RuneWarriors Book Blog

BLOODTHIRSTY VIKINGS MEET THE FIGHTING IRISH.....

2011-04-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

My alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, puts out an amazing, award-winning alumni magazine entitled Notre Dame Magazine. And appearing in the current Spring 2011 issue is a nice story about our RuneWarriors trilogy of books and how they got to be published. We'd like to give a tip o' the Irish tam-o-shanter to Carol Schaal of N. D. Magazine for the nice piece she wrote and encourage you to check it out. She did a great job of helping us to share out thoughts on our roller-coaster ride as screenwriters in the movie business and the creative satisfactions of writing fiction!

In fact, bookmark the online edition of the magazine and check it out regularly. There are some really thought-provoking pieces of cutting edge journalism there -- on everything from politics to ethics to art and culture -- and interesting pieces on things that are happening on campus that will keep you current with all things Irish. A big hello to all our friends in the Notre Dame community and we hope things in South Bend are warming up for you at last this April spring day.

To READ THE FULL ARTICLE, CLICK HERE:
http://magazine.nd.edu/news/18944/

SCOTTISH DNA SHOWS EVIDENCE OF VIKING ANCESTORS

2011-03-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

A fascinating piece in LivingScotsman.com reveals that ten centuries later there is much evidence to prove that the Viking invaders that conquered and settled various parts of Northern Scotland, especially the Orkney Islands and other Western Isles, still live on in the DNA of modern day Scotsmen. And, interestingly, the Scottish clan -- or family -- names of today are visible relics reminding us of the Viking men and women of yore who once populated the Scottish lands, bringing their language, culture and customs to that foreign shore. For instance, the popular clan name of MacIvor originally meant "the sons of Ivor," the name MacSween "the sons of Swein," the name Macaulay "the sons of Olaf," and MacAskill "the sons of Asgeir" and so on. In any reading of Old Norse texts, be it the Eddas or the Viking Sagas written in the Twelfth Century, the names Ivor, Swein, Asgeir and especially Olaf are found to be extremely common.

Just another small example of how pieces of the past still cling to us today in ways both trivial and profound.

To read the whole article, CLICK HERE: http://living.scotsman.com/features/Scotland39s-DNA-Who-do-you.6727434.jp

WOMEN AS WARRIORS. . . .

2011-03-08T09:53:00.000-08:00

International Women's Day marks the publication of Warrior Women: 3,000 Years of Courage and Heroism, a guide to history's heroines, from Joan of Arc to Lieutenant Colonel Martha McSally.

Take a look at some of the brightest, bloodiest and best women the world has ever known (and, no, we're not talking Mother Teresa).....

To VIEW THIS STORY CLICK HERE:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2011/mar/08/international-womens-day

HISTORY COMES ALIVE. . . .

2011-02-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

The U.K.-based newspaper, The Guardian, just published a great piece on authors writing historical ficton for young readers. In addition to books on Bronze Age and 15th Century Britain, there is this stellar comment on another classic Viking saga.....

"Another perennial childhood favourite is Henry Treece, whose Viking Saga trilogy, grim, sanguinary and poignant, follows Harald Sigurdson from his first voyage as a boy in a longship under the command of the magnificent Thorkell Fairhair to his last as a seasoned warrior, this time himself the master of the ship. From the sun-fevered romance of The Road to Miklagard – the Norse word for present-day Istanbul – to the freezing blades of Viking's Dawn and an early transatlantic voyage in Viking's Sunset, the books are characterised by violence, easy death and the close bonds forged between warriors who brave the whim of the wild sea and the hostility of the peoples they meet only to despoil. The terror and glamour of the Berserker fighters who tear off their clothing and run naked and blood-streaming into battle unites the books, which still boast a mythic grandeur in keeping with their subject matter."

To read the entire Guardian article, CLIKC HERE:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/feb/24/children-historical-fiction-best

Kevin Crossley-Holland 'rewrites Arthurian legend commandingly' in his historical fiction for children. Photograph: Eamonn Mccabe/Guardia

Special tip o' the war helmet to the blog author Imogen Russell Williams and to The Guardian for permission to reprint this piece.

Vikings Revered Stone Age Objects. . . . .

2011-02-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

From the "Viking Archaeology Blog:"

New archaeological findings suggest that the Vikings considered Stone Age objects to have magical qualities, and that such “antiques” were more important in Viking culture than previously understood.

The Vikings buried this ship, the "Oseberg," in a grave south of Oslo. New discoveries indicate they also buried other items, with a purpose.

Examinations of around 10 Viking graves found in Rogaland, southwest Norway, revealed Stone Age items, such as weapons, amulets and tools. Olle Hemdorff of the Archaelogical Museum in Stavanger told newspaper Aftenposten that he believes the items were buried so that “they would protect and bring luck to the dead in the after-life.”

TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE:

http://viking-archaeology-blog.blogspot.com/2011/02/vikings-revered-stone-age-objects.html

Thanks to the Viking Archaeology Blog for permission to reprint this article.

DNA PROVES ENGLISHMEN DESCENDANTS OF VIKINGS. . .

2011-02-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

University of Leicester geneticists are involved in a truly epic research project

‘Viking DNA: The Wirral and West Lancashire Project’, published by Nottingham University Press.

Issued by University of Leicester Press Office on 24 January 2011

The Vikings are alive and well and living in the North West of England! That’s the revelation in a new book on an epic research project into the genetic footprint of the Scandinavian invaders.

