Katelyn Buxton's Blog, page 4

Norwegian Names – Female

Last October I compiled a list of
Norwegian names have a really unique feel to them, and though I tried to find the most authentic ones, many of the names on this list are not necessarily Norwegian in origin, even if they're used in Norway.  "What does that mean?" you ask. Well, take the name Maiken on this list, for example. It's a Danish and Norwegian diminutive of Maria, which is a form of Mary, which is, of course, a well-known name taken from English translations of the Bible. The reason I didn't list a meaning for Maiken when I put it on the list, is because Mary may mean "sea of bitterness," "rebelliousness," "wished-for child,"  "beloved," or "loved," depending on who you ask. When names are vague like that, or pass through four or five variations before what makes it to this list (like Katja, which came from Katya, which came from Yekaterina, which came from Katherine, which may have come from the name of the Greek goddess Hecate), I don't feel qualified to nail down a simple meaning for you, and left it blank, instead.

But you didn't come here to read about the evolution of names. You came here to find one for your woefully nameless lady character. So here you go! However, just in case Norwegian names aren't quite what you're going for, here's a few other lists of very different ethnicities that might prove more helpful.

• • • 
Now, let the Norwegian names begin!
​
A
Agathe – good
Agnes – chaste
Agnetha – chaste
Ågot – good
Aina – the only one; always
Alfhild – elf; battle
Alva – elf
Anja – favor; grace
Annbjørg – eagle; help; save; rescue
Annelie – ?
Annette – favor; grace
Anniken – favor; grace
Arnbjørg – eagle; help; save; rescue
Åse – god
Asta – god; beautiful; beloved
Astrid – god; beautiful; beloved
B
Beata – blessed
Benedikte – blessed
Bente – blessed
Bergliot – protection; help; light
Berit – ?
Birgit – ?
Birgitta – ?
Birgitte – ?
Bjørg – help; save; rescue
Bodil – remedy; battle
Borghild – fortification; battle
Brit – ?
Brita – ?
Brynhild – armor; protection; battle C
Carina – ?
Cathrine – ?
Cecilie – blind
Christin – a Christian
D
Dagmar – day; maid
Dagny – day; new
Dagrun – day; secret lore
Dorothea – gift of God
E
Ebba – wild boar; bear; brave; hardy
Edith – wealth; fortune; war
Eir – mercy
Elin – torch; corposant; moon
Elisabet – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Elisabeth – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Elise – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Ella – ?
Ellinor – ?
Else – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Embla – elm?
Emilie – rival
Erika – ever; always; ruler; heather
Erle – feminine form of Jarl; Jarl means chieftain; nobleman; earl
Erna – serious
Eva – to breathe; to live
F
Frida – peace
Frøya – lady
G
Gerda – enclosure
Grete – pearl
Grethe – pearl
Gro – to grow
Gry – dawn
Gudrun – god’s secret lore
Gull – god
Gunda – war
Gunn – war
Gunnhild – war; battle
Gunnvor – cautious in war
H
Hanna – favor; grace
Hanne – favor; grace
Hedda – battle; combat; war
Hedvig – battle; combat; war
Hege – holy; blessed
Heidi – noble; kind; sort; type
Helen – torch; corposant; moon
Helena – torch; corposant; moon
Helene – torch; corposant; moon
Helga – holy; blessed
Hella – holy; blessed
Henrike – home ruler
Hilda – battle
Hilde – battle
Hildegard – battle; enclosure
Hildur – battle
Hjørdis – sword goddess
Hulda – hiding; secrecy; sweet; lovable
I
Ida – work; labor
Ina – ?
Inga – ancestor
Inge – ancestor
Ingebjørg – ancestor; help; save; rescue
Ingegerd – ancestor; enclosure
Inger – ?
Ingrid – Ing is beautiful
Ingvild – ancestor; battle
Irene – peace
J
Jacobine – supplanter
Janne – YAHWEH is gracious
Jannicke – YAHWEH is gracious
Johanna – YAHWEH is gracious
Johanne – YAHWEH is gracious
Jorunn – horse; love
Josefine – He will add
Judit – woman from Judea
K
Kaia – ?
Kaja – ?
Kamilla – ?
Karen – ?
Kari – ?
Karin – ?
Karina – ?
Karine – ?
Karla – ?
Karolina – ?
Katarina – ?
Katja – ?
Katrine – ?
Kine – a Christian
Kirsten – a Christian
Kjellfrid – kettle; beautiful
Kjersti – a Christian
Kjerstin – a Christian
Klara – clear; bright; famous
L
Laila – holy; blessed
Lea – weary; mistress; ruler
Lene – ?
Lina – ?
Linn – ?
Lis – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Lisbet – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Lise – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Liss – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Liv – protection; life
Lotte – ?
Lovise – famous; war; battle
M
Magda – of Magdala
Magnhild – mighty; strong; battle
Maiken – ?
Maja – ?
Malene – of Magdala
Malin – of Magdala
Maren – of the sea
Margit – pearl
Margrethe – pearl
Mari – ?
Marie – ?
Marit – pearl
Marte – the lady; the mistress; master
Marthe – the lady; the mistress; master
Martine – feminine form of Martin
Mathilde – strength in battle
Meta – pearl
Mette – pearl
Mikaela – who is like God?
Milla – ?
Mona – ?
Monika – ?
N
Nanna – daring; brave
Natalie – Christmas day
Nathalie – Christmas day
Nora – ?
O
Oda – wealth; fortune
Olga – holy; blessed
Øydis – good fortune; island; goddess
P
Pauline – small; humble
Pernille – ?
Pia – pious; dutiful
R
Ragna – advice; counsel
Ragnhild – advice; counsel; battle
Rakel – ewe
Randi – advice; counsel; beautiful
Rebekka – join; tie; snare
Regine – queen
Reidun – nest; home; to wave; to billow
Renate – born again
Runa – secret lore
S
Selma – ?
Sigfrid – victory; beautiful; fair
Signe – victory; new
Signy – victory; new
Sigrid – victory; beautiful; fair
Sigrun – victory; secret
Silje – blind
Siri – victory; beautiful; fair
Siv – bride
Solfrid – sun; beautiful
Solveig – sun; strength
Sølvi – ?
Sonja – wisdom
Stina – ?
Stine – ?
Storm – storm
Sunniva – sun gift
Susann – lily; rose; lotus
Susanne – lily; rose; lotus
Svanhild – swan; battle
Sylvi – ?
Synne – sun gift
Synnøve – sun gift
T
Tanja – ?
Tea – gift of God
Terese – ?
Thea – gift of God
Theresa – ?
Therese – ?
Thora – thunder
Thyra – holy; thunder; strength
Tine – a Christian
Tone – thunder; new
Tora – thunder
Torbjørg – Thor’s protection
Torborg – Thor’s protection
Tordis – Thor’s goddess
Torhild – Thor’s battle
Toril – Thor’s battle
Torny – thunder
Torø – thunder
Tove – thunder; beautiful
Trude – spear of strength
Tuva – thunder; beautiful
U
Ulla – ?
Ulrikke – prosperity and power
Unn – to wave; to billow; to love
Ursula – little bear
V
Vanja – ?
Vera – faith; true
Veslemøy – little girl
Vibeke – war
Viktoria – victory
Viola – violet
Vivi – ?
Y
Ylva – she-wolf
Yvonne – yew?

