Norse Scotland

Workshop Description:

In this year dire portents appeared over Northumbria and sorely frightened the inhabitants. They consisted of immense whirlwinds and flashes of lightning, and fiery dragons were seen flying in the air. A great famine followed soon upon these signs, and a little after that in the same year on the ides of June the harrying heathen destroyed God’s church on Lindisfarne by rapine and slaughter. – Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 793

As in England, Vikings invaded parts of the Western and Northern Isles of Scotland. They ravaged the monasteries and enslaved the people. But the images we conjure up of the raiders provide only a small glimpse into the world of the Norse people. Those who followed the pirates were settlers who established homes and integrated their way of life with that of the Gaels and Picts. This workshop examines these people through the lens of history, culture, ways of life, and where they lived.

Cindy enhances the experience with handouts, activities, and excerpts from her novel, The Scottish Thistle, and her short story, “Odin’s Stone,” to illustrate how aspects of Norse culture survived into the 18th century and how she weaves fact into fiction. At the end of the workshop, Cindy provides a free chapter edit.

Instructor Bio:

A retired librarian, Cindy Vallar is a historical novelist and freelance editor specializing in historical fiction. For fourteen years, she penned an editing column called “The Red Pencil” for Historical Novels Review. She is also the Editor of Pirates and Privateers. She belongs to the Historical Novel Society and, in 2005, received the first Friend of Clan Cameron Award at the Clan Cameron North American Rally. She is also a member of Historical Writers of America and the National Association of Writers and Editors. She invites you to visit her award-winning website, Thistles & Pirates (http://www.cindyvallar.com/), to learn more.