Interview with Thor

Marvels Thor-The Dark World is coming to theaters on November 8th. Are you excited? This comic book hero is losely based on the god of thunder from Norse Mythology. Yes he is a real charmer in the movie; a handsome romantic hero that can fly. In my book Secrets of the Ash Tree I paint a different picture of this god.  

Today we are ending my blog tour with a bolt of lightning and the roar of thunder over at E.J. Wesley's as he takes a more personal peak with an interview from the real Thor.

I will be announcing winners of my Giveaway soon and
if you have missed the other stops on my tour it's not to late! Thank you to everyone that has joined me on this blog tour. I hope you have had as much fun as I have!

Intro to the Norse Gods
Screening at Meilori's
Norse Gods Blogfest
Interview with Odin  
Interview with Freya
Interview with Loki

 

Secrets of the Ash Tree

By Siv Maria Ottem

 

~~~In the realm of the gods and fairy tales the mystery of life is an endless path with many secrets to be discovered. Some secrets are like dreams, just waiting in darkness hoping to get into the light. 

 

 ‘Secrets of the Ash Tree’ is the story about Liv, a young woman who discovers her true nature through the unraveling of hidden secrets. Her adventures begin when she digs up a chest that was buried by her father under the old ash tree in her garden. What she finds inside the chest changes her life forever.  

Liv discovers one secret after another and is thrown into a world full of dangerous and strange creatures, mighty Norse warriors and perils beyond her belief. What started out as a fairy tale in her father’s journal was to become her legacy, a guide line to survival, and a map to the world she was about to enter. Each day, each mystery, each encounter will ultimately reveal her true destiny and behind the edge of a sword awaits a young god who is willing to share that destiny with her.

Available in Hardcover, softcover, kindle:

Amazon  

Amazon kindle 

Barnes & Noble

Don't forget to add it to

Goodreads 

Which one of the interviews did you enjoy the most? Did you sign up for my Giveaway? Did you enjoy my blogtour? 

EYE SPY GOOGLE SPIDERS!

Have you ever watched some of those TV shows like American Idol, So you think you can dance, or any other show that asks the public to vote for their favorite? Do you ever check your blogger stats and find yourself amazed at the results? Eye Spy's Pink Panther has been on the prowl again and he has found out some interessting things. Go ahead, look at your stats and let me know if you found anything surprising!

This is what he found out:

The countries that visit me most are in order: The United States, Russia and the United Kingdom. Lately for some reason Russia has moved to number one and France has replaced the United Kingdom. Norway is always trailing behind as number four; fighting for this position with Sweden…..I would have never guessed…

The blog post most visited all time is THOR…No surprise, followed by the Games Blogfest  hosted by Alex Cavanaugh….Lately the post that has been getting the most hits is one made by Minnie, she seems to have gone viral, it is a post for The Insecure WritersSupport Group made almost a year ago! It seems that Alex, being the Ninja that he is, has boosted my blogger search results. Make sure you visit the Insecure Writers Support Group next Wednesday, maybe you will get the most votes from whatever spider is lurking in the mighty Google search engine!

For some more news, go visit Michael Di Gesu’s blog. He has some exciting news today so go to his blog and wish him some of your good luck! Minnie is also sitting around watching the sunset disappear. She needs some help finding it so please pay her a visit!

What has your stats revealed? Do you love my new book illustration by the talented Michael Di Gesu? What about poor Minnie, should she continue with Gibberish stories or is she a lost cause?

Enjoy the rest of your week!

The God Thor and his Mother

Stories from Norwegian culture and mythology have always fascinated me. Every Monday I try to find some of these stories to share with you. Some I find in my own back yard, some I translate from Norwegian folklore and some are researched online. The stories from Norse Mythology are based on “The Prose Edda”, an Icelandic collection of prose containing tales from Nordic mythology, written by the Icelandic scholar and historian Snorri Sturluson around the year 1220.

With all the recent attention Thor has been getting in the movies, I thought it fitting to take a look at Thor’s mother. You know her better than you might think.