​Names taken from

An Excuse Post

Hello, dear readers of this blog!
Unfortunately, due to NaNoWriMo, (which I'm endeavoring to complete this year), and managing a new book release on top of that, (Journey to Freedom, Warriors of Aralan #8), I will not be doing the customary mid-month blog post I usually do. Instead, you get this lovely excuse post, and a promise to round up that list of female Norwegian names by December. :P

"Well then, if that's all you have to say, then why am I still here?" you ask.  Good question. Perhaps you have very good intuition—or perhaps you just realized that I must have something to say since I started a new paragraph. Or maybe you saw the book covers down below. Whatever the reason, your patience has been rewarded.

The release of a new book is always an exciting period in a writer's life, so I thought I'd so something to celebrate!  Journey to Freedom comes out on November 18th (yes, this Saturday), and I've decided to kick it off with a couple of book promotions! Through the 18th and 19th, Branwen's Quest (Warriors of Aralan #1), will be 100% free, and Beyond the Mountain (Warriors of Aralan #2), will be $0.99! So if you haven't been able to read them yet, here's your chance! Grab Branwen's Quest for free!
When the royal herald came announcing a mandatory Tournament of Warriors, Branwen was the last one to get excited. Sure, she was a good enough archer, but why should she be forced to go to the tournament just because the king said so? She had nothing to prove! Yet when she got there her competitive spirit took over and she succeeded—enough so that she was singled out by the king to take a difficult journey with three others who were as different as night and day from each other. Why? To recover the king and queen's missing crowns. Will they ever be able to overcome their differences and get along to complete their mission, or will they fall prey to an unexpected danger posed from within? Grab Beyond the Mountain for $0.99!
Branwen thought her previous adventure to the North Mountain had been her last—after all, Captain Gavel's fortress had collapsed after she and the three others rescued the necessary crowns. She thought that she'd get to see Edyth, Quintin and Silas at the annual Tournament of Warriors for only a few days each year. But most of all, the last thing she expected was to ever go beyond the North Mountain... and that's exactly what she did. When the young princess went missing during the last night of the Tournament, the king and queen turned to the four faithful heroes to rescue the kidnapped child. And that’s how Branwen found herself caught up in yet another once-in-a-lifetime journey, headed north—this time, beyond the mountain.

Journey to Freedom Excerpt and Cover Reveal

November first is a big day for a lot of people in the writing community, mostly because it marks the beginning of a month-long writing fest called NaNoWriMo, (myself included). But this time I'm even more excited, because I  get to bring you an excerpt from Journey to Freedom (Warriors of Aralan #8), a cover reveal, and a release date!

This book is special to me because writing the first draft over a year ago felt like pulling teeth. It was one of the worst writing experiences I've ever had, and I was very, very close to scrapping it all and starting over more than once.  But now I'm so glad I didn't. Somehow God made what I thought was going to be a truly awful mess into something beautiful, and now, thanks to Him, I'm ready to share it with the world. 

