Spotlight on Nancy Northcott, author of The King’s Champion

 

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The Boar King’s Honor Trilogy

A wizard’s misplaced trust

A king wrongly blamed

A bloodline cursed until they clear the king’s name.

Book 3: The King’s Champion

Caught up in the desperate evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from France in the summer of 1940, photojournalist Kate Shaw witnesses death and destruction that trigger disturbing visions. She doesn’t believe in magic and tries to pass them off as survivor guilt or an overactive imagination, but the increasingly intense visions force her to accept that she is not only magically Gifted but a seer.

In Dover, she meets her distant cousin Sebastian Mainwaring, Earl of Hawkstowe and an officer in the British Army. He’s also a seer and is desperate to recruit her rare Gift for the war effort. The fall of France leaves Britain standing alone as the full weight of Nazi military might threatens. Kate’s untrained Gift flares out of control, forcing her to accept Sebastian’s help in conquering it as her ethics compel her to use her ability for the cause that is right.

As this fledgling wizard comes into her own, her visions warn of an impending German invasion, Operation Sealion, which British intelligence confirms. At the same time, desire to help Sebastian, who’s doomed by a family curse arising from a centuries-old murder, leads Kate to a shadowy afterworld between life and death and the trapped, fading souls who are the roots of her family’s story. From the bloody battlefields of France to the salons of London, Kate and Sebastian race against time to free his family’s cursed souls and to stop an invasion that could doom the Allied cause.

The King’s Champion concludes Nancy Northcott’s exciting Boar King’s Honor Trilogy.

 

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 The Herald of Day

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The Steel Rose

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The King’s Champion

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FUN FACTS

My favorite periods of English history are the Dark Ages, Elizabethan, Wars of the Roses, Regency, and Battle of Britain though I also have a soft spot for Restoration.

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My favorite kings are, in chronological order, Alfred the Great, Henry V, Richard III, and Charles II (hence the soft spot mentioned above).

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I took tae kwon do for several years so I could write fight scenes, earning a high blue belt before I stopped.

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The inspiration for the secret (meaning unknown to us regular types of people) societies of the wizards and mages in my two series with magic came from the secret identities of superheroes, particularly the Justice League of America.

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 I love military history, especially naval history because my parents met while serving in the U.S. Navy.

 

 HMS Victory – photo by Nancy Northcott

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Nancy Northcott

Nancy Northcott’s childhood ambition was to grow up and become Wonder Woman.  Around fourth grade, she realized it was too late to acquire Amazon genes, but she still loved comic books, science fiction, fantasy, history, and romance.

Nancy earned her undergraduate degree in history and particularly enjoyed a summer spent studying Tudor and Stuart England at the University of Oxford. She has given presentations on the Wars of the Roses and Richard III to university classes studying Shakespeare’s play about that king. In addition, she has taught college courses on science fiction, fantasy, and society.   

The Boar King’s Honor historical fantasy trilogy combines Nancy’s love of history and magic with her interest in Richard III. She also writes traditional romantic suspense, romantic spy adventures, and two other speculative fiction series, the Light Mage Wars paranormal romances and, with Jeanne Adams, the Outcast Station space mystery series.

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Spotlight on I. M. Foster, author of Murder on Oak Street

 

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New York, 1904. After two years as a coroner’s physician for the city of New York, Daniel O'Halleran is more frustrated than ever. What’s the point when the authorities consistently brush aside his findings for the sake of expediency? So when his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar on their wedding day, he takes it as a sign that it's time to move on and eagerly accepts an offer to assist the local coroner in the small Long Island village of Patchogue.

Though the coroner advises him that life on Long Island is far more subdued than that of the city, Daniel hasn’t been there a month when the pretty librarian, Kathleen Brissedon, asks him to look into a two-year-old murder case that took place in the city. Oddly enough, the case she’s referring to was the first one he ever worked on, and the verdict never sat right with him.

Eager for the chance to investigate it anew, Daniel agrees to look into it in his spare time, but when a fresh murder occurs in his own backyard, he can’t shake his gut feeling that the two cases are connected. Can he discover the link before another life is taken, or will murder shake the peaceful South Shore village once again?

