Taking a different turn in Viking history for another look at the women who shaped the Norse world. This post is different. It’s something of a Cosmo-esque quiz. Read about four real Viking women, consider their character traits, and see which one matches your personality the best. Further down is the reveal with a brief bio. Then you tell me in the comments who which true historical woman you identify with. Have...

  Bend or Stand?   Today’s post takes you back to Normandy with a funny, but true tale of humor and diplomacy a la Viking style.   Thanks to History Channel’s Vikings, most people know Ragnar Lothbrok and his Viking raiders pillaged Paris to the bone. He and his massive army camped out on the Seine River, conducting raids from 845-846. Yes, that’s right. He gave monasteries, villages, and the citadel of Paris a...

  When you say “Viking” and “Chieftain” in the same sentence, images of powerful men come to mind. You might also conjure a “wild west” style of lawlessness. This perception is well-earned in some cases. Yet, Viking history and their sagas presents a more nuanced picture. One case in point takes us to Iceland. Last week  shared the true tale of Audr the Deep-Minded, an amazing female leader in...

  My Viking food journey has begun. Today’s adventure was the age old cooking process of broth making. Most of grab a few cans of broth around the holidays and don’t think twice about what it takes to make this food staple. I’ve made bone broth before, and homemade beats canned (or cartoned) broth by a mile in any taste test. The more I dig into this project, reading and writing Viking stories, immersing myself in their...

  How to Eat Like a Viking: 3 Things You Must Know First* After a trip to Sweden in 1999, Vikings have fascinated me. The first romance novel I wrote was Norse Jewel, a Viking romance. But, the Norse hammers in my head needed balance. So, I wrote Georgian romance set squarely in mid-1700s. Lately, the scales tipped back to hot Viking tales again. That’s what brought me to one of my favorite research finds, An Early Meal. The Sagas...