I'd also like to mention that if you haven't read any of the previous Warriors of Aralan books, Journey to Freedom marks a sort of "new beginning," and can be read without reading any of the previous ones. Some of Josiah's lineage might be a tad confusing if you haven't (and obviously, in my highly biased opinion you should read them all, *wink wink*), but the main plot is not heavily dependent on the previous books, so if you like any of the things mentioned in the following synopsis, feel free to jump right in. :)

Synopsis:
​Josiah is a prince... albeit one that has just about had it with his hypocritical parents and grandparents, the ruling family of Aralan. Sure, he's not that much different than they are, really—but when they turn down a small country's plea for help in an oncoming war, Josiah is furious. A full one-eight of his blood comes from that country, and he can't believe his ears when they send the emissaries away without a promise of assistance. So he flees the castle, hires a cook to feed him in his travels, and breathes the free forest air for the first time in his twenty-one years of life. Sleeps on the ground for the first time in his life. And argues—constantly—with the most stubborn cook he's ever met in his life. Emma is not one to take orders quietly, despite coming from the poorest part of Freymont; a stark contrast with her sweet-tempered, eleven-year-old sister named Hadassah. Add in Josiah's crazy hermit uncle, a pair of mischievous identical twins, an unheard-of amount of sass, a war of epic proportions, and a betrayal or two—and you have a Journey to Freedom.

Release Date:
"So when does this crazy book come out?" you ask. The official release date is November 18th. Mark it on your calendar, folks, that's less than three weeks!
​Now, for the excerpt!

Excerpt:
   The peachy hues of dawn were just beginning to streak the horizon to herald a new day as Josiah slumped in the saddle, gazing bleary-eyed at the spot between Archer’s ears as the horse plodded along.  He had ridden all night through Freymont, because he had strayed from the only roads he was familiar with and gotten himself lost.  Every time he decided that he would head one direction and come to the end of the city eventually, he was met by a dead end.  It was like trying to find a clear path through a forest overgrown with brambles and vines—although technically speaking, Josiah was about as familiar with that pastime as he was finding his way out of Freymont.
   To make matters worse, he had been pursued off and on throughout the night by searchers.  Josiah straightened in the saddle and rolled his shoulders, wincing as his spine popped.  The street he was on now looked much the same as the rest of the streets in Freymont: narrow, twisting, and lined alternately by houses and shops that kept him from seeing very far.
   Ahead of him an early riser came out of a building, and Josiah pulled the hood of the cloak up and over his head.  He wasn’t sure how well the common folk knew his face, so it didn’t hurt to be careful.
   As he drew near to the mustached man, he received a cheery greeting.  “Morning to you, sir.”
   Josiah nodded politely, but didn’t stop.  He had to find a way out of this labyrinth he called home.  Just then a cry floated to him through the still morning air: “There he is!  After him!” ​   Josiah twisted in his saddle to see, and groaned.  Three of the mounted searchers were thundering down the street towards him, their green cloaks fluttering in the wind.
   Josiah urged Archer into a gallop and leaned low against the horse’s neck.  “C’mon, let ‘em eat our dust!” he whispered.
   Archer was of the finest of Aralan’s breeding stock, and few horses could outrun him, but he was tired, and skittish by nature.  For a while the chase went well, and Josiah went down streets he hadn’t yet explored in an effort to lose his pursuers.  Soon the cobble that lined most of the roads disappeared altogether, and so did the shops.  The remaining houses seemed to shrink lower and lower, until some of them resembled piles of boards more than anything.
   Josiah realized that he had strayed into the poorest part of Freymont, and it concerned him.  He’d heard stories about these people, but there was no time to figure out where he’d gone wrong, because the men on his tail were drawing closer.
   Suddenly the dirt road took a sharp bend, and a filthy-looking child clothed in rags appeared right in front of him.  The child screamed, Archer reared, and Josiah tumbled from the saddle.  He scrambled for Archer’s reins, but the stallion’s eyes rolled white and he bolted, narrowly missing the child.  Josiah had no chance of outrunning his pursuers without a mount, so he crossed the street and burst into the nearest house to hide.
