Please welcome Kelli A. Wilkins to the blog today!!
The Viking’s Witch – Hot
Historical Romance
By Kelli A. Wilkins
Hi
everyone,
Today I’m
sharing a look back at the making of my first Medallion Press release, The
Viking’s Witch.
The
Viking’s Witch is
a traditional historical romance with paranormal elements set in Scotland in 803
A.D. The main character, Odaria, is what they called a witch back then—nowadays
we’d call her a psychic and a healer. Here’s the plot summary:
The Viking’s Witch
About
to be burned at the stake by her fellow villagers, Odaria does what any
betrayed witch facing certain death would do. She calls down a curse. Within
seconds, rampaging Norsemen raid the village, capturing everyone except her.
But
her reprieve is short-lived, and Odaria lands in the clutches of the Norse
leader Rothgar. Can she remain true to herself and fight her growing attraction
to this domineering man, or will she fall under his influence?
After
Rothgar witnesses Odaria’s powers firsthand, he strikes a bargain with her. The
raven-haired beauty will use her magical abilities to help him with his quest
in exchange for safe passage off the isle. But can this cunning woman be
trusted, or is she using him to exact vengeance on her village?
Together
they must fight bloodthirsty villagers, battle a mutinous band of Norsemen,
find a missing Norse ship, and learn to trust each other…before time is up.
Interviewers
and readers have asked what my inspiration was when I was writing the book, and
are curious about how much research I had to do to create the unique characters
and detailed setting.
Like
many of my books, the idea for the story came to me out of the blue. One
day, the entire opening sequences popped into my head and I knew I had to start
writing. At the time, I had the basic plot (Viking warrior falls in love with
Celtic witch), but I wasn’t sure about most of the details, like the character
names, their backstories, and the subplot. All of that came later, along with
the secondary characters, Brennan and Nordskog. (I’ll talk more about them in
Part Two of this blog.)
Scotland
is a beautiful place and I’ve always wanted to set a book there. (I still may
write another historical set in the Highlands.) Having the story take place on
the remote Orkney Islands added a sense of urgency and tension to the plot.
In
a sense, Rothgar and Odaria are “trapped” on the island and are forced to deal
with a pack of angry villagers and other Norsemen. The action is condensed into
a few days on a very small island, so there’s really nowhere for the characters
to go. They’re forced to work together in order to get off the island—and
survive.
Before
I wrote a word, I had to do a lot of research on where to set the story. I knew
the book would take place in Scotland where the Vikings traveled in their early
years of exploration, but I didn’t want it to be a populated location. Once I
decided on the Orkneys, I had to pick which island to set the story. (There are
70 different islands, but today, only 20 are inhabited.)
I also had to research what life was like in that
time period for Odaria and Rothgar. (What kind of clothes did they wear? What
food did they eat? How did Norsemen travel so far? What were their ships like?)
Odaria and Rothgar come from different backgrounds and technically would have
been speaking
different languages, so I had to blend their two cultures together in a way
that flowed with the book.
After
I got a feel for what everyday life was like for each of them, I weaved the
details into the story. For example, Rothgar’s Norse background intrigues
Odaria, and she is curious about their clothes, customs, food, how they travel,
etc. Having Rothgar show her how he lives was a good way to introduce readers
into the culture.
And
of course, if you were living back in 803 with bands of Norsemen and crazy
villagers, you could expect some measure of violence. Readers might think that
there’s no place for violence in a romance, but I think that type of realism
(when kept in check) enhances the
story.
In 803, life was completely different from how we
live now—especially on a remote island. People got
hurt, took sick, and died. The Viking’s Witch features a violent man (Brennan) and a group
of Norsemen with violent reputations, so including some violence in the story
is necessary to move the plot along—while also helping the reader get deeper into the minds and lives of the
characters.
I didn’t cringe when I wrote the “gritty” scenes; I
was happy to include them. I like history and it drives me crazy when people in
1500 or 1870 are perfectly clean and neat, have perfect teeth, and look like
they stepped out of a beauty salon. In The Viking’s Witch I
included enough details to bring the story alive, yet showed how some degree of
violence was necessary for Rothgar’s and Odaria’s survival.
I hope you enjoyed this “inside look” at The
Viking’s Witch. I’m pleased to say that the book has received several
excellent reviews and won a gold IPPY award for best romance ebook!
Here’s a mini-excerpt from The Viking's Witch:
Odaria scanned the cookroom and
spotted a large table piled high with food. Brennan must have been planning a
feast to celebrate her death. There would be plenty of meat and beer in the
underground storage area. Men liked to eat. The Norsemen must be hungry from
their long journey. Mayhap she could offer Rothgar a meal and strike a bargain
with him.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, cocking
her head. “I know where to find food and drink, wood for the fire, clean water,
and—”
“Hvat
ist das plass?”
She scowled at him, trying to
decipher his words. A few seconds later, she understood. “This is a cookroom.
Women in the village prepare meals here. See?” She waved at the iron pots,
wooden pitchers, and other cookery items stacked on the shelves around the
room. “They make food.”
Rothgar rolled his eyes. “Ja. Vat ist dat?” He pointed to the door
behind her.
“The gathering hall. The men conduct
business here. There is a room upstairs for sleeping. The larder, the food and
drink, is below,” she said slowly, hoping he’d understand.
He nodded and inched closer to her.
She tried to move away, but she had nowhere to go. Her back was pressed against
the door.
Rothgar grinned and cupped her chin
in his wide hand. Her heart fluttered. What was he doing? She stared into his
eyes as he bowed his head. His rough beard grazed her cheek as his lips lightly
brushed against hers.
Her entire body tingled, and the
room spun and seemed to grow dim. As everything faded, she had a clear vision
of wrapping her arms around Rothgar’s neck and eagerly pulling him close for a
kiss. Dizzy, she pitched forward.
Rothgar caught her and clutched her
to his chest. “Shh,” he soothed, running his hand through her loose hair. “I
will not harm you, Odaria.”
She relaxed against his broad chest,
letting him support her weight. His touch was calming, and she felt safe here,
leaning against Rothgar as she would rest against a thick tree. She inhaled
deep. Rothgar didn’t stink of rancid sweat like the other men. He smelled clean
and salty, like the sea. The scent comforted her. She could almost fall asleep
where she stood.
Rothgar curled his arms around her
ribs. She didn’t protest. In spite of everything, he hadn’t harmed her and he
had saved her from that horrible Norseman in the red tunic.
After a few moments, her dizzy spell
passed, and she gazed at him. “You are not like the others. You are different,
Rothgar.”
He smiled. “Ja, in some ways. But fear not, Odaria. I will not share you with
the others. I wish to have you all to myself.” Rothgar chuckled and winked at
her. “Now, show me this food.”
“Aye.” She had no choice but to obey
Rothgar’s wishes—for now.
Order
your copy here:
Happy Reading,
Kelli
MEET
THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins
is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19
romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat
levels.
Her
paranormal-comedy, Beauty & the Bigfoot, was published in September 2017.
Kelli released Trust
with Hearts, a contemporary romance, in July 2017. Her third gay
romance, Four Days with Jack, was released in June 2017. Kelli’s trilogy
of erotic romance novellas, Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter
Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights was
published in spring 2017.
Loving a Wild
Stranger
was published in January 2017. This historical/pioneer romance is set in the
wilds of the Michigan Territory and blends tender romance with adventure.
Kelli's third
Medallion Press romance, Lies, Love & Redemption was
released in September 2016. This spicy historical western is set on the
Nebraska prairie in 1877.
Her writing book, You
Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and
informative guide filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors
can use.
Here
are a few links to find Kelli & her writings on the web…
