Why do I do this to myself?

Every time, I get part way through a book and ask myself that question. Because, man, do I like making life difficult, not just for my characters, but for me.

Thing is, I like a challenge so with each new book or story, I set myself one. Try this technique, or that way of writing. Try something I’ve never tried before. Only this time, I didn’t set myself the challenge, at least not consciously. My characters did it for me. I think they’d heard how cruel I am to my characters and decided on a bit of cruelty back.

And what challenge did they set me? Well my hero hasn’t spoken a word in eight years. Then he meets the heroine (for the second time, the first is the last time he spoke) and he might speak then, in fact he tries to. Only…they don’t speak the same language, not more than a couple of words anyway. And I have to show how and why they fall in love. Without them speaking to each other….

The love scenes were even more of a challenge! But I think I managed it, and I suppose that the underlying theme (or one of them) then became ‘Actions speak louder than words’. Because without speech to fall back on to show how they fall in love, it was all down to what they do, for each other and themselves. As challenges go, I think it went quite well, and I certainly learned a lot, and hopefully made it a good read too!

Anyway, my Viking and his Saxon lady are now available from Carina. It’s not strictly fantasy, which this blog is all about, but my Viking, being a Norseman in 844 Norway, utterly believes in magic, so it counts! :D

Here’s the blurb:

Viking raiders destroyed Wilda’s home. She witnessed the murder of her mother and would have been killed herself if it weren’t for the Viking boy Einar, who saved her from his ruthless brother. The blood and murder left Wilda cold and shorn of feeling.

Eight years later, the heathens return for Wilda. As a captive in the Viking village, she finds protection and silent comfort in the man who once gallantly saved her.

Einar has been cursed to silence by his brother. With the dark net of his brother’s power cast over their village, silence is a small price to pay for his family’s safety. But Einar is immediately drawn to Wilda, and the need to protect her from his brother awakens his Viking courage. Can Einar break his brother’s curse in time to save the village and the woman he loves?

the Viking's Sacrifice is available from Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and all good e book stores.

You can find out more about Julia Knight, her books and reviews, here, or follow her on twitter @Knight_Julia