Norse Gods Giveaway Winners and more

This is the first time I tried a giveaway and I must confess that I am rather dissapointed in the turnout. There were very few who participated so the same few names kept coming up as I pushed the pick a winner button. Here are the winners of my giveaway:

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now I am wondering why there were so few entries. Do you think that giveaways have overflooded the market? Are people getting tired of Rafflecopters? Anyways, congratulations to the winners! 

A reminder that anyone who bought my book during the blogfest can email me a copy of their amazon order receipt and I will send them a signed copy of the Freya illustration done by my talented daughter.

Any thoughts you would like to share with me regarding my blog tour? Did you like the interviews with the gods? Did you like my book trailer for Secrets of the Ash Tree?

 ***

E.J. Wesley has revealed his cover for the fourth book in his Moonsong series, Dragon's Game.

It will 'officially' go on sale October 22nd at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of "monster hunter" and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. She has already faced a werewolf, witches, and a troll. But nothing could prepare her for her latest confrontation...

Dragon's Game, Moonsongs Book 4, finds Jenny out of her rural West Texas element, searching for an evil witch in an urban Houston nightclub. After attempting to help a handsome and mysterious stranger out of a jam, she finds herself on the run from a ruthless gang who are even more dangerous than they initially appear.

Forced into a twisted game of life and death, Jenny must navigate the complexity of a budding relationship, and somehow survive a night filled with unexpected horror and paranormal mystery.

Dragon's Game is approximately 14,000 words or 45 pages, and is the fourth volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, speculative / urban fantasy novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)

New Adult Fall Fling Deal: Also for a limited time you can catch up on the entire Moonsongs series as well as other great books for just .99 cents (regularly $2.99)!

 ***

On another note, this is October and preparations for Halloween are underway. Well, not so much here in Norway, but I have always loved Halloween! Roland Yeomans is having a Happy Halloween Blogfest and I have signed up to have some spooky fun. Check out his blog for more details!
 

--- "You have from October 1st to Halloween to post about the book which scared you the most as a young reader and the book which scared you the most as an adult."

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? 

Last chance!

Just a reminder everyone that the last stop on my Secrets of the Ash Tree-Norse Gods blog tour is Monday 14th of October. Take a trip over to E.J. Wesley tomorrow for a personal interview with Thor.

A reminder that my giveaway is ending soon, so make sure to enter for a chance at winning some great prizes!

If you have missed the other stops on my tour it's not to late!

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

Which one of the interviews did you enjoy the most? Have a great Sunday and I hope to see you back here again on Monday!

Interview with LOKI

Wikimedia commons-Loki's flight to Jotunheimen

Loki can be found lurking around at Susan Roebucks blog today. Head over to her blog and see what that trickster has to say.

Susan was my critique partner and often muse for my book 'Secrets of the Ash Tree.' She kept pushing me on and inspiring me at times when I was ready to give up. Susan was a big help with my writing and continues to be a valued friend!

Here is a small excerpt about Loki from my book Secrets of the Ash Tree:

Loki had come so close to getting the necklace and had it not been for the interference of that brat Forseti he would be free from the ridiculous confines of this decay. It was getting harder for him to shape shift. Each time he tried the effects tore more skin and hair from his body. Loki shivered in disgust at his reflection in the mountain stream as he tried to refasten half his nose with sticky sap from a tree. Swearing at the air around him he went back to work and by nightfall he had finished building his hut.

            “How clever I am,” he said to himself as he fastened the final door. He now had a hut with a door in each corner for a hasty escape in any direction. He decided that if the gods should come in search of him he would rush down to the stream and change himself into a salmon.  That should buy me the time I need, he thought as he looked across the room at the stolen urn of Espen Ash. Pleased with himself, he said to the urn, “I am sure that Liv would trade her necklace for her father’s ashes.”  Loki made a fire in the hearth and quickly fell asleep. 

