Love Bytes gives a very warm welcome to author Robert Winter, joining us today to talk about her duology: Falcon Saga & Falcon Guard.
Welcome Robert 🙂
My Top Ten Experiences In Iceland
Guest Post by Robert Winter
I usually write romance novels, but my most recent books are a contemporary fantasy duology set in Iceland and based on Icelandic folklore. Falconsaga and Falconguard tell the story of a 400-year-old elf (one of the huldufólk or Hidden Folk) and a human from Boston with a prophecy of doom hanging over their heads. In these books, I tried to convey some of the magic and mystery of the “land of fire and ice”, and to make the country a character in itself.
Iceland has always held my fascination. The first time I visited was in 2018, when I toured the sights close to Reykjavik in what guides refer to as the “Golden Circle”. Since then, I have been back several times. Most memorably, I spent a month circling Iceland by myself on its famous Ring Road. Along the way, I collected many delightful and thrilling snippets of folklore and legend, and also exotic and wonderful experiences. If you visit Iceland, and if you are lucky enough to have the time to explore beyond Thingvallir, Geysir and Gulfoss, see if you can indulge in some of these wonders.
- Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft: this gem of a museum is located in HĂłlmavĂk, in the Westfjords region of Iceland. Runes, spells, legends and artifacts make for a fascinating visit. The sorcerer’s pants have to be seen to be believed!
- VĂĂ°gelmir: Iceland features several lava tubes that you can explore. This one is the largest and, IMHO, the best. I visited in April, when the ice stalagmites that form through the winter create a fantasy land.
- Forest Lagoon: Iceland has many thermal spas where you can spend a few hours or an entire day in luxury. The Blue Lagoon is the best-advertised, but the Forest Lagoon near Akureyri is my favorite. The surroundings, the views across the fjord, and the assortment of features make Forest Lagoon superior.
- Hot River: Reykjadalur is a valley not far from Reykjavik. The joy there is a hike up along a thermal spring runoff to an area where you can put on your swim suit, climb in the river, and bask in the warm, natural hot river.
- Vaðlaheiði Tunnel: “A tunnel?”, you ask. Yes. Driving in Northern Iceland, this tunnel runs almost five miles through a mountain near Akureyri. The drive is long enough that you feel the weight and the age of the mountain even as you admire the engineering of the narrow tunnel and its frequent pull-outs in case you encounter a car going in the other direction.
- Arnarstapi: The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is on the west coast of Iceland, and an easy trip from Reykjavik. Arnarstapi is a lovely fishing village along the peninsula, situated near the pounding surf and thousands of birds. The one-hour hike from Arnarstapi to Hellnar along basalt cliffs is exhilarating.
- Eldheimar Lava Museum: Iceland has numerous volcanos, some of which remain active. In 1973, an eruption near Heimaey, in the Westman Islands, buried the town in volcanic ash. Everyone escaped on boats, but homes were buried. Decades later, an excavation revealed those homes largely remained intact. A museum was built around some of the abandoned homes. The story of the eruption and an exploration of the remnants is haunting and thrilling.
- JĂłkulsaralon glacier lagoon: Along the southern coast of Iceland, a lake filled with floating pieces of icebergs is absolutely beautiful. Try to catch it at sunset, when the light shining through the ice is magical. Nearby is Diamond Beach, where smaller pieces of ice glitter on the black sand beach like, well, diamonds.
- Godafoss and Dettifoss: I’m cheating here and naming two of Iceland’s many waterfalls because Godafoss and Dettifoss are among the prettiest I encountered in this magnificent country. If you visit the northeast of Iceland to see what the tour guides call the Diamond Circle, visiting these two falls is a must.
- Swimming Halls: in every town in Iceland, you will find one or more public bathing halls, often fed by geothermal waters. For a very small fee, you can spend hours relaxing in “hot pots” of various temperatures, chatting with other bathers, sweating in a steam room, and refreshing yourself in a cold plunge. Sundhöll in Reykjavik is easy to get to, but I visited many around the country. If you’re shy, be wary because everyone is expected to shower naked before putting on your swim suit!
You can probably tell from this little list (which could have been much longer!) that Iceland truly inspires me. That’s why I send my characters, Magnús and Altair, and their found family made up of a witch, a were-bear, an ancient elf who watched the Norsemen arrive, and others, adventuring across the country to save it from a sorcerous invasion. I’d be thrilled if you give my books a try and feel some of my love from this land of fire and ice!
ABOUT THE BOOKS
In modern-day Iceland, a place of glaciers, volcanoes, and legends, the Norns have foretold a sorcerous invasion that could destroy everything.
MagnĂşs, an elf of the huldufĂłlk, is driven by the murder of his human lover a century ago to save those humans he can, and to figure out what is behind recent troll attacks on tourists. But the Norns have spoken. He must protect Altair, a young human from Boston, who is bringing a dangerous magical force to Iceland. If MagnĂşs fails to keep Altair safe, the country will fall to a sorcerer called the Black Priest. Yet if Altair lives, MagnĂşs will meet his doom.
For his part, Altair is a graduate student bullied to visit Iceland by mentors who seem to have their own agenda. He knows nothing of elves, sorcerers or prophecies. Suddenly, the handsome, mysterious Magnús is guiding Altair around Reykjavik and into danger. A witch, a berserker, and more elves are along for the quest across Iceland’s forbidding landscape. And why does everyone keeps calling Altair “the Falcon”?
An elf and a human with a shared destiny. Will they solve the mystery linking their fates before it is too late for all Iceland?
Robert Winter is a recovering lawyer who likes writing about
love and adventure much more than drafting a legal brief. Once upon a time, he went to Georgetown University law school. Upon graduation, he moved to New York to work in a large law firm, but later returned to Washington, DC. The legal work was entertaining and Robert spent a lot of time in bankruptcy court, usually representing either groups of creditor or the debtors themselves. But
legal work didn’t satisfy the urge Robert felt to tell stories.
When he turned 50, Robert left behind the (allegedly) glamorous world of international law firms and bankruptcy court to pursue his real passion. Now he lives in Montreal with his husband, studying French between trips to exotic locations.
When Robert isn’t writing, he loves to cook Indian food. The aromas of the spice blends excite and challenge him. Although he’s never been to India, the food seems comforting and home-like. Add a trip to the Golden Triangle to the bucket list!
