One woman battles the coming Dark Ages. "Twilight Empress" tells the little-known story of a remarkable woman: Placidia, sister to one of the last Roman Emperors. Roman Empress and Gothic Queen, Placidia does the unthinkable: she rules the failing Western Roman Empire. A life of ambition, power, and intrigue she doesn't seek, but can't refuse, her actions shape the face of Western Europe for centuries. A woman as well as an empress, Placidia suffers love, loss, and betrayal. Can her intelligence, tenacity, and ambition help her survive and triumph over scheming generals, rebellious children, and Attila the Hun?

FAITH L. JUSTICE is a science geek and history junkie, which is reflected in her writing. Her short stories and poems have appeared in such publications as "The Copperfield Review," "Beyond Science Fiction and Fantasy," and the "Circles in the Hair" anthology. Faith has published in such venues as "Salon.com," "Writer's Digest," "The Writer," and "Bygone Days." She's an Associate Editor for "Space & Time Magazine," a frequent contributor to "Strange Horizons," and co-founded a writer's workshop more years ago than she cares to admit. To contact Faith, read her essays and interviews, or get a sneak preview of her historical novels, visit her website at faithljustice.com.