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| where guests can have their say about... anything they want |
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| Historical Fiction/ Young Adult 12+ |
As an author one of the first things that I try to do is create atmosphere and this is accomplished by the setting of my novel.
In this latest book in the Clement: Boy Knight of Normandy series I take Clement and his friends out to sea. The year is 1161. Clement, who is 14 years old is sent on a secret mission by King Henry to locate the fleet of the mysterious mariner known as Sir Humphrey Rochford whose destination is the mythical land known as Vinland. Their first port of call is Dunseverick Castle on the Irish coast. A land of green and plenty sitting high on a cliff overlooking the North Channel. It is a stone’s throw away from the famous Giant’s Causeway; a thrilling spectacle of basaltic rock left over from an ancient volcanic eruption. Dunseverick Castle is now a ruin but it is the thriving seat of the powerful O’Kane family when Clement comes ashore. I desperately wanted to include the Giant’s Causeway in the novel but settled on a scenic description from the deck of the Green Ship as it passes it on the way to Greenland.
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| Map of Abraham Ortelius |
Most of the rest of the novel takes place in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic before arriving in Greenland. It is here where the rest of the story takes place. Greenland was first settled by the Norse and Danes in the late 10th century when Erik the Red landed there in about the year 985. Greenland is a desolate land. Only the coastal areas are habitable. There are very few trees and only one small forest that is in the Qinngua Valley located on Greenland’s south coast. In the 12th century, undoubtedly, more forests existed but they were probably deforested during the time of the Viking settlements, as wood would have been hard to come by.
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| Eric the Red |
Greenland in the 12th century would have been sparsely settled by the Norse who were known to have had two large settlements and several smaller ones. It is quite possible that vessels from England and the Basque Country that fished the Grand Banks off Newfoundland during this time, used Greenland as a stopping place. I enjoyed researching the fauna and flora of Greenland which is a unique but fragile ecosystem that has adapted to the harsh climate.
One more thing that I would like to mention is the Aurora Borealis, sometimes called the Northern Lights. It is a brilliant spectacle of shimmering green, violet and pink light caused by the solar wind. I wonder what the Norse in Greenland would have thought about this phenomenon in the early part of the last millennium? I can only imagine that they might have believed it to be a skybridge from the earth to heaven.
About the book
Normandy. The year 1161. King Henry ll sends the 14-year-old Clement, Count of la Haye on a secret mission. The young count and his friends travel in the wake of the mysterious mariner known as Sir Humphrey Rochford. Their destination? The legendary land of Vinland, known only from the Norse sagas. The journey is full of adventure and intrigue. Clement battles with a tyrannical Irish king and then finds his vessel attacked by a massive monster from the deep. The Green Ship sails to the sparse and barren land of Greenland where more trouble awaits.
Buy Links:
This novel is available to read on #KindleUnlimited
About the Author
Craig R. Hipkins grew up in Hubbardston Massachusetts. He is the author of medieval and gothic fiction. His novel, Adalbert is the sequel to Astrolabe written by his late twin brother Jay S. Hipkins (1968-2018)
He is an avid long-distance runner and enjoys astronomy in his spare time.
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Website: www.hipkinstwins.com
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“I really enjoyed the insight offered into Jesamiah's backstory, and found the depiction of our teenage hero very moving.” Anna Belfrage, author
This was such an interesting post.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Helen, for hosting today's blog tour stop. We really appreciate all that you do.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
my pleasure
DeleteHelen, thanks for posting this! Great blog!
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