Thor's Mother Jord

 Thor is the first son of Odin, father of the Asgardians, but little is said of his mother.  Thor has a special love for Earth, more so than perhaps any other god. Like his father he is captivated by the beauty, the strength and endurance of earth.  Thor is the protector of earth and it is not surprising since earth is his birthplace and Jord (Norwegian name for earth) is Thor’s mother. 

In Norse mythology, Jord, also known as mother earth is the mother of Thor. Jord is a giantess and reckoned a goddess, like other jötnar (giants) who coupled with the gods. Jord (also known as Fjorgyn, or Hlodyn) is one of the Aesir, an earth goddess as well as a giant, she was the mother of Thor and the mistress of Odin. Some say that she was Odin’s first wife but the interpretations are unclear as to whether that is the case. 

According to one story, Odin sought to father a son whose power would derive from Earth as well as Asgard, and hence he sought to mate with Jord. Odin created a cave in Norway where Jord gave birth to Thor. Months after the infant Thor was weaned, Odin brought him to Asgard to be raised. Odin's wife, the goddess Frigg, acted as Thor's mother from that time onward. Not until years after his birth did Thor learn that Jord was his birth mother, and he has been busy protecting her ever since.

 

Did you know that by being a creature of the earth, you are related to Thor as well? Do you know where your hammer is, and how often do you use it?

The Avengers and Pasta

As I open the door to Fridays, “What’s for dinner Mom?" there is something I need to say:  Guess what? Today I managed to put on my super power apron and in true Avenger style, conjured up Captain Americas Macaroni and Cheese. Not an easy task without American cheese. Before I reveal to you my secret ingredients, I have a bone to pick with Mr. Marvel Comics.

How did Thor get so lost in the world of comics?

Ever since I saw the movie Thor my noodle has been cooking, and last week while watching The Avengers my pasta really started to boil. Why? Because Marvel Comics have taken the liberty of changing the Norse God Thor into a demi-god alien from the planet Asgard, with a half- brother named Loki. Since Thors mother was not human, but mother earth herself in the form of a giantess, and Thors father was the father of all Gods, then I would call Thor a full-blooded God.  Norse Gods; no more live on an Alien planet, then the Greek, Roman or any other God of mythology. It can be debated as to the relationship between Thor and Loki, but according to popular Norwegian legend, Loki was Odins blood brother. This would make Loki more of an uncle to Thor than a brother.  Ok enough ranting, and believe it or not I did like the movie The Avengers. There was a sense of humor which was lacking in the movie Thor and the acting was far superior. This is where I confess that I have a huge crush on Robert Downey Jr. and would love to serve him some of my pasta any day.

Back into the kitchen, let me share with you my secret to making Macaroni and Cheese, yes the American kind made with American/cheddar cheese. We do not get that here in Norway so our melted cheese is like stringy topping on a pizza. I found a way to get that smooth and creamy goodness in every bite! I added sausages to mine, but there is no need---I just like sausages. Here is what you need if you are Norwegian, if you are American you don't need my advice:

 Americans in Norway have to compromise when it comes to many favorite foods.

Instead of following the instructions for the cheese dip, you add double the amount of milk as is instructed on the packet, and you have a cheese sauce. If you are adding sausage or any other kind of prepared meat, make sure to cut it up in pieces. After you mix everything together, put it in a large casserole, top with shredded cheese and bake it in a medium warm oven for about 30-45 minutes. Here is the finished result:

Serve with a salad to make this dish more healthy.

Captain Americas Macaroni and Cheese, a guaranteed heart-breaker! Enjoy your week-end and if you are going to see The Avengers, don’t be fooled by Thor and Loki. Neither one of them are what they appear to be, unless of course you would rather believe in Mr. Marvels Comic book world. Either way, there is plenty of action and humor to keep you and the popcorn machine happy. Back on Monday with a story about first loves.

Have you seen the Avengers? Let me know what you think.