‘Viking DNA: The Wirral and West Lancashire Project’ is the culmination of several years of research by biochemists and geneticists, by Wirral-raised Professor Steve Harding from The University of Nottingham and Professor Mark Jobling and Dr Turi King from the University of Leicester. It shows the power of modern DNA methods to probe ancestry using the North West of England as an example.

To read the entire article from the University of Leicester website, click on:

http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2011/january/a-new-norse-saga-dna-detectives-in-the-viking-north-west?searchterm=None

Did the Vikings navigate with sunstone?

2011-02-02T10:05:00.000-08:00

According to The Cosmic Log on msnbc.com, a new study suggests that the Vikings could have navigated the oceans in inclement weather with the aid of a crystal that pinpointed the sun's location behind banks of clouds and fog.

Such a tool, known as a sunstone, is known from legend, but until now experimental evidence that it could actually work as hypothesized was lacking.

The Vikings were Scandinavian seafarers who traveled widely in the North Atlantic, roughly between the year 900 and 1200. Under clear and partly cloudy skies, archaeological evidence indicates that they used sundials to find their way around. But a sundial is only useful when the sun is shining, raising the question of how the Vikings navigated in cloudy and foggy conditions, which can last for days along their known sailing routes.

In the 1960s, Danish archaeologist Thorkild Ramskou suggested that the Vikings used a sunstone to filter the sunlight so that it all had the same polarization, or direction. By rotating the crystal to and fro, the light would appear brighter or darker, depending on how the crystal was oriented. The brightest point would be toward the direction of the sun.

TO READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE:

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/01/5968012-did-vikings-navigate-with-sunstone

Visit the RuneWarriors Blog again for all things Viking!

Quite The Model Was Aristotle. . .

2011-01-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, who lived from 384 to 322 BCE, was a pretty smart dude. His books are available at your local library, and it's amazing how many of his observations on life and the human experience are just as applicable to us today. For instance, one of my favorite quotes of his is this:

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly

because we have virtue or excellence, but rather we have those because we

have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an

act but a habit."

Like I said. Smart guy. And check out his abs in this life-size sculpture of him. His pecs aren't too bad, either. With all the reading and writing he did, how did he ever have time to exercise? Today, people worship guys like Brad Pitt and Bradley Cooper, but those guys got nothing on Ari.

Other quotes of Aristotle: "Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime." "To perceive is to suffer." And he also said, "It is unbecoming for young men to utter maxims." 'Nuff said.

Here is a picture of a courtly Dutch dude rubbing a bust of Aristotle's head for good luck. Hoping for some of Aristotle's mojo to rub off, perhaps?

And let's not forget the other Ari -- Aristotle Onassis, the Greek shipping magnate and playboy. Not a bad job if you can get it. And he got plenty.

More Aristotle quotes:

"All men by nature desire knowledge."

"Dignity does not consist of possessing honors, but in deserving them."

"Good habits formed at youth make all the difference."

"He who is to be a good ruler must have first been ruled."

"Hope is the dream of a waking man."

And perhaps my favorite.....

"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind."

RuneWarriors Is On Book Wenches ! ! !

2011-01-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Bobby D Whitney and all the other fearsome Warriorettes of the Word, we have made a guest appearance on the Book Wenches Blog! To help promote the recent release of book three, RuneWarriors: Ship of the Dead, we have posted a couple of entertaining -- and we hope enlightening! -- quizzes about Norse mythology and ancient Viking culture there.

To test your Norse knowledge -- and check out all the other fun stuff on the Book Wenches book blog -- click here: http://www.bookwenches.com/gblogrunewarriors.htm

A tip o' the Viking war helmet to all the kind ladies (and guys, of course) at Book Wenches.

And as the Vikings used to say, "Reading can help you conquer the world!"

View This Video And Good Things Will Happen....

2011-01-08T15:18:00.000-08:00

. . . . . Smiles......

IT'S OFFICIAL! "SHIP OF THE DEAD" IS LAUNCHED AND IN STORES!

2010-12-29T12:41:00.000-08:00

"RuneWarriors: Ship of the Dead" -- Book 3 of the RuneWarriors Trilogy -- is now available at your local bookstore or online retailer. The final chapter of the RuneWarriors Saga, Ship of the Dead takes Dane and his rowdy bunch of Norseboys on another rollicking adventure, this time to the very Underworld itself.

The story? With his true love Astrid seemingly lost to him forever in service as a Valkyrie, the despairing Dane learns it’s possible to reunite with her. All he has to do is track down and kill his nemesis, Thidrek the Terrifying, who is leading an army of the undead and threatening to unleash the dark forces of Hell itself upon the world. No biggie.

Plus, we're getting some very nice reviews!

FROM 'KIRKUS REVIEWS'

". . . Dane and his boon companions set off in their usual hilarious and quarrelsome manner to save the world. The plot and subplots are handled with masterly finesse: Action and suspense are nonstop.... Established fans will devour this excellent series finish."

FROM 'THE HORN BOOK' (on Book 2):

“Rip-roaring adventure.... at once funny and thrilling. An excellent next step for fans of Percy Jackson.”

