Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Victoria Alvear
Book Title: The Cleansing
Released: 01/20/26
Genre: Historical Fiction
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “The Cleansing”?
Alvear: Years ago, I heard an evangelical preacher claim that a hurricane had hit a certain city because of “lesbians and loose women.” It seemed so ridiculous, I laughed out loud. But I kept hearing it. A preacher in Texas blamed flooding on immodest women. A preacher in New Jersey blamed the hurricane on “the gays.” Worse, these were the same people taking over our government.
It stopped sounding like a joke. And it started sounding dangerous.
Around the same time, I was reading about Hannibal and came across a line about how they blamed the catastrophic loss of 50,000 men in one day at Cannae on two Vestal Virgins having sex. And that they put these women to death for the “crime.” WTF?
That’s when I realized that the modern preachers claiming God smites whole cities because women or gay people are having sex are the same as ancient Romans claiming they lost a battle because a woman had sex. It seemed so crazy, so outrageous that people still think that way. I wanted to understand it and the only way I could do that was to take a deep dive into the ancient thinking driving it. As a writer, I write to understand foremost.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Alvear: All of the main characters are real people in history: Opimia (Mia, the main character) and Floronia were the Vestals named in the history records, as were the men in charge. The only names I made up were the ancillary characters, and I just went with names that wouldn’t sound too similar to the real ones so as not to confuse the reader!
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Alvear: Only that I’m a huge ancient history nerd and that every rite and detail that I put into this story is based on actual history. And damn, they did some really dark sh*t!
If "The Cleansing" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Alvear: For Mia, I would want someone like Zendaya or Ana de Armas for the role. She’s intense and internally defiant, so it would have to be someone who could convey what it felt like for her to be boxed into her world as a Vestal.
For Attius, I think perhaps Corey Mylchreest or Charles Melton—it would have to be an actor who could capture the conflict of wanting to do right by his family while being forced into a life he’d never choose for himself.
For the head priestess, the Maxima, I would choose someone like Frances McDormand—someone who could capture the suppressed rage of a control freak.
And for the Sybil of Cumae, I’d want someone like Emma Thompson, someone who could definitely give off IDGAF energy!
If you could have dinner with any character you’ve written, who would it be—and what would you talk about?
Alvear: From this book, it would the Sybil of Cumae because she’s a character who has seen it all and has tricks up her sleeve.
From an earlier book, it would be Selene from Cleopatra’s Moon, about the real-life daughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII. We have nothing written about her in the ancient records, but she lived to rule a client kingdom in North Africa. I’d want to hear what it felt like to have Cleopatra as your mother and Mark Antony as your father and how she managed to survive her circumstances while her brothers did not.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Alvear: Usually go for a walk. Or talk it out with a writer friend.
What’s the weirdest or most unexpected place you’ve gotten a story idea from?
Alvear: From listening to modern preachers blame natural disasters on certain people having sex. When I realized they really thought that way, I couldn’t get the idea of out of my mind, which led to this novel.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Alvear: My favorite genre is ancient historical fiction. And my favorite author (still) is Mary Renault, who rocked my world when I first read her novels on Theseus and Alexander the Great as a teen.
What are you working on next?
Alvear: Right now, I’m toying with a couple of story ideas set in ancient Egypt.
Learn More About the Author and The Cleansing here:
IG Reels: https://www.instagram.com/vicky_alvear_shecter/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ask.a.docent
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClyvLT_fJuih-1Wq5Wh2L2g
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