            In Loki’s dark mind covered in sleep, a giant hook ripped into his side and pulled him out of black water. He screamed as a huge troll with long black hair grabbed him and pulled him off the hook. With one stroke of her knife she gutted him and cut off his head. Loki snapped awake from his dream. He could still hear the troll laugh as she threw his head into the water and yelled, “I am coming for you!”

----------------------------------------------------

Secrets of the Ash Tree" Available in Hardcover, softcover, kindle:

Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Ash-Tree-Maria-Ottem/dp/1490708790/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379498108&sr=1-2

Amazon kindle- http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Ash-Tree-ebook/dp/B00E5Y79PQ

Barnes and Noble- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-of-the-ash-tree-siv-maria-ottem/1116186245?ean=9781490708799

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18259193-secrets-of-the-ash-tree?ac=1

Come back on Monday for the final stop on my blog tour as E.J. Wesley takes on Thor. Enjoy the rest of your week-end!

Freya's Friday

Happy Freyaday everyone! Friday is named for this Norse Goddess of love and today she is being interviewed over at Melissa Maygrove's, pop on over and see what this mighty Norse Goddess has to say.

Have you been enjoying this blog tour so far? Only two more stops left. Tomorrow Susan Roebuck takes on that trickster Loki and on Monday E.J. Wesley faces off with Thor! Hope everyone has a great week-end.

OH MY GOD we have winners!

Today Odin is visiting the Crazy Life of a Writing Mom. Find out what he has to say as he answers some rather unusual questions from bestselling author E.C. Stilsen.

Here is a glimpse of Odin from my book, 'Secrets of the Ash Tree'

Odin and Thor laughed over Loki’s demise and Liv could hear them boasting to each other as they rehearsed the speech they would give to the other gods at the well of Urd. Liv guessed they were only keeping a slow pace so that she and Forseti would not get lost on the way to the rainbow bridge. 

    Liv had wanted to talk more to Kvasir who was made from the spit of all gods and the wisest of all beings, but he had left their company to attend a feast in the home of the black dwarves Fjalar and Galar.  Liv watched Odin busy in conversation with his two ravens Muninn and Huginn. It was the duty of these two ravens to inform Odin of everything that was happening in the world. She watched as they quickly took flight again and as they soared away she couldn’t help but wonder what secrets they flew off with.

    Odin reminded Liv of an old pirate with a black patch over one of his eyes and long scraggily hair that flew around his weathered face. He turned out to be less fearful than she had imagined. When he looked at her with his remaining large dark eye, she didn’t know whether to embrace him or fall at his feet. His power swept across the air and forced even the moon and sun to bow down before him. Odin knew things that no one else did and she hoped that one of those things was how to free her mother from Hel’s prison.

    Shimmering in the distance, a path of brilliant colors stretched across a misty sky, sparks of fire danced with little effort all around it, proving that fire and water could occupy the same space.

    “Bifrost…the rainbow bridge, I had forgotten how beautiful it is,” said Forseti as he stopped next to Liv and enjoyed the sight. “The Aesir gods made Bifrost out of three colors with magic so strong that they gave birth to new colors that multiplied until the rainbow bridge was finally formed. It is the only way into the realm of the gods… it is my way home.”



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Don't forget to check out my giveaway and come back tomorrow as Melissa Maygrove takes a closer look at the love goddess and queen of the Valkyrie, Freya.

The winner of a signed copy of Secrets of the Ash Tree go to yesterdays Party Bloggers  Mary Aalgaard and Roland Yeomans! Both did  wonderful flash fiction stories to honor their favorite gods,  and I saw their support all over the place. Congratulations to them both!

If you missed the preview of my book trailer yesterday, here it is:

Why Gods and Fairytales?

The festivities are well under way. Today is the big reveal of my book trailer, which my son so graciously made for me as a birthday gift.  He has never done anything like this before so I was amazed at how well it turned out.What better place to have such a party than at the club Meilori's, so head on over to Writing in the Crosshairs and see what Roland Yeomans has planned. One more thing, you might want to bring along a little sugar. Trust me.

