Still catching up . . .

Hello everyone!

     Happy New Year! Well, it is New Year's Eve here in Arizona for a few hours yet, anyway! I just wanted to give my readers a quick update on how things are going! As you know if you've been following me a while, starting last year around this time I started posting monthly short stories to my series on Channillo.com, Tales From Midhgardhur! I was fairly faithful about posting up until October, when I was hospitalized and could very well have died, as it turns out. I was home before November but still in recovery, so I skipped NaNoWriMo this year (which broke my heart just a little!). Since then, I'm happy to say that my health has recovered fairly well, but my writing schedule is still in pieces. Between illness and recovery and holiday madness, I only just now got around to posting my OCTOBER piece, "The Knocker In The Dark" - my November piece is not even started yet, December was supposed to be a Yuletide story that I probably won't post until next year now, and January starts tomorrow! I've got some writing to do! But now the major holidays have passed, my health is passing fair, and I should have time to work. If you're a subscriber to Tales From Midhgardhur, "The Knocker In The Dark" is now posted and available to read! If you're not yet a subscriber, I recommend Channillo.com - there are some great stories and series available there beyond just the Midhgardhur stories!

     Anyway, Happy New Year to all! Be sure to look for my "Appendix N Revisited" posts on this blog beginning with the Ides of January (that's January 13th for those of you unfamiliar with the rather odd calendar of the ancient Romans), and more stories making their way to Tales From Midhgardhur as soon as I can have them ready!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Appendix N Revisited: A New Project!

Hello everyone,

     I am embarking on a new project which will see its first results in 2017, though of necessity the work begins now. I intend to begin revisiting the literature of Appendix N, reading and writing about what I've read once a month (probably aiming for the Ides of each month). If you're not familiar with the term. "Appendix N" refers to an appendix in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide, a list compiled by Gary Gygax of the fantasy, science fiction, and weird fiction that was inspirational and fundamental to the original conception of Dungeons & Dragons. The list has come to be revered by many in the "OSR" movement ("Old School Renaissance" or "Old School Revival"), including the creators of the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG at Goodman Games. Anyway, Appendix N has always held a deep fascination for me, as one of the origins of my hobby (what I often refer to as the Hobby) and as literature that I enjoyed reading and influenced my own writing. These days, fantasy literature is a much more securely established genre than it was in the early 1970s when Gygax and Areneson were first formulating the basics of what became fantasy RPGs. Back then, it tended more strongly to the weird, and indeed the related genre of "weird fiction" features prominently in Appendix N.

     So what is the point of all this? Well, in part, it is "getting in touch with my roots" - returning ad fontes to the sources of inspiration for my fantasy RPG Hobby and my own writing. In part, it is an attempt to give some structure to my rather haphazard re-reading of the Appendix N corpus, and to organize my thoughts on what I'm reading. And in part, it's just for fun. So I'm going to start reading now, and you can look for blog posts on the subject starting around the Ides of January. My intent is to work through as much of the actual Gygaxian Appendix N as possible before moving on to alternate "inspirational reading" lists, such as that of Moldvay or the creators of the Pathfinder RPG.

     I hope that reading about revisiting Appendix N may inspire some of my readers to do the same!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Just a reminder: "Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I," is on Kindle Countdown Sale NOW!

Hello everyone,

     Just wanted to remind everyone that Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I is still on Kindle Countdown Sale through Wednesday, 12/14/16! People have been taking advantage of the sale, but I wanted to remind everyone before the opportunity is gone! If you have last-minute holiday shopping to do and want to give a friend with a Kindle the gift of Midhgardhur, or just get the stories for yourself, now is the time!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Word Count Wednesday and Holiday Sales!

Hello everyone,

     Since my return from the hospital late last month, I have not been posting much, so it is probably time for an update! Here's where things stand:

• I am not participating in NaNoWriMo this year, which makes me sad. But what I have decided to do instead is edit Ormsbani AGAIN. Sounds tedious, I know, and it can be, but I think this is the best editing session yet. I've made some pretty big changes to the original manuscript, and I think they're all pretty awesome ones. I got rid of a lot of clunky scenes and text that always bothered me, and have it reading much more the way I want! Huzzah! Word Count: 71,614
• I am trying to catch up on my backlog of stories for Tales From Midhgardhur on Channillo. Right now I'm trying to finish up "The Knocker In The Dark," which was supposed to be my October story. Haven't even started November, and it's almost December! {sigh} Working on it. Current Word Count: 1710 (yeah, I know, that's not even a really good DAY by NaNoWriMo standards!)
• HOLIDAY SALES: Want to give someone the gift of Midhgardhur this Yule-tide? I've got you covered! The Kindle editions of my books will be going on Kindle Countdown Sales between December 1st and 14th! First up is The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy which will be on Countdown Sale starting December 1st and ending December 7th. Then Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I will be on Countdown Sale starting December 8th and ending December 14th. So if there is a special someone in your life with whom you want to share the Yule-tide glory of Midhgardhur on their Kindle, that's the time to do it! 