   A blonde young woman sat at a rickety table eating breakfast with a little girl, and both stared at him with open mouths.
   “Hide me!” Josiah panted, frantically searching the one-room building for anywhere he could do just that.
   The young woman reached for a broom with a sharpened handle.  “No!  Get out of here!”
   Josiah came closer, cringing as the sound of horse’s hooves grew louder.  “Please, just hide me, I’ll leave as soon as I can.”   Suddenly his eyes fell on a trapdoor in the floor, and without asking if he could, he opened it and jumped inside.  He heard the woman gasp, but then the little girl’s voice spoke up.  “Don’t make him leave Emma, please!  He looks different than the men around here.”
   Josiah waited in tense silence, unable to see where he was hiding because only a small beam of light pierced the shadow from a hole in the trapdoor.  Before he could hear what Emma’s reply was, the men pursuing stopped outside.  He kicked himself mentally.  They would see the dirt stirred up from where Archer had reared and he had fallen.  Perhaps they would even see his footsteps leading to this very house.
   “But Dassa, we don’t know him!  What if—” Emma’s reply ended in a strangled gasp as the door was flung open so hard it slammed into the wall. 
   “Where is he?” a rough voice demanded.
   Josiah was certain by now that he would be found.  The two strangers had no reason not to tell the searchers where he was hidden.  He would be taken back to the castle and kept under close watch, or imprisoned.  The thought was unbearable, either way.
   “Where is he?” the same rough voice repeated when he didn’t get an answer the first time.  “His footsteps lead in here.”
   “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Emma’s voice replied, as calm as her fear would let it be.
   Josiah’s heart skipped a beat in shocked wonder, then froze the next instant when the rough voice issued an order.  “Search the house.”
   Over the sound of the searchers turning everything upside down, Emma could be heard exclaiming, “This is ridiculous!  Those footprints outside were made by my father!”
   “Your father, eh?” Rough Voice returned, “Then where is he?”
   “Outside.”  It was plain that Emma was gaining confidence.  “He left not long before you came—out the back door.  He was going to sell some things at the market.”
   Josiah heard heavy footsteps crossing the floor above his head, and then another door creaked open and an indignant voice exclaimed, “It’s cobble back here!  How are we supposed to check for footprints when it’s cobble?”
   Emma sounded just a bit smug.  “Well you haven’t found anyone in here, have you?  My story must be true.  I’m telling you, my father made those footprints.”
   Silence followed her words, and then Rough Voice heaved an annoyed sigh.  “C’mon, let’s search the other nearby houses.”
   After that, Josiah had to wait an eternity before he heard the sound of hooves again, signaling that the men had decided to move on.  Suddenly he was blinded as the trapdoor was jerked open.
   “Get out of our cellar!  We hid you, now you hold up your end of the bargain and leave.”
   Josiah coughed as dust filtered down and he climbed out just to be faced with the pointed end of the broom handle.  He held up his hands when he saw Emma’s look of determination.  “I’m not going to hurt you!  I just wanted to say that your story was brilliant—but why didn’t they see the trapdoor?”
   Emma cocked her head at the smaller figure at her side.   “Dassa kicked dirt over it.  Now get out of my house!”
   “I’m going, I’m going!”  Josiah fully intended to leave, but as soon as he stepped outside the door he saw another group of searchers starting down the street towards them.  He ducked back inside swiftly.  “On second thought, I think I’ll stay.”
   “Oh, no you don’t,” Emma warned, and Josiah found the impromptu spear inches from his chest.  “Get out!”
   He could tell she meant business, but the clip-clop of hooves was growing closer and he had nowhere else to go.  “There are men after me.  I can’t be caught.”
   “And why not?  Did you murder someone?”
   “No!” Josiah exclaimed, indignant that anyone would think such a thing.  “Do I look like a murderer?  Just let me hide, I haven’t done anything wrong.”
   Emma opened her mouth to speak again, but Dassa tugged on her sleeve.  “Let him stay, Emma, please!  I believe him.”
   Emma’s face wrinkled with the agony of making up her mind.  “I wish you hadn’t said that,” she told the younger girl, blowing out an irritated sigh of indecision.
   “She’s right, I should.”  Josiah did his best to look innocent.
   To his relief, Emma retracted the broom-spear.  “Fine.  But only until it’s clear.”