FROM 'BLOOMSBURY REVIEW'

"Classic rite-of-passage storytelling. This rigorous, vigorous modern telling of ancient adventure, complete with body-odor, belches and well-timed flatulence, barrels along with a salty grace which makes the reader glad to know it's only the first of a planned trilogy. RuneWarriors ruggedly Nordic mythscape will send shivers of anticipation down even the most jaded middle-school spine."

DID ICELANDIC VIKINGS HAVE NATIVE AMERICAN BLOOD?

2010-11-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

Five hundred years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue, a Native American woman may have voyaged to Europe with Vikings, according to a provocative new DNA study.

Analyzing a type of DNA passed only from mother to child, scientists found more than 80 living Icelanders with a genetic variation similar to one found mostly in Native Americans.

This signature probably entered Icelandic bloodlines around A.D. 1000, when the first Viking-American Indian child was born, the study authors theorize.

Historical accounts and archaeological evidence show that Icelandic Vikings reached Greenland just before 1000 and quickly pushed on to what is now Canada. Icelanders even established a village in Newfoundland, though it lasted only a decade or so..

CLICK HERE to go to ARCHAEOLOGY DAILY NEWS for the full article...

http://www.archaeologydaily.com/news/201011245618/More-on-American-Indian-Sailed-to-Europe-With-Vikings.html

There IS Talking In The Library....

2010-06-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, June 1st, 2010, the RuneWarriors authors gave a talk and signed books at one of the greatest libraries in California. The Cerritos Public Library at 18025 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos, CA 90703. Not only an architectural and artistic wonder, but a place packed with fabulous books and fabulous people who love to read them!

Thanks to Charles Ford, the Community Outreach maven from Borders Books, for providing copies of the RuneWarriors books, and to Padmini Prabhakar of Programming Services for producing the event. To contact Padmini, call 562-916-1389.

Borders Books rep Charles "Boom Boom" Ford, author Jim Jennewein, and Cerritos Library cultural attache-at-large, Padmini Pradhakar.

Kudos to our new friend Hari, age 10, for showing the audience the right way to hold a war shield and sword. I dig the sandals, too.

A Spellbinding New Video!

2010-05-22T10:35:00.001-07:00

Well, maybe not spellbinding, but fairly interesting and totally free.

That should count for something, huh?

"Yo, Teach!"

2010-03-05T16:36:00.000-08:00

AUTHORS IN ACTION. . .

On February 23rd, we had the pleasure of visiting Valley Christian Middle School in Cerritos, California, to speak to four separate classes of seventh-graders about our Viking-themed book series, RuneWarriors. Thanks to English teacher Ellen Stenson and Shaelyn Koops, owner of Blue Chair Books. Once again, the kids are smarter than the authors could ever wish to be!

Jim tends to get excited when discussing the nuances of Norse history.

CONTEST #2 WINNERS ANNOUNCED !

2010-03-03T21:32:00.000-08:00

KidsBuzz & AuthorBuzz

FREE BOOK

WINNERS

have been chosen!

Due to the overwhelming response, we’ve decided to give away a lot more books. Instead of just giving away one book to one winner—that’s no fun—we’ve decided to give away FIVE books!

AND the FIVE WINNERS ARE…

RACHEL PETERSON - QUINCY, ILLINOIS

SHEILA TRUE - ANTIOCH, TENNESSEE

KATIE KORTE - KANSAS CITY, KANSAS

NOREEN STONE - MEDINA, OHIO

PENNY TUTTLE - KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON

They’ll each receive one author-autographed hardback copy of “RuneWarriors: Sword of Doom” (Book 2 in the RuneWarriors Series). If your name is listed above, congratulations! You’ll be getting your books soon. Thanks to all the teachers, librarians and other book lovers who entered the RuneWarriors contest by emailing us at our website. We wish we had free books for everyone who wanted them, but keep trying. We’ll be holding more contests from time to time so keep checking our blog for news and reviews on RuneWarriors and other fun freebies. Most of all, keep reading! Because as all young Vikings know, reading can help you conquer the world!

Best Regards,

Jim Jennewein & Tom S. Parker

http://runewarriorsbookblog.blogspot.com/

NOTABLE & QUOTABLE. . .

2010-03-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

Ferdinand Magellan (1480 – 1521) wasn't a Viking. He was a Portuguese explorer who later obtained Spanish nationality in order to serve king Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the “Spice Islands.” Magellan's expedition of 1519–1522 became the first expedition to sail from the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific Ocean (then named "peaceful sea" by Magellan; the passage being made via the Straight of Magellan), and the first to cross the Pacific. It also completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Magellan himself did not complete the entire voyage, being killed during the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines. Of the 237 men who set out on five ships, only 18 completed the circumnavigation and managed to return to Spain in 1522, led by the Basque navigator Juan Sebastian Elcano, who took over command of the expedition after Magellan's death. Magellan also gives his name to the Magellanic Penguin, which he was the first European to note, and the Magellanic clouds, now known to be nearby dwarf galaxies.

"The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore. Unlike the mediocre, intrepid spirits seek victory over these things that seem impossible. It is with an iron will that they embark on the most daring of all endeavors -- to meet the shadowy future without fear and conquer the unknown."

--Ferdinand Magellan

Careful, These Videos May Draw Blood...

2010-02-23T19:13:00.000-08:00

More Viking videos for your viewing pleasure...

Still More Author Hype...

"RuneWarriors: Sword of Doom,"

Book 2 in the series, is now in stores

from the nice people at HarperCollins.