Happy Reading! Skál!

~ Colin Anders Brodd

Ormsbani - Work In Progress!

Word Count Wednesday and Burning Spirits (available now!)

Hello everyone,

     It has been a while since I posted a real update (as I mentioned in a previous post, I was hospitalized for some time, and my health is still not fully recovered), so I wanted to let my fans know a little of what is happening with my work!

     First of all, it is Word Count Wednesday, so here is the word count on my latest project, "Burning Spirits": approximately 5719 words. For those of you who follow "Tales From Midhgardhur" on Channillo, that story just became available TODAY. It was a hard one to write, truth be told, because it was based on my own family history and lore in large part, and it is not exactly a happy story, so i kept pausing as I was writing and editing it to ask myself, "Do I really want to tell this story?" In a way, it is the most personal thing I have written to date, and that made it very difficult to finish. But it is finished and posted. "Burning Spirits" deals with four generations of a family on a remote farmstead inhabited by a wight they call Tomtagumi ("Tomti-man"), a version of the Scandinavian tomte of more recent folklore (the art above shows a disgruntled tomte from traditional folklore stealing a farmer's hay). Tomtagumi watches over the family for generations, but cannot really prevent the family's demons (the cursed gift of berserkergang, abusive relationships, and alcoholism - in the form of addiction to a kind of spirits called brennivin, "burnt wine") from taking a terrible toll on the family.

     The month of October is nearing its end, which means the beginning of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is only a few days away. I won NaNoWriMo the last couple of years (completing The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper in 2014 and my as-yet-unpublished novel Ormsbani in 2015), and I even did Camp NaNoWriMo in the summer of 2016 (when I finished my novella, The Tale of Halfdanur the Black). I had intended to write another novel this November - I had begun research, and was preparing a general outline, etc. But then I got sick, and ended up in the hospital. And I still have a 2 year old and a 2 month old that I care for. So, I talked it over with my wife, and i agreed to skip NaNoWriMo this year, both for my sake and the sake of my family. It was not an easy decision, but I have to be realistic about what I can do, given the circumstances. Fear not, I'll be writing the next novel eventually. I'm just going to wait until my health improves a bit.

     Well, that about wraps it up for the moment. I am about a month behind on my schedule for "Tales From Midhgardhur," but I hope I can catch up, while I am busy not writing my next novel! Until next time . . .

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Back In Black (from the hospital)

Hello everyone,

     I apologize to all my readers for my conspicuous absence and the lack of updates, but as some of you already know, I was gravely ill and eventually hospitalized for a week. I'm still not out of the woods yet, but I am recovering as best I can. Now that I am home from the hospital, back in black, I'm slowly getting back in the saddle with my ongoing projects.

     "Burning Spirits" is still in progress. My original hope was for September, my illness has made late October the new target. I still want to do the October story I had planned; maybe my enforced period of rest and recovery will translate into more time for writing. Anyway, the word count for "Burning Spirits" is currently at 3734, but it needs quite a bit more work. I haven't even really started on the intended October project, "The Knocker In The Dark."

     I'm gratified that so many people have checked out "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black," the prequel piece to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper. I know a lot of people have asked me about a sequel; let's just say that I'm gathering what I need to make that happen, eventually. In the meantime, I have stories coming out for Tales From Midhgardhur on Channillo; and yes, I shall eventually be publishing another volume of the "Tales" (I think I get as many requests for a sequel to Tales From Midhgardhur Volume I as I do for The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper). My illness slowed me down a bit, but it sure hasn't stopped me - be looking for the new "Tales" around the end of October and beginning of November!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Word Count Wednesday and Burning Spirits

Hello everyone,

      It has been a while since I update my author's blog, and I apologize for that, but all I can say is that I'm raising a toddler and a newborn, and my free time to do my writing has largely evaporated at the moment. It's just the way things are, and I have no regrets, except that I wish I could have all the amazing adventures in parenting that I am having and ALSO be able to do my writing . . .

      Anyway, I have been working for a while on a piece called "Burning Spirits" intended for Tales From Midhgardhur on Channillo. I had hoped to have it ready to publish by September 1st, but as I said, my children have to take priority, these days! At the current rate, it might be October 1st instead! The word count currently sits at 3187, but it needs a few more pages before the first draft is complete.

     "Burning Spirits" revolves around a single family, kin of Eirikur the Berserker, and the inherited anger issues and difficulties with alcohol against the backdrop of a remote farmstead in the wilderness on the northeastern border of Svialand. Much of the family's unusual lore actually derives from some equally unusual lore from my own Swedish family, stories of mysterious helpful household spirits, and supernatural agencies saving members of the family from external disasters, despite their own tendency to self-destruction and self-made disaster. Simply put, the stories of my own blood are woven through this one like veins and arteries. It's personal. So I want to polish it until I feel it is right. It'll be up on Channillo as soon as I'm convinced it tells the story I need it to tell.

