This is Ink & Intrigue—the blog where romance ignites, secrets simmer, and every love story hides a twist. I’m your blog host, Sheila Kell, romance author and lover of plot twists, slow burns, and morally questionable book boyfriends.

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to an author whose stories bring Norse legends to life. —Jennifer Ivy Walker! If you love Vikings, historical fiction, romantasy, and Norse mythology, you’re in for a treat.

Jennifer Ivy Walker is known for immersive, evocative, world-building that places you in the heart of the Viking era. Her latest release, Falcon of the Faroe Islands, is a scintillating blend of historical fiction, paranormal fantasy, and steamy Viking romance!

In this spotlight, Jennifer Ivy Walker shares the inspiration behind her Valiant Vikings trilogy, and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Falcon of the Faroe Islands, the thrilling epic conclusion.

Whether you write love stories, devour them, or dream of doing both, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it and give a warm welcome to Jennifer Ivy Walker! 💖

The Inspiration Behind Falcon of the Faroe Islands and the Valiant Vikings trilogy

I am a former French teacher and college professor of the language of love, and as part of my BA program in French, I spent a summer abroad in Normandy as an undergraduate student. During that memorable summer, I visited many churches, museums, monuments, and the White Chalk Cliffs of the Pays de Caux where the Vikings settled in the tenth century. That experience was the inspiration for the setting of my Valiant Vikings trilogy.

During that same summer in Normandy, I took classes in French language, civilization, literature, and culture at the local French university, where I learned about famous Vikings such as Rollo, the indomitable chieftain who humbled the Frankish king Charles le Simple and signed the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte in 911. That agreement proclaimed Rollo the leader of the region that is now named Normandy, after the Norsemen who settled there. My trilogy revolves around Rollo’s grandson, Richard the Fearless, the Viking Duke of Normandy (Richard I) who reigned from 942 until his death in 996.

In addition to my fascination with the Viking influences in Normandy, I found later inspiration for Falcon of the Faroe Islands and the Valiant Vikings trilogy through my continued studies as I obtained my MA in French literature. I loved discovering Celtic myths, such as the legend of the Gallizenae mermaids from the Île de Sein, a remote island near la Bretagne (Brittany) off the northwestern coast of France in the English Channel. That legend was the inspiration for my character Elfi’s background and inherited magic in Wolf of the Nordic Seas, book 2 of the Valiant Vikings trilogy, and in Falcon of the Faroe Islands, the conclusion of the award-winning romantasy series.

When I decided to write the Valiant Vikings trilogy, I wanted to blend actual historical events with Norse mythology and create Viking historical fantasy. I began with thorough research into Norse myths and legends, learning more about the familiar gods Odin, Thor, and Freyja while discovering fascinating magical creatures such as the Ljósálfar Light Elves, the Dökkálfar Dark Elves, and the Dwarven blacksmiths who crafted magical weapons like Mjöllnir (Thor’s hammer) and Freyja’s famed Brisingamen necklace.

Through my research, I delved into the geography of Norway and Denmark in the tenth century, and that gave me the inspiration for Dragon of Denmark, book 1 of the Valiant Vikings trilogy. As I discovered the Varangian trade routes of the Vikings who sailed down the Volga and Dnieper rivers in modern-day Russia and Ukraine, I learned that they traveled to the Black and Caspian Seas and traded with the Byzantine Empire. This led to the inspiration for Wolf of the Nordic Seas. And when my geographical research led to Viking conquests in Iceland, the Orkney Islands in Northern Scotland, and the Faroe Islands, all regions deeply shaped by Norse influence, that was the inspiration for Falcon of the Faroe Islands, the epic fantasy conclusion to my Valiant Vikings trilogy.

I wanted real political conflict and historical accuracy in my novels, so I researched the tension among the Carolingian Frankish kings such as Charles le Simple, Louis IV, and his son Lothaire—who is the primary antagonist in my trilogy. During my research, I learned that Hugh Capet (who was crowned King of France in 987) was the greatest threat to King Lothaire’s West Frankish crown. When I discovered that Capet’s new dynasty of French kings (the Capetian line, founded in 987) continued for nearly a thousand years through successive Capetian branches, including the Valois and Bourbon lines, until the French monarchy finally ended in the 19th century, that was the inspiration for my völva Úlvhild’s fateful prophecy foretold in Dragon of Denmark and fulfilled in Falcon of the Faroe Islands. Her prophecy is the overarching thread of the entire trilogy.

It was a tremendous undertaking, weaving together the actual historical events of the tenth century, elements of paranormal fantasy derived from Norse mythology and Celtic legends, and steamy Viking romance.

I truly hope my readers love Falcon of the Faroe Islands—and my entire award-winning Valiant Vikings trilogy!

Looking Forward

What are you working on next?

I am writing another Viking historical fantasy, and I am delighted to have signed a contract for the entire trilogy with Dragonblade Publishing! My new series, Viking Dragonslayers, brings to life three interwoven Norse legends.

Book 1 is entitled Dragonslayer’s Valkyrie: The Legend of Sigurd and Brynhildr. Book 2 is Dragonslayer’s Daughter:  The Legend of the Viking Witch Kráka, and the conclusion of the trilogy is Dragonslayer’s Queen:  The Legend of Ragnar Loðbrok and Áslaug.

Readers who loved the three Netflix series—Vikings, Valhalla, and The Last Kingdom—will surely love my Viking trilogies! Thank you very much for hosting me today.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Jennifer Ivy Walker and hearing about her inspiration behind her latest swoon-worthy release, Falcon of the Faroe Islands. If you haven’t added this to your TBR yet, now’s the time—trust me, you won’t want to miss it. 💖

You can connect with Jennifer Ivy Walker here:

📱Website/Social: Website: https://jenniferivywalker.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyW…
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivy…
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jenni…
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniferivywa…
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jenniferivyw…
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bohemienneivy/

🛒  Grab her book: Amazon

Thank you for joining me in spotlighting two fellow romance lovers who gave us all the feels. Stay tuned for more author features, book talk, and behind-the-scenes romance goodness.

Until next time—keep reading, keep swooning! 💖