BLAST, BLITZ, PROMOS, REVEALS, & TOURS . . . : SPOTLIGHT w/INTERVIEW - HISTORICAL - FORGED BY IRON (Olaf's Saga, #1) by Eric Schumacher

FORGED BY IRON

Olaf's Saga, #1

by Eric Schumacher

Publication Date: April 15th 2020

Legionary - A Next Chapter Imprint

Genre: Historical Fiction

From the bestselling author of Hakon’s Saga comes Forged by Iron, the first in a series of thrilling tales about Olaf Tryggvason, one of the most legendary and enigmatic kings of the Viking Age.

Norway, AD 960. The fabric that has held the Northern realm together is tearing. The sons of Erik Bloodaxe have returned and are systematically killing all opposition to the High Seat. Through treachery, Harald Eriksson slays Jarl Trygvi, an heir to the throne, and then he comes for Trygvi’s wife, Astrid, and son, Olaf. Astrid and Olaf flee their home with the help of Astrid’s foster father, Torolv Loose-beard, and his son, Torgil, who are oath-sworn to protect them. The group escapes east, through the dark, forested land of the Swedes and across the treacherous East Sea, all the while evading the clutches of Harald’s brutal henchmen. But the gods are fickle and the group is torn apart, leaving them to fend for themselves in Forged by Iron, a must-read for all who enjoy action-packed historical fiction.

Available on Amazon

Author Info
Eric Schumacher (1968 - ) is an American historical novelist who currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and two children. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended college at the University of San Diego. At a very early age, Schumacher discovered his love for writing and medieval European history, as well as authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Those discoveries continue to fuel his imagination and influence the stories he tells. His first novel, God's Hammer, was published in 2005. To date, Schumacher has published three novels, collectively known as Hakon’s Saga, and one novella. More information about him and his books can be found on his website. You can also connect with Schumacher on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and AuthorsDB.

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Interview with Eric Schumacher . . .

Do you feel that writing is an ingrained process or just something that flows naturally for you?

First off, thank you for having me on your wonderful blog!

Hmmm, that’s an interesting question. I suppose it’s a little bit of both and it changes over time. Writing has always come naturally to me, but the process of writing a novel has not –– that is something I’ve had to learn and hone over time. I do believe there are certain processes that work for me and that I am getting better at, but when it comes time to write, the words usually flow pretty naturally.

What mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general whether you are working on a project or just free writing)?

Preparation for writing involves a lot of research and storing that research in easy-to-find places where I can refer to it as I write. I don’t really follow any set routines when it comes time to write. In fact, I try to avoid setting schedules or define word counts. The reason for that is that I have a day job and kids, and my schedule can differ drastically from one day to the next, or change instantly. Having to put my “writing time” off to the next day is a big let down, so I try not to build that expectation in myself.

Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon your character during story creation?

This may sound strange, but I don’t do a ton of prep. I’ve found that the more detailed I get, the more rigid my characters become. I define their basic appearance and their basic character traits, and maybe an idiosyncrasy or two, then I turn them loose. For instance, the main character in my current book is a man of conviction, honor and loyalty who was abused as a child. As you can imagine, his sense of loyalty is a little warped. I don’t go deeper than that because I want to story and the character to feel more organic and to see how things play out.

Do you have a character that you have been working on that you can't wait to put to paper?

I definitely have and do. Usually they are the more eccentric or flamboyant characters. In my first series of books, collectively called Hakon’s Saga, one character I loved writing was Jarl Sigurd of Lade. I pictured him as this bear-like man with a huge personality. In my current series, Olaf is fun to write primarily because he is so impulsive, which can lead to interesting scenarios.

Can you share your next creative project(s)? If yes, can you give a few details?

Absolutely! I am currently working on the next book in the Olaf Saga series. The story sees our main characters go to the Rus kingdom (present day Russia and Ukraine). While I can’t go into details on what happens, I can tell you that there is plenty of action and adventure.

What are some of your writing/publishing goals for this year?

Finishing the book mentioned above is my main goal. I’d love to have a draft to my editor by the fall.

If you could spend one-week with 5 fictional character, who would they be and where would you spend that time?

I am an introvert, so spending a week with anyone sounds dreadful unless I can recharge my batteries at some point during the trip. ☺

My “fictional” characters would all be real, e.g. men and women from the Norse sagas or from the Viking Age, whose personalities have been captured by non-contemporaries, thus making them slightly fictitious. I’d like to take a trip with them during their time. We would start in Winchester with King Athelstan, then head to the Orkneys and hang out with Erik Bloodaxe, his wife Gunnhild and his children. From there I’d sail to Avaldsnes in West Norway and spend some time with King Hakon the Good before moving north to Lade and meeting Jarl Sigurd. If I could sneak in another person, I’d make it a young Olaf Tryggvason during his time in the Rus kingdom.

My goal would be to thoroughly understand their real personalities, mindsets, customs and beliefs, rather than what we read in history books. That would be fascinating!

Where would you spend one full year, if you could go ANYWhere, money is not a concern? What would you do with this time?

If money were no object, I’d find a house with an ocean view from my writing desk and a path to the beach. A moderately warm place where I can hear the waves at night. I’d wake up and write, then head to the beach for a walk or playtime with my family and my dog, then write some more. Nights would be spent cooking great meals or going to dinner in quaint spots or heading to the movie theater. Ideally, it would be close enough to skiing in the winter. If you know of said spot, please write to me and let me know where it is!

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback copy of Forged by Iron! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on May 10th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Paperback giveaway is open to the US only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.