COMP CLOSED | Book Giveaway | Fulvia

FULVIA
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We are very pleased to be giving away three copies of Kaarina Parker’s book, ‘Fulvia’, to our GrownUps members.

All you need to do to enter the draw is be a GrownUps member, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter and fill in your details near the bottom of the page!

FULVIAAbout Fulvia

Female ambition is centre stage in this engrossing historical novel that brings the Roman Empire to life like never before.

Fulvia is the daughter of a wealthy but unimportant Roman family. Raised in the countryside, she longs for a life of intrigue and influence. When her father dies and her inheritance is threatened, Fulvia makes her way to the city of Rome to secure her future.

There she marries a young aristocrat named Clodius, who is more interested in partying with his hedonistic friends than politics. Fulvia is drawn into their world of debauchery, and learns just how precarious the balance of power in the Republic is.

Her ambition drives them both to political power that draws the attention of the senate, and more seedy underworld opponents. But Rome is a dangerous place, and Fulvia soon discovers how high the stakes really are, and that ambitions come at a terrible cost.

‘She was a woman who took no interest in spinning or housekeeping. She wanted to rule a ruler and command a commander.’ Plutarch

Author note:

‘I had the idea to write a book about Fulvia all the way back in 2013, when I stumbled upon her name in the footnotes of a research paper at University. Even in the cramped font of a footnote, I felt her voice and was immediately captivated by this vivacious and vicious woman. I read every book and paper I could find that mentioned her. I couldn’t stop thinking about how absurd it was that I had studied this period of history for nearly eight years, and this was the first I’d heard of her. I knew then that this extraordinary woman needed to have her story told, and that I wanted to be the one to do it. I wrote the book several times in different forms, before I arrived at Fulvia.

Hers is a story about female ambition, about learning where true power lies, and exactly what it costs. I hope readers will be captured by the sheer audacity and brilliance of this forgotten woman – you may not agree with her, or even like her, but you will certainly be in awe of her.’

About the Author:

Kaarina Parker is a writer, model, and activist based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, New Zealand). She has an established online following on Instagram, where she posts both modelling and writing work for an audience of 14k.

Kaarina studied history and film at the University of Melbourne, where she earned a BA (with Honours). Her area of interest was on queer and feminist representation in media, and the history of women. She went on to earn a Masters of Creative Writing, with a focus on giving voice to the stories of women and queer people throughout history. She has a particular love for the extraordinary women of the late Roman Republic, who achieved so much and are credited with so little.

Kaarina is also a successful model, having appeared in fashion campaigns for New Zealand and international brands, including Mi Piaci, RUBY, Hera Couture, Taylor Sport, Trish Peng, Bendon, and more.

Kaarina has been interviewed for a variety of New Zealand publications. She was featured on a panel for Ensemble’s 2021 Fashion Week event, discussing inclusivity in the fashion industry. She is a prominent voice in the fight for size inclusivity and diversity in the fashion industry. She was named as a Model to Watch at NZFW 2023: ‘She is the modern model: a muse, personality, a unique intelligent beauty.’

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Terms and conditions

    1. You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
    2. Competition closes on the 27th August 2025, winners will be notified via email by 28th August 2025.
    3. It is your responsibility to ensure you correctly enter a New Zealand postal address where the prize can be sent. GrownUps will not take responsibility for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
    4. Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
    5. GrownUps employees and family are not eligible to enter.
    6. By entering the giveaway, you approve for GrownUps to use your name on social media as winner of the competition.
    7. One entry per household.
    8. Prize in non transferrable.
    9. You must reside in New Zealand – the prize can only be redeemed within New Zealand.
    10. You must be over 50 years of age to enter, please check your details are correct in your membership dashboard.