(Buy a copy so they can keep their jobs.)

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS...

2010-02-20T17:28:00.000-08:00

WINNERS FOR THE KIDS BOOKCLUBBING CONTEST #1

HAVE BEEN CHOSEN!!

We were deluged with entries! So due to the overwhelming response, we’ve decided to give away a lot more books. Instead of just having one winner—that’s no fun—we’ve decided to have one First Prize winner, two Second Prize winners and ten runners-up!

The judges have drawn the names from our ceremonial Viking war helmet, and we have our winners…

FIRST PRIZE goes to…. (drumroll, please)….

The WOOLY BOOKWORMS BOOK CLUB

At the Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia, New York

(Kelly A. March, Youth Services Library Assistant)

Congratulations, Wooly Bookworms, your books are on the way! They will receive FIVE signed copies of “RuneWarriors: Sword of Doom” (Book 2 in the RuneWarriors Series).

Now for our 2 SECOND PRIZE WINNERS, who, coincidentally, both hail from the Windy City…

Mrs. Johnson’s Kids at the Parker Academy, Chicago, Illinois

(Gail Johnson, Teacher)

Fairmount School Book Club in Downers Grove, Illinois

(Kelly L. Wood, Director of Library Resources)

They’ll each be receiving three signed copies of both Book 1 and Book 2.

AND HERE’S TO THE 10 (count ‘em, ten!) LUCKY RUNNERS-UP!

Karen Kosko, Library Media Specialist, Cambridge, MA

Celia Taylor, Media Specialist, St. Gregory the Great School

Rebecca Greene, Lawrenceburg Public Library, Lawrenceburg, IN

Cheryl Vanatti - Reading Specialist Glenridge Middle School - Orlando, FL

Kathy Vogel, Chittenango, N.Y.

Jane Spence, Media Specialist, Indian Ridge Middle School, Davie, FL

Julia Pitau, Denair Charter Academy, Denair, CA

Jennifer Lorenz, Bateman Elementary School Library, Chicago, IL

JJ Martin, St Peters, MO

PLUS… a just-cuz-we’re-nice-guys-special-bonus to Tracey Byram, Donna Kane

and Lauren Pettigrew!

Runners-up will each receive one paperback copy of “RuneWarriors: Shield of Odin”, Book 1 in the RuneWarriors Series. Thanks to all the readers, teachers, librarians and bookclubbers who entered the RuneWarriors contest by emailing us at our website. We wish we had free books for everyone who wanted them, but keep trying. We’ll be holding more contests from time to time so keep checking our blog here for news and reviews on RuneWarriors and other fun freebies like the videos posted below. Most of all, keep reading! Because as all young Vikings know, reading can help you conquer the world!

Best Regards,

Jim Jennewein & Tom S. Parker

YES, THE VIKINGS PLAYED BOARD GAMES.

2010-02-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

Contrary to popular belief, the Vikings didn’t spend all their free time sacking and pillaging. They engaged in all kinds of recreational activities, including what are known today as board games.

The most popular board game in Viking times was “Hnefatafl” (meaning “king’s table” in Old Norse). According to growing archeological evidence, thanks to the far-reaching influence of the sea-faring Vikings the game was played in Iceland and throughout the British Isles, all over Northern Europe and even east of the Baltic Sea.

The game itself, played on a wooden or textile board (shown above), is as unique as it is asymmetric. The chieftain with his soldiers is outnumbered but defends himself against attackers and tries to escape. The chieftain in his castle in the center of the board may save himself from the attackers by fleeing into one of the corner castles without being taken prisoner during the flight. Although the rules of the game are rather simple, it requires tactical skill to take the enemy by surprise and win the game.

Seems a lot more challenging than Candy Land, that’s for sure!

Hnefatafl was often mentioned in several of the Old Norse sagas, including Orkneyinga saga, Friðþjófs saga, Hervarar saga, and others.

The term tafl (Old Norse for "table" or "board") is the original name of the game. However, Hnefatafl became the preferred term for the game in Scandinavia by the end of the Viking Age (circa 1066 CE), to distinguish it from other board-games, such as Skáktafl (Chess), Kvatrutafl (Tables, the medieval forerunner of Backgammon) and Halatafl (Fox And Geese), as these became known.

Hnefatafl and other “table” games were commonly played all across Northern Europe from as early as the year 400 CE, until it was replaced by Chess in the 12^th Century.

A carving of two men playing Hnefatafl found on a Viking runestone in Sweden.

Thumbs Up For RuneWarriors !

2010-02-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

KIDS LIKE "RuneWarriors". . . .

"This was an awesome book! I loved it! From the moment I started reading I couldn’t wait to learn more."

— ETHAN (MONEE, IL)

"One of the most interesting fantasy novels I have read in a while. Two thumbs up."

— EMMA (PORTSMOUTH, NH)

"Wow! This book was a rush of adventure, excitement, love, hatred, and heroism. I can’t wait for the sequel!"

— JASMINA (WIMBERLEY, TX)

"This is a wonderfully written tale. Great for all, but those familiar with Norse myth will find it even more enjoyable. A must read! Great plot and character development."

— DANIEL (FALL RIVER, MA)

"It reads almost like a Nordic Indiana Jones meets Princess Bride. Truly fun to read and a real page turner! I found it hard to put down."

