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Tag: Sarah Dahl

How research into a tricky topic creates magic on the page: Viking healing taken a step further

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On May 18, 2018

In Blog, Fiction, Historical fiction

I’m delighted to welcome Sarah Dahl to my blog today to give us inside information on how she approaches her research.

Over to you Sara…

How research into a tricky topic creates magic on the page: Viking healing taken a step further

“Healer – The Gift of Dreams” is the fifth Tale in the Tales of Freya collection of sensual short stories.

Viking farmer Magnus is plagued by a demon. Since his wife’s death, the dreaded Mara tortures his body and mind. Powerless, he sends for a healer, the unexpectedly young and beautiful Audr … Are her sensual powers and his unleashed virility enough to banish the demon from his bed?

My heroes: the “simple” people

The Tales of Freya are set in the Viking age, and therefore require a lot of research into the period. I’m quite firm when it comes to the historical aspects of daily life and how people lived together then. The big politics and power play bore me. I don’t write kings and queens – my heroes are healers and housewives, warriors and monks. In every Tale I zoom into the lives of “simple people” and their desires and hopes, then give the stories a sensual and erotic twist. In the end, my characters are changed and set on a new path, which doesn’t always have to be a simple Happy Ever After.

Is there an authenticity of emotions?

Authenticity is key. I have trusted Viking age experts and re-enactors at hand to make sure the details are historically correct and events could have happened the way I write them. Even more important and harder to agree on is the psychological aspect, though: What and how did these people probably feel about certain things? What were their morals, expectations, rules of living together? What was their world view? Over time, I became more certain about what makes believable characters here. Luckily, my readers love the stories’ in-depth exploration of emotions and passions just as much as the authenticity to the period. But there is one very central aspect that so far I only touched lightly: Their spiritual world views and thinking.

Embracing the Vikings’ spiritual lives – finally

Because religion and beliefs are a very delicate and hard-to-grasp subject for today’s people (me included), I so far shied away from including too much spirituality in my stories. Yes, gifts to the spirits and gods were common and pagan rituals central to their lives, but: I didn’t want to overload my short stories with too much side-baggage and completely focus on the central plot line. And I admit to some reluctance to interpret too deeply what little we know today of the Viking spiritual lives. But then: as a self-respecting author setting her stories in the Viking age, I couldn’t avoid the topic forever. I didn’t expect it to be central to a sensual short story, though. Until I read a research piece that surprised me.

Sensuality in healing?

In one text about Viking spirituality the author hinted that, in contrast to  our modern religions and healing, Viking healing rituals might very well have included sensual aspects. That of course made me listen up. Sensuality for healing? A hands-on and personal ritual that wasn’t only comforting and physically and mentally healing – but which included sexual aspects? Unfortunately, we don’t know much more. My experts were at a loss, too. Sources are just too scarce to judge. It was just a side note.

Daring to interpret and make it my own

The topic simmered in my writer’s brain, and I came up with the idea of a female healer (most were then female) and how she could create magic … to heal a desperate young man. Born was the story of the devastated Magnus, who, after the loss of his wife and child, is mentally and physically unable to go on with life. He calls for a healer, and instead of the old woman he expected he and the readers are surprised by young and attractive Audr. She sets to work with him, in a sensual ritual that includes his body and mind. But are her powers stronger than his demons? When she is gone, he finds that the greatest gift was always right in front of him …

Research reading as source for inspiration

The inspiration for this story came, as often, from reading a research piece, and thinking it further, wondering what the historical findings said about the people’s lives in that era. The research I had to do for Audr’s healing rituals was great fun, but I had to flesh out and interpret a lot. Sources are thinly spread and much is tinted by today’s views on the world. Which in turn also means a lot of writing freedom. I created a very personal and intimate ritual for Magnus, and something ignites between him and his healer that goes beyond what I imagine would be Audr’s approach with other patients. Audr’s spell is just too strong …

Author bio:

Sarah Dahl lives on the edge of the rural German Eifel and writes historical fiction (novels and short stories) primarily set in the Viking age. She also works as an editor, translates, and coaches new writers in German and English. She is interested in everyday life in bygone centuries and the human stories that may have occurred behind the hard, historical facts. Her author page is: sarah-dahl.com

Links: mybook.to/HealerSarahDahl

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BVWD3YD

Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07BVWD3YD

Author page: sarah-dahl.com/books

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Many thanks Sarah; great stuff.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Interview with Sarah Dahl: Monk

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On October 6, 2017

In Blog, Fiction, Historical fiction, Interview

 I’m delighted to welcome Sarah Dahl back to my site to enjoy a cuppa and a chat about her latest historical romance (with spice); Monk.

Why not grab a slice of cake and join is?

What inspired you to write your book?

