Jora: A Reflective Virtual Character Interview from The Briton and the Dane: Birthright

 She is a survivor, a peacemaker, and a young woman who carries wisdom far beyond her years. Now, Jora speaks for herself in a format as serene as her spirit.

This AI-generated virtual character interview brings Jora to life with quiet intensity. Her words reveal the endurance born of loss, her choices show the courage to seek peace in a divided world, and her reflections remind us that true strength often lies in stillness. It’s not just an interview—it’s a meditation on patience, resilience, and the hope of coexistence.

Watch the full interview here:

This is part of our ongoing series exploring the world of The Briton and the Dane: Birthright through immersive storytelling. Each character adds depth to Alfred’s England, and Jora’s appearance reminds us that even in times of conflict, one may choose peace over rage, and wisdom over despair.

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http://mybook.to/tbatdbirthright

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Mary Ann Bernal is a distinguished alumna of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she earned her degree in Business Administration. Her literary journey began with the 2009 publication of her debut novel in The Briton and the Dane series, marking the start of a richly diverse body of work that spans historical fiction, contemporary short stories, science fiction/fantasy, and fast-paced adventure novellas.

Her recent publications include Crusader’s Path, a poignant redemption tale set during the First Crusade; Forgiving Nero, a compelling exploration of familial bonds in Ancient Rome; and the award-winning AnaRose adventure series, chronicling the daring escapades of a museum curator-turned-relic hunter. Mary Ann’s work has been honored by the Independent Press Award, the NYC Big Book Award, Chanticleer International Book Awards, the B.R.A.G. Medallion, and the Reader Views Reviewer’s Choice Awards. Her short fiction anthologies have likewise earned distinction, most notably from the American Legacy Book Awards. She was also recognized with the Editor’s Choice Award for Literary Excellence by Reader’s House magazine.

A dedicated supporter of the United States military since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has actively engaged in letter-writing campaigns and related initiatives. Her advocacy has been featured on KMTV’s The Morning Blend and in the Omaha World-Herald. As a celebrated author, she has appeared on numerous reader blogs and book promotion platforms. Mary Ann currently resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where she continues to craft stories that inspire and endure.

Connect with Mary Ann

Website: http://www.maryannbernal.com/

Whispering Legends Press: https://www.whisperinglegendspress.com/

Blog: https://maryannbernal.blogspot.com

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Ann-Bernal/e/B003D2DPZ4

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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-ann-bernal

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BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/maryannbernal.bsky.social

 

Echoes of Valor: The Briton and the Dane Birthright by Mary Ann Bernal. Narrated by Sebastian Lockwood.

 

Author: Mary Ann Bernal
Narrator: Sebastian Lockwood
Series: The Briton and the Dane, Book 2
Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 11-02-16
Language: English

 A Usurper’s Rise. A Fierce Struggle. A Vicious Siege.

 In the aftermath of triumph, England’s peace teeters on a knife-edge. A wronged Norseman steps from the mists, his ambition fixed on the throne from which he was denied. Gathering a host of forsaken warriors, he prepares for a confrontation. The ruler, whose dominion spans from Kent’s shores to Northumbria’s untamed lands, senses the impending challenge. On the silent plains of Thetford, a pivotal battle looms, one that will etch itself into history. The whimsical gods of war stand ready to cast their fateful dice, deciding the legacy of a throne rooted in Viking valor.

 Listen to a sample HERE

 

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Audiobook Spotlight: The Briton and the Dane: Birthright by Mary Ann Bernal, narrated by Sebastian Lockwood

 

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Two years have passed since Alfred the Great successfully defeated Guthrum, King of the Vikings. The fair land of England is at peace. That is, until the harmony is threatened by Guthrum's angry, vengeful, illegitimate son, Rigr, who is hell-bent on usurping his father's throne. Rigr demands his Birthright - an acknowledgment that he is the sole heir to the Danelaw, but his father refuses his claim.

Rigr assembles his army; a motley, but formidable, cohort of disenchanted warriors. Fearsome Guthrum, the ruler of everything from Kent to Northumbria, is made aware of the threat and conjures his forces, meeting the rebellious host on the field at Thetford.

Thousands upon thousands of bloodthirsty warriors confront each other on the sunlit, windless plains of East Anglia. The victors will rewrite the course of history, and the fate of England is in the hands of the gods of war.

Listen to the Preface HERE

BUY LINKS

Universal Purchase Link

Amazon Global Link

Book Trailer

The Briton and the Dane: Birthright by Mary Ann Bernal - hardcover edition now available

 

I have already read several books in The Briton and the Dane series and I was very much looking forward to reading Birthright. I had high expectations for this book, and I am pleased to say that Bernal did not disappoint. Bernal has presented a story that is not only rich in historical detailing but one with an almost tangible realism.

From the opening sentence, I was hooked. The short chapters and quickly changing scenes worked surprisingly well. There is also a huge cast of characters which drove this book forward. Putting all of these things together made this novel unputdownable. In fact, I was so engrossed in this story that I read it in one sitting!

The period of history Bernal chose to base this book on is one where minimal primary sources have survived and although there are many works by Historical Fiction authors about Alfred the Great and his war with Guthrum, the period straight after is one which is sorely neglected by authors, and because of this Bernal's story is wonderfully original.

There are many characters in this book that a reader will love to hate — Rigr being one of them. His anger at his father is like an uncontrollable burning fire inside of him. He is ambitious, and it seems that nothing can thwart him in his quest to become King.

This book is not just about those who desire power. Like with Book #1, I was particularly taken with the character of Elizabeth, who despite being contradicted continuously, is convinced that her husband, who has been missing for two years, is still very much alive. I thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth’s story.

