Hi everyone,
I’m spotlighting my 2019 releases all through December.
Today I’m sharing a look at my historical paranormal romance, The Viking’s
Witch.
The Viking’s Witch is a traditional historical romance with
paranormal elements set in Scotland in 803 A.D. The heroine, Odaria, is what
they called a witch back then—nowadays we’d call her a psychic and a healer.
The Viking’s Witch
About to be burned at the stake by her fellow villagers,
Odaria does what any betrayed witch facing certain death would do. She calls
down a curse. Within seconds, rampaging Norsemen raid the village, capturing
everyone except her.
But her reprieve is short-lived, and Odaria lands in the
clutches of the Norse leader Rothgar. Can she remain true to herself and fight
her growing attraction to this domineering man, or will she fall under his
influence?
After Rothgar witnesses Odaria’s powers firsthand, he
strikes a bargain with her. The raven-haired beauty will use her magical
abilities to help him with his quest in exchange for safe passage off the isle.
But can this cunning woman be trusted, or is she using him to exact vengeance
on her village?
Together they must fight bloodthirsty villagers, battle a
mutinous band of Norsemen, find a missing Norse ship, and learn to trust each
other…before time is up.
***
Interviewers have asked me how I can create such interesting
and diverse characters for all of my books. They want to know where Rothgar and
Odaria came from. Well, there’s no real way to answer that other than, I just
made them up. (Chris Hemsworth from Thor is pretty much what I envisioned
Rothgar to look like—even though I wrote the book WAY before the movie came
out!)
When I create my heroes and heroines I always give them
“baggage” and flaws—along with problems to overcome. This way, they can grow
and change over the course of the book. Odaria is a strong-willed “witch” who
is tired of being abused and ridiculed by the people in her village. She swears
she doesn’t need anyone’s help to get by. Rothgar was once a powerful warrior,
but a personal tragedy has softened him and left him broken and unwilling to
love anyone again.
When they first meet, they each play off the others’
weaknesses. Odaria has no qualms about standing up to Rothgar and arguing with
him, and he respects her willful and fearless behavior. Eventually they realize
that they need (and want) to be with each other forever.
Odaria’s “magic” is the catalyst that sets the story in
motion. When the book opens, Odaria is about to be burned alive for being a
witch. She calls down a spell and curses the villagers while unknowingly
invoking a Viking raid. Or so it seems…
Odaria uses her “powers” for self-preservation and to get
revenge on the people who hurt her. Rothgar doesn’t believe in her “magic” and
thinks she’s merely pretending to be a witch to frighten people. But after a
highly-charged interaction with the villain, Brennan, Rothgar gets a taste of
what Odaria could really do if she set her mind to it.
I loved showing readers (and Rothgar) Odaria’s powers of
clairvoyance, telekinesis, and psychometry. The scenes that included the
“magic” elements were a lot of fun to write. I’ve always been interested in
psychic phenomena and other New Age/paranormal subjects, so it was easy for me
to incorporate what I know into Odaria’s character.
I hope you enjoyed this “inside look” at The Viking’s Witch.
I’m happy to say that readers and reviewers fell in love with the characters
and the book has received dozens of excellent reviews.
Here’s a mini-excerpt from The Viking's Witch:
Rothgar inched closer to her. She tried to move away, but
she had nowhere to go. Her back was pressed against the door. Rothgar grinned
and cupped her chin in his wide hand. What was he doing? His rough beard grazed
her cheek as his lips lightly brushed against hers.
Her entire body tingled, and a wave of dizziness washed over
her. The room spun and seemed to grow dim. As everything faded, she had a clear
vision of wrapping her arms around Rothgar's neck and eagerly pulling him close
for a kiss. Dizzy, she pitched forward. Rothgar caught her and clutched her to
his chest.
"Shh," he soothed, running his hand through her
loose hair. "I will not harm you, Odaria."
She relaxed against his broad chest, letting him support her
weight. His touch was calming, and she felt safe here, leaning against Rothgar
as she would rest against a thick tree. She inhaled deep. Rothgar didn't stink
of rancid sweat like the other men. He smelled clean and salty, like the sea.
The scent comforted her. She could almost fall asleep where she stood.
After a few moments, her dizzy spell passed, and she gazed
at him. "You are not like the others. You are different, Rothgar."
He smiled. "Ja, in some ways. But fear not, Odaria. I
will not share you with the others. I wish to have you all to myself."
Rothgar chuckled and winked at her.
Order The Viking’s Witch here:
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4EQe0o
Happy Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