— MAUREEN (SAN DIEGO, CA)

"RuneWarriors is absolutely enjoyable adventure. A villain who likes to knit, a farting sidekick, a damsel who can hold her own—mix in some Viking mythology and irreverent storytelling to create one wild ride!"

— MAUREEN (AUSTIN, TX)

"I hated to read the last page of this book because I felt like I was saying goodbye to dear friends. I was entertained all the way through and had a very hard time putting it down. Dane is the kind of hero everybody loves and all of his friends became my friends, too."

— CINDY (BIRMINGHAM, AL)

. . . . AND SO DO THE CRITICS. . . .

PRAISE FOR "RUNEWARRIORS: Sword of Doom". . . .

“Rip-roaring adventure. Dane and his mates are merrily boyish with their flatulent tendencies and strict codes of friendship while the adventure itself abounds with noble deeds and daring acts of valor. Dane’s quest for revenge and his romance with Astrid, Mistress of the Blade, provide a nice balance to the gross-out humor, and the resulting tale is at once funny and thrilling. An excellent next step for fans of Percy Jackson." ---THE HORN BOOK

"…a page-turner... a rollicking adventure, lots of body humor and a rousing climax.” ---KIRKUS REVIEWS

PRAISE FOR "RUNEWARRIORS: Shield of Odin". . . .

“…Hideous perils and hilarious misadventures. A rollicking page-turner…”

—KIRKUS REVIEWS

“A rollicking, big-hearted coming-of-age tale... classic rite-of-passage storytelling. RuneWarriors’ ruggedly Nordic mythscape will send shivers of anticipation down even the most jaded middle-school spine…” —BLOOMSBURY REVIEW

“…should keep boys and girls alike spellbound.”
—KLIATT School and Library Review

CALLING ALL BOOK CLUBS!

2010-02-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

Win a set of RuneWarriors books for your book club!

Enter to win by emailing the authors (write "KidsBookclubbing" in the subject line).

Dear Readers,
One day we came across a book called The Poetic Edda, a collection of heroic Viking sagas. This, and the many stories in The Prose Edda, completely captured our imaginations and we became fascinated with the world of the Vikings, especially, their belief system, what is now known as Norse mythology. Thus, RuneWarriors was born. A series that follows the epic adventures of 13-year-old Dane the Defiant and his many rowdy but lovable friends. Encountering fantastic creatures, otherworldly beings, trolls, frost giants and other perils, Dane's journey of adventure and self-discovery is told with equal parts heart and irreverent humor.

Email us with your questions at info@runewarriors.net and we hope you enjoy the books!

James Jennewein and Tom S. Parker

www.runewarriors.net
twitter.com/runewarriors

Book Reviews for RuneWarriors:

"...Hideous perils and hilarious misadventures. A rollicking page-turner..." - Kirkus Reviews

"Classic rite-of-passage storytelling... will send shivers of anticipation down even the most jaded middle-school spine..." -Bloomsbury Review

Discussion Suggestions for RuneWarriors Sword of Doom:

1. Lut uses the runes to tell fortunes. Would you like to know your exact future, or would you rather be surprised?
2. Would you risk your life to save the life of your best friend? Would you do it to save your worst enemy?
3. What does the death of Dane's father do to Dane's character?

See the RuneWarriors website to listen to the characters speak, read a fun interview with the authors and watch free videos.

James Jennewein and Tom S. Parker are happy to call your book club. Email the authors to submit your request (write "Book Club visit" in the subject line).

PROOF THE VIKINGS RECYCLED!

2010-01-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

An arrowhead and unfinished axhead found at 11th-century metalworking sites

presumed to have been used by Vikings in York, U.K.

It’s true! As reported recently by James Owen in the National Geographic News, new excavations in the U.K. suggest that the famed Norse warriors – especially those who settled parts of England -- recycled on and off the battlefield.

“An 11th-century metalworking site recently discovered in the city of York is likely evidence of a makeshift recycling center,” writes Owen, “where Vikings took weapons for reprocessing after battle, according to historian Charles Jones, organizer of the Fulford Battlefield Society.” Owen goes on to write that Jones and his team “have found hundreds of pieces of ironwork—including axes, sword parts, and arrowheads—along with lumps of melted-down iron and the remains of smelting pits. ‘We found several 'smithing hearth bottoms'—the remains of the molten metal which dribbles down during the reprocessing of the weaponry ironwork,’ Jones told the York Press.

"The iron finds support the idea that metal was gathered and recycled in the area just behind where the fighting took place," Jones said. The artifacts are currently undergoing x-ray analysis at the University of York. The university's Søren Sindbæk said the tests should reveal whether the corroded items were forged using Norse ironwork, which involved using distinctive alloys of soft iron and hard steel.

"The Vikings were very skillful metalworkers," Sindbæk, an archaeologist, told National Geographic News. "Their weaponry is famous for the way iron is treated. Any metal was a precious material that would be recycled," he added. Recent excavations in York, which was captured and settled by the Scandinavian seafarers in 866, for instance, show that Vikings recycled boats for building material for houses and even sidewalks, Sindbæk said.

--This post courtesy of National Geographic News

We Came. We Signed. We Conquered.