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Thanks To Everyone Who Helped Make My Giveaway A Success!

Hello everyone,

     I just wanted to say a big "thank you!" (or, as the Vikings would have said it, “þǫkk!”) to everyone who helped to make my big birthday giveaway of "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black" a success! I was happy to see so many people picking up the prequel to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper, and I saw that a few people decided to pick up the saga as well while they were at it! I appreciate everyone who reposted, retweeted, reblogged, and shared to get the word out! I hope everyone enjoys the tale, and encourage everyone to continue the Midhgardhur adventure by checking out the other books! 

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

FREE KINDLE BOOK GIVEAWAY - "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black" free until 9/14/16!

Today (Saturday, September 10th, 2016) is Midhgardhur Books author Colin Anders Brodd's birthday! For his birthday, HE would like to give YOU a gift - a free copy of "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black" for your Kindle (or Kindle Reader App device)! The story is free from now until Wednesday, September 14th, 2016! If you enjoy this, continue your adventures in the Norse fantasy world of Midhgardhur with The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper and Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I . . . 

Welcome to Midhgardhur!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd 

GIVEAWAY REMINDER! "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black" will be FREE on Kindle for the author's birthday, tomorrow to the 14th!

Hello everyone,

     This is just a reminder that Midhgardhur Books author Colin Anders Brodd is celebrating his birthday by giving away copies of his Kindle short story, "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black: A Midhgardhur Fantasy" starting tomorrow, on Saturday, September 10th, through Wednesday, September 14th. You can read this Norse saga-style story on Kindle or any device with the Kindle Reader App! "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black" is a prequel of sorts to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper, so if you enjoy the Norse fantasy world of Midhgardhur, you can stay for a while, and then continue the adventure with Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I: More Midhgardhur Fantasy!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Where to find Midhgardhur Books if you don't do Amazon . . .

Hello everyone,

     I was recently reminded that not everybody "does" Amazon, for various reasons. So the question arose - how does one obtain copies of Colin Anders Brodd's lovely Midhgardhur books if you don't "do" Amazon?

     Sadly, options are a bit more limited if you don't do business with Amazon for some reason. Currently, the Kindle ebooks are on sort of an exclusive deal with Amazon - it's called KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) Select, and the bottom line is that I agree that Amazon has exclusive rights to distributing the ebook version, in exchange for some considerations from Amazon (e.g. my books can be read for free with Kindle Unlimited and I get royalties by the number of pages read, and I get higher royalties on sales of my ebooks than I would otherwise). So, ebooks are only on Kindle for the foreseeable future.

      There's better news when it comes to the print editions. While they are not in brick-and-mortar bookstores - YET - they are available directly from the print-on-demand publisher, CreateSpace. Incidentally, all you librarians and bookstore owners out there - my books are available through the CreateSpace channels for libraries and bookstores! Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more . . .

     Erm. Yes. Anyway. If you want to order the books directly from CreateSpace, here are the links:

The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy

Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I: More Midhgardhur Fantasy

      Hope this helps!

Happy Reading! Skál!

~ Colin Anders Brodd

How To Support Your Favorite Authors

Hello everyone,

     Just a reminder - if you love an author's work, here's how you can support them:

     I do what I can to support my favorite authors, because I want them to go on being awesome authors and writing the things I love! I encourage everyone I know, and of course everyone who enjoys my work, to do the same!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Word Count Wednesday and the Green Knight

Hello everyone,

     Time for a Word Count Wednesday update, and it's a good thing, too, because my latest WIP (that's "Work-In-Progress") is no longer in progress - it is now finished and set to post to Tales From Midhgardhur on Channillo tomorrow, on September 1st. I had intended for this story to be up around August 1st, so you could say I fell a little behind, but honestly, raising a two year old takes most of my time and energy these days. I have no regrets! So, look out for "Knight of the Green Chapel" on Channillo starting tomorrow, clocking in around 10,925 words (Yikes! That is actually bigger than "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black," which was my Camp NaNoWriMo project for 2016!).

      So, what is "Knight of the Green Chapel" about? Well, you'll have to read it to find out, but it came out of reading about Green Man images from medieval Europe (like the one above, a "disgorging" Green Man from the Chapel of Saint Abre in France, whose face seems to be vomiting forth vines and plant life), and my love of the Green Knight story (yes, I like the Middle English poem, and I do have Professor Tolkien's version somewhere, but you know what first got me into it? It was the cheesy 1984 Sean Connery movie, Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Yes, I was an 80s kid, and it formed a lot of my later tastes, sometimes in unusual and unexpected ways. So it combines some elements of the Green Man and the Green Knight and the Viking raids on Poitou and my world of Midhgardhur and . . . well, you'll see!

