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You might well have read romantasy there and wondered what it was all about, but while this is certainly ‘my romance’ story, this book (which you may have read in a previous iteration), like my historical fiction novels, was most certainly inspired by my historical research. Read on…..
The setting for Dragonbound – the first book in the Ice and Fire series
The Ice and Fire series is set in my re-imaginings of an alternative Viking-age Iceland, with dragons (and a few other things going on too). So yes, this is potentially not a ‘normal’ inspiration for fantasy writers, but I’ve always been drawn to fantasy books that heavily rely on a historical setting (and very rarely a true medieval one, (although the PERN novels of Anne McCaffrey do perhaps fall into that category)).
What drew me to this time and place was the stunning bravery of men and women who decided to risk it all and start afresh in an entirely new ‘land’ to the one they called their home. It’s always been said that Iceland was settled because those living in Norway didn’t wish to fall under the sway of ‘a’ king, and a king they were going to get in the final years of the 800s. While this is somewhat contested now, back then (last century when I first had the idea) this enthralled me.
Iceland, when it was settled, is said to have been empty apart from one of two religious figures living at the extreme of the known world. Can you imagine being the first to step foot on that landscape? It must have been magical. But that wasn’t the only inspiring element. Those first settlers also undertook a number of endeavours that are unique. They wrote the Landnámabók (the book of Settlements)– a book detailing the land claimed by those settlers, and in that way recorded their history (astonishing).
The Landnámabók begins, ‘In his book On Times the Venerable Priest Bede mentions an island called Thule, said in other books to lie six days’ sailing to the north of Britain. He says there’s neither daylight there in winter, nor darkness when the day is at its longest in the summer.’ (from the translation by H Pálsson and Paul Edwards.)
These settlers also vowed to have no one king and to rule largely through consensus (amazing). And they decided to live in an environment that was harsher than they were used to, even coming from Norway.
And so, I set my characters in an idea of what this might have been, adopting the customs, the ideas, the way they might have lived, but in an entirely fantastical world (unless, of course, there were dragons in Viking age Iceland). I do not profess that everything is accurate (it isn’t), it couldn’t be, but the beautiful, deadly landscape; the bravery of those men and women all inspired me to create the setting for the world of Ice and Fire (and, to be honest, earlier iterations stayed even more true to this setting and landscape, but have been somewhat relaxed to ensure this is a work of fiction).
An antique map of Iceland
Here’s the blurb
The Long Night is ending. The dragon is waking.
Sereh is finally free — but the frozen wilds are just as deadly as the life she left behind. When she saves a mysterious stranger, she binds herself to a fate she doesn’t understand.
Erann has secrets. About the cold. About the land. About why the world is changing.
As the Long Night lingers and something ancient stirs beneath the frozen land, survival means staying together. And their fragile alliance turns into something neither of them can afford.
Because in a world of ice and fire, trust might be the spark that destroys them both.
This slow-burning Norse fantasy romance is perfect for fans of Robin Hobb, T. Kingfisher, S.L. Rowland and Anne McCaffrey.
Releasing 23rd September 2026
Check out the dedicated website for the Ice and Fire Series
Check out the Ice and Fire Series page on the blog
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Posts
Introducing Dragonbound, the first book in the Ice and Fire series, a book 18 years in the making #historicalromantasy #authorinspiration
July 23, 2026
It’s time… 757, the first book in the brand-new series, The House of Mercia, is now available. Listen to me talking about the new book #fiction #TalesOfMercia
July 22, 2026
757, the first book in the brand-new series, The House of Mercia. Listen to me talking about the new book #fiction #TalesOfMercia
July 15, 2026
757, the first book in the brand new series, The House of Mercia. Here are some photos from my visit to Repton’s Saxon crypt #fiction #TalesOfMercia
July 8, 2026
It’s happy release day to The Eagle Will Rise, the first book in The Sundered Kingdom Series. Listen to me talk about why I wrote this book #newbook #historicalfiction #Mercia
May 7, 2026
Storm of Mercia is now available. This is also known as ‘the one on the ship.’ #histficbook #newrelease #authorinspiration
April 5, 2026
Storm of Mercia is now available. Let’s talk about Wynflæd #histficbook #newrelease #characterinspiration
April 4, 2026
Introducing Mercia: A Companion Guide to the Tales of Mercia