2010-01-26T15:17:00.000-08:00

The book launch signing party for "RuneWarriors: Sword of Doom", book 2 in the RuneWarriors series, was a great success. Held on Friday, January 22nd, 2010, at the venerable Village Books (or should that be "Pillage Books"?) in beautiful downtown Pacific Palisades, California, the authors were seen signing books and speaking extemporaneously on Viking culture and Norse mythology. Fine wines and cheeses were provided by Allison Robbins Wines and videography by Jake Jennewein, Jim's thirteen-year-old son.

Thanks to Katie, owner of Village Books, and her entire staff for all the tireless support that they've shown to us and our books. In a very challenging economy, Village Books continues to be one of the finest independent bookstores in Southern California, and we salute all that they do to keep the love of reading alive and well.

Thanks also to everyone at HarperCollins, especially our brilliant editors Donna Bray and Ruta Rimas. A special shout-out to the fabulously talented artist Greg Call whose amazing artwork adorns both book 1 and book 2.

The event was also held to promote the release of book 1 in paperback, "RuneWarriors: Shield of Odin."

RuneWarriors fan Chad Horwitz

awaits his moment with the authors

Co-author Tom S. Parker with his lovely daughter Laura

Tom signs as Jim mouths off

Jim tries to remember how to spell "Viking"

iPhone fotos courtesy of Michael Clebanoff

"RuneWarriors: Sword of Doom" Coming 12/29/09

2009-06-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Book Two in the RuneWarriors Trilogy, "RuneWarriors: Sword of Doom," is due to be published by HarperCollins late this coming December. Though I can't give away the plot, I can say that it's another rollicking thrill ride through the world of Norse mythology with a few new surprises as well. Here is a preview of the new cover, drawn by famed illustrator Greg Call.

Buy This Book Or We'll Chop Your Head Off!

2009-05-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Do what they say! These bloodthirsty Vikings mean business!

Watch a "RuneWarriors" Video....

2009-01-31T07:45:00.000-08:00

A fun new video about our book series, "RuneWarriors." Play and enjoy! Share it with friends!

A REAL VIKING INVASION...

2008-12-07T13:55:00.001-08:00

During a recent "RuneWarriors" presentation to 300 students at the Mayfield Junior School in Pasadena, we all took a thousand-year trip back in time when a real live Viking invaded the auditorium to pay us a surprise visit. His name was "Garth the Viking" (otherwise known as Richard Ashton, the highly accomplished British actor of stage and screen). Dressed in authentic Viking war gear of chain mail, spiked armor, leather boots and leg breeches, and armed with weaponry of every kind, he brought the ancient world alive once again as he took questions from the students and explained what the life of a "real Viking warrior" was like. Much to everyone's surprise (and relief), he was extraordinarily polite and well-spoken, and chose not to chop off anyone's head, and explained that when you carry a war axe as sharp as his, you rarely have to use it. Thanks to Tatiana Guyer and Cathy Lin for all their help in putting the event together, and deepest gratitude to Richard for his enlightening performance.

MAKING HISTORY FUN!

2008-11-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

On Oct. 30th, 2008, we paid a visit to the amazing campus of Brawerman Elementary School of Wilshire BoulevardTemple, in West Los Angeles. We gave our presentation on various aspects of Norse mythology and Viking culture to a learned group of 5th and 6th graders. As it turned out, the students had been already learning about Viking history as part of their school curriculum, so they asked some very smart questions and offered some insights of their own to the morning's discussion. For instance, women enjoyed far more freedom and responsiblity in Viking society than did their counterparts in other European cultures of that era (800 - 1000 AD). They could own land, they could choose their own husbands, and they were allowed to divorce if their husbands failed to provide for them or indulged in abusive behavior. How's that for first millenium feminism?

Thanks to the assistant head of school, Susan Isaacson, and teachers Lee Tenerowicz, Marcia Weiss, Todd Zinn, David Leib, Julie Tracht and Peter Levenson for all their support. Special thanks to Ben Shirken for asking so many smart questions, and to his mom, Kirsten Shirken, for helping to arrange it all.

After giving a riveting reading, Tom shocks the students by pulling out a real Viking sword and threatening to slice someone's head off if they don't validate his parking! Just kidding. The war-blade he is demonstrating is actually a perfectly-safe replica of an authentic Viking-era sword, but every bit the size and weight of a real one. Jim purchased it from a Norse history museum this summer in Sognefjord, Norway. Though the edge of the blade is dull, its point is rather sharp and we advise students to handle it carefully or else they are liable to cut themselves (or, heaven forbid, hurt a teacher who gives too much homework).

You like the feel of that, huh, kid? Well, don't get any ideas.

Even the teachers are getting ideas...

The class clown gets into the act.

(Though it flies in the face of received wisdom, in truth, the Vikings did NOT wear horned helmets as often depicted in movies, on TV, and in other pop-culture media. This is just one of the many things the children learned in our "RuneWarriors" history-quiz presentation. If you'd like us to visit your school, drop us a line at info@runewarriors.net. )

JIM AND TOM GO BACK TO SCHOOL!