 

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FUN FACTS

While doing research for “Murder on Oak Street,” I discovered the following fun facts:

 

After scouring local newspapers of the period for murders, I could only find two or three mentioned on the South Shore of Long Island for the eight-year period from 1900 to 1908. Hopefully, my hero will be able to locate a few more in upcoming books.

This isn’t exactly about the book, but I came across this interesting tidbit. English musician Billy Idol lived in Patchogue after his parents emigrated to the United States in 1958.

The first jail in Patchogue, known as the lockup, was nothing fancy. It was a one-room, brick building with a small, barred window. According to legend, local children loved to taunt the inmates and thus expanded their vocabulary as a result of the occupants’ replies. However, their parents probably weren’t too happy with the words they learned.

The Roe Hotel, where my hero will be staying for a while, was owned by Austin Roe III, the grandson of Culper Spy ring legend Austin Roe I. Two more of his grandsons also resided in Patchogue. John ran the cotton/twine mill, and William was a merchant at the Four Corners (the center of town, where Main St. and Ocean Ave. intersect.)

Cycling was very big in 1904. Clubs known as the Wheelman would ride their bicycles out to Patchogue on a Saturday, spend the night at the Roe Hotel, and then pedal the fifty miles back to New York City on Sunday. Not everyone had the energy to make the trek back, however. For those who were too exhausted, the Long Island Railroad had special cars designed to carry bicycles, so their owners could relax on the way home.

  

 I. M. Foster

I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes historical romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth-century archaeologist.

Inez is a historian and librarian who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, the Historical Novel Society, and Sisters in Crime.

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Spotlight on Lucretia Grindle, author of The Devil’s Glove

 

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Northern New England, summer, 1688.

Salem started here.

A suspicious death. A rumor of war. Whispers of witchcraft.

Perched on the brink of disaster, Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, struggle to survive in their isolated coastal village. They're known as healers taught by the local tribes - and suspected of witchcraft by the local villagers.

Their precarious existence becomes even more chaotic when summoned to tend to a poisoned woman. As they uncover a web of dark secrets, rumors of war engulf the village, forcing the Hammonds to choose between loyalty to their native friends or the increasingly terrified settler community.

As Resolve is plagued by strange dreams, she questions everything she thought she knew - about her family, her closest friend, and even herself. If the truth comes to light, the repercussions will be felt far beyond the confines of this small settlement.

Based on meticulous research and inspired by the true story of the fear and suspicion that led to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, THE DEVIL'S GLOVE is a tale of betrayal, loyalty, and the power of secrets. Will Resolve be able to uncover the truth before the town tears itself apart, or will she become the next victim of the village's dark and mysterious past?

Praise for The Devil’s Glove:

“From its opening lines this historical novel from Grindle (Villa Triste) grips with its rare blend of a powerfully evoked past, resonant characters, smart suspense, and prose touched with shivery poetry.”

~ BookLife Reviews Editor’s Pick

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 FUN FACTS

*  When I was about four, some work was being done on my grandfather’s farm. The digger uncovered a weird stone structure, and when I asked Grandpa what it was, he said it was the old cesspool. Cesspool was by far the longest and best word I had ever heard. I was very excited by it and loved it so much that when I was given a kitten, I named her Cesspool Kitty. I used to carry her under my arm and announce her when we entered a room. Now I think she may be my alter ego. I imagine her as a gunslinger in a western, banging through those swinging bar doors, saying, “Nobody move. It’s Cesspool Kitty!”

Or my alter ego may just be Listeria Kittens, which is how Google’s autocorrect likes to sign my name.

* Sticking to the cat theme: My mother was the first woman to solo in a mixed large cat act after she ran away and joined the circus. She became the head showgirl at Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Baily and opened Madison Square Garden carrying a leopard over her shoulders and wearing a spangled bikini.

Personally, I prefer dogs.

* And horses. My best friend Darci and I rode 250 miles packing a five-mule train along the Saskatchewan/Montana border chasing the ghost of my great great uncle who married Sitting Bull’s niece, which was a problem because he had a wife and daughter back in Toronto.

