Jamie Ogle is a predawn writer, 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. Learn more about Jamie at jamieogle.com.
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Of Love and Treason
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.
- ISBN: 149647967X
- Publisher: Tyndale
Interview with Jamie Ogle
What made you want to become an author?
I’ve always loved books and stories, and grew up around grandparents who loved to tell stories about their lives, so writing stories of my own seemed like a very natural thing to do. I was in high school when I really started dreaming of being a traditionally published author, and working toward that goal. It’s surreal to hold Of Love and Treason in my hands, knowing it’s the end result of 20+ years of dreams, hard work, and watching God close and open doors along the way.
What did you learn while writing Of Love and Treason?
I learned that a 150k word draft is way too long, that I made all the writing and grammar mistakes, and that connecting with other Christian writers to encourage and sharpen my writing skills was the best thing I could have done. I learned to follow God’s lead, to trust His good plan through the rejections and rewrites, and to be on the lookout for how He was trying to shape my heart and faith through it all.
If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?
Oh boy. A lot of Latin translations, Roman and Greek mythology stories, whether or not you could row a boat up the sewer system in Ancient Rome (this scene did not make it into the final cut—haha!), how to amputate a hand (quickly decided I couldn’t write this either), “Roman desserts that do not include calf brains,” YouTube walking tours of the Mamertine prison and other sites, and a lot of image searches for 3D reconstructions of Ancient Rome.
What do you want readers to take away from Of Love and Treason?
I hope readers see the theme of deep, selfless love running through the story, and realize that is the way God loves them. I hope that love inspires a deeper relationship with God and the courage to stand for what is right despite the risks—writing this story definitely encouraged and challenged me in those aspects.
If you could have coffee with an author, dead or alive, whose work you admire, who would that be? What would you ask him or her?
This is a hard question! There are so many authors whose work I admire, but I think tea and conversations with C.S. Lewis would be so encouraging, if not extremely intimidating.
What’s your go-to drink while writing?
Coffee with heavy cream in the morning, and tea in the afternoon/evening. I’m a little obsessed with London Fogs right now.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
To learn and grow from criticism instead of being crushed by it. Most criticism can be a powerful growth tool if you can step back and view yourself honestly. I wish I could have been able to do that earlier, because my writing grew so much when I started using criticism as a tool. To some extent, I think that ability comes with age and experience, so there’s a good chance my younger self wouldn’t have listened to this advice anyway—haha!
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
I love to garden, quilt, keep bees and chickens (hoping to get more chicks this spring), and I really enjoy doing building or remodeling projects with my husband.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
So many books! I’m super excited to read Heather Kaufman’s debut novel, Up From Dust, The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz, A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen, Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer, Her Part to Play by Jenny Erlingsson, The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron, The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold, The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano—and the list goes on!
What can we look forward to next?
My next story, releasing early 2025, picks up after Of Love and Treason in AD 310, and tells the story of a young diver torn between protecting her family’s livelihood and risking it all to help the new church leader whose every decision seems to put everyone in greater danger. Set on the sunny, turquoise shores of the Mediterranean Sea, this next book retells the life and legends of Saint Nicholas in a way you’ve never heard them before. (We also get a fun peek at what some of the characters from Of Love and Treason have been up to).
______________________________
Today's interviewer Jessica Baker loves sharing her passion for reading with others and connecting readers with authors. In addition to blogging at A Baker’s Perspective, Jessica is a virtual assistant, proofreader, and runs her own business. Though she wishes she had a library like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jessica realizes the importance of sharing her books with the world to tell the story, and donates many books to her local library. Jessica Baker lives Central New York with her husband, teenage daughter, beagle, three cats, and four ducks.
I’ve always loved books and stories, and grew up around grandparents who loved to tell stories about their lives, so writing stories of my own seemed like a very natural thing to do. I was in high school when I really started dreaming of being a traditionally published author, and working toward that goal. It’s surreal to hold Of Love and Treason in my hands, knowing it’s the end result of 20+ years of dreams, hard work, and watching God close and open doors along the way.
What did you learn while writing Of Love and Treason?
I learned that a 150k word draft is way too long, that I made all the writing and grammar mistakes, and that connecting with other Christian writers to encourage and sharpen my writing skills was the best thing I could have done. I learned to follow God’s lead, to trust His good plan through the rejections and rewrites, and to be on the lookout for how He was trying to shape my heart and faith through it all.
If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?
Oh boy. A lot of Latin translations, Roman and Greek mythology stories, whether or not you could row a boat up the sewer system in Ancient Rome (this scene did not make it into the final cut—haha!), how to amputate a hand (quickly decided I couldn’t write this either), “Roman desserts that do not include calf brains,” YouTube walking tours of the Mamertine prison and other sites, and a lot of image searches for 3D reconstructions of Ancient Rome.
What do you want readers to take away from Of Love and Treason?
I hope readers see the theme of deep, selfless love running through the story, and realize that is the way God loves them. I hope that love inspires a deeper relationship with God and the courage to stand for what is right despite the risks—writing this story definitely encouraged and challenged me in those aspects.
If you could have coffee with an author, dead or alive, whose work you admire, who would that be? What would you ask him or her?
This is a hard question! There are so many authors whose work I admire, but I think tea and conversations with C.S. Lewis would be so encouraging, if not extremely intimidating.
What’s your go-to drink while writing?
Coffee with heavy cream in the morning, and tea in the afternoon/evening. I’m a little obsessed with London Fogs right now.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
To learn and grow from criticism instead of being crushed by it. Most criticism can be a powerful growth tool if you can step back and view yourself honestly. I wish I could have been able to do that earlier, because my writing grew so much when I started using criticism as a tool. To some extent, I think that ability comes with age and experience, so there’s a good chance my younger self wouldn’t have listened to this advice anyway—haha!
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
I love to garden, quilt, keep bees and chickens (hoping to get more chicks this spring), and I really enjoy doing building or remodeling projects with my husband.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
So many books! I’m super excited to read Heather Kaufman’s debut novel, Up From Dust, The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz, A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen, Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer, Her Part to Play by Jenny Erlingsson, The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron, The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold, The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano—and the list goes on!
What can we look forward to next?
My next story, releasing early 2025, picks up after Of Love and Treason in AD 310, and tells the story of a young diver torn between protecting her family’s livelihood and risking it all to help the new church leader whose every decision seems to put everyone in greater danger. Set on the sunny, turquoise shores of the Mediterranean Sea, this next book retells the life and legends of Saint Nicholas in a way you’ve never heard them before. (We also get a fun peek at what some of the characters from Of Love and Treason have been up to).
______________________________
Today's interviewer Jessica Baker loves sharing her passion for reading with others and connecting readers with authors. In addition to blogging at A Baker’s Perspective, Jessica is a virtual assistant, proofreader, and runs her own business. Though she wishes she had a library like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jessica realizes the importance of sharing her books with the world to tell the story, and donates many books to her local library. Jessica Baker lives Central New York with her husband, teenage daughter, beagle, three cats, and four ducks.
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