April 2, 2026
It’s happy release day to Storm of Mercia. Return to the world of young Icel in the ninth book in the Eagle of Mercia Series. #histficbook #newrelease #HadPossessionOfThePlaceOfSlaughter
April 1, 2026
It’s (nearly) happy release day to Storm of Mercia. Return to the world of young Icel in the ninth book in the Eagle of Mercia Series. #histficbook #newrelease
March 25, 2026
The Secret Sauce is now available in audiobook format #histfic #historicalmystery
March 24, 2026
Introducing The Ultimate Pantsers Writers’ Notebook by yours truly
March 23, 2026
The Dark Age Chronicles might be complete, but I imagine my readers still have questions. Check out this blog post about what comes before (and what came after) #TheDarkAgeChronicles#MenOfIron #WarriorsOfIron #LordsofIron #histfic
February 14, 2026
Introducing 757, the first book in the brand new series, The House of Mercia #fiction #nonfiction #Mercia
February 12, 2026
It’s cover reveal time for Storm of Mercia. Return to the world of young Icel in the ninth book in the Eagle of Mercia Series. #coverreveal #preorder #histficbook
February 7, 2026
It’s happy release day to Lords of Iron, the third and concluding book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy. Let’s talk about battle standards #newrelease #MenOfIron #WarriorsOfIron #LordsofIron #histfic
January 5, 2026
It’s happy release day to Lords of Iron, the third and concluding book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy. Watch and listen to a short recording about the research books I used #newrelease #MenOfIron #WarriorsOfIron #LordsofIron #histfic
January 5, 2026
It’s nearly happy release day to Lords of Iron, the third and concluding book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy. Let’s talk about Wærmund, warrior of the Gyrwe #newrelease #MenOfIron #WarriorsOfIron #LordsofIron #histfic
January 4, 2026
It’s nearly happy release day to Lords of Iron, the third and concluding book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy. Here are the original (very long) historical notes for Men of Iron #newrelease #MenOfIron #WarriorsOfIron #LordsofIron #histfic
January 3, 2026
It’s nearly happy release day to Lords of Iron, the third and concluding book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy. Let’s talk about Meddi , the seeress of the Eorlingas #newrelease #MenOfIron #WarriorsOfIron #LordsofIron #histfic
January 2, 2026
2025 – A Writing Year in Review
January 1, 2026
The inspiration for The Barrage Body, book 4 in The Erdington Mysteries (and why this isn’t quite the book I thought it would be) #histfic #mystery
December 16, 2025
It’s happy release day to The Barrage Body, book 4 in The Erdington Mysteries #histfic #mystery
November 30, 2025
The Secret Sauce is on blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources hosts. Check out the reviews, blog posts and Q & As below #histfic #historicalmystery
November 19, 2025
Shield of Mercia is now available. Return to the world of young Icel, and listen to me rabbiting on, again #newrelease #histfic #TheEagleofMerciaChronicles #audio
October 5, 2025
It’s happy release day to Shield of Mercia. Return to the world of young Icel. I attempt to summarise all the books in just 20 seconds each. #newrelease #histfic #TheEagleofMerciaChornicles
October 3, 2025
Letter writing in the Eleventh Century, how I recreated Lady Estrid’s connections with her vast family. #non-fiction #histfic
September 20, 2025
What languages were being spoken in Post-Roman Britain? #newrelease #MenOfIron #WarriorsOfIron #histfic
September 17, 2025
The Saxon Settlement of Tamworth in the 800s
July 16, 2025
It’s happy release day to Warriors of Iron, the second book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy #newrelease #MenOfIron #WarriorsOfIron #histfic
July 13, 2025
Warfare during the Saxon period. What we know and what we don’t about the battle of Hædfeld. #GodsAndKingsTrilogy #histfic
May 25, 2025
It’s happy release day to Betrayal of Mercia, so I’m sharing a post about Crime and Punishment in Saxon England
January 5, 2025
It’s happy release day to Betrayal of Mercia, so I’m sharing a post about Mercia’s alleged ‘Bad Queens.’
January 5, 2025
It’s happy release day to The Last Deceit, book 10 in The Last King series, so I’m sharing a blog post about my decision to include a fictional character
December 26, 2024
MJ Porter’s Saxon Stories Order and Series Pages | Infographic
July 27, 2024
The Royal Women Who Made England: The Tenth Century in Saxon England. But who were these royal women?
January 29, 2024
I’m welcoming Anthea Laurelton and Fearless Hearts Forbidden Love to the blog #HistoricalRomance #SpartanRomance #HistoricalFantasy #HeartsOfSparta #FearlessHeartsForbiddenLove #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub
July 21, 2026
I’m welcoming G.G. MacLeod to the blog with VIA MALORUM #AncientRome #Agrippina #Messalina #DarkRomantasy #PsychThriller #Giallo #BlogTour #ReaderReach #TheCoffeePotBookClub #YardeBookPromotions
July 16, 2026