* Speaking of marriage, I asked my husband to marry me when I was four. He’s a little older than I am. My parents always gave a pool party on the fourth of July. He was there with his girlfriend, Rhoda, who was wearing a seersucker plaid bikini (no spangles.)  I had a new bathing suit, strictly one piece. It was navy blue, with red and white stripes and gold stars on the shoulders, and I went up to David, who was, and is, very handsome, and said, “David, do you like my new bathing suit?” And he said, “Yes, Lucretia, it’s very nice.” So, I said, “Then, will you marry me?” And he, being English and polite, said, “Yes, of course, I will.” And thirty-four years later, we were married beside that very same swimming pool. So, look out for four years olds.

* And on the theme of handsome men: Two days before graduating from college, I was walking down the street and was so busy watching the most beautiful man I’d ever seen walking along the opposite sidewalk that I ran into a parking meter and smashed both my front teeth. He was so guilty that I had to go to graduation with no teeth that he asked me out. I got tuna fish in my hair, but we’re still friends.

That’s three more facts. Or maybe four. But I majored in Religion, so what can you expect?

Lucretia Grindle

Lucretia Grindle grew up and went to school and university in England and the United States. After a brief career in journalism, she worked for The United States Equestrian Team organizing ‘kids and ponies,’ and for the Canadian Equestrian Team. For ten years, she produced and owned Three Day Event horses that competed at The World Games, The European Games and the Atlanta Olympics. In 1997, she packed a five-mule train across 250 miles of what is now Grasslands National Park on the Saskatchewan/Montana border tracing the history of her mother’s family who descend from both the Sitting Bull Sioux and the first officers of the Canadian Mounties.

Returning to graduate school as a ‘mature student’, Lucretia completed an MA in Biography and Non-Fiction at The University of East Anglia where her work, FIREFLIES, won the Lorna Sage Prize. Specializing in the 19th century Canadian West, the Plains Tribes, and American Indigenous and Women’s History, she is currently finishing her PhD dissertation at The University of Maine.

Lucretia is the author of the psychological thrillers, THE NIGHTSPINNERS, shortlisted for the Steel Dagger Award, and THE FACES of ANGELS, one of BBC Front Row’s six best books of the year, shortlisted for the Edgar Award. Her historical fiction includes, THE VILLA TRISTE, a novel of the Italian Partisans in World War II, a finalist for the Gold Dagger Award, and THE LOST DAUGHTER, a fictionalized account of the Aldo Moro kidnapping. She has been fortunate enough to be awarded fellowships at The Hedgebrook Foundation, The Hawthornden Foundation, The Hambidge Foundation, The American Academy in Paris, and to be the Writer in Residence at The Wallace Stegner Foundation. A television drama based on her research and journey across Grasslands is currently in development. THE DEVIL’S GLOVE and the concluding books of THE SALEM TRILOGY are drawn from her research at The University of Maine where Lucretia is grateful to have been a fellow at the Canadian American Foundation.

She and her husband, David Lutyens, live in Shropshire.

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Spotlight on Micheál Cladáin, author of Hammer

 

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Genonn's tired and dreams of a remote roundhouse in the Cuala Mountains.

However, sudden rebellion in Roman Britain destroys that dream because the Elder Council task him with delivering Lorg Mór, the hammer of the Gods, to the tribes across the straits of Pwll Ceris. Despite being torn between a waning sense of duty and his desire to become a hermit, Genonn finally agrees to help.

When his daughter follows him into danger, it tests his resolve. He wants to do everything he can to see her back to Druid Island and her mother. This new test of will means he is once again conflicted between duty and desire. Ultimately, his sense of duty wins; is it the right decision? Has he done the right thing by relegating his daughter’s safety below his commitment to the clans?

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Fun Facts

We moved from Dublin down to the “Sunny Southeast” in Co. Wexford a few years ago. A strip of the driveway and a backyard became an acre of lawn. My better half never liked my café racer and nearly hit the ceiling (in glee, not despair) when I told her I was going to sell it so we could buy a new ride-on mower.

The Honda doesn’t have anywhere near as much power, but it is still fun to ride.

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I was a contract writer and editor in the IT industry for many years. As such, I have lived more of my life abroad than at home. Over the years, I lived in Cyprus, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands, and Italy (including Rome, Naples, and Modena). I speak fluent Italian, as well as some Dutch and German. I never could get my mind (or tongue) around Swedish or Greek.

