Happy hump day! If you made it this far, treat yourself to a cup of your favourite hot beverage and relax. Unless you're at work, in which case relax whilst still looking like you're working.
Okay! Now you're relaxed, how about a chat with Lea Bronsen about her new book, viking romance TORN AVENGER? If you want dark, m/m historical romance, this is the book for you! Lea was kind enough to answer a few questions for me, as well as sharing a teaser, so read on and enjoy!
Hi Lea! Tell us a little bit
about your newest release.
Hi, and thanks so much for
having me! Torn Avenger is a gripping, emotional story of murder and
passion where two ancient worlds collide.
As the second son of a
Viking earl, Alv Gunnulfsen wasn't meant to inherit a throne or
avenge a murder. But when his brother is slain during a raid and
their father dies of grief, Alv is expected to take command and claim
the killer's death. In a world of ruthless retaliation and strict
social codes, he must also maneuver cleverly to protect a troublesome
secret: his attraction for men.
Roeland van Dijk, a
wealthy Dutch merchant settled in Norway, has done the unthinkable to
protect his family — hacked off the head of a Viking rapist. The
wrath of the blond savages will cost him his freedom, and possibly
his own head… Unless he's willing to accept the love of another
man.
Was there any part of
this story you found particularly tough to write? If so, why?
Yes,
historical accuracy bothered me a lot. I
wanted to set the story in a real period in history. Alv was to
represent the last of the Viking raiders and Roeland the first of
European merchants to settle in Norway. I had to conduct quite the
research to make sure these two strong civilizations actually met!
Also,
I wondered whether the Norwegians and their European “invaders”
co-lived in peace or bloody confrontations occurred. I couldn’t
find any information, but thought it quite probable that some
Vikings, tempted by the precious goods imported into Bjorgvin and the
wealth of their merchants, raided the trading post the same way they
were reputed to in the rest of the world. Why wouldn’t they? In
this case, I allowed myself some artistic freedom :)
Sounds like you got really in-depth, so a little artistic freedom is probably allowed here and there! Shifting directions a bit, who are your biggest
influences – they don't have to just be literary ones!
Oh, I’ve always
been an avid lover of rock, from early, bluesy stuff and backstreet
glam, via grunge, to industrial/alternative rock and
thrash/heavy/death metal. The whole palette of rock music has had a
major influence
on me since I was old enough to buy my own vinyls, lol. I can’t
imagine an existence without it to make me vibrate and feel alive!
On the literary side, I’m
a huge fan of psychological thriller authors like Mo Hayder, Cody
McFadyen, and Lisa Gardner. I simply thirst for dark,
hold-your-breath thrillers that blend graphic violence and gore with
the sickest forms of mental deviance. Their inspiration is evident in
some of my books. *Ahem* it probably says something about me…
We have similar tastes in music! I'll need to check out some of those authors, since that sounds like my kinda thing too. Apart from writing,
what are your great passions in life?
I have three lovely
daughters aged 7, 15, and 17, and when I’m not busy at my day job
or nose-deep in one of my stories, I try to spend as much “quality”
time with them as possible. I love taking them out fishing, mushroom
picking, boat/motorcycle riding, cooking, mountain climbing, and
chess/card playing. Children are gifts of life and time passes very
fast, so it’s important to spend it well.
Wow, I'm impressed you fit the writing in! What else are you
working on right now? What's up next from you?
My next release is the
dark erotic crime MMMM ménage The Audition, about a young wannabe
actor challenged to comply with the film producers’ dirty fantasies
in order to get a movie part. It’s hot, it’s dirty, and one of
the main characters is a ruthless drug lord, so there’re elements
of crime and danger, too. I really hope my readers are going to like
it.
Aside from that, I’ve
started work on the sequel to my debut novel Wild Hearted, a gritty
inner-city crime drama that came out in 2013. Let me tell ya I’m
super excited about bringing my two favorite characters, Tomor, an
imprisoned gang leader, and Luz, his long-lost love, back to life in
a whole new psychological thriller!
So if all that whet your appetite for Lea's stories, read on for a closer look at TORN AVENGER!
Clickety-click.