      Also in news from Midhgardhur Books, there is an upcoming giveaway of  "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black" that starts on September 10th (my birthday!) and runs through September 14th. If you don't already have that story (it does appear in the collection, Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I, so if you have that book, you don't need this stand-alone), you can pick it up for FREE on your Kindle or Kindle App device between 9/10/16 - 9/14/16). Check it out if you don't have it yet!

     That's all for this time! Thanks for following my work!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Reading from "The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper" by Draegon Grey (YouTube)

Hello everyone,

     I thought you might enjoy this! It is a YouTube video with a voice-over of Draegon Grey (of "Draegon Grey's Variety Show" reading from The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy. Check it out!

Love that voice!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

FREE Book Promotion Time on Kindle! (9/10/16 - 9/14/16)

Hello everyone,

     "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black," the short prequel to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper, is going to be available for FREE on Kindle and Kindle App device from September 10th to the 14th this year! This story also appears in Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I, but if you don't have that book yet and want a free taste of Midhgardhur, check this out!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

How to Help an Author

Hello everyone,

     The best thing you can do for an author is to read and enjoy what they write. That is the point of writing, after all - having someone else read what you wrote, and for that person to enjoy what you have done. But if you love what an author does, how can you help? Well, it is probably obvious, but buying the author's books always helps. And if you buy a book, and read it, and enjoy it, then the next best thing you can do is to write a review. My work is mostly sold through Amazon, so Amazon reviews are critical for me - people often make the decision whether or not to buy my books based on the reviews. And yes, the numerical ratings are very important, but if you can say something about why you enjoyed the book, that helps immensely. Reviews anywhere else are great too - Goodreads is a great site for this, and blogging or posting about books you read and enjoy can be very helpful.

     I write this not just for myself (though I certainly do hope that if you enjoy my writing you will buy my books and write positive reviews on Amazon and Goodreads), but for authors and artists in general. If you enjoy a particular artist's work, support them! Buy their work! Read their books! Encourage others to do the same! Review it if you can, especially if you can do so positively. There are authors I adore, like Neil Gaiman or Patrick Rothfuss (to pick a couple of prominent examples). I buy their books when I have the money, and I promote them to everyone I know. I give them as gifts. I spread the word. I review on Goodreads. Established authors may not need as much help as struggling beginners like myself, but every bit helps, and I want them to go on producing the art I love, so I support it in any way I can.

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Appearing again on Draegon Grey's Variety Show!

Hello everyone!

     Good news everyone! My first novel, The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy has been featured again on Draegon Grey's Variety Show. Check it out!

Happy Reading . . . and Listening! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Word Count Wednesday and Some Unexpected Adventures

Hello everyone,

     Time for a Word Count Wednesday update! Slow going this last week - "Knight of the Green Chapel" stands at 5344 words! It is turning out to be one of Those Stories in which I know the beginning, the middle, and the end, but have to find out how it all fits. Also, it is one of Those Stories in which the protagonist has adventures I did not expect at the beginning of my journey with them. My protagonist, Gratien de Thyar, son of the Vicomte de Charanta, is the third son of a fairly minor noble, intended (by his father) for the clergy, but he decides to have an adventure because he's pretty sure he's the only one who can save everyone in his realm. I thought he was going to just pop off and have adventures! But it turns out he had been waylaid and captured and kept from doing anything heroic at every turn, so far. I'm hoping he gets to his quest soon!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

The Muses Are Singing! Also, more on Draegon Grey's Variety Show!

Hello everyone,

      You know what is really nice for me as a writer? When the Muses really sing to me, and I pretty much know what I want to do for my monthly stories for Tales From Midhgardhur for the rest of the year. I mean, I am still working on my August story ("Knight of the Green Chapel"), and it is slow going, but I know exactly what I want to do for September, and have titles and ideas if not complete plots for October, November, and December. It is so relaxing to have inspiration and a plan! Now, I just need to find time to carry out my plans . . .

     Also, today Draegon Grey's Variety Show featured a reading from The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy - most of the Prologue (Doom of the Nornir)! Check it out!

Happy Reading . . . and Listening! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

   

The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper Mentioned on Draegon Grey's Variety Show!

Hello everyone,

     On today's episode of Draegon Grey's Variety Show, which features some really interesting electronic music compositions as well as promotions and reviews of books, The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper received a brief mention, and it sounds like there might be a more in-depth discussion or review in the future! The mention of Asa is at the end of this episode of Draegon Grey's Variety Show! So check it out!