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When I lived in Rome, I was working for IBM. One summer, we had a visit from a senior executive. He wanted a guided tour of the Forum during his forty-eight-hour stay. None of the English-speaking tour guides were available at the time, so my department head volunteered me as an interpreter for the tour. The Italian tour guide took it as a personal affront and refused to allow me time to interpret what she was saying. In the end, I had to make up quick one-liners so we could keep up.

There is an avenue of Doric Columns parallel to Trajan’s Column. During their day, they were painted with multiple colours. The tour guide took five minutes describing their intricacy, which I boiled down to, “the avenue was long and brightly coloured”. The executive raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

We are aiming for self-sufficiency when it comes to fruit and veg. Since moving to the “Sunny Southeast,” I have built eight raised beds and planted an orchard. The beds are good for spring and summer growing only, so last year, a friend and myself erected a polytunnel, providing nearly all year-round production.

It’s a wonder I find time to write. 

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I completed my first novel when I was twenty years old. It was a tome of some 220k words. Monstrous. I didn’t recognize it as such and duly sent it off to literary agents in their dozens. Back then, it was frowned upon to submit to more than one agent at a time, so I spent the best part of two years getting rejection after rejection. Needless to say, there were many years between my first completed MS and the next one.

A couple of years ago, my sister was doing a clear-out and found a dusty old copy of the MS in her attic. Of course, I had to read it thirty-odd years later. It transpires the tome was not only monstrous in terms of size. 

 

Micheál Cladáin

Micheál has been an author for many years. He studied Classics and developed a love of Greek and Roman culture through those studies. In particular, he loved their mythologies. As well as a classical education, bedtime stories consisted of tales read from a great tome of Greek Mythology, and Micheál was destined to become a storyteller from those times.

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Spotlight on Virginia Crow, author of Caledon

 

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"Go out and tell all those you meet, Caledon has risen. Caledon will be protected and defended. And to you who would cause her harm, be prepared. A new fight has come."

After the destruction of the Jacobite forces at Culloden, Scotland is divided, vulnerable and leaderless, with survivors from both sides seeking to make sense of the battles they have fought against their fellow Scots.

James Og flees Drumossie, seeking the protection of his uncle's house in Sutherland. It is here that James learns that the Northern Highlands hold a secret power only he can wield: Caledon. When Ensign John Mackay begins hunting Og's family, James realises he must harness this power to defeat the enemies of Scotland.

But, as the ageless Caledon awakes, so too does an ancient evil. When it allies with Mackay, the small Clan of Caledon faces enemies at every turn, discovering that even those closest to them may seek to destroy them.

 

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Five Fun Facts about Caledon

Number One – The title for Caledon was chosen from a line of the song The Highlander’s Lament. The final verse goes:

Farewell, farewell, dear Caledon
Land of the Gael no longer
Strangers have trod thy glory on
In guile and treachery stronger
The brave and just sink in the dust
On ruin's brink they quiver
Heaven's pitying eye is closed on thee
Adieu, adieu for ever

It was written by the Scottish author James Hogg (1770-1835), whose own experience of the Highlands demonstrated how prolonged the prejudice against the Jacobites was. My favourite version of the song was sung by The Corries, but Barbara Dickson and Archie Fisher also famously recorded it.

 BIG BURN WATERFALL

Number Two – The Source is real! The inspiration for Caledon comes from a real place called The Big Burn, which is in the small Scottish town of Golspie. It’s a frequently overlooked spot, people much preferring the opulence of Dunrobin Castle or the climb up to the mannie on the hill (who I refuse to give capital letters to!), but there is real magic in that gorge!

Number Three – Pine martens actually can swim! It’s strange the things you end up researching! One of the animals within Caledon is a pine marten, and I needed it to swim out at one point in the story (no spoilers here, so I’m not telling you when!). I was relieved to find that the little critters are actually competent swimmers. If they hadn’t been, I would have had to change that whole section of the story. We get a pine marten in our garden, and I can’t help but wonder if it is the Eile checking up on me!

Number Four – Caledon was my way of putting northern Scotland on the literary and Jacobite map. Most people forget that the Jacobite movement did not only occur on the route Bonnie Prince Charlie took. In fact, there were a number of skirmishes in the north, including one in the Kyle of Tongue (which cost the Jacobites their treasury) and one at Littleferry, which is a crucial backdrop for Caledon.

