Harald Hardrada was the most famous Viking of his day. His exploits were legendary and, it was claimed, that he had only ever lost one battle and that was when he was a boy and not a commander of men. Although Edwin and Morcar had seized the initiative and chosen the site of the battle, Hardrada thought quickly and set out his troops to best suit his own battleplan.
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I found the task describing in detail how the two armies were constituted and deployed within the landscape quite difficult. I have read accounts of actual battles in other historical fiction novels and sometimes became lost as the conflict progressed. It was my intent to try and avoid that.
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The moments immediately preceding the battle gave me an opportunity to describe the equipment and tactics that both the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings shared. They used the same weapons, straight swords, spears, and axes, as well as large wooden shields made to a circular pattern and often decorated with painted designs. I undertook a lot of research on this subject, a fact that more than one reviewer has congratulated me for.
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If you are going to have a female character who has a genuine role in the story then she is going to need an antagonist.
Risdun Hak and Eiji Tunshi
This is another one of those writing moments where characters seem to either introduce themselves or simply intrude into the creative process. Eiji Tunshi is too much of a gentleman to intrude, I feel that he just charmed his way into existence. I already had an idea for a character that became Risdun Hak. He … Continue reading Risdun Hak and Eiji Tunshi
Marsh and Cope
Marsh and Cope appear in my science fiction novel, Mesozoic. They are actually a reference to an infamous pair of Palaeontologists from the late 19th century, Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope. These two erudite academics developed a passionate feud fuelled by a hatred for each other that developed slowly but became almost all … Continue reading Marsh and Cope
The Devil Within Us – Published!
It was with a very happy heart that I submitted The Devil Within Us for publication. I had not intended to write another novel this year, I was supposed to be learning all about marketing in order to be discovered, become famous, and obviously rich. That is what I will - hopefully - be doing next! … Continue reading The Devil Within Us – Published!
Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Thirteen
Part Thirteen? That seems a little coincidental! Up until a few days ago I did not have a proper title for this book, which made designing the cover somewhat problematic to say the least. I was still using the working title of 'Mephistopheles', but I knew that it was not appropriate. The story begins with … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Thirteen
Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Twelve
So how did that happen? When I began writing this book I had a clear idea of who the protagonist was; Doc Hunter. He is the ‘ubermensch’. The superman of eugenics. A fitting hero for any novel. Well, he would not agree with being either an ubermensch or a eugenic superman, but he is no … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Twelve
Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Ten
I have passed the 70,000 word limit! I have reached my target. Everything else that I write after this point I consider a bonus. I have mentioned previously that some people question the need for such an objective, but I find it useful. Reaching 70,000 words means that I have everything I need for producing … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Ten
Peter C Whitaker 