Written by Lucy Morris
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Today I welcome author Lucy Morris to my blog. Her latest historical romance,
A Nun for the Viking Warrior, is currently undertaking a blog tour with Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources.
For my stop on the tour, I have a guest post where Ms Morris talks about her inspiration for
A Nun for the Viking Warrior.
A Nun for the Viking Warrior, is currently undertaking a blog tour with Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources.
For my stop on the tour, I have a guest post where Ms Morris talks about her inspiration for
A Nun for the Viking Warrior.
The blurb:
A Nun for the Viking WarriorForced to wed the warrior
Falling for the man…
Noblewoman Amée Évreaux had pledged her life to God, until her father promised her in marriage to thundering Norseman, Jorund Jötunnson. After escaping her overbearing father, Amée vows never to fall under another man’s thumb, but her resistance to being Jorund’s wife turns to desire as she gets to know her intriguing new husband. For beneath his fierce exterior she’s glimpsed an unexpectedly pure heart. If only she can penetrate the fortress that surrounds it…
Historical Romance
Fiction
My inspiration for ‘A Nun for the Viking Warrior’.
As usually happens with my books. A sudden and striking image popped into my mind and inspired the entire story. In my research I’d read about the sacking of monasteries and convents. How they were looted and their inhabitants carried away as slaves.
This must have tormented my subconscious because the image of a nunnery door being smashed open by Vikings came into my mind when I tried to plot my next book.
I could only imagine how terrifying it would be, to have only a wooden door between you and armed men. How you would pray for the wooden door to hold and keep you safe —especially when you learned they were coming for you specifically!
Here’s a little extract of the scene that was my ‘opening image inspiration’:
‘Everyone’s eyes turned towards Amée.
She looked up at the abbess. ‘Maybe I should go out and speak with him? It would be wrong to put you and the others at risk. Besides, maybe it’s a misunderstanding.’ How she prayed it was a misunderstanding! Otherwise, the future she’d worked so hard for would be lost. She smiled brightly.
‘Princess Gisla will know the truth of it…’
Bang!
‘And he can’t possibly refuse to speak with his overlord’s wife…’
Bang!
Her voice trailed off with each continued knock to the door. ‘She will understand and sort this whole mess out.’
Bang!
‘She considers me a friend. I was her companion for many years at court.’
Bang!
‘All will be well. I’m sure of it. A few calm, reasonable words with the…’
Bang!
‘…the man, and he’ll understand.’
Bang!
The abbess sniffed. ‘Absolutely not.’
The doors creaked and groaned.
Wide-eyed with horror, the sisters and novices of the nunnery watched as the oak began to bow under the strain. For many of the sisters, this was not the first time a Norseman had broken into their home. But with the recent treaty—which granted land and Princess Gisla’s hand in marriage to Jarl Rollo in return for protection against raids—they’d prayed those days of torment were behind them.
Apparently not.
With a deafening crack, both the hinges and the thick oak bar gave way. The double doors splitting and then falling to the ground like overripe figs.’
She looked up at the abbess. ‘Maybe I should go out and speak with him? It would be wrong to put you and the others at risk. Besides, maybe it’s a misunderstanding.’ How she prayed it was a misunderstanding! Otherwise, the future she’d worked so hard for would be lost. She smiled brightly.
‘Princess Gisla will know the truth of it…’
Bang!
‘And he can’t possibly refuse to speak with his overlord’s wife…’
Bang!
Her voice trailed off with each continued knock to the door. ‘She will understand and sort this whole mess out.’
Bang!
‘She considers me a friend. I was her companion for many years at court.’
Bang!
‘All will be well. I’m sure of it. A few calm, reasonable words with the…’
Bang!
‘…the man, and he’ll understand.’
Bang!
The abbess sniffed. ‘Absolutely not.’
The doors creaked and groaned.
Wide-eyed with horror, the sisters and novices of the nunnery watched as the oak began to bow under the strain. For many of the sisters, this was not the first time a Norseman had broken into their home. But with the recent treaty—which granted land and Princess Gisla’s hand in marriage to Jarl Rollo in return for protection against raids—they’d prayed those days of torment were behind them.
Apparently not.
With a deafening crack, both the hinges and the thick oak bar gave way. The double doors splitting and then falling to the ground like overripe figs.’
However, I didn’t want my Viking to be a bad man…that doesn’t make a good romance hero in my mind! So, I had to think of a reason why he would be smashing through a nunnery door to reach the women inside. Maybe, there was someone important inside…his bride?
The Vikings at that time had changed from invaders to overlords in some parts of the world, like in Normandy, France. To cement their rule, they married local Frankish women, including ladies with land, and that’s how my two characters were formed.
Jorund is a giant of a man with a dark past. Impatient, blunt, and pragmatic. He seems at first brutal to Amée’s gentle heart. But he’s also very sweet and kind, deeply attracted to his wife. He’s held back from sharing his feelings by his own personal demons. Amée is also haunted by her past and the cruelty of her father. She doesn’t believe she can trust men — especially a Viking! But they quickly learn that passion and love is an irresistible vice they can’t deny.
The look of my characters was based on the bookish and beautiful character Rachel Weisz played in ‘The Mummy’, and the brawny ‘Achilles’ played by Brad Pitt in the film ‘Troy’. I hope this has whetted your appetite for more!
However, the path to love never runs smooth, and my characters have a lot of prejudices, insecurities and secrets to overcome before they finally embrace their happily ever after.
I loved writing this book so much! I hope you enjoy reading it!
| Author Bio – Lucy Morris |
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 As a little girl, Lucy Morris was obsessed with myths and legends. She regularly escaped into the adventures of her imagination, with characters who were strong and fierce. Now fully grown she finds she can't forget the stories plaguing her mind and has to write them down. A book by Lucy Morris will sweep you away on a historical adventure filled with vivid characters haunted by their pasts. Her books will have you flying through her pages, desperate to reach her characters passionately romantic happily ever after. She lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two young children, and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves gin, bubbly and Irn-Bru. A member of the UK Romantic Novelists' Association, she was delighted in 2020 to accept a two-book deal with Harlequin after submitting her story to the Warriors Wanted submission blitz for Viking, Medieval, and Highlander romances. Writing for Harlequin Historical is a dream come true for her and she hopes you enjoy her books! |
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