THE KYLE OF TONGUE TODAY

Number Five – The first book was originally much shorter. Caledon was only meant to be six of the eight parts, but my Beta readers objected so much to the ending that I had to bring in the beginning of the second book to appease them! I liked the mystery of the original ending, but they were displeased with it. It didn’t matter too much, as Caledon is a six-book series, so it was quite straightforward to rejig the bridge between books one and two. But never let it be said that I can’t take advice!

 

Virginia Crow

Virginia grew up in Orkney, using the breath-taking scenery to fuel her imagination and the writing fire within her. Her favourite genres to write are fantasy and historical fiction, sometimes mixing the two together. She enjoys swashbuckling stories such as The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and is still waiting for a screen adaption that lives up to the book!

When she's not writing, Virginia is usually to be found teaching music. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of music, especially as a tool of inspiration. She also helps out with the John o' Groats Book Festival, which is celebrating its 4th year.

She now lives in the far-flung corner of Scotland. A doting spaniel-owner to Orlando and Jess, Virginia soaks up in inspiration from the landscape as she ventures out with her canine companions.

She loves cheese, music, and films, but hates mushrooms.

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Spotlight on Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard, author of Sisters of Castle Leod: A Novel

 

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**Finalist in the 2022 American Writing Awards**

Millions are fans of Diana Gabaldon’s popular Outlander books and television series, but few know that Gabaldon’s fictional Castle Leoch was inspired by a real Scottish castle, Castle Leod. The two sisters who lived there at the turn of the twentieth century were among the most fascinating and talked-about women of their era. 

Lady Sibell Mackenzie is a spiritualist, a believer in reincarnation, and a popular author of mystical romances. Petite and proper, she values tradition and duty. Her younger sister Lady Constance, swimming champion and big game hunter, is a statuesque beauty who scandalizes British society with her public displays of Greek-style barefoot dancing. The differences between the sisters escalate into conflict after Sibell inherits their late father’s vast estates and the title 3rd Countess of Cromartie. But it is the birth of Sibell’s daughter that sets in motion a series of bizarre and tragic events, pitting sister against sister and propelling Sibell on a desperate mission to challenge the power of fate. 

Sisters of Castle Leod, by award-winning author Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard, is the emotionally charged story of two sisters torn apart by jealousy and superstition, and the impossible leap of faith that could finally bring them together.

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FUN FACTS

Mary Ann, it’s great to be with you as part of The Coffee Pot Book Tour for my new historical novel SISTERS OF CASTLE LEOD (release date: January 19, 2023). The novel is inspired by the real lives of spiritualist and author Sibell Lilian Mackenzie, who became the 3^rd Countess of Cromartie in 1895, and her very unconventional sister, Constance. You asked me to share “five fun facts” about me and my writing. Here it goes:

My writing of SISTERS OF CASTLE LEOD started with a ghostly (maybe) visitation. When I began to think about writing SISTERS OF CASTLE LEOD, I wanted it to be a first-person narrative but was undecided about which sister’s point of view would be best for telling the story. Late one night, I awoke to see what appeared to be a figure in a red hooded cloak hovering near my bed. Though I was intrigued, and maybe a bit unnerved, I brushed it off as a trick of shadow and light, and I quickly fell back asleep. The next day, I began reading one of the many mystical romance novels written by Sibell Mackenzie, 3rd Countess of Cromartie, and in the very first chapter, the young female protagonist dons a hooded scarlet cloak. Thinking “someone” might be trying to tell me something, I made a choice to narrate the sisters’ story in Sibell’s voice. I guess I love reading meaning into things that may have no meaning—much as Sibell does.

Sibell, Constance, and I could be related. Once I had started writing the novel, my nephew, who is quite good at genealogical research, informed me of the high likelihood that I was distantly related to my main characters, Sibell and Constance Mackenzie. The thought had occurred to me before since their mother was a MacDonald, and the Hutchison Clan (Hutchison is my birth surname) is related to the MacDonald Clan. This possible connection had nothing to do with my initial interest in writing about the sisters but did perhaps reinforce the kinship I already felt with my characters.