Happy Reading . . . and Listening! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Word Count Wednesday and a Knight's Tale (sort of)

Hello everyone,

     My days have been very full lately - caring for a two-year-old will do that to you! - and I have much less time to write, but I am still working on the next big thing! At the moment, that is my next story for Tales From Midhgardhur on Channillo, entitled "Knight of the Green Chapel." The story is a little different, set in Theiphalia, Gaunorria (roughly equivalent to Poitou, France in our world) and involves the legend of the Green Man. The picture above is of the Green Man of St. Abre in Poitou, France. Something like it features in the story! How, you ask? Well, you'll just have to read the story! I was hoping to have it out by the Ides of Sextilis (8/13/16), but it has been pretty slow going - it'll be out on Channillo by the end of August, for sure!

     Anyway, I have been making the effort to get back to my normal routine. I am back to participating in some weekly Twitter events when I am able(#2BitTues, #1LineWed, and #Thurds are usually my big ones). I am back to reading at my usual rate (I've got a pretty wide range of stuff I'm working on, too!). But I am struggling to make any kind of word count goals right now. Don't worry, though; I'll adjust!

     The official word count for "Knight of the Green Chapel" is currently 4216 words and counting. I'm going to see if I can add to that significantly before I go to bed tonight.

     I am so pleased to have more material out there for my fans! My debut novel, The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy has been around on Kindle for more than a year now, but I am very pleased to see it in paperback thanks to CreateSpace!

The other source of my work for fans up until now has been the Channillo series Tales From Midhgardhur; I love doing this series, but a lot of fans who are not Channillo subscribers have been waiting to read these stories for a while. So it made me very happy to finally be able to put out the book Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I: More Midhgardhur Fantasy in both Kindle and paperback formats! 

This collection of stories includes my Camp NaNoWriMo 2016 winning project, The Tale of Halfdanur the Black, which is also available by itself on Kindle for just $0.99. 

     OK, that's it for tonight - I am off to try to add some word count to "Knight of the Green Chapel" before bedtime!

Happy Reading! Skál!

~ Colin Anders Brodd

I have a new website!

Hello everyone,

     I am pleased to announce that I have a new website, thanks to Wix.com! The new site is meant to be my new official author's page. I shall still be using this blog (the website does link to this blog), but the new page allows me to showcase my published books and stories for fans. Check out the new website HERE!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

More Stories Available NOW! More Stories On the Way!

Hello everyone,

     First of all, I am pleased to announce that "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black," my summer camp project for Camp NaNoWriMo, was completed several days ago and went through quite a bit of editing so I could make it available for everyone. This forms a sort of prequel to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper, telling the story of Halfdanur Svarti, the father of Asa's antagonist, Haraldur. It is now available on Kindle - the settings did not allow me to make it free, but it is now available for $0.99! You can find it HERE!

     Anyway, having that done and ready meant that I was able to include that as the final story in the new collection, Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I, now in paperback for $9.99. This collection gathers the first nine storied published in the Channillo series Tales From Midhgardhur (Runner Up for Best Fantasy Series in the 2016 Channillo Awards) as well as "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black." I plan to publish other collections as the series progresses. The new book is also available on Kindle.

     Of course, I am also working on my next Channillo story for Tales From Midhgardhur - the next installment will be "Knight of the Green Chapel," a story set in Theiphalia, a region of Gaunorria (a region roughly equivalent to Poitou, France in our world). I have not yet set a publication date for that story, but it should be out sometime in early August.

      I hope that you will check out the new publications and I truly hope that you will enjoy them! If you do like what you read (not just my work, but whatever you may happen to read), please consider writing reviews for Amazon and Goodreads. The reviews really mean a lot to authors, and help other people find our work!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 17 - What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Hello everyone!

     I am pleased to say that I am officially over my word count goal of 10,500 words (currently at 10,528 words, in fact!), so I have "won" Camp NaNoWriMo. Now I start editing the heck out of this so I can add it to the next book I have forthcoming, Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I. I also plan to make the finished version available for free on Kindle, since it forms a sort of prequel to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper. And don't worry - I am also working on my next story for the Channillo series, Tales From Midhgardhur!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 12 - Back In Black

Hello everyone,

     Well, as AC/DC says, I'm back in black! That's funnier if you know me personally and know that my wardrobe pretty much consists entirely of black clothing . . . but also makes the point that music is a powerful source of mood and inspiration for me. When I am writing Midhgardhur material, I often seek inspiration or even just ambiance in music. Tonight's music is MANOWAR - If there were an official soundtrack to my Midhgardhur stories, it would be the music of MANOWAR! In particular, tonight's soundtrack is Battle Hymns and Sign of the Hammer! If you don't know this band, you should check them out! They are not for everyone, but if you're one of the people for whom they make their music, you'll probably fall in love with their stuff (although the albums to which I am listening right now are their earliest work, and not necessarily their best work). Anyway . . .