Coming to Amazon November 18th!

Norwegian Names – Male

If you've been following me here or on Twitter for very long, you probably know how much I love names... and on this website that love has manifested itself in the occasional compiling of names lists for writing purposes. "After all," I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world where finding character names didn't involve whipping out the bookmarked baby name website every time a new character sprang forth?"

And thus—fueled by my passion for names, and practical writerly puruits, I formed a new excuse to look at that bookmarked baby name website—all so you don't have to. Today's list is male Norwegian names, hailing from that beautiful land of fjords and viking history. But don't worry! The female counterpart of this list will be forthcoming in a couple weeks for your lady characters. :)

However—if the unique Scandinavian flavor of Norwegian names isn't really your thing, (or your characters'), then maybe one of these other lists is. Either way, I hope you found this post helpful for that chronic occurrence of a writer's life: the naming of characters.

• • •
A
Aage – ancestor; father
Adolf – noble wolf
Adrian – from Hadria
Åge – ancestor; father
Agnar – awe; terror; edge of a sword; warrior
Aksel – my father is peace
Albert – noble; bright
Albin – white; bright
Aleksander – defending men
Alex – defending men
Alexander – defending men
Alf – elf
Alfred – elf; counsel
Alv – elf
Amund – edge of a sword; awe; terror; protection
Anders – manly; masculine
Andor – eagle; thunder
Andreas – manly; masculine
Anton – ?
Arne – eagle
Arnfinn – eagle; person from Finland
Arnt – eagle power
Aron – ?
Arthur – bear; man; king
Arvid – eagle; tree
Asbjørn – god; bear
Åsmund – god; protection
August – great; venerable
Axel – my father is peace
B
Baard – battle; peace
Bård – battle; peace
Bernhard – bear; brave; hardy
Bernt – bear; brave; hardy
Bertil – bright; famous; ruler
Bjarne – bear
Bjoern – bear
Bjørn – bear
Brynjar – armor; warrior C
Cai – ?
Caj – ?
Casper – treasurer
Christian – a Christian
Christoffer – bearing Christ; to bear; carry
Clemens – merciful; gentle
D
Dag – day
Dagfinn – day; person from Finland
Dan – a Dane; or God is my judge
E
Edvard – rich guard
Edvin – rich friend
Eilert – edge of a sword; brave; hardy
Einar – one; alone; warrior
Eindride – one; alone; to ride
Eirik – ever; always; ruler
Eivind – island; good fortune
Emanuel – God is with us
Emil – rival
Endre – one; alone; to ride
Enok – dedicated
Erik – ever; always; ruler
Ernst – serious
Esben – god; bear
Espen – god; bear
Even – island; good fortune
F
Finn – person from Finland
Folke – people
Frans – Frenchman
Fredrik – peaceful ruler
Fritjof – thief of peace
Frode – learned; wise
G
Geir – spear
Georg – farmer; earthworker
Gerhard – spear; brave; hardy
Gøran – farmer; earthworker
Gregers – watchful; alert
Gudbrand – god’s sword
Gudmund – god; protection
Gunnar – war; warrior
Gunne – war
Gustav – staff of the Goths; or guest; glory
H
Haakon – high son; descendant
Håkon – high son; descendant
Haldor – Thor’s rock
Halfdan – half Danish
Halvard – rock guardian
Halvdan – half Danish
Hanne – ?
Hans – ?
Harald – army; power; ruler
Håvard – high; guardian; defender
Helge – holy; blessed
Hemming – shape
Henrik – home ruler
Herleif – army; son; descendant
Herman – army man
Hjalmar – helmeted warrior
Holger – island; spear
I
Inge – ancestor
Ingvar – ancestor; warrior
Isak – he will laugh; he will rejoice
Ivar – yew; bow; warrior
J
Jakob – supplanter
Jarle – chieftan; nobleman; earl
Johan – form of John
Johannes – form of John
Jonatan – YAHWEH has given
Jone – form of John
Jørg – farmer; earthworker
Jørgen – farmer; earthworker
Jørn – farmer; earthworker
Josef – he will add
K
Kåre – curly; curved
Karl – man; army; warrior
Karsten – a Christian
Kasper – treasurer
Kennet – handsome; born of fire
Ketil – kettle; cauldron; helmet
Kjell – kettle; cauldron; helmet
Kjetil – kettle; cauldron; helmet
Klaus – victory of the people
Knut – knot
Konrad – brave; counsel
Kristen – a Christian
Kristian – a Christian
Kristoffer – bearing Christ; to bear; carry
L
Lars – from Laurentum
Lasse – from Laurentum
Laurits – from Laurentum
Leif – descendant; heir
Leiv – descendant; heir
Leo – lion
Linus – flax
Loke – to break
Lorens – from Laurentum
Ludvig – famous; war; battle
Lukas – from Lucania
M
Magnus – great
Markus – form of Mark
Mathias – gift of YAHWEH
Mats – gift of YAHWEH
Matteus – gift of YAHWEH
Mikael – who is like God?
Mikkel – who is like God?
N
Niklas – victory of the people
Nils – victory of the people
O
Odd – point of a sword
Oddmund – point of a sword; protection
Øivind – island; good fortune
Ola – ancestor’s descendent
Olaf – ancestor’s descendant
Olav – ancestor’s descendant
Oskar – deer friend
Osvald – god; ruler
Otto – wealth; fortune
P
Peder – stone
Peer – stone
Per – stone
Petter – stone
R
Ragnar – advice; army
Ragnvald – advice; counsel; power; ruler
Ralf – counsel; wolf
Reidar – nest; home; warrior
Rikard – brave power
Roald – fame; ruler
Rudolf – fame; wolf
Runar – secret lore; warrior
Rune – secret lore
S
Salomon – peace
Sander – defending men
Sebastian – from Sebaste
Severin – stern
Sigmund – victory; protector
Sigurd – victory; guardian
Simen – he has heard
Sindre – small; trivial; or sparkling
Snorre – attack; onslaught
Søren – stern
Stefan – crown; that which surrounds
Stein – stone
Steinar – stone warrior
Sten – stone
Stian – wanderer
Svante – blessed people
Sven – boy
T
Tallak – Thor’s play
Thor – thunder
Thorbjørn – Thor’s bear
Thore – Thor’s warrior
Tor – thunder
Torkel – Thor’s cauldron
Torleif – Thor’s descendant
Torsten – Thor’s stone
Torvald – Thor’s ruler
Trygve – trustworthy
U
Ulf – wolf
Ulrik – prosperity; power
V
Valentin – strong; vigorous; healthy
Valter – ruler of the army
Vidar – wide; warrior
Viggo – war
Viktor – victor; conqueror
Y
Yngvar – ancestor; warrior

​Names taken from

My Top Five Favorite Resources as an Indie Author

Being an independent author is a lot of work, as anyone who falls under that category knows. After self-publishing my first eBook back in March of 2015, I discovered that the biggest hurdle is not in fact writing the book. It isn’t editing. It isn’t formatting. It isn’t even writing that super-inconvenient synopsis, the cover, or publishing the darn thing. It’s getting the word out. And this is something that I wish I knew more about when I published Tè Nan Lezar. I was sure that if only a few people stumbled upon my work while perusing Amazon, that they’d read it and love it, and spread the word for me. Well, not only was this thought process naïve, it was arrogant, and I’m glad to say that I’ve changed my tune and reworked my strategy since then.

