Week 1: Setting Sail
Last year, the author Thilde Kold Holdt kicked off Norsevember with our interview and a review from me (plus many others) for her debut novel, Northern Wrath. Since then, her second book in the Hanged God Trilogy, Shackled Fates has been published – a book I refer to as “A Masterpiece of Norse Storytelling.”
It felt only right therefore to have her back to kick off the second year of Norsevember. Fortunately, she was enthusiastic about the idea and really opened the month with a bang, publishing her feature on Life Aboard the Viking Warship The Sea Stallion.
Thilde’s post was recieved so well by the community and really set the tone for the rest of the Setting Sail week.
Day 2 – Rowena presented her post on the Galloway Hoard, a really significant and interesting find you can learn all about, including some mysterious dirt balls:
Analysis has shown that these balls contain tiny particles of gold and shattered bone
Day 3 – I shared a feature I’d written about Repton and the Great Heathen Army. A place close to home, 200 skeletons were uncovered in the grounds of the medieval church, including a warrior who met a gruesome end…
Day 4 – It was time for Bullshit and Battleaxes, a post by J. C. Duncan which was extremely popular. In it, he dispels some of the myths surrounding the Viking era weaponry and armour.
The next nail in the ‘Viking sword’ coffin is that most warriors would not have owned swords at all during the era of the Viking raids in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. Swords were a rich man’s weapon, and mostly as a sidearm after his spear was gone or broken.
Day 5 – Shauna Lawless shared a brilliant piece on the Vikings in Ireland, which was really enlightening. A great introduction that leaves you wanting to research further.
The Viking arrivals and the Irish did integrate – perhaps more quickly than they did with the English. Why?
Day 6 – This felt like a real coup for the blog and Norsevember with popular historical fiction author Giles Kristian joining us for an interview to talk Vikings, which was predictably fun and insightful.
I wanted to try to capture the fear that these warbands must have inspired in those who witnessed their longships slewing up the shingle, disgorging wild-eyed, axe and spear-wielding warriors who feared neither death in battle nor the Christian God.
Day 7 – We rounded off the first week of Norsevember with an interview with Tim Hardie. It was great to have Tim feature as his debut Hall of Bones is a SPFBO finalist. It was nice to introduce new readers to his work and learn more about an author who is set to make an impact in the self published fantasy community.
Special thanks to Tim who was due to be featured in week 2 and was happy for his post to be moved forwards due to unforeseen circumstances on the original post.
Sue Bavey was busy getting into the Norsevember zone, and has produced a Cover Credentials series especially for Norsevember, in which she looks at Norse book covers and speaks to the authors about the artwork. A great idea! Her first cover credentials post looked at Cat Rector’s Goddess of Nothing at all and The Hanged God Trilogy by Thilde Kold Holdt.
She also hosted a really enjoyable Indie Spotlight with Sverrir Sigurdsson, a Viking voyager memoirist, that I recommend you check out.
Bob Freeman shared his introduction to Norsevember post:
https://authorbobfreeman.wordpress.com/2021/11/03/norsevember-skal-and-fair-weather/
Joseph shared his Norse playlist:
Eric Schumacher shared the brilliant Viking Age News which features many of the Norsevember posts and all the new Viking related news you need!
Bob Freeman shared 4 books he’d recommend for Norsevember:
Josh Gillingham shared his first in a series of Norse restaurants and breweries from around the world, this time interviewing John Hyatt from Gifts of the Wyrd Pocast. Find out where this one is here!
Alessia shared her awesome artwork of Idunn: https://twitter.com/AlessiaHV?t=vuONi4VN-mg512y8lB3iQw&s=09
And finally, I featured on the Gifts of the Wyrd Podcast to introduce Norsevember, which was a lot of fun! The host, John, is an awesome guy and was so professional. I highly recommend giving his podcast a listen!
Week 2: Althing
Day 8 – Yvonne wrote a great post about Viking culture titled Norsevember: A Northern Culture which serves as a great introduction to who the Vikings were, what they thought and felt.
Day 9 – scheduled for day 9 was Cloak and Dapper, a post that was infinitely more interesting than you’d expect for one written about ‘ordinary objects’ – brought to you by the brilliant Steven Dunn from Fjorn’s Hall
Day 10 – The excellent Lyra Wolf arrived to share ‘So, you want to dress like the Norse?’