     So I took the weekend off from writing to attend a new Arizona gaming convention called Crit Hit. Crit Hit 2016 was a lot of fun! I ran three different Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG zero-level funnels, and it was awesome! When I returned from the convention, I was a little burned out, I did not get right back to summer camp work right away (shame on me!). So today I had to buckle down and get back to it! I am hacking away at my word count goal (I'm currently at 8606 words out of my goal of 10,500 words, so I'm getting close - only 1900-odd words left to go to my minimum goal!). Today I added a bunch of stuff I wasn't sure would make it to the story, including mention of Halfdanur's parents (their story is complicated, and I wasn't sure I wanted to get into it - for the most part I didn't, I just mention them in passing. I just finished reading a novel that deals with the historical Halfdanur's parents - you can check out Song of the Valkyrie by Steven M. Rogers if you are interested!). I also figured out a way of working in an episode that seemed a bit too silly to work in my story in its original version, so that felt good. Anyway, I'm now fully back in the writing groove . . . back in black!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

P.S. The image above is an illustration of the murder of Gudhrodhur the Hunter, father of Halfdanur the Black, by a man with a spear. This episode was mentioned in my writing today, so I thought it would make an interesting illustration for this post!

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 7 - End of (Out)Line

Hello everyone,

     To say that I am exhausted would be such a dramatic understatement as to be actually worthless in conveying how I feel at present. I have a two year old boy who decided not to sleep more than a combined total of about 2.5 hours last night (not continuous!), so I'm going on a couple of days with no real sleep at all and trying to cram everything to meet self-imposed deadlines . . . So yeah. Anyway. Tonight, I caught up with the end of my initial outline for my Camp NaNoWriMo project. I'm at 7873 words or so, but I've reached the end of the outline I was working from. So now I have a lot of editing and fleshing out of this skeleton to do, especially if I am to make my goal of a minimum of 10,500 words. I also have material for my next Channillo story for Tales From Midhgardhur pouring from my skull - I need to get it onto paper or pixels soon, before I lose it! Plus, I may not get much done over the next couple of days - I need to actually sleep at some point, and I'm going to Crit Hit in Phoenix, AZ this weekend . . .

     On a related note, I am very much looking forward to Crit Hit. I'm Judging 3 Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG modules ("The Portal Under the Stars," "Sailors on the Starless Sea," and "Hole In The Sky"), plus I signed up for some games I love - Call of Cthulhu, Hunter:The Vigil . . . and I signed up to try Tunnels & Trolls with Ken St. Andre (the creator of T&T, which was the 2nd RPG ever created), so that's like Geek Bucket List material right there, that's like playing D&D with Gary Gygax . . .

      Anyway, given the circumstances, I may not post again for a few days. Don't take it personally. I'll be back!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 6 and Word Count Wednesday

Hello everyone,

     Today is the 6th day of virtual summer camp at Camp NaNoWriMo, and it is my first Word Count Wednesday of the month! The news from camp is that I am at 5994 words on my Camp NaNoWriMo project, The Tale of Halfdanur the Black, which is awesome - my ultimate goal is a minimum of 10.500 words, so I am more than halfway done already, in theory. But I also figured out today what I want to do for my next Channillo project in Tales From Midhgardhur. At present, I have just the barest outline of that, at 136 words. But I think it's going to be a great story! And it may end up being the kickoff to Volume II of Tales From Midhgardhur . . .

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 5 - Rough Chapters Taking Shape!

Hello everyone,

     Well, the 5th day of my virtual summer camp at Camp NaNoWriMo is drawing to a close, and I have a rough outline of three chapters completed, at a total of about 4511 words! I think it is going to be six chapters total, and the ones I have written are in pretty rough shape, so I have a LOT of work to do - but there are rough chapters taking shape! I've got a two-year-old toddling around my house, which limits the writing I can do during the day, and this weekend will be a wash for me (I'm Judging some Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG games at Crit Hit here in Phoenix this weekend!), but I've got my outline and I'm getting as much of a head start as possible so I'll be ahead if my productivity crashes, which seems like a virtual certainty at some point!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 4 - Independence Forever!

Hello everyone,

     Happy Independence Day! The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Today it was not just American Independence Day, but also the 4th day of virtual summer camp with Camp NaNoWriMo. My toast for the 4th of July every year is "Independence Forever!" - the final Independence Day toast of John Adams, who died on the 4th of July, 1826, the same day as his friend, Thomas Jefferson.

    I've been working on The Tale of Halfdanur the Black, and I think it is coming along quite well. I finished the first draft of the Dofri episode I mentioned previously. It is much longer than I expected, and needs editing, but it is a good start. Currently, my word count is up to 3646 words.

     Meanwhile, the print version of The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper is off to a good start, and I'm very proud that my Channillo.com series Tales From Midhgardhur was runner up for Best Fantasy Series in the 2016 Channillo Awards. Tales From Midhgardhur will also form the basis of my 2nd book in print, which should be available around the end of August - Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I. It will contain all the stories published on Channillo.com so far, as well as The Tale of Halfdanur the Black (which will not be on Channillo, but will be available for free from Amazon on Kindle).