“How?” you ask. By enlisting the help of five very wonderful—and free—online resources. People aren’t going to know about your work if you don’t tell them it exists. Now, I’m not saying you should scream, “Buy my book!” from the mountaintops—in fact, I’d scream right back, "Don’t!"—but providing a friendly online presence works wonders.
​​
Now, let’s get down to what these five resources are, shall we?

1.) Weebly
Weebly is at the top of my list for a reason. They host my author website, as you’ve probably noticed, and their drag-and-drop system makes coding unnecessary, which I love. (Although you still have the option to code if you know how.) With lovely, customizable website templates, they were an obvious choice for little ol’ un-HTML-savvy me, and getting an author website was one of the first steps I took towards having an online presence. When people Google someone to find out more about them, they usually look for their website. (At least I know I do.) So it was an obvious choice.

But beyond that, how does having an author website help? If you’re not famous, odds are people aren’t going to be Googling your name all that often. Well, that’s why I blog. Offering meaningful blog posts on writing—after all, an author ought to know something about that—gives people a reason to come to your website. But how will they know about your blog posts if they aren’t Googling you? Well… 2.) Twitter
Twitter was my first social media, and my favorite. I use it to let people know about my blog posts, talk about writing, and give people a way get to know me a little better in a fast-paced, easy-to-digest environment. It’s also great for getting the word out about book promotions, and new books. Twitter is the place to make friends. If people develop a connection with you, chances are higher that they will be willing to support you. By the same token, reciprocating this support to other authors is equally important, not to mention fun! By reading their blog posts and their books, you get to help someone that is in the exact same boat as you, and it’s a wonderful thing.
 
But I learned all this the hard way. When I first joined Twitter, I was scared to death that I would come across unprofessional, and would frighten people off by showing any imperfections. I had to know what I was talking about—or else—and that made me stiff. Using this method, the total of my followers was stuck at 140 for a long time. Then I decided to try being real instead, and I recently crossed the threshold of 900 for the first time. It’s called social media for a reason, guys. There are so many fake people online—don’t be one of them.
 
3.) Mailchimp
I use Mailchimp for my author newsletter. It works a lot like Weebly, being a drag-and-drop situation, and it makes it easy for me to build a list of subscribers by offering customizable subscribe forms to plug in to my website.
 
The purpose of having a newsletter is pretty obvious—it helps drive traffic to your author website—and though I only send it out when I have a new blog post, book release, or book promotion, I still use it more than some. It also helps maintain a link of connection with readers, letting them see that, “Yep, she’s still writing.”
 
4.) Canva
Canva is great. It’s a photo designing website that I only discovered last year. You can make everything from eBook covers to Twitter headers to blog post images easily, or design your own project with custom dimensions. (In fact, I use it for all those things!) Once again, it’s a drag-and-drop editor, but what I really love is the fact that I can go back and change things after I’ve saved them. Before Canva I used GIMP, and that was downright frustrating, especially when I had a new book cover to design, and still keep the same basic format because it was part of a series.
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Canva fixed that problem.
 
5.) Goodreads
And now we come to Goodreads. Goodreads is another fairly recent addition to my indie-author arsenal, but it’s been a good one. It’s a social media website designed to bring bookworms together in a wonderful community not found anywhere else online. It’s a great way to connect with readers, share blog posts, find new books, and show off what you’re currently reading. After all, writers have to read, too, so why not keep yourself accountable?
 
I have to admit, when I first joined Goodreads, I didn’t do much—just read books and gave them a star rating. But then I started writing reviews of the books I read, whether they were 100-year-old classics, or the recent work of fellow indie authors. Being able to write a good review is important. As an independent author I know that one of the cruelest things you can do is read a book and not leave a review, so I try to do my part.

6.) Pixabay
“Wait a minute, I thought you said this post was about your top five favorite resources?” Yup, I did. But now it’s freebie time. (Think of it like that never-unwanted thirteenth donut in a baker's dozen.) ;) Pixabay is a free stock photo website, with beautiful images, no strings attached. I’ve found it to be invaluable for finding pictures, whether for blog posts or book covers, or anything else I might need a free photo for.
 
Well, then, that’s it! These are my favorite resources as an indie author, and while they work for me, they may not really be your thing. But that’s all part of the process, finding what works for you. And while I said that all these resources are free, it's only fair to note that some of them, like Weebly and Mailchimp, have paid plans. (I've just personally found the "free forever" options to be enough for now.) Still, I hope this blog post was helpful, and maybe I've even given you some new ideas! How does your "getting the word out" strategy differ?

The Traveler: Character Profile with Anissa

The Traveler is a brand-new novel from fellow indie author E.B. Dawson, and it comes out tomorrow! [cue fireworks and confetti] I'm super excited for you guys to read it, (hint: it's awesome), but since we have to wait another whole day for that, here's a profile of the main character, and afterwards my non-spoilery review of the book to get you ready. (Also, as an author, I of all people know that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I have to say, the one sitting just to the left of this paragraph is lovely).