2008-11-26T00:26:00.000-08:00

We've had the honor of being invited to several schools over the past few months to give presentations on "RuneWarriors," and our first visit (on Sept. 24, 2008) was to Park Century School in Culver City, CA. The students were enjoying their first week in a fabulous new building and it was a pleasure to be there to see the place in all its gleaming brand-spanking-newness. As part of the student book fair, we gave a brief talk to students and their parents on the comic use of Norse mythology in our novel, we performed a reading, and afterward happily signed copies of our book for several eager readers. We thank the Park Century Directors Gail Spindler and Genny Shain, Academic Coordinator Nancy Bley, "super librarian" Joel Moss, and everyone else who helped to make our visit there so much fun, including Karin Olson, Arthur Hoyle, Brenda Cooper, Jamie C and our friends at Mrs. Nelsons Book Fairs. Special high-fives to two of our favorite students at Park Century, Thomas Guest and Trent Carpenter, for getting all of our jokes and for adding many of their own.

People say that my readings are too dry and unemotional.

I'll have to work on that.

RuneWarriors Author Events

6/1/08 Author Book Signing, BOOK EXPO

AMERICA

, LA Conv. Ctr

6/28/08 Fiction Authors Breakfast, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOC. Convention, Disneyland Hotel

8/21/08 Author Dinner/Talk, ANDERSON'S BOOKS, Aurora, IL

9/24/08 Book Fair Author Visit, PARK CENTURY SCHOOL, Culver City, CA (Special thanks to Tom Guest and Trent Carpenter!)

10/5/08 Book signing, VILLAGE BOOKS, Pacific Palisades, CA

10/18/08 "A Movable Feast," SOCAL INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLERS ASSN annual awards banquet, Millenium Biltmore, Los Angeles, CA

10/30/08 BRAWERMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,

Wilshire Boulevard Temple, W. L.A. CA

11/4/08 7^th Grade / GODDARD MIDDLE SCHOOL, Glendora, CA

Thanks to Principal DiGrazia, Nicole Hester and all the other teachers and students that packed the gymnasium for our presentation. Thanks also to Shaelyn Koops from Blue Chair Books for coordinating the event and providing copies of RuneWarriors for us to sign.

11/13/08 MAYFIELD JUNIOR SCHOOL, Glendale, CA

(Thanks to Tatiana Guyer, Cathy Lin and Lyn Beecher for arranging everything!)

11/22/08 Young Writers Workshop, BARNES & NOBLE, Encino, CA

12/5/08 A reading/signing at BLUE CHAIR BOOKS, Glendora, CA

12/9/08 Book Fair presentation to 5^th & 6^th graders, WILDWOOD SCHOOL, Culver City, CA

12/11/08 GLEN CREST MIDDLE SCHOOL, Glen Ellyn, IL

JFK MIDDLE SCHOOL, Plainview, IL

12/12/08 CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL, Tinley Park, IL

PLEASANTDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL, Burr Ridge, IL

2009

2/19/09 Glendora School visit

3/5/09 VALLEY CHRISTIAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, Cerritos, CA

3/12/09 ROSEBANK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Chula Vista, CA

Thanks to school secretary Tamsie Pierce, Principal Scott Woodward, and Samantha from Mysterious Galaxy Books! Thanks also to dear friends Catherine & Bob Palmer for tea and sympathy.

5/21/09 PALISADES ELEMENTARY, Pacific Palisades, CA

Kudos to Kathi Berman for coordinating our fun visit to this fabulous school. All the students we meet continue to rock our world and challenge us with their curiousity and their imaginations.

11/19/09 PALISADES ELEMENTARY, Pacific Palisades, CA

We signed books at the fall Book Fair, met the principal, Joan Ingle, Fay Lyons the book fair coordinator, and made a lot of new friends.

2010

1/22/10 LAUNCH PARTY for Book Two 'RuneWarriors: Sword of Doom' at Village Books in Pacific Palisades. Wine, words and wonderful friends.

2/23/10 VALLEY CHRISTIAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, Cerritos, CA

4/14/10 SEVEN ARROWS SCHOOL, Pacific Palisades, CA

4/21/10 PAUL REVERE MIDDLE SCHOOL, Pacific Palisades, CA

6/1/10 CERRITOS PUBLIC LIBRARY, Cerritos, CA

If you would like the authors of “RuneWarriors” to visit your store or school and give a presentation on Norse mythology, you may contact us at: jennewein@mac.com

RuneWarriors Publication Party!

2008-10-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

A RuneWarriors publication party was held in Los Angeles the week the book first appeared on store shelves nationwide. With so many friends and family on hand to celebrate the book's debut, it was a particularly satisfying event. Click on the movie to view it for yourself.

VIKINGS INVADE VILLAGE BOOKS!

2008-10-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

On October 5, 2008, Village Books in Pacific Palisades, CA, became "Pillage Books" as a horde of Viking-philes swarmed the store to celebrate the publication of "RuneWarriors," an epic comedy set in ancient Norse times. As the party-goers plundered the exquisite wines and cheeses (generously provided by Allison Robbins Wines), we signed books, gave a reading and felt honored to be in such hale and hearty company. A tip o' the war helmet also goes to Allison Robbins, Katie O'Laughlin, owner of Village Books, and all those who invaded the store that day, ransacking the shelves for good books. The cry of the day: "Let our blades taste blood!"

Tom and Jim signing for a friend.

Above, super-agent Sandra Lucchesi with voice-over artist D.J. Holte , whose amazing vocal talents can be heard on our website -- www.runewarriors.net.

Yet another example of the fine professional photography skills which my friends possess.

One young reader asked us to sign two books -- one for him and one for his school's library. Thanks, Luke!