It has never been clearer than in this case: “Monk” was created out of mild frustration and the question “What if?”. There’s this scene in the first series of History Channel’s Vikings where Ragnar brings home an attractive young monk, Athelstan, who makes the couple curious. They enter his room and ask him to join them in bed. The audience doesn’t get to know if that is a test of Ragnar’s, to check if the “new man in the house” will be a threat to his marriage. Or if they just want to have their own version of fun with the man of God who seems so stressed out by their love-making. We know the Vikings had a very relaxed attitude towards phyical aspects, including sex. The scenario is not too far-fetched. But: in the series, the monk shies away. The atmosphere is sizzling and tense, you literally hold your breath before he answers “no, I can’t” – although you see his eyes and body saying the opposite. That didn’t leave my mind. I wondered if the producers were shying away from his “yes” out of realistic thinking or just Hollywood-esk prudery. We couldn’t know then how the monk’s answer would affect the coming plotlines.

But from that day I pondered the question “What if the monk had said yes? He wanted to. The temptation was too much, he was overwhelmed. He was close to a “yes”. But was it realistic? I thought: Heck, I can do this. I’ll write what would have happened, and make it just as sizzling …

So I did my very own version of a monk being seduced by his Viking captors.

Do you model any of your characters after people you know?

In this case: see above. I bluntly admit to stealing the main characters’ basics from the series, then made them my own people in my own story and setting. I go very much deeper into their minds and world views. All three, Yngvarr, his wife Runa, and the monk Alistair, are very vivid and accessible on several levels. So concerning your question:

Which Point of View do you prefer to write in and why?

I went bold and brave with this one, and made it three points of view. Which is a first, for such a relatively short piece. This way, readers can dive into every character separately and feel with them, make it a tight and direct experience. Eliminate the guessing and questions. You can’t do that with TV-series’ characters, whose feelings and thoughts are guess-work after all. But in “Monk” I play with the three views and how the actions unfolding affect every one of the three – and ultimately change them.

Yes, it’s carnal, but also: very emotional, a revelation, a turmoil, life-changing. All three of them hand themselves over to the situation and come out differently, not having anticipated what this “game” would do to them. So maybe I modelled my characters after what inspired me, but I very much made them my own material and went deep with them. Through their shy monk –  despite him being very much at their mercy – my Vikings are suddenly not so fierce and confident anymore 😉

What type of research did you have to do for your book?

This is especially funny for “Monk”. I’m quite solid concerning Viking research and reality and am very aware of staying realistic and true to the period in every detail. To then be extra-sure I always give the stories to my researcher-friend, John, who then double-checks for any flaws that distort the reality of the era. I was very sure that by now I’m firm enough, and he won’t find anything major, but then came the discussion of “the rope”, haha. He said no sane Viking would just cut the rope that lay around the captives neck. They used iron collars, for one, and then would never cut a valuable rope when freeing the slave. It would be a strange act to destroy the thing. My problem was that the Viking should scare the monk a little with the swift movement of the knife, make him flinch and graze his Adam’s apple; make him aware that he is, from now on, at their mercy. It should break the confident gaze of the captive and display the mortal danger he is in. There’s so much to that brief moment! But could that work with iron collars the Viking would have to fiddle with? Would him forcing these open in slow motion have the same effect for monk and readers as a fast-moved knife? Surely not. My monk would have impatiently rolled his eyes at some point, haha. So: even though my researcher was right, technically, I overruled his verdict and stuck with my fast and threatening knife-movement. I needed to shock the monk, not bore him to death before the real action had even started 😉

Links:

Author homepage and buy links: https://sarah-dahl.com/book/monk

Publisher Pronoun with buy links: https://books.pronoun.com/sarahdahl

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16341241.Sarah_Dahl

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sarahdahl13

Twitter: @sarahdahl13

Bio:

Sarah Dahl lives on the edge of the rural German Eifel and writes historical fiction (novels and short stories) primarily set in the Viking age. She also works as an editor, translates, and coaches new writers in German and English. She is interested in everyday life in bygone centuries and the human stories that may have occurred behind the hard, historical facts. Her author page is: sarah-dahl.com 

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Many thanks Sarah for dropping by today hun. Good luck with your new story.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Sarah Dahl: The Awakening

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On July 21, 2017

In Blog, Fiction, Historical fiction, Jenny Kane, Romance

Today I’m delighted to welcome Sarah Dahl to my blog to help celebrate the launch of her latest book, The Awakening.

OUT TODAY, The Awakening is a passionate romance inspired by our Viking past.

Over to you Sarah…

Inspiration for my book:

“The Awakening – Embrace beyond Passion” is a story I wrote some time ago and now had to considerably edit to make it more like my current ‘voice’ and in keeping with the other stories in my Tales of Freya collection. Therefore it was hard to recall the exact inspiration for this story – I get inspiration from many things and then let my mind play with it. For my characters, I’m often very visual and discover someone on Pinterest or TV. Then I imagine them as a person from the early medieval – what if I made them a ‘Viking’ character. I have an inspirational mood board on my wall right opposite my desk that I look at to let my mind wander. Most stories just start with the idea of an interesting character or an event, or both. From there I let it all flow and try different directions for a theme. In “The Awakening” the theme is “liberation begins in the mind” and “follow your passions”. As the Tales of Freya stories are short, I don’t have to plot much but can just write from the heart and then edit. Which brings me to:

Plot or flow:

I’m a pantser as they say, and find plotting a long story from beginning to end very hard to pull off. Naturally, I’d just write from scene to scene and develop as I go, often not knowing the ending myself. For the stories in the Tales of Freya collection it was easier, as for short stories the plot and character arcs can be more straightforward. I always just start with an idea, something I want to happen, and then write with the flow until I’m happy.