I was a musician before I was a writer. I was a touring musician, and a songwriter, long before I became a published author. I’ve written more than a hundred songs in varying genres, from country to smooth jazz to New Age. Music has always been important to me and plays a central role in my second work of historical fiction, TEMPTATION RAG: A NOVEL. If I count unpublished writing, however, my love for the written word goes back to my elementary school days, when I attempted to write my first book. Just a couple of weeks ago, I unearthed from a long-neglected file cabinet some additional early writings, from my twenties, and I learned a lot about myself from reading them. Scary to realize that the stories I wrote in the 1970s would today qualify as historical fiction!   

I am what is often called, in writing circles, a pantser. Among writers, there are pantsers and there are plotters. I am most definitely a pantser, which means that my writing process is somewhat by the seat of my pants. I am not much of an advance plotter, preferring not to outline my work but to let it unfold organically. Of course, when writing biographical historical fiction about real people and events, such as my novel SISTERS OF CASTLE LEOD, one automatically has somewhat of a framework from which to start. But I still find plenty of room for imagination, and I try to flow in whatever direction my characters and instincts lead me. No Excel spreadsheet, please!

As a child, I fantasized about becoming a nun or a Spanish dancer. I am neither Catholic nor Spanish, but at some time in my young life, I was exposed to these very different personas—a nun and a Spanish dancer—which were imprinted on my imagination. My mental picture of a nun was a solemn woman in long black robes traversing the dark corridors of an ancient monastery, a lit candle in hand, perhaps on her way to take part in some secret ritual. The Spanish dancer, in her red ruffled dress and high heels, clicking her castanets with downcast eyes and a provocative smile, was an image I found equally mysterious. There is no question that I was drawn to the Mackenzie sisters of my novel because they so perfectly represent this same polarity—Sibell, the quiet spiritualist, and author of mystical novels about reincarnation and eternal love, and Constance, swimming champion and big game hunter, shocking British society with her public performances of barefoot dancing on the stages of London, Paris, and New York. I doubt I’m the only one whose childhood fantasies have somehow stuck with them to influence their later life. I’d love to hear your story…

Maybe, one day. Thanks for sharing. 

All the best,

Mary Ann

Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard

 A former touring musician/songwriter and public relations professional, Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard is the author of two Amazon bestsellers: THE BEAUTY DOCTOR, "a compelling historical novel steeped in mystery with strong elements of a medical thriller" (Readers' Favorite, 5 stars), and TEMPTATION RAG: A NOVEL, a "resonant novel ... about the birth and demise of ragtime ... luxuriously crafted" (Publishers Weekly). Her books have been finalists for the Eric Hoffer Book Award, National Indie Excellence Awards, and Arizona Literary Contest; they have received 5-star ratings from Readers” Favorite, Book Readers Appreciation Group, and historical fiction Discovered Diamonds. Elizabeth and her family live near Phoenix, Arizona.

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Spotlight on Donovan Cook, author of Son of Anger (The Ormstunga Saga, Book 1)

 

Ulf is like a storm, slowly building up its power, he grows more dangerous with each passing moment. And like all storms, he will eventually break. When he does, he will destroy everything in his path.

Ulf is one of a long line of famous Norse warriors. His ancestor Tyr was no ordinary man, but the Norse God of War. Ulf, however, knows nothing about being a warrior.

Everything changes when a stranger arrives on Ulf’s small farm in Vikenfjord. The only family he’s ever known are slaughtered and the one reminder of his father is stolen -- Ulf’s father’s sword, Ormstunga. Ulf’s destiny is decided.

Are the gods punishing him? All Ulf knows is that he has to avenge his family. He sets off on an adventure that will take him across oceans, into the eye of danger, on a quest to reclaim his family’s honour.

The gods are roused. One warrior can answer to them. The Son of Anger.

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 Donovan Cook

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in South Africa and lived in a small town near Johannesburg called Springs. My family moved to England when I was fourteen years old, which was a bit of a culture shock for my younger brother and me. My passion for history started in England, especially medieval history. I can speak two languages, Afrikaans and English, which is a result of my family background. My mother is South African, and my father is English. I’m keen on rugby, watching, not doing, but I enjoy watching other sports as well. I live with my wife and Viking French bulldog, Joey Missing-Tooth.

When did you start writing?

