Comments for The Writer's Saga

Comment on The Role of Marriage in Viking Society (Ladies, All of Your Harlequin Romance Fantasies End Here!) by korinna

korinna — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:59:36 +0000

Having written a series of short stories on the Vikings, there really was no need for polygamy. It did happen on some occ, Viking men were notoriously unfaithful. They did not see why being in love with their wife deterred them from having sex with a slave or any other woman that was no married. Considering that that any culture has sub-cultures…including Vikings, each clan will have local laws concerning such things.

As far as marriage for poor people…they were not able to pay a bride price, and their children as they most likely were…would be slaves. If a master released his slave, then he would be free to take a wife and have children through some sort of agreement.

There was a minimal age in that a woman had to become a “woman” meaning her first period. That signaled to the clan she was now “up” for grabs, so to speak. Vikings married very young because their average life span was 29 years old…some making it beyond that, many more dying before that.:)

Comment on NEW! See Modern Day Trondheim – Just For Fun! by Ragnhild Wenes

Ragnhild Wenes — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:40:42 +0000

Wow, loved that picture from Nordre gate with the trees lit up. Trondheim is my hometown. born and raised. Looks really beatiful. Good luck with inspiration and the writing

Comment on The World of Odin’s End by Synde Lavinia Arason

Synde Lavinia Arason — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:58:45 +0000

Hi I was doing some research on Arason because I am an Arason, and I was delighted to see that someone else knew about the last bishop of Island Jon Arason was a rogue to say the least. Some how those six children became a remnant of Arason of which I am a descent of one –Synde Arason Some where along the line the name stayed with the fathers Name in full as a posed to Ara-daughter the form got all mixed up. Anyway I am impressed with your progress since 2009 I wish I could say the same for my self I have been fooling around with blogs and writing since 1994 and have not really published any of my work it sits here all hand written in stacks and stacks all around me.

Comment on About Me and My Blog by Marnie de Vanssay

Marnie de Vanssay — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:17:05 +0000

There are countless romanesque chapels throughout the little Loir Valley, especially from Vendôme to Le Lude. This entire region is off the beaten track, untouched, buccolic. The XIth century Chapel de St Giles in Montoire has frescoes of Christ pancreator which are byzantine in their execution, as well as a frescoe which reminds one completely of the Bayeux tapestry knights. Same period…
The fortress of Lavardin and Montmirail played a major part in the Hundred Years war.
Back to Montoire, it also has a splendid farmers market on Saturday morning, with one of the best cheese makers in France present, Rodolphe Le Meunier.
And of course, you saw the farmers market on Sunday, at the foot of the St Julien cathedral in Le Mans. I defy the worst anorexic to walk by those stalls and remain skinny!!
Thanks for your blog, Dawn, this region is made for passionate writers and artists like you, who are trend setters, not followers
Marnie

Comment on NEW! Le Mans – Plantagenet City and St. Julian’s Cathedral by Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 03:02:39 +0000

Truly, I was amazed by the history, which seemed alive everywhere, the friendly people, who were amazed that I was dragging my camera with me everywhere, and the FOOD, which was enough that I wondered just WHY go back to the states, anyway?

So glad you stopped by – I look forward to visiting you SOON!

Comment on NEW! Le Mans – Plantagenet City and St. Julian’s Cathedral by Marnie de Vanssay

Marnie de Vanssay — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:40:17 +0000

Wonderful to read such an enthusiastic, beautiful, interesting article about Le Mans! Thank you ! We welcome guests to our Château, 30 minutes East of Le Mans, and encourage them to visit the Plantagenet city, a real hidden gem which merits world fame (but the fact it is still unknown make it all the more pleasurable for our guests to visit).
Chateau de La Barre (www.chateaudelabarre.com) has been in our family for more than 600 years, and ancestors of ours went over to England in 1066 and are registered in the Domesday book. So your research is most interesting to us also!
Bravo!

Comment on Every Writer’s Bane: Criticism… or PRAISE? by The Lone Wulf

The Lone Wulf — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:46:30 +0000

I have to agree. I’m also in the process of writing, and I never know how to take the criticism (or lack thereof) and make it improvements. The few criticisms I’ve recieved were related to wording issues I’d already resolved! I’ll have to take a look at that Kick in the Pants site and see what he’s said.

Best of luck in all you do!

LoneWulf

Comment on Chapter 1, Part 1 by paul ranta

paul ranta — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:48:49 +0000

1) “It was only a dream. Yet it was more real than all the auguries I would later divine” seems a bit awkward having two inactive verbs in a row especially for an opening sentence. Augur and divine are synonymous. I was trying to figure out another way to phrase it. Maybe “The dream that night on the ship seemed more real to me than…”

2) “I sat with my family in the time before my sister and I went to Fontevraud Abbey. We picnicked on the Saone River, under a cloudless sky that framed lush grasses. Delicate jasmine trailed along the banks. My father boomed his hearty laughter, as he did in our days of carefree wealth; the days before he abandoned us to preach his heresies. My angelic sister Diane looked as she had before death restored her to her celestial kin. Strangely, I was not a child, but seventeen and a woman grown as I am now. I knew Diane was dead. How could she picnic with us?”

The word “picnic” dates from the 17th century. You might use “supped” or something more appropriately medeival. Or you might just skip the meal part and get right into the sailing of the paper boats. Probably better to make them wooden. Paper was pretty expensive in the Middle Ages.

My father’s booming laughter echoed beneath a cloudless sky. My angelic sister Diane still alive in those carefree days before father had abandoned his rank and wealth to preach his heresies. My sister and I had not yet been sent to Fontevraud Abbey. We (insert word substitute for picnic) along the Saone River. (You’d know better than I from your trip but I think Jasmine grows mostly in tropical or subtropical climate zones. You might substitute iris or lilies.)

I’ll post some more stuff later. Time for bed now.

Comment on Published Author Patricia Kay – The Emotional Connection Checklist by Diana Cosby

Diana Cosby — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:31:14 +0000

Dawna,
Thank you very much for posting her sage words. SOOOOOOOOO true. ^5

Diana Cosby
Romance Edged With Danger

Comment on About Me and My Blog by Dawna Rand

Dawna Rand — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:23:33 +0000

Oh, we would love the translation! Seriously, on Yahoo there are some Viking reenactment groups and they would really love such information. They are forever learning about “how things were really done” and they welcome new expertise.

So if ever you have the time, look up Norsefolk 2 Yahoo group. They must approve membership but that is no problem

Let me see what we can find to help you!
Dawna