“Testa Mora – Les Rivages du Destiny” by Gilles Antonioli

A word on your Corsican roots?
I am Ajaccien, even if my roots plunge into the Alta Rocca, in Tirolu more precisely. Similarly, I have always lived in Ajaccio until I decided. Nevertheless, a few years ago, to leave my post of chief of the marketing service at Air Corsica to continue my career in Brussels. Therefore, I live there now, sharing myself between Belgium and Corsica. Similarly,

How did you come to writing?
I have always been writing, but until then it was mainly for me. Nevertheless, What fascinates me is creation, to give life to the stories that cross my mind. In addition, Brunette is the first novel I lead and that I decide to share. Meanwhile,

The idea of this novel?
About ten years ago, I came across a work evoking the life of Giudice Da Cinarca. Meanwhile, This story captivated me. For example, I then realized how badly I knew medieval Corsica: its wealth. Similarly, its complexity, and this disturbing familiarity with so many landmarks of my daily life. Moreover, It was our story. Consequently, and I had the feeling of discovering a forgotten part of my identity, both epic and founding.
Having become a father at that time, I also felt a new need: that of transmitting. Heir to a history, an education, values, I wanted to pay tribute to this legacy. This book was born from this will. Through him. I hope to arouse the curiosity of readers who, in turn, will want to learn more about this precious heritage.

The synopsis?
I chose to imagine, with freedom specific to the novel, how Brunette could have arrived in Corsica. In order for history to take on its full meaning. I had to replace the island in the Mediterranean context of the 14th century: Aragon, Pisa, Genoa, Sardinia, the Papacy of Avignon …
The story opens in Avignon. in 1317, on an attempted assassination of the Pope, in an era when the fear of the demon spread via the Eastern Grumoires, and when political intrigue abounded.
Corsica stirs up all lusts. Two frames intertwine: that of the Cortinchi brothers. who defend their Patrimonio castle in front of a thirsty lord of Vendetta, and that of Ferrer, a Catalan religious freshly arrived at the Curia, who finds himself taken in obscure intrigue. A young prostitute, who will lead her “testa mora – les rivages to question her certainties, will become his guide in this tumult.

How did you conduct your research?
Even if I took some romantic liberties, I wanted to remain faithful to history and its contexts. I therefore constituted an impressive bibliography over the years. The columnist Giovanni Della Grossa was my starting point. then the work of Philippe Colombani, Jean-André Cancellieri, Vannina Marchi van Cauwelart, Damien Broc, Pierre-François Di Cara have enriched the reconstruction of medieval Corsica.
For the other regions. the research of Stéphane Péquignot on Jacques II of Aragon or those of Arturo Ferretto on Branca Doria were very useful to me. I also relied on specific sources for descriptions: clothes, town planning, architecture, events … An exciting thesis presented in 2022 at McGill University, relating to the Grmoirs related to the Avignon attack, notably inspired “testa mora – les rivages me.

Will this novel be a sequel?
Oui ! Brunette is the first volume of a saga that should have four or five. I wrote it as a TV series: short chapters, sustained rhythm, visual scenes, constant suspense. History will extend over several generations.
The second volume. currently being written, will focus more on the southern lords, from Cinarca to Alta Rocca, focusing in particular on the four bastard sons of Giudice, major characters in the destiny of the island. I also plan to explore the fascinating period of the emergence and then of the persecution of the Ghjuvannali. But for the time being. I hope that these first adventures will captivate readers as much as they have passionate about writing.

Dedications:
• “testa mora – les rivages Bastia – This July 19 at 5.30 p.m., Alma bookstore
• Ajaccio – July 21 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Culture court
• Port-vecchio – July 24 at 5 p.m., Le Verb du Soleil bookstore