JIM'S TRIP TO NORWAY

2008-08-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

This August, I spent two weeks in Norway to visit friends and learn more about Vikings. The land was indescribably beautiful, and the people so open and friendly. Here are some pictures I took of authentic Viking artifacts and various shots from the mountainous lands of Jotunheimen, the so-called Land of the Giants.

Jim in front of an actual Viking farmhouse from the 12th Century. Notice the small doorway and the sophisticated interlocking log designs. Who knew that the Vikings invented "Lincoln logs?"

I loved the carved decorations on this Tenth Century Viking drinking horn.

Jim with his wife Allison and son Jake atop a pre-Viking burial mound on the island of Hanko from around 500 B.C. Kings, queens and other royal personages were laid to rest beneath these large mounds called "barrows" usually placed on hilltops near shore so that they could be seen from ships at sea.

Authentic Viking belt buckles and a silver decorative war helmet.

Norse chessmen carved of walrus tusk ivory (others of whale teeth) believed to have been crafted in Trondheim, Norway, during the 12th century and now housed in the British Museum.All the chess pieces are sculptures of human figures, except the pawns which are smaller, simple sculptures resembling carved gravestones. The knights are mounted on tiny horses holding spears and shields (foreground, bottom photo), and all of the human figures have decidedly glum expressions. Note the berserker rook (seen in sharpest focus in photo above), wild-eyed and biting his shield with battle fury.

Real arrow and spear points used by Vikings circa 900 AD.

The Vikings made wheels for their ox-carts and horse-drawn wagons out of solid oak--hubs, spokes, wheel and all.

Jim with Old Norse historian Per Linge discussing a famous Viking sea battle that took place between the Swedes and the Jomsvikings around the year 1000 AD.

Wisps of early morning fog hug the higher elevations.

A burial stone atop an early Bronze Age barrow.

Trolls attack!

The serene beauty of Sognefjord.

Jim with his Norwegian mountain guide, Brita. (The blurred finger seen in the lower left hand corner shows that this shot was definitely taken by a professional photographer.)

Some of the peaks in Jotunheimen, the Land of the Giants.

One of the many glaciers in Jotunheimen.

A silver-decorated Viking drinking horn.

A cool column depicting all of Norwegian history in Elvesaeter.

Another peak in Jotunheimen near Lom, Norway.

Jim halfway up the mountain (and out of breath) around 11pm at night.

One of the countless "turf roof" cabins still common today in Norway.

My guide Brita with a real Lapplander named Pil who was selling reindeer pelts and other souvenirs.

This is the hut where he lived. Although it was very rustic living miles from any running water or other conveniences, he did have satellite TV so as to never miss a World Cup game.

The carvings seen in the Viking era are truly extraordinary and a little scary too.

A real Viking war axe from around 912 A.D. When I looked at it and saw how sharp it was I could only wonder how many goats and sheep -- and men -- it actually helped to slaughter.

Real leather shoes preserved from the Viking era.

A dung fork, at lower left, and other wooden spades above it.

Here are some real Viking ships built between the years 815 and 890 AD. They were excavated in the late 1880's from farms in Vestfold, Norway, where centuries before they had been used as burial chambers. Archaeologists have determined that the Oseberg ship (at bottom), as it is now called, had been used as a grave ship for a woman of high rank, perhaps a queen, who died in 834 AD. The burial mound is believed to have been plundered by grave robbers in ancient times, since no jewelry or gold or silver objects were found in the grave. 22 meters in length, the ship was built of oak planks using the Old Norse ship-building technique known as "clinking." By its number of oar holes we can conclude that the ship was rowed by a crew of thirty men. The ship had no seats, and the oarsmen probably sat on their own wooden ship's chests. Like most other Viking ships of the era, the oars could be drawn in when the square sail was raised to catch the wind. The steering oar, or "rudder" (at top), was place

d on the right aft side of the ship -- the starboard side.

TRIP TO NORWAY - PART 2 . . .

We also visited a historical site just east of Fredrikstad, Norway, where Bronze Age petroglyphs from long, long ago can be found carved into the flat stones there. There was a downpour of rain the day we went. Modern scientists have painted the carvings red so that they can be more easily seen. Here are some photographs taken by my friend, film director Harald Zwart.

OUR FIRST BOOK EVENT!

2008-08-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, August 21, 2008, Tom and I visited Anderson's Book Shop in Naperville, IL., one of the finest bookstores in the country. We had a terrific time speaking to a large gathering of young readers and their parents, and even more fun taking their questions about our new book, "RuneWarriors." (We had fun eating pizza, too -- three different kinds!)

Some surprises: A vote was held and, by a fairly wide margin, the group's favorite character from our book was Astrid, Mistress of the Blade. Every bit as tough as any boy, she is an axe-wielding heroine who strikes fear into even the bloodthirstiest of barbarians. (A vote on the pizza proved pepperoni to be the crowd favorite that night.)

Thanks to Becky Anderson and Gail Wetta for all their help in hosting the event, and to our HarperCollins PR maven Cindy Tamasi for her help as well.

"RuneWarriors" will be invading bookstores on September 23, 2008. And we will be invading bookstores and schools across the country to do signings and give readings. If you'd like us to visit your school or store, email Cindy Tamasi at Cindy.Tamasi@HARPERCOLLINS.com and she'll coordinate it for you.

Feel free to visit our RuneWarriors website at www.runewarriors.net. There's more fun stuff there about the book and its co-authors. -- Jim