In the Writer's Den with GARTH PETTERSEN
Today
we’re going back to an old favorite: In the Writer’s Den. And we’ve got Tirgearr
Publishing debut author, Garth Pettersen, in the proverbial hot seat. His upcoming
release, The Swan’s Road, is historical
fiction set in the 11th century. I
think they tortured people back then. Right?
In the eleventh century, Cnute, the Viking king of
Engla-lond and Scandinavia,
sails with his son, Harald, and his shield brothers to Rome. Thrown off course
by a storm, they follow the route up the Rhine.
When Harald hangs back to assist Selia, a beautiful Frisian
woman, his path turns perilous. Newfound enemies, retainers of Robert the
Devil, Duke of Normandy, pursue them. Harald, Selia, and their companions fail
to rendezvous with King Cnute, and are forced to travel cross-country on
horseback. If Duke Robert's plan to assassinate Cnute succeeds, an invasion of
Engla-lond will follow.
Can Harald and Selia reach Rome in time to warn the King?
Now that we’ve got that squared away, the rack
is ready and the flat iron heated, on to the inquisition:
What is
your favorite word?
Llewellyn.
It's a Welsh name. The initial Ll is difficult, like a back of the throat roll.
I love both the sound and the look of the word––all the ells and the y as a
vowel.
What is
your least favorite word?
I
hate when people use the word "puke". Swearing doesn't faze me, but
this word does. It conveys unpleasant sights, sounds, taste, and smell––kind of
hits all the senses. Touch too, on clean-up. Sorry, you asked the question.
What turns
you on?
I
take it you mean non-sexually (I hope you mean non-sexually). A fit horse
running free. A child in innocent wonder. A beautiful woman who doesn't realize
she's beautiful.
No
worries, Garth, we save those blush-inducing questions for the erotica authors.
What turns you off?
Bullying
and real-life violence. Donald Trump. Did I mention bullying?
What sound
or noise do you love?
Wind
rattling the leaves of aspens or cottonwoods. Storm waves crashing on
headlands. A violin concerto.
What sound
or noise do you hate?
The
noise of a multitude of uncontrolled, undisciplined children in a school gymnasium
where you're obligated to remain.
What is
your favorite curse word?
Holy
shit!
What
profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I
think it would be awesome to be a bush pilot with a float plane.
What
profession would you not like to do?
I've
done so many different jobs in my life, everything from acting to topping
trees. The worst job I've ever done (much worse than my time working in a lead
smelter) was substitute teaching. I would also hate being a school principal or
a politician.
"You
were right much of the time, and I forgive you for all the rest of that
shit."
Anybody
who thinks God greets them at the doors to heaven and immediately swears is my
kind-a guy. Garth Pettersen is a Canadian writer whose stories have appeared in
journals and magazines such as The Spadina Literary Review and The Opening Line
Literary 'Zine, and in a number of anthologies. He recently received an honorable
mention in The Short Story America 2017 Competition and was one of two
runners-up in the Wundor Editions (UK) Short Fiction Prize. The Swan's Road is
his first novel. You can follow Garth Pettersen at www.facebook.com/writeandride/
and at www.garthpettersen.com
The Swan's Road is available for
pre-order on Amazon and other sites:
Party on Garth!
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