I started writing in 2019. In fact, my wife and I were on holiday in Montenegro when I wrote the first words of my debut novel. I had been struggling for a while to find the right words, and the opening scene came to me while we were on holiday. I quickly grabbed my laptop and typed as fast as I could while enjoying the beach view from our hotel room balcony.

Tell us about Son of Anger.

Son of Anger is about bloody battles, chaotic journeys, and interfering gods. It is also about Ulf, a young man who lost his family and an important family heirloom, his father’s famous sword. On his journey to avenge his family and retrieve the sword, he learns more about his family history and the story of the sword he coveted his whole life. All Ulf cares about is finding and killing the man who brutally murdered his family, but he soon learns there is a price for everything, and that price is especially high when you catch the eye of Odin, father of the gods of Asgard.

What was your inspiration?

I’d have to say religion played a huge part in inspiring me to write Son of Anger. I am not religious myself, but I come from a religious family, and I regularly saw how religion affected the lives of my family. This made me wonder how the Norse people in the 9^th century viewed their world through the eyes of the gods they followed. The Norse gods were chaotic, and the sagas of the gods are filled with bizarre stories that leave you scratching your head. So I was intrigued about how this would affect their daily lives. Viking history also inspired me and reading novels by Bernard Cornwell, Giles Kristian, and Matthew Harffy encouraged me to learn more about the Norse and Danish invaders who played a huge part in the creation of England and the English language. Writing Son of Anger gave me the opportunity to learn more about these people and what their lives would have been like.

What do you like to do in your free time when you're not reading or writing?

I’m quite a lazy person, to be honest, so when I’m not writing or reading, I tend not to do much. If the weather is nice, my wife and I will take our dog out for walks. We often go to our local park and just sit on a bench and enjoy the weather. As mentioned before, I enjoy watching sports, especially rugby. Being born in South Africa, I follow the Springboks and try not to miss any of their matches. I also watch the United Rugby Championship every weekend when it’s on. If the weather is bad and there is no rugby to watch, then I might play some computer games or watch a film.

And finally, can you tell us some fun facts about yourself, such as crossed skydiving off your bucket list?

1) I have a BSc in Marine Biology and Coastal Conservation. Another passion of mine growing up was the natural world, and I would always be watching documentaries by Steve Irwin and David Attenborough. I originally wanted to do a degree in Zoology, but unfortunately, my grades weren’t good enough. Luckily though, I was given the opportunity to do this degree and enjoyed (mostly, the exams were never fun) every minute of it. Unfortunately, when I finished my degree, I wasn’t able to find a job in the field, but I’m still glad I did it.

2) This is a result of fact one. I am a qualified divemaster. While doing my degree, I decided to learn how to scuba dive, mainly because most of the people in my course could, and it was all they talked about. I did my open water course during my first year and loved it so much that over the years, I just kept doing different courses and eventually decided to do the dive master course. The plan was to work as a divemaster in South Africa (I moved back briefly in my early twenties), but by the time I finished the course, it was winter in South Africa, and I couldn’t get a job. I was also running out of money, leading to fact three.

3) I worked on cruise ships for three years. As mentioned before, I was living in South Africa, had no job, and ran out of money. I also really wanted to travel, so I decided to get a job on cruise ships. That way, I got to see more of the world and earned money while doing it. I used to work in the duty-free shops and was lucky enough to work on three great ships, The Independence of the Seas, Queen Elizabeth, and The Azura. Working on cruise ships was not easy, but it was definitely the best experience of my life. Not only did I get to see some amazing places I would never have seen otherwise, but I met some amazing people, including my wife, along the way.

 4) Not really about me, but about Joey Missing-Tooth. As his name suggests, he has a tooth missing, and we have no idea where it is. He likely lost it on a raid, but he refuses to tell us.

 

Donovan Cook

 

Donovan Cook was born in South Africa but raised in England, and currently works as an English tutor. He is the author of the Ormstunga Saga, which includes his debut novel Son of Anger and the follow up, Raid of the Wolves. His novels come from his fascination with the Viking world and Norse Mythology and he hopes that you will enjoy exploring this world as much as he did writing about it.

When Donovan is not teaching or writing, he can be found reading, watching rugby, or working on DIY projects. Being born in South Africa, he is a massive Springboks fan and rarely misses a match.

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