But first, a synopsis, so you know what it's all about.
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Anissa Robson is becoming an adult in a society she never really identified with. Forced to choose a career path, she becomes an apprentice to a young, headstrong politician who seems to stand for everything she disagrees with. The dreams she has refused to report grow more alluring to her as she becomes disillusioned with her job. But the lines between reality and her dreamland begin to blur and cross over, launching her onto a path she would never have chosen for herself. Is the government medicating dreamers to protect them? Or to hide something from them?

So without any further ado, I give you Anissa.

How old is Anissa when we meet her?
Anissa is 22 years old at the beginning of the book. In her society, young adults choose an apprenticeship after grade school (so around age 18), but Anissa is just starting hers for reasons that will be disclosed in the first chapter. 

Is she at all like your protagonist from your sci-fi series, Logan Bailey?
They are both stubborn, but I think they are quite different. I would say Logan's a bit more of an internal processor, while Anissa processes things externally. Naturally, Logan likes to think before she responds. Anissa tends to say what she thinks, even when it isn't a good idea, and she tends to be a bit more impulsive. 

If she were an animal what would she be and why?
I have decided that Anissa would be a fox. For reasons that will become clear, she's a bit of an outsider in her society. She's very clever and observant, but can be a bit prickly on the outside. 
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What do you like about her? What don't you like about her? 
I love her boldness. She's honest when she disagrees with something. She stands up for what she believes, even if she is a little misguided now and then. Also, she is tough as nails. 
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She can be a bit blunt and argumentative. Also, she has her blind spots (but don't we all?). 

What's Anissa's favorite thing to eat?
She loves any type of fruit.

Is she more introverted or extroverted?
Good question! I think I might classify her as an ambivert (balanced between introvert and extrovert). She definitely needs her space sometimes, but there is also part of her that doesn't want to be alone. 

What does Anissa like to do in her free time?
Her life has been disrupted the last few years and so honestly she doesn't have a lot of hobbies. When we meet her she is starting a new chapter of her life and kind of trying to figure out who she is. 

Does she have a pet? If not, what would she have?
She does not have a pet. She isn't super sentimental so I think she'd need a pet that can kind of take care of itself and be semi-independent (no fish! They'd die). Maybe a cat? Honestly, I'm not sure I'd trust her with a pet. (lol) She might forget about it...

What is her favorite article of clothing?
This sort of changes throughout the story. But I would say...khaki pants? Comfortable, flexible, multi-purpose. 

Who is the most influential person in her life?
Her father.

My Review for The Traveler
Now that we've learned all about Anissa, here is my review of The Traveler. E.B. Dawson was awesome enough to send me an ARC in exchange for an honest review, so here it is! (Naturally, the following opinions are my own). ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Four and a half stars, rounding up to five.

The Traveler is a thrilling ride. From the moment I first met Anissa, sitting on a piece of driftwood and looking out over the angry ocean, I knew wanted to learn more. Who is she? Why is she there alone? And then—why is she beginning her apprenticeship late? I also wanted to know more about her world. All the senses were used to describe the latter, and I felt as if I were not only seeing it, I was living it, right alongside Anissa. The world was well thought out—from the people, to the politics, and even the plants—it was all there.

As for Anissa herself, she was a very likable character. Tough, but not invincible. She's definitely human, and I loved that. She speaks before she thinks a lot of times. And haven't we all found ourselves in that situation at least once? 

The other main character that I really want to mention is Carson. I won't say much, at risk of spoilers, but he's the kind of character I have a hard time classifying for most of the book. xD Those kind are maddeningly frustrating, but are always so fulfilling in the end when I finally figure out "who" they are. 

One minor gripe I had was the fact that sometimes there were so many characters introduced all at once that it just wasn't practical to describe them all. I wished I had at least something to associate with them, because otherwise they kind of just felt like names floating around in space. Ultimately, however, this problem was resolved through the course of the book. It just took a while for that mental image I needed to show up.

Another plus was the fact that The Traveler dealt with a lot of serious issues, (such as right and wrong, finding your place in the world, and whether there's more to life beyond what science can explain), but it wasn't completely serious, either! Serious books have their time and place, but I have learned that the message has a better reception when there's a pinch of humor added in—especially when it comes to fiction. And The Traveler delivered! (My personal favorite vehicle for this was Anissa's house. That AI really knew how to give the "cold" shoulder, let me tell you). 

All in all, I loved reading The Traveler. The story is fascinating, and the climax pretty much swallowed me alive. ​I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast-paced, twisty plot and three-dimensional characters, all wrapped up in a sci-fi/fantasy setting.

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And there you have it. The Traveler will hit shelves tomorrow (September 15th), so don't forget to look it up!

Branwen's Quest Giveaway

Today marks the date of my two-year blog anniversary, and I wanted to do something special to celebrate. (The fact that I've kept this up for two years is a big deal to me, because my first attempt at a blog back in 2014 only lasted one month). *cough cough*

So what am I doing to celebrate this momentous occasion? Well, as you've probably noticed from the title, I'm doing a giveaway of Branwen's Quest! This is the first book in the Warriors of Aralan series, and if you've ever thought about trying it, but weren't sure you wanted to fork over the usual $2.99 to get it, then here's your chance!