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 3 - More Giant Stuff!

Hello everyone,

     Day 3 of Camp NaNoWriMo, and the writing is going smoothly. I credit the fact that I plan a lot in advance so I can flesh out my outline to my heart's content without getting lost in what I'm doing. Anyway, I worked more on introducing the "Dofri the Giant" plot line to my story today; it wasn't in my original outline, so I'm concentrating on that first, in case I run into problems I didn't anticipate because this wasn't in the original specs. Currently, the tale is sitting at 2484 words. According to Camp NaNoWriMo, I'll hit my minimum word count on July 13th if I keep up this pace. Keeping up the pace may prove difficult, given the recent changes to my household routine, but I'm happy to be ahead of the curve for now - at the very least, it means I have a bit of a buffer if I am not able to work on my story some days . . .

Happy Reading! Skál!
~Colin Anders Brodd

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 2 - Giants In The Earth

Hello everyone,

     Well, my writing time is very short for the 2nd day of Camp NaNoWriMo (I've got a 2 year old toddling around my home, and I'm running a Pathfinder game in about an hour!), but I did a bit of work on The Tale of Halfdanur the Black. In particular, I've been working on adding an episode that was not in my original outline (it does not appear in the sources I originally used for research, but I found it in another saga, and I want to use it) - an episode in which the young Haraldur frees a giant named Dofri from imprisonment (the illustration above is of that scene in the Flateyjarbók). So I did some work on the giant today. My word count is currently at 1975 words (my goal is at least 10,500) - also, coincidentally, the year in which I was born! Anyway, I'm done with writing for today, and off to prepare for Pathfinder! 

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Camp NaNoWriMo Day 1 - The Tale Begins!

Hello everyone,

     So it is July 1st, and summer camp (Camp NaNoWriMo, anyway!) has begun - with The Tale of Halfdanur the Black. I'm working from an outline I prepared in advance, but I'm beginning to put some real flesh on that skeleton! My minimum goal is 10,500 words (child's play, and not even really a novella length), but I shall happily surpass that if I can! My word count for the first day is about 1168 words and counting after a word sprint with some cabin-mates! Off to a great start!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Word Count Wednesday: I CAN drive 55 . . .

Hello everyone,

     Just a Word Count Wednesday update - my word count this week is 55 words! 55? Aye, 55! Now, you may think I'm slipping, and I could come up with excuses (e.g. our fostering license was finally approved, so we're suddenly quite busy around here!), but the fact is, I don't need an excuse - it was a challenge, you see! Trying to write a good Midhgardhur story with only 55 words. So, my next installment in Tales From Midhgardhur is slated for July 1st, and will be titled "Hjalti's First Holmganga." It is an exploration, in just 55 words, of the first time that Hjalti (a character well known to fans of The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy) fought a holmganga duel, back when he was just a young retainer to Jarl Ragnvaldur when Halfdanur the Black was king of Vestfold. The duel took place at Haugathing at some point during King Halfdanur's reign. Anyway, whittling the story down to just 55 words was quite a challenge, but I am rather pleased with the result. I hope you enjoy it!

     Before I sign off, I ought to mention that I am getting very excited about Camp NaNoWriMo starting July 1st! I am working on The Tale of Halfdanur the Black, which will constitute a sort of short prequel to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper. I am also hoping to help raise funds to support NaNoWriMo - my fundraising page is HERE if you would like to sponsor me and help a good cause!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper - now in PAPERBACK!

Hello everyone!

     Exciting news! My first fantasy novel, The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy is now available in PAPERBACK! I'm very impressed with the quality of the printing, and it is now available on Amazon for $10.99! I have some really great reviews; if you read it and you like it, please add to those!

     The process of putting together the print edition through CreateSpace was very educational; I've learned a lot from the process, and it will make my next publishing project that much easier. That project, by the way, will be Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I, which should be available sometime in August (I'm going to be developing part of it throughout July for Camp NaNoWriMo). The story will collect my Channillo stories so far (Tales From Midhgardhur, runner-up for Best Fantasy Series in the 2016 Channillo Awards!) with this new material. By streamlining the process, I should be able to offer Tales From Midhgardhur both on Kindle and in paperback at roughly the same time.

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Runner Up!

Hello everyone!

     Exciting news! My Channillo short story series, Tales From Midhgardhur, was the runner up for Best Fantasy Series in the 2016 Channillo Awards!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

PROOF! (The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper Print Edition, now in PROOFREADING!)

Hello everyone!

      An exciting moment for me - the proof copy of my first novel, The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy has arrived! It will be carefully proofread before I approve it, and any errors addresses, but that won't take very long - soon my book will be available in print as well as Kindle! It is so thrilling to hold an actual printed copy of my novel in my hands, just a year after it was self-published on Kindle! And I just got another five-star review on Amazon and Goodreads this last week as well, so I'm feeling pretty happy overall!