The research for “The Awakening”:

Of course, as a historical fiction writer I have to be firm and confident in the Viking environment and era. I read all the books and see as many sites as I can. My fave non-fiction is “Vikings at War” by Hjardar/Vike; it has brilliant detail and is the most extensive and visual book on the era I have seen. Also, every year I go to at least Haithabu/Hedeby here in Germany for a few days, to this once huge, Danish Viking trading town that is now a museum and open-air site by the Slien. The atmosphere of the reconstructed houses and pier just sparks creativity and a sense of the time. Soaking it all up, I just let my feet and mind wander, focussing on the big picture and then the details, imagining what stories could have happened in those narrow streets and houses. This year I became aware of the harsh winds, the never-ending gusts that penetrate the streets and houses, so much so that roofs don’t need smoke holes … the smoke from the fires just disappears through the walls and roof of the Viking town houses. So I tried to incorporate the harsh elements and their effects more in my story “The Awakening”, too.

I take great pride in being authentic and never use the era as mere stage props. I did several blog posts about authenticity: how every author should do their thorough homework and really know what they are writing about, especially if using a historical time period. Read it all until you don’t have to look stuff up anymore (ideally, but there’s always something …) Once my first draft is written and I checked details myself, I let my Viking reenactor-friends read it for authenticity and plausibility, and also discuss with beta-readers. “The Awakening” is set in a rural village by the fjord, so in smaller Viking houses, not the huge rural longhouses readers might first depict. More the kind you find in villages and towns like Hedeby. So naturally, when I went there this year, I focussed on the layouts of houses and daily tasks my characters would need to do in the story, because something secret and daring is hidden in Ingrid’s little farmhouse. Most things I don’t have to research anymore, but what about details such as how someone undresses? In which order would they do it and would the jewellery clang? How loudly? These are the things my reenactors then have to discuss with me, and go through step by step as I see it happening before my inner eye 😉

Preferred POV:

That’s a good question … I can do both; it all depends on the story and which character should tell the story, through whose eyes we should see and feel things. It doesn’t matter if it’s a man or woman, and I use both first person POV or deep third depending on what works best. In the Tales of Freya stories, I mostly use deep third. The view points can be that of men or/and women. For some reason I can work really well from a male POV. “The Current – A Battle of Seduction” is told from the warrior’s perspective on this seductive shield maiden, and I found it easy to slip into his skin. Whereas “The Awakening” is Ingrid’s story, and the next one, “Monk”, will even be told from three different POVs … I guess it’s all about gut feeling. With experience and craft comes a gut feeling for whose story I want to tell and how.

Most exciting about book for me:

For “The Awakening” the most exciting has to be that a story that I’ve worked on for so long finally gets to see the light – I get it ‘off my desk’ and out to people – and it starts its own life now, can be read by everyone, like a child that grows up and after tender care leaves the house. Which is frightening, of course, because one grows so attached to the story-baby over time. After the great success and many positive reviews of “The Current” I’m very excited and anxious to see what people will make of this very different story. “Awakening” really can’t be compared to the first one, “Current”, in the collection. The first spans several weeks whereas the latter covers only a few hours. The whole plotline and tone are different and the themes of course … so, yeah, we will see. Deep breath and fingers crossed 🙂

Blurb – “The Awakening – Embrace beyond Passion”

 The second in the collection of sensual short stories set in the Viking age, the Tales of Freya:

In a world of crackling fires and rough landscapes, long winters and bloody raids, the immediacy of life and death ignites undeniable passions. Warriors and monks, healers and housewives – all follow the call of their hearts and bodies to indulge in pleasures that may forever change their lives …

Ingrid leads a quiet, joyless life with a husband who is oblivious to her needs. Every time the dragon boats carry him away, she resigns herself to the solitude of her modest hilltop farm by the fjord. But her uneventful world is shaken to the core when the shadows of her house reveal a secret that sets her passions afire.

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Release date: July 21, 2017, by Pronoun

Buy links:

https://books.pronoun.com/the-awakening3/

http://amzn.to/2tyak9p

Author homepage: sarah-dahl.com

Mailing list for Book Alert: https://mailing.sarah-dahl.com/?p=subscribe&id=2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahdahl13/

Twitter: @sarahdahl13

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Bio

Sarah Dahl lives on the edge of the rural German Eifel and writes historical fiction primarily set in the Viking age. She also works as an editor, translates, and coaches new writers in German and English. She is interested in everyday life in bygone centuries and the human stories that may have occurred behind the hard, historical facts. Her author page is: sarah-dahl.com

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Many thanks Sarah – and congratulations on your brand new book!

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

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