“You’d think there would be greater loyalty,” I said. “After all I had done for Norway.” His head turned slowly, our eyes met and locked. He looked confused, as if he had just awoke from a deep sleep in a foreign place. He shook cobwebs from his head, rubbed sleep from his eyes. “I know … Continue reading Chapter 101- A Dream Together

I was drawn like a spear to a small farm at Orlygsstadir. Word came that my nephew Battle Sturla had overstepped. In his lust for dominance he had taken my son-in-law Gissur as a captive. On threat of death, Sturla’s men released Gissur, now blinded with the anger of a sea monster. Gissur assembled a … Continue reading Chapter 100 – 1238 CE

Using What You Know to Build What You Don’t For some, the most intimidating part of writing a novel happens well before pen ever hits paper: Planning, or plotting, as those in the business like to say. The trick is finding a plotting, or outlining, style that works for you. In my experience, one of … Continue reading The Puzzle-Piece Plotting Method

I was in the dream place and ‘he’ was there, though we were like two people on opposite sides of a mirror, a curtain of clear water between us. I could reach him with my hand and he could reach me, but neither could feel the other. We were in light, but everything beyond us … Continue reading Chapter 99 – The Dream Place

My second visit to Norway was to the safety of Hakon’s shield, I hoped. I fled to Hakon and Skuli, though now I see there was little value in that adventure. I was 59 when I arrived in Norway. Fat around the middle, gouty, hair falling from my head, beard gone grey and I had … Continue reading Chapter 98 – Norway