Cathie Dunn’s ‘Ascent’ Welcomes Readers to the House of Normandy [BOOK BLAST]

Medieval woman with sword — (Photo courtesy Canva)

We love well-written, thoroughly researched historical fiction when it pulls back the veil of time and introduces us to people, places, and events that we are otherwise unfamiliar with. But outside of shows like the History Channel’s Vikings and DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon, we haven’t really been exposed to vast quantities of Viking lore, except through historical romances by authors like Johanna Lindsey (Fires of Winter, Hearts Aflame, Surrender My Love) and Catherine Coulter (Season of the Sun, Lord of Hawkfell Island, Lord of Raven’s Peak, Lord of Falcon Ridge) back in the 1980s and 1990s. Still, we don’t recall any of those books digging as deep into the annals of history as Cathie Dunn is doing with her new series about the early women of the House of Normandy. If you love history and have a penchant for stories about strong women and Viking legends, you’re going to devour her first book, Ascent. Enjoy! —J&H

Jathan FinkJanuary 20, 2023February 11, 2023Leave a comment

Books, Interview

THE LAST KING: Seven Questions for M.J. Porter [INTERVIEW]

Viking sword and armor — They may have been violent, but M.J. Porter shows that the Vikings weren’t what you may expect. (Photo courtesy Canva)

I love a great historical novel, particularly if it is equally immersive and winds up teaching me something new. M.J. Porter’s The Last King does just that. It transports us back to a part of early English history you may not be that familiar with, when Viking violence spread throughout the land. And while reading this story fueled my imagination, it also brought up some burning questions. We hope you enjoy this exclusive interview with the author. —J&H

Jathan FinkJanuary 22, 2021January 22, 20216 Comments

Books, Interview

‘The Lords of the Wind’: Six Questions for C.J. Adrien [INTERVIEW]

My family has always been fascinated by history, particularly on the maternal side of my family. My great uncle and his children, in particular, dug deep into genealogical records, tracing ancestors back to European roots before following their travels to Australia and the Americas. Still, I didn’t know any of this until I was a senior in high school and had to start researching that information on my own, so I remember what it is like to wonder how you fit into the fabric of time and what made me the way I am. In The Lords of the Wind, the first in a new series about Viking history, we discover how Hasting the Avenger faced similar questions and why author C.J. Adrien is the perfect man to tackle telling his story. We hope you enjoy reading this exclusive interview! —J&H Continue reading “‘The Lords of the Wind’: Six Questions for C.J. Adrien [INTERVIEW]”

Jathan FinkDecember 5, 2019December 4, 20191 Comment

Books, Contest

Lest We Forget Our Moral Compass [GUEST POST]

Eric Schumacher's RAVEN'S FEAST Blog Tour Some people are born to it. Others learn it along the way. Some never do. That is, compassion, empathy, a moral code or, as some put it, a moral compass. Without it, we have a harder time discerning right from wrong, living in this world, or simply, getting by with our neighbors. Continue reading “Lest We Forget Our Moral Compass [GUEST POST]”