Thilde Kold Holdt interview about her new Viking Fantasy Novel “Northern Wrath” (Solaris, 2020)

Thilde Kold Holdt interview

Thilde Kold Holdt interview about her Viking Fantasy Novel “Northern Wrath”

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/357Kx8N

Interview Summary

Thilde Kold Holdt loves Norse culture since she herself is a Viking. She turned her love into a novel series and the first volume, Northern Wrath, will be published in October. I spoke to Thilde about the book, about rowing a Viking ship, about Viking culture and history, and about the things that inspire her.

0:34 – Thilde talks about why she wrote this book. She talks about being born in Denmark and embracing her Viking identity.

1:55 – Thilde talks about the details of the book. It’s set in Denmark and Thilde talks about Scandinavia. The story is partly historical fiction and partly epic fantasy.

5:56 – Thilde talks about the involvement of Christianity in Viking epic fantasy.

6:57 – Thilde talks about the extensive research she did for the book. She’s read all the sagas and the Eddas. She also joined the crew of the largest reconstructed Viking ship.

11:09 – Thilde talks about the archaeological and historical evidence for female warriors.

14:51 – Thilde talks about how she created the beasts in her novel. She focused on the Eddas. She really likes the giants and the Jotun.

17:09 – Thilde talks about how the giants in her novel live in Jotunheim.

17:55 – Thilde talks about how much she enjoyed a Danish comic book Valhalla.

19:38 – Thilde really enjoys the show Vikings.

20:45 – Thilde talks about horned helmets and Viking warships with shields.

24:37 – Thilde talks about Vikings and swimming.

26:16 – Thilde talks about the three places Vikings go in the afterlife. She also talks about Hel and Loki.

29:01 – Thilde talks about what she thinks of the Marvel comics and their take on the Norse myths.

30:51 – Thilde talks about Viking blood feuds. She also talks about the aesthetic of the novel.

35:18 – We talk briefly about the show the Beforiegners and Thilde’s writing process.

37:37 – Thilde talks about the languages she knows including Korean. Then she talks about how her characters forced a change in the plot as she wrote the novel.

41:10 – Thilde talks about how some of the characters did things that would be distasteful to modern audiences.

43:13 – Thilde talks about editing her book down for 400,000 words.

45:39 – Thilde talks about cutting some side characters.

46:36 – Thilde talks about having wanted to having magic powers.

47:49 – Thilde talks about Viking magic.

51:38 – Thilde talks about her enjoyment of Korean music and K-pop.

54:57 – Thilde talks about getting an agent and getting published.

60:09 – Thilde can be found at Thildekoldholdt.com , NorthernWrath.com and on twitter and instagram @koldholdt.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/357Kx8N

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Northern-Wrath/Thilde-Kold-Holdt/9781781088197

https://www.thildekoldholdt.com/

https://twitter.com/Koldholdt

https://www.instagram.com/Koldholdt/

Contact Information

For more “Full Contact Nerd” please follow me at crisalvarez.com, on Facebook at CrisAlvarezFCN, on youtube at Cris Alvarez on twitter @CrisAlvarezFCN, on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi, and on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcasts / Stitcher / Spotify for the podcast. Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.

Guests: Thilde Kold Holdt

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, academic, podcast, Solaris, fantasy, historical fiction, mythology,

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/357Kx8N

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Cris Alvarez Full Contact Nerd Interviews

Alice James interview about her vampire mystery novel “Grave Secrets” (Solaris, 2020)

Alice James mystery novelAlice James interview about her vampire mystery novel “Grave Secrets”

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2R2nXI6

Interview Timeline

Alice James has followed a fascinating path to writing and publishing her first novel. She’s worked in the coroner field, been a financial reporter, worked in public relations, and is a silversmith. Now she has published a vampire mystery set in the English countryside in which she grew up in. We spoke about the book, about vampires, about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and about how she was able to find and agent and get published.

0:31 – Alice talks about why she wrote Grave Secrets.

2:10 – Alice talks about the elements of the book and it’s light-hearted approach to the paranormal.

3:28 – Alice talks about the main character being very English.

4:55 – Alice talks about the cozy mystery element of the book.

6:42 – Alice talks about the horror and gore elements of the book as well as the gothic elements.

7:49 – Alice talks about how familiar she is with the English countryside which is the setting of this book.

9:08 – Alice talks about how she is a trained silversmith and how fiction books always get smithing wrong.

10:41 – Alice talks about growing up as a coroner’s daughter and her knowledge of that work.

12:33 – Alice talks about how delicately coroner work was dealt with in the small town she was from.

15:05 – Alice talks about the random country life facts she knows because of her upbringing.

17:55 – Alice talks about loving fantasy and loving anything with dragons when she was young.

21:10 – Alice talks about how she loved the Hobbit and Smaug.

22:55 – Alice says the book would have a gothy Sisters of Mercy type of feel to it but also with a lighter tone.

23:31 – Alice talks about her approach to writing.

25:15 – Alice talked about being a geek and studying computer science. She also talks about how she wasn’t a very good engraver.

27:53 – Alice talks about attending reenactment fairs.

29:17 – Alice talks about still doing a little bit of smithing.

30:47 – Alice talks about accidentally becoming a financial reporter.

33:10 – Alice talks about trying to work in PR for a hedge fund.

34:20 – Alice talks about how she ended up getting published.

36:10 – Alice talks about how she developed her creative writing skills.

37:45 – Alice talks about writers whose style she enjoys.

40:37 – Alice talks how much she wrote before getting published.

41:38 – Alice talks about how she approaches writing.

44:09 – Alice talks about how she wanted a magic barge when she was a child.

47:35 – Alice talks about she was able to get an agent.

52:24 – Alice talks about the time span of the series and the world building.

54:36 – Alice can be found on twitter @toniwindsor and at alicejames.co.uk

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/2R2nXI6

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Grave-Secrets/Alice-James/9781781088616

https://www.alicejames.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/toniwindsor

Contact Information

For more “Full Contact Nerd” please follow me at crisalvarez.com, on Facebook at CrisAlvarezFCN, on youtube at Cris Alvarez on twitter @CrisAlvarezFCN, on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi, and on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcasts / Stitcher / Spotify for the podcast. Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.

Guests: Alice James

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: audio interviews, author, books, fiction, mysteries, podcast, Solaris, the occult,

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2R2nXI6

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Cris Alvarez Full Contact Nerd Interviews