I’ve been dancing around a Viking story for a while. The characters and relationships were there, but I couldn’t quite piece them together . . . until the real Olaug took me on a very amusing side trip in Norway. (More on that another time.) Once I finally figured out how everybody fit, their story just clicked. And I’m so excited to share it with you!
The new Norse Crew is fun, and adventurous, and ridiculously resourceful, given what they’re working with . . . and without. (Two words: No Nutella. Gasp!) I absolutely adore them, and I know you will, too. Without further ado, introducing the new Norse crew:
VIKING ACADEMY: BOOK 1
Erik held me until my shoulders stopped shaking—whether it was a minute or an hour, I couldn’t tell. The only things I knew for sure were:
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I was trapped a thousand years in the past, with little hope of ever going home. And
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I was wrapped in the arms of the most absurdly gorgeous Viking to have ever walked the face of the Earth.
Maybe my old life was overrated.
When seventeen-year-old Saga Skånstad discovers an antique dagger, she’s instantly sucked into a world where Vikings rule the seas and dragons roam the skies, and the only thing more dangerous than the chief who takes her captive is the rival who steals her away. The heir of Norway’s most feared tribe is fierce, cold, and absolutely unyielding. With intruders encroaching upon his borders, Erik Halvarsson has little patience for the girl whose ignorance threatens his very existence. He enlists Saga in the magical Valkyris Academy, where she learns the skills she’ll need to protect herself from foreign raiders and domestic terrors. But nothing can protect her from falling for the one guy in all the world she’s absolutely forbidden to choose . . . or from risking everything to unlock the secrets that haunt him.
When darkness threatens Saga’s new home, she must decide whether to return to the life she’s always known, or fight for a love she never could have imagined. Her decision will determine a legacy—not only for Saga, but for the world she never knew she was fated to lead.
How fun is that?? And the Academy Crew is every bit as awesome as their cover.
Viking’s honor. 🙂
You can pre-order your copy NOW on iBooks, Nook, Smashwords, Amazon, and Google Play!
Viking Academy will be a three-book YA Fantasy series, with titles scheduled to release May, July, and September of 2019. Book 1, Viking Academy, will release May 14th on iBooks, and May 21st on all other retailers.
Until then, I’ll be at my laptop. Please send waffles . . . and Nutella!
VIKING ACADEMY: SNEAK PEEK
We rode the rest of the way in silence. A million questions danced through my mind, but I kept them to myself as we made our way down a steep, windy trail, raced along the edge of a fjord, and began the long trek up a waterfall-lined mountain. When the trees thickened and a light snow dusted the ground, Erik slid off the horse and led it into the woods on foot.
“Do I get down too, or—”
“No.”
Well, fine.
We walked for another five minutes, until the trees thinned and the whoosh of rushing water broke the silence. Erik turned left at a massive boulder, pulling his horse forward until he reached a small log cabin. It stood near the edge of the waterfall, set back just enough that the spray didn’t reach its grass-lined roof. It had a tidy front porch, a small stable, and a neat pile of wood stacked outside the ornately carved door. It would have been absolutely charming . . . if it weren’t the latest in a series of places I’d be trying to escape.
Erik reached up to help me off the horse. “Didn’t want to see you take another tumble.”
I bit back my retort.
“We’ll spend the night here,” Erik said. “And be in Valkyris by early evening.”
“Great.”
Erik raised one blond brow. “I meant what I said about running. Our dragons patrol the area by air, so it’s to your benefit to stay in the huset.”
Holy skit. Was he serious?
I waited on the porch as Erik led his horse to the stable. He returned, dusting hay off his arms before pushing open the sturdy, front door. Nerves danced in my abdomen as he held out a hand and waited for me to step across the threshold.
I assessed my situation. On the one hand, I was alone in the woods with a massive Viking—the most heartless member of the most fear-inducing tribe in the entire region. But on the other hand, Erik hadn’t laid a finger on me . . . yet. Even though I’d stabbed him, insulted him, and made no attempt to hide my disgust at his very existence, he didn’t seem inclined to retaliate.
Unless he was waiting for just the right moment.
Like the moment I fell asleep.
Oh, God. Don’t sleep. Run.
No. Don’t run. Dragons.
I’m so screwed.
I glanced up at Erik, willing the fear to ebb from my eyes. He raised a brow and gestured toward the entry. “Well?”
Right. I summoned a strength I didn’t feel as I drew a deep breath, pulled my shoulders back, and stepped into the cabin.
And I prayed I hadn’t made a huge mistake.
