The war that destroyed a world began with a single choice.
When Paris of Troy steals Helen from Sparta, he sets in motion a conflict that will pull kings and armies into a war no one can escape. Across Greece, rival rulers unite. Armies gather, oaths are sworn, and old grudges begin to surface. At the center of it stands Achilles, the most feared warrior of his age, and Hector, the prince sworn to defend Troy at any cost.
I'm pleased to welcome author Jude Grayson to The Writing Desk:
Tell us about your latest book
Blood and Bronze is a retelling of the Trojan War, but with a focus on grounding the story in something that feels more real and human rather than mythologised. It is easy to think of the Trojan War in terms of larger-than-life heroes and legend, but what interested me more was the reality behind that. The decisions, the loyalties, and the consequences for the people involved.
I wanted to strip it back slightly and focus on the brutality and uncertainty of that kind of conflict, while still keeping the scale and importance of the story. It is a setting most people are familiar with, but I tried to approach it in a way that felt more immediate and believable.
What is your preferred writing routine?
I tend to start with research and spend as much time as I can building a solid understanding of the period I am writing about. Once I have done that, I create a kind of visual framework, usually timelines of key events and who was involved, so I can see how everything fits together.
From there, I map out the structure of the book chapter by chapter. Each chapter has a purpose, which characters are involved, what needs to happen, and how it moves the story forward. By the time I begin writing, I usually have a clear idea of how the whole narrative will unfold.
That said, it is not completely rigid. Things do change as I go, but having that structure helps me keep the story focused and consistent. Once I have set out this structure I move into the writing phase where I aim to set myself 2 hours every weeknight to work through and develop the chapter systematically. The challenge is balancing my writing while working full time but I still really enjoy the writing process so it doesn't feel like work, yet!
What advice do you have for new writers?
The best advice I can give is simply to get started. It sounds obvious, but it is something I had to learn myself. There is a tendency to wait for the right idea or the book you feel is worth publishing, but in reality writing is a skill you develop by doing.
Your early work will probably not be what you eventually publish, and that is completely fine. Those first projects are where you learn how to structure a story, develop characters, and actually finish something. Each one improves your ability. By the time you come to a story that really matters to you, one you want to put out into the world, you are in a much better position to do it properly.
What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?
This is still something I am actively working on. The part I naturally enjoy is the writing itself, building the story and the characters, so shifting focus to the marketing side has been a learning curve.
Earlier on I spent a lot of time pursuing the traditional route, researching agents and submitting manuscripts. There were some encouraging signs, but it is a very competitive space and progress can be slow.
More recently I have moved towards self publishing, which has opened up a different approach. It means taking more responsibility for getting the work in front of readers, whether that is through advertising, outreach, or opportunities like this blog. I am still figuring out what works best, but each step builds a better understanding of how to connect the writing with an audience.
Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research
One of the things that surprised me most during my research was the role of Aeneas. Going in, I expected the story to centre almost entirely around the more well known figures like Achilles and Hector, but the more I read, the more Aeneas stood out.
He is not always treated as a central character in popular retellings, but his importance grows significantly in what comes after the fall of Troy. That was something I had not fully appreciated at the start. As I developed the story, he naturally became a much bigger presence than I had originally planned, and his role has influenced how I am thinking about future books as well.
What was the hardest scene you remember writing?
The hardest scene to write was the duel between Hector and Achilles. It is such a defining moment of the Trojan War that it felt like it had to be handled carefully.
I rewrote it several times. I did not want it to feel like a generic duel, but at the same time I wanted to avoid over dramatising it in a way that takes away from the reality of the moment. Finding that balance took a lot of trial and error.
In the end it was about doing justice to the significance of the encounter while keeping it grounded and believable. It was probably the section I spent the most time refining.
What are you planning to write next?
Alongside Blood and Bronze, I have also self published Lion of Mali, which follows the rise of Sundiata Keita, and Tyrants and Traitors, set during China’s Three Kingdoms period. Both explore similar themes of power, conflict, and the rise of empires in different parts of the world. Looking ahead, I am currently working on a new project centred on Tamerlane, which I see developing into a longer series over time.
In the nearer term, my main focus will be a follow up to Blood and Bronze, exploring the aftermath of the fall of Troy and the journeys of those who survived. There is a lot more story to tell there, and it is something I am keen to continue building on.
Jude Grayson
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About the Author
Jude Grayson is a historical fiction author based in Scotland. His work focuses on war, power, and the rise and fall of empires, with novels set in periods such as the Trojan War, ancient China, and the Mali Empire. He is the author of
Blood and Bronze, Tyrants and Traitors, and
Lion of Mali.
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