     I'm also working on a collection of Midhgardhur fiction, Tales From Midhgardhur, Volume I, based on the Channillo series. That should be ready by the end of summer, and I'm creating that one as a print book and Kindle book simultaneously, so I'll have two books in print by the end of this year! So exciting!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Announcing PRINT version of The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper! Coming VERY soon!

Kindle Cover ad - Print Cover coming soon! 

Hello everyone,

      GREAT NEWS! I'm working with CreateSpace to make a PRINT edition of The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper! It has been more work than I expected, converting it to a print book, but I think it will be worth it! I'm not sure yet when it will be available, but I think it should be within the next few days! The ISBN is: 978-1533601346 (or just 1533601348 if you're Old School like me!). I'm pretty excited about this; Tanya and I can't wait to have a physical, printed copy on our bookshelves at home!

Happy Reading (and I hope that includes a PRINT copy of The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper)! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Word Count Wednesday: Crown and Prequel

Hello everyone!

     It is time once again for Word Count Wednesday! This will be my last one for a while, since I plan to be offline for the next couple of weeks! So what have we got, hmmm?
     Well, my latest offering for Tales From Midhgardhur on Channillo posted today, entitled "Ingjaldur's Crown" - it weighs in at about 5890 words!

     Also, after much tinkering, I have the outline complete for a prequel to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper, to be titled "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black" - the revised outline weighs in around 5180 words! I am signing up for Camp NaNoWriMo this July, and I intend to make "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black" my special project for "summer camp"!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Prequel News: "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black"

Cover Art - Queen Ragnhildur's Dreams

Hello everyone,

     So, I know I have mentioned recently that I am working on a prequel to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy, but I've been pretty short on details so far. I can now tell you that it will be a very short prequel (like a short story), and it will be called "The Tale of Halfdanur the Black". It will mostly concern the father of Haraldur Halfdansson, who is ultimately one of the great antagonists of The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper. I put together some cover art (the scene is from "Queen Ragnhildur's Dreams," a chapter in the story). I'm not yet hazarding a guess as to when it will be ready, but once it is, my intention is to make it available for free on Kindle.

     I'll post more updates as they become available!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

"Ingjaldur's Crown" to be released on schedule!

Good news, everyone!

     I finished writing "Ingjaldur's Crown" (I felt like I was never going to finish it at times!), and it will be posting to Tales From Midhgardhur on Channillo on schedule (6/1/16)! "Ingjaldur's Crown" is set soon after the events of The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy, and returns to Asa, Hrefna, and Hrafn for the first time, really ("Hrafn's Ninth Night" was a sort of prequel for Hrafn, but this is the first time I have returned to all the main protagonists!). So this was fun and exciting for me!

      Of course, I am still working on the thus-far untitled prequel to The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper, which is going to be a much longer project than any of my short Tales From Midhgardhur. Not sure what the July project will be yet, but it might involve Asa and her companions as well! All of this is working me up to the point where I might actually write that sequel that so many people have asked me to write!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd

Word Count Wednesday - A Prequel and a Crown - More Asa Oathkeeper!

Queen Ragnhildur's Dream

Hello everyone!

     Well, it is Word Count Wednesday, so here are the updates:

     For everyone who loved The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper: A Midhgardhur Fantasy and asked for more of Asa, I'm actually working on TWO stories related to that novel at this time! One is a so-far-untitled prequel that I intend to offer for free on Kindle when its finished; Asa is not actually in the prequel (she is only five years old at the time the end of the prequel is set), but it is a return to that novel, in the sense that it sets up the background of the antagonist, Haraldur, telling the story of his father (Halfdanur Svarti) and mother (Ragnhildur Sigurdhardottir). Anyway, I finished the outline for this story yesterday, and the outline sits at 4373 words. I hope to make it a little longer than the typical story on Tales From Midhgardhur, perhaps a very short novella, by the time I finish it.

     The other piece is a short story for Tales From Midhgardhur on Channillo titled "Ingjaldur's Crown" - this story does feature Asa, Hrefna, and Hrafn, and is set at a time not long after the end of The Saga of Asa Oathkeeper. I haven't really started hacking away at this story yet; right now it sits at 1910 words. I had planned to release this one on 6/1/16, but I may not quite make it in time. The latest I want to push it would be 6/4/16, since I'm planning on doing some camping up in canyon country (northern Arizona and southern Utah), and I shan't have access to the Internet much there!

      I've been getting some great feedback on Twitter recently; if you're a fan and don't follow me there yet, I'm @Valerianus on Twitter. You can also follow my author page on Facebook and my author profile on Goodreads if you would like to help support my work!

Happy Reading! Skál!
~ Colin Anders Brodd