So you might be wondering what inspired me to write about Gods and Fairytales. Growing up I often felt disconnected from the world I lived in, and like the character in my book I discovered a secret about my family that made me realize why I was different. Secrets of the Ash Tree is the first book in a series about Gods and Fairytales. The stories are about myths and how they can relate to real life. There is a lot of symbolism in Norse mythology that I find fascinating and I have tried to incorporate that in my story. 

You can get a sneak peak Here.

Tomorrow is mine and Rolands birthday so don't forget to SIGN UP HERE for the Norse Gods birthday blogfest! Which one of the Norse Gods is your favorite? See you over at Meilori's!

Norse Gods on Tour and Giveaway!

 

The Norse Gods go on tour this week to celebrate the release of my new book, Secrets of the Ash Tree.To start off my blog tour is the amazing and talented Michael Di Gesu who I was fortunate enough to have illustrate my book cover. I couldn't be more proud or happy to call him my cyber brother, he truely is the best brother one could ever ask for. Please stop by his blog In Time and see what the Norse gods have to say today.

Each day this week I will be giving away prizes which include an autographed copy of Secrets of the Ash Tree including a print of the Freya illustration, a 15 dollar gift certificate from Amazon, assorted norwegian chocolates and trolls. Come back tomorrow for a peak at my inspiration for writing the Secrets of the Ash Tree and a trip to the most unusual club called Meilori's.

See the raffle giveaway below.

Did you forget something?

The days are getting shorter, the nights longer, and with this darkness there comes this nagging voice inside my head that repeats itself-----"YOU are forgetting something..."

With all the blogfests, book releases, giveaways, and blog tours this month it is hard to keep track, isn't it? I don't know about you but I pretty much depend on a certain ninja to keep me informed about these things. Now when it comes to my personal life that's a different story, I know that I have forgotten something because someone is always reminding me of that.

"Did you forget to wash my favorite jeans?"-------"Did you forget to take out the trash?" -----"Did you forget about your dentist appointment?"--------"Did you forget to record that show?"

"YES, OK I FORGOT! I was busy writing, I forgot to make dinner too if that makes you feel any better!" 

Sound familiar? Sometimes a reminder helps so today I am reminding all my friends that next week is the official release of my new book Secrets of the Ash Tree. All week long I will be taking the Norse Gods with me on tour. First stop is this Monday at In Time with Michael Di Gesu.You can see the rest of the schedule on the side bar of my blog. Find out what Odin, Thor, Loki and Freya really think as you get the inside scoop each day. I hope to see you there!

 Secrets of the Ash Tree Available Now

Available at Amazon.com

In the realm of 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.
 

Have you ever held a secret that you were dying to share, but couldn’t? Have you ever uncovered a secret that you wished had remained buried? What if secrets could change your life and everything that you believe in?

‘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.

“I’ve been fascinated by Norse tales since I was a child and it was a delight to discover I can continue them as an adult. Reading ‘Secrets of the Ash Tree’ was like rediscovering old friends yet this tale is darker than the simple ones I used to read. For example, Thor is much deeper than the character I remember who threw a hammer and lightning bolts about. Odin and Freya are fully rounded figures, truly life-like yet inhabiting a world far more colorful than our own and full of raw power. The author does not hold back on the scheming, evil Loki or on the cruel Frost Giants. Expect to meet an array of malevolent as well as benevolent dwarfs and Nidhogg the dragon.

This is a story of the tenacity, sacrifice and courage of a young woman, and of good versus evil in which the gods struggle to maintain their grip on the world. I thoroughly recommend it to those who love Norse tales.”--- Susan Roebuck, author of Hewhay Hall and Perfect Score

Have a wonderful week-end everyone and stay safe!

IWSG: RULES FOR BEING A WRITER and SOME NEWS

Another first Wednesday of the month, proving once again just how fast time flies. As usual my blog calendar is marked off for the Insecure Writers Support Group, and this month I am reposting my most popular blog post (according to blogger stats) Minnie has some words of wisdom (Minnie-isms) to share with you. I do not always agree with Minnie but one thing is for sure, she is the least insecure “person” I know of.

