Sunday, May 5, 2013

Name the sword contest!


I’m pleased to announce that THE VALIANT HEART is nearly ready for release. However, one small issue remains. My hero’s sword needs to be renamed.

Originally, while researching my HEART trilogy in the late 1980’s, I culled authentic names for the Norsemen and their weapons from the ancient sagas and archaeological materials—the same resources Tolkien drew on. Desiring an appropriate, but not too “bloody” or grisly name for my hero’s sword, I dubbed it “Sting.” You can probably see my concern right away. With the advent of Peter Jackson’s recent Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies (with two more  Hobbit movies to come), readers, upon seeing the sword name “Sting” in VALIANT might instantly envision the small elven sword brandished by Bilbo and Frodo which bears the same name—not good for my 6 foot- plus hero, Rurik, a Dane who once served in the elite guard of the Byzantine emperor before joining his father in the new duchy of Normandy. His warrior sword needs a better warrior name.

Join in the fun and help me rename Rurik’s sword. Send your suggestions to swordcontest@outlook.com.  The winner will receive a free copy of the THE VALIANT HEART eBook. The contest ends on May 13, 2013.

2 comments:

  1. Loki is a great Norse name, after the trickster God.
    Magnus is my favorite family name, and can be shortened to Mag. :-)
    Good luck on the name hunt!

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  2. Not sure of the timing.....date-wise....but doing a little research I came up with Basileus..... The word "Basileus" deserves a history of its own. In classical Greece, "Basileus" meant "King," equivalent to the Latin "Rex." From the time of Emperor Augustus [died 14 AD], Greeks called the Roman Emperor by the name "Basileus."

    Just a "too much time to think" thought! Rose

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