 6 million copies sold worldwide. Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for the RWA RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the HOLT Medallion. Four of her novels have received ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award, and Angela is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from both the Romantic Times Book Club and ACFW. Angela holds doctorates in biblical studies and theology. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs and chickens.
In this interview, Angela shares some of her thoughts regarding the third book of her The Emissaries Series, The Daughter of Rome.
Can you please provide a brief summary of The Daughter of Rome?
The Daughter of Rome is about a young sculptress, Calandra, who must support herself and her father in the aftermath of the great fire of Rome.
FF: What inspired you to set your story in Nero’s Rome?
I couldn’t think of a more dangerous or exciting time! Plus, I had set certain events in motion in book two of the emissaries series and needed to move forward in time. That put me squarely in Nero’s Rome.
FF: Can you tell us more about your protagonist, Calandra, and her role in her father’s sculpting work?
At the beginning of the story she is a painter, painting her father’s statues, but after he is injured in the great fire, she must learn the art of sculpting to help him complete an important commission.
FF: The great fire of Rome plays a significant role in your story. How did you approach researching and depicting this historical event?
I read numerous articles and a thick book on the topic. It was very well researched, footnoted, and quite scholarly.
FF: Your book explores the early Christian community in Rome. What challenges did you face in portraying their beliefs and practices accurately?
I think we often assume that first century Christians had access to everything we have—strong teaching churches, the complete Scriptures, television and radio—well, not the last two. But compared to us, they had so little—epistles from Paul, perhaps some of the apostles’ gospels, and the Holy Spirit. They had no “Christian code” to live by and had to figure things out with the help of the Spirit.
FF: How does Calandra’s encounter with the Christians change her perspective?
She was thoroughly Roman, but she could not help noticing that love marked the Christians—they loved each other, and they loved her and her father. Their love and concern changed her perspective.
FF: The concept of choosing between right and wrong, friends and family, love and death is central to your story. Can you elaborate on this theme?
Calandra is faced with many decisions—and she doesn’t always choose what you and I would consider “right.” She suffers the consequences, but she grows in understanding and maturity. The world of ancient Rome was very different from ours in some ways, but in others it was strikingly similar. We are faced with the same decisions and consequences Calandra and others faced.
FF: As the final book in The Emissaries Series, how does The Daughter of Rome bring the overarching narrative to a close?
Characters from the first and second books reappear in The Daughter of Rome. They are not the main characters in the third book, but they offer support, encouragement, and challenges.
FF: Your novel blends historical fact with fiction. How do you strike a balance between accuracy and storytelling?
As a historical novelist, my goal is to never contradict the historical record and to tell a good story about the world as it was. I find that people—human nature—are the same no matter when they live. So I simply take regular people, give them problems common to their time, and let the story play out.
FF: You hold doctorates in biblical studies and theology. How do these influence your approach to historical fiction?
As always, the historical record—and the Bible is not only the Word of God, it is also a historical record—wins whenever I’m faced with a story decision. Having studied the Bible and theology helps me understand the nature of God, and how people relate to Him.
FF: What do you hope readers will take away from The Daughter of Rome?
When I read about prophetic events yet to come, I am convinced that some of us will face some of the same situations Calandra and her contemporaries faced. Christians today are dying because they profess their faith. Other believers will die in the future. I pray we will have the same courage and faith my characters evidenced.
FF: What are you working on next?
I am very—can we underline that?—excited about my new series The Matriarchs, featuring Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah/Rachel, the matriarchs of our faith. I am well into Sarah’s story as I write this, and I’m loving the research.
The Daughter of Rome
The Emissaries Series #3
Angela Hunt
Bethany House
Genres: Historical, Biblical Fiction
Release Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN-10: 0764241583
ISBN-13: 978-0764241581
Book Summary:
In Nero’s Rome, Calandra helps her father, a renowned sculptor, complete the most significant commission of his illustrious career. But then a catastrophic fire nearly destroys the imperial city, leaving Calandra reliant on a group of Christians—unusual individuals unlike any she has encountered before. Intrigued by their worship of the Son of an invisible God, Calandra grapples with her mistrust, only to find herself indebted to these believers as they help her rebuild her shattered world.
When Emperor Nero begins constructing his opulent Golden House, the people of Rome grow resentful, suspecting him of starting the fire in order to clear the land for his immense palace. Needing a scapegoat, Nero points at those who follow the Jewish Messiah, forcing Calandra to make an impossible choice between right and wrong, friends and family, love and death.
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