 

Rules for Being a Writer by Minnie:

1.       Be true to yourself. There is no point in trying to be a copycat.

2.       Dress yourself in the style you are comfortable in, not what others tell you. This is YOUR fashion statement!

3.       Go somewhere new and exciting every day, even if it is only in your mind.

4.       If you are going to write bullshit then you should be prepared to get bullshit back. In other words, be prepared. Know what you are writing about.

5.       Not everyone is going to like you. Who cares? You don’t like everyone either! There is always someone out there that will like what you write, so don’t give up looking.

6.       If the water is too deep then learn how to swim. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or learn a new skill.

7.       Practice makes perfect. Don’t expect a magic genie to appear and do all your work for you.

8.       Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses. How you get to the finish line is more important than when you get there.

9.       Too many weeds strangle a garden. Get rid of weedy words and unnecessary flourish so the reader can better enjoy his journey through your story without getting Poison Ivy.

10.   Remember there is always a beginning, middle and an end. Stay on the path and don’t get distracted. Most of all….WRITE!

Want to see what others in this group have to say, check out the Insecure Writers Support Group.

 

Now that Minnie got all that off her chest, I have some news for you. My blog tour with the Norse Gods celebrating the release of my new book, Secrets of the Ash Tree, starts next week on Monday October 7th. Also, there will be a Norse Gods birthday blogfest(Co hosted by Capt. Ninja himself, Alex Cavanaugh) and giveaways all week so make sure to sign up and stop by! Here is the schedule:

 

So What do you think of Minnies rules? All signed up to party with Captain Ninja and the Norse Gods?

Who Let The Trolls Out?

So much has been happening in the blogsphere lately. If you have not been caught in Alex Cavanaugh's CassaStorm put on your rain clothes and visit his site to find out about his NEW BOOK! You might even win a prize. 

Also Hart Johnson is offering her book 'A Flock of Ill Omens' for free today. This book is part I and the first episode of A Shot in the Light, an Apocalypse Conspiracy Tale about what happens when people play God for fun and profit. 

My blog tour is fastly approaching and Roland Yeoman has already been visited by the gossiping squirrel from Norse Mythology, Ratatoskr, who caught Roland by surprise when he broke into Meilori's looking for the inside scoup. Take a trip over to Writing in the Cross Hairs, make a left turn at the first crossroads and you can not help but see the sign for Meilori's. Word of caution...Tread lightly...Anything can happen at Meilori's, you might even meet a dragon on your way in.

Finally I would like to say that Minnie is rather discouraged at the turn out for last 

month’s gibberish... BUT she is giving her fans ONE last chance before she runs off into the vast cyber space never to return again.

All Minnie fans who love to play with a story made from YOUR Gibberish, here is the chance. The rules are easy, just continue the story from the previous comment in the comment box and Minnie will tie everything together next week so the gibberish at the end makes a certain kind of silly sense. Test your imagination and play. For previous stories check out my side bar. Now let's make a silly story together!

The Troll

 

The troll wiped the snot from his smiling face. He flung it at the mushrooms growing out of the walls of his tiny cave and stormed towards the exit, hoping they would follow him to...

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

    ...the movie theater. Maybe if they saw the dancing mushrooms in Fantasia, they would also start to dance. But the mushrooms had other ideas...

   

Suzanne Furness said...

    ... they don't want to dance, in fact they don't want to do anything remotely fun. "You ain't no fungi!" the troll sniffed. "I'm going to ...

   

Michael Di Gesu said...

    "... squash you into the ground with my club." The troll raised his trunk-like club, swung, and ...

Minnie continues and says…missed the mushrooms as they flared into bright green hulk sized terror with snapping jaws that grasped towards….( Your Turn )

Do you want to see Minnie come back again? Have you been enjoying the CassaStorm? Have you downloaded Hart Johnsons book A Flock of Ill Omens? Are you going to join the Norse Gods on their blog tour? Have you visited Roland Yeoman at Meilori's today?