I finally finished reviewing Kingship Throne Thief and sent it off for a Line Edit. That gives me a little time to continue writing book five before I start reviewing book two for a Line Edit. Now, why do I do this? Because I want Kingship to be the best I can make of it.
Its true, I already got it acknowledged in Norwegian, but translating it to English brings in a new aspect—the culture of language, and though I wrote the series with a look to the old times—now I want the modern world to read it and understand it, so, I do change the text quite a bit. Leaving out sentences, changing the language to a more modern way of reading, and narrowing the story. And I love it.
As I’m waiting to publish Throne Thief, I undertake the task of continuing writing book five—which may end up with the title “Enslaved”. This time I introduce Scotland as a major scene for the book, along with Norway. Great things are about to happen as we enter the last 25 years of the 11th century. Scotland and Norway strengthen their alliance, while England becomes an Enemy to the former, having Norwegian ambassadors reach out to support Scotlands independence. And in this time great Scottish names appear in history, and the fight for the throne of Scotland erupts.
But what happens on the Isle of Man? Being placed under Scottish rule changes a lot of things on the Island. The Norse inhabitants (I will not call them settlers anymore since they have been there for nearly three hundred years) are enslaved by the Scottish, imprisoned and impoverished or excommunicated. Forced to flee their lands while they’re Norwegian relations still sues for power over the small kingdom of the Isles.
It is a long book to finish, and maybe it comes in three separate volumes, but finish it I will.
Included here is a drawing I have made of how I imagine that Ronaldsway, Langness and the castle of Rushen—today’s Castletown, might have looked in the 11th century.