From the onslaught, this book is filled with nonstop drama and cliff-hanger tension. Bernal writes with a vivid imagination and an energy that threatens to memorise. She has a novelist eye for human frailty, and her characters are authentic in the telling.

Tense, powerful, and utterly compulsive. I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in this fabulous series.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde.

Universal Buy Link

The Briton and the Dane: Birthright by Mary Ann Bernal

Two years have passed since Alfred the Great successfully defeated Guthrum, King of the Vikings.

The fair land of England is at peace. That is, until the harmony is threatened by Guthrum’s angry, vengeful, illegitimate son, Rigr, who is hell-bent on usurping his father’s throne.

Rigr demands his Birthright – an acknowledgement that he is the sole heir to the Danelaw, but his father refuses his claim. Rigr assembles his army; a motley, but formidable, cohort of disenchanted warriors.

Fearsome Guthrum, ruler of everything from Kent to Northumbria, is made aware of the threat and conjures his forces, meeting the rebellious host on the field at Thetford. 

Thousands upon thousands of bloodthirsty warriors confront each other on the sunlit, windless plains of East Anglia. The victors will rewrite the course of history, and the fate of England is in the hands of the gods of war.

Purchase

Amazon Global Link

Audible

Barnes and Noble

iTunes/Apple Books
Smashwords

Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots: #BookReview — The Briton and the Dane: Birthright ...

Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots: #BookReview — The Briton and the Dane: Birthright ...: The Briton and the Dane: Birthright (The Briton and the Dane Book #2) By Mary Ann Bernal Travel back in ...

The Briton and the Dane: Birthright

(The Briton and the Dane Book #2)

By Mary Ann Bernal

Travel back in time to 9th Century Anglo-Saxon Britain and the reign of Alfred the Great who successfully repelled the Viking threat and drove the formidable Danish King Guthrum out of his Kingdom of Wessex. Journey throughout Britannia where Lord Richard and his children risk their lives in the service of their King; where treachery and treason threaten the uneasy peace; where the outcome of one battle determines the course of history.

“Treason is punishable by death, no matter the bloodline...”

It has been two years since Alfred, King of Wessex, accepted the surrender of Guthrum, the leader of the Great Heathen Army. Due to Alfred’s terms, Guthrum has turned his back on his pagan ways and embraced the Christian God. By doing so, he now rules the land from Kent to Northumbria. It is enough. No longer does he hunger for the desire for more land and the blood of the battlefield.

However, there are those who see Guthrum’s surrender to the Christian faith as a weakness, and there is one among them which threatens the tranquil peace that Alfred and Guthrum have worked so hard to embrace.

Rigr, Guthrum’s illegitimate son, seeks the throne of his father. However, because of his illegitimacy, Guthrum refuses to recognise him as his heir. Driven by the desire for power, Rigr plots to overthrow his father and to his delight, he discovers that many would not only support his claim but fight alongside him. His course is set. He will win the Daneland from his father, no matter what the cost...

Set in a world of superstition, blood feuds, and revenge, The Briton and the Dane: Birthright (The Briton and the Dane Book #2) by Mary Ann Bernal is the utterly captivating fictional story, set in the time of King Alfred of Wessex and Guthrum of East Anglia.

I have already read several books in The Briton and the Dane series and I was very much looking forward to reading Birthright. I had high expectations for this book, and I am pleased to say that Bernal did not disappoint. Bernal has presented a story that is not only rich in historical detailing but one with an almost tangible realism.

From the opening sentence, I was hooked. The short chapters and quickly changing scenes worked surprisingly well. There is also a huge cast of characters which drove this book forward. Putting all of these things together made this novel unputdownable. In fact, I was so engrossed in this story that I read it in one sitting!

The period of history Bernal chose to base this book on is one where minimal primary sources have survived and although there are many works by Historical Fiction authors about Alfred the Great and his war with Guthrum, the period straight after is one which is sorely neglected by authors, and because of this Bernal's story is wonderfully original.

There are many characters in this book that a reader will love to hate — Rigr being one of them. His anger at his father is like an uncontrollable burning fire inside of him. He is ambitious, and it seems that nothing can thwart him in his quest to become King.

This book is not just about those who desire power. Like with Book #1, I was particularly taken with the character of Elizabeth, who despite being contradicted continuously, is convinced that her husband, who has been missing for two years, is still very much alive. I thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth’s story.

From the onslaught, this book is filled with non stop drama and cliff-hanger tension. Bernal writes with a vivid imagination and an energy that threatens to memorise. She has a novelist eye for human frailty, and her characters are authentic in the telling.

Tense, powerful and utterly compulsive. I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in this fabulous series.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde.

The Coffee Pot Book Club.

Pick up your copy of

The Briton and the Dane: Birthright

Amazon UK • Amazon US

Mary Ann Bernal

Mary Ann Bernal attended Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she received a degree in Business Administration.  Her literary aspirations were ultimately realized when the first book of The Briton and the Dane novels was published in 2009.  In addition to writing historical fiction, Mary Ann has also authored a collection of contemporary short stories in the Scribbler Tales series. Her latest endeavor is a science fiction/fantasy novel entitled Planetary Wars  Rise of an Empire. Originally hailing from New York, Mary Ann now resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska.

Connect with Mary Ann: Website • Whispering Legends Press • Twitter.

Audio Book Launch - The Briton and the Dane: Birthright

The Briton and the Dane: Birthright

Narrated by traveling bard, Sebastian Lockwood

Author of the acclaimed The Trickster's Tongue

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