This was a post all about Viking clothing, and I loved it!
Day 11 – I explored language in my post Are you speaking like a Viking?
Day 12 – Josh shared his first two post for breweries and restaurants from around the world
Day 13 – Yvonne recommended some games to play during Norsevember
Day 14 – I gathered some testimonials on just why we love Norse Mythology and History so much
Kaitlin Felix announced her upcoming Norse historical fiction:
Sue Bavey shared her Cover Credentials feature with Alex S. Bradshaw and Lyra Wolf
Bob Freeman shared a post: ‘A Heathen is as a Heathen does’
He also shared ‘Podcasting the Norse World’
I returned to Gifts of the Wyrd for the introduction to week 2, Althing
The Drunk Mythology Gals looked at the threads that link ancient Greece and Scandinavia
Thilde Kold Holdt examined the truth of female Viking warriors in this excellent video:
Week 3: The Skald’s Hearth (Part One)
Day 15 – Joseph introduced us to the runes with Write like a Viking!
Day 16 – I shared Christian Cameron‘s excellent Norse version of his writing fighting series he produced especially for Norsevember!
Day 17 – Ben told us all about the giants of Norse mythology here!
Day 18 – Yvonne looked at Female Norse Gods and the modern world, and how we might look at them through a present day lens
Day 19 – Bjørn Larssen examined humour in Norse Mythology with his Laughing at the Norse Gods post.
Day 20 – I take a look at Storytelling and the Norse Legacy
Day 21 – Cat Rector approached queerness in Norse Mythology with her contribution, Queer Identity in Norse Myth: Fact or Fanfic?
Sue Bavey published her third Cover Credentials post, this time with Joshua Gillingham and Jordan Loyal Short.
Bob Freeman published a post – “you give a little, you get a little.”
Josh Gillingham was joined by Mae Anderson who introduced him to The Three Vikings restaurant in Edmonton, Canada!
I was back at Gifts of the Wyrd with John to talk about mythology and more for The Skald’s Hearth
Rowdy Geirsson made lemon ale with Thor
Kaitlin Felix interviewed the co-owner of The Valhalla Bar in Basel, Switzerland
Bjørn Larssen shared a guest post from Lyra Wolf, titled Chaos, Fidelity and Salt
Dragonprowshadow published a post titled Secrets of the Great Viking Army
Week 4: The Skald’s Hearth Part Two
Day 22 – The very funny Rowdy Geirsson took us Down in the Gutter with the Norse Gods
Day 23 – Angus Donald went in search of the truth about Viking berserkers
Day 24 – Rebecca gave us some Norse Mythology in Children’s books suggestions
Day 25 – The books recs continued with Shauna giving us some great Norse non fiction reads to check out!
Day 26 – It was Loki Day, for which we had 3 posts.
Cat and Lyra joined forces for Loki: Reading Between the Lies
Ben Galley produced A Study in Loki
Suzanne Martin undertook a Queer Theological Reflection titled Looks Like Loki.
You can find all three excellent posts here.
Day 27 – Myself and some friends looked at our favourite Norse Myths
Day 28 – Faye helped us understand why Neopagans practice Norse Mythology
Day 29 – I looked at Diversity in the Viking Age
Day 30 – I wrote a short story with a familiar character you may or may not know, titled Strangers
Sue Bavey shared her fourth Cover Credentials post, featuring Lee C. Conley and Susana Imaginario
Joseph designed his own Norse conspiracy chart in an answer to another that was trending:
Meanwhile, Masqueread’s beard braid was on point:
Sue Bavey shared her fifth and final Cover Credentials, this time featuring D. W. Ross and Bjørn Larssen!
Bob Freeman shared his thoughts on the Runic Tarot
I hope you enjoyed the roundup! Come back November ’22 for our 3rd Norsevember event!
Spells and Spaceships 
Thanks for the mention!
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I’ve decided to participate in Norsevember this year. Look for my post on November 5. 🙂 @TorontoLydia is my username on Twitter.
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Looking forward to it! If you want to be part of the official schedule on the promotional stuff let me know
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