The Rules
First of all, I want to make it clear that this giveaway is for an eBook, not a paperback, but if you don't have a Kindle, it's not a problem! Just download the Kindle app for your smartphone, tablet, or computer, and you're all set.

As for time, the giveaway starts today (9/1/17) and will continue through next Friday (9/8/17). At the end of that time, I'll pick two winners (one for each year of this blog), and email them the good news that they won! I'll also publicly announce the winners right here, as well as on Twitter and Goodreads. All you have to do to enter is put the email associated with your Amazon account in the widget below, but if you really want to increase your chances, you can follow me on Twitter, or tweet a message about the giveaway.

And That's It!
Pretty simple, right? But if you still aren't sure about entering, here's a synopsis:
​When the royal herald came announcing a mandatory Tournament of Warriors, Branwen was the last one to get excited. Sure, she was a good enough archer, but why should she be forced to go to the tournament just because the king said so? She had nothing to prove! Yet when she got there her competitive spirit took over and she succeeded—enough so that she was singled out by the king to take a difficult journey with three others who were as different as night and day from each other. Why? To recover the king and queen's missing crowns. Will they ever be able to overcome their differences and get along to complete their mission, or will they fall prey to an unexpected danger posed from within?

And if you'd like to try a sample of the book itself, here's an excerpt.

All right, now that we're past all that, we're to the part where you can actually enter the giveaway. (I may be more excited than you guys about this whole thing, but just bear with me). ;) If you do end up being one of the lucky winners of Branwen's Quest, firstly, congratulations! Secondly, don't forget to leave a review once you've read it. Reviews are so important to independent authors like myself, so please take a minute and help a writer out.

Finally, thank you for joining me in the celebration of two years of Katelyn Buxton Books! Your readership and support has meant so much to me, so this one's for you. a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Editing Process

In my last blog post, I outlined the way I write, and in it I mentioned that when I’m not writing, I’m editing. Well, since I have once again failed the process of planning my next post ahead, I thought, “Eh, why not? I’ll write about that.” After all, my original post on editing went up on October 1st, 2015 (nearly two whole years ago), and was thoroughly cringe-worthy in hindsight.  Since so much time has passed, I thought I’d tell you about my current editing/revising process, and what those nearly two years of experience has taught me.

I’m not as much of a rule-breaker when it comes to editing, since English has rules—but I’m sure my process differs from other writers’ in one way or another, so I’ll continue to present my process as a series of confessions.

Confession #1: I let my first drafts sit a good long time in their oh-so-rough state before I let them see the light of day again. Why? Because I’m the author. No matter how it turned out, I still have a heavenly picture in my head of how it’s supposed to be.  Not how it is, but how it was, in my head, before I ever put a word on the page. This makes it extremely difficult (if not impossible), to spot errors right after I finish writing it.
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So I let it sit. I used to say “for a month,” but it’s probably closer to a year these days, because of the writing-editing-writing cycle I use. For example, I just finished writing Warriors of Aralan #10. #8 is the one I've just started editing, and when I publish it, I’ll go back to writing and write #11. Then I’ll head back to #9 for editing, and so on. I use this process for several reasons. One, I know myself. I know I can’t make myself edit if there’s writing to do (because writing is so much more fun), so I do it this way. Two, while I’m editing, I have plenty of time to daydream about the next story I’m going to write, which furthers the plotting process. And three, (which I’ve already kind of mentioned), it gives me plenty of time to come back to each project with new eyes and see what needs fixing.

Confession #2: I don’t have a set number of rounds for editing, nor do I exactly have a plan for how to tackle them when I do start, for the very simple reason that every story is different. Some of my work comes out a lot better than others. By the same token, some comes out a lot worse. I’m not sure why that is, but that's the way it works, and so each time I begin editing a new project, it’s a little different.

That said, I begin by praying for God’s guidance, and then usually I read through the story I haven’t seen in many months, to get a feel for what went wrong this time. Sometimes there are subplot loose-ends. Sometimes I have a penchant for mile-long sentences. Sometimes characters were way too emotional, and I have to tell them to pull it together. (Okay, *guilty cough* these may be a little more than occasional occurrences).

But my big rule of thumb while editing is, “Is it necessary?” If “it” isn’t, whether “it” is merely one word too many in a sentence, or one character too many in a world, it's time to wave goodbye. If it feels wrong, it probably is.

Confession #3: During at least one round of editing, I have someone else read the whole thing out loud to me, and this person usually takes the form of my mom. I know, I know—it’s exactly as torturous as it sounds—but it’s become an invaluable part of the process, and I’m grateful she’s willing to help. Just like with with plotting, hearing what I wrote helps me find awkward sentences, or anything else from a myriad of manuscript illnesses with which I am way too familiar.

Confession #4: After four or five rounds of edits, (sometimes more, sometimes less), I’ve tried to look for spelling and punctuation errors, shorten lengthy sentences, make sure I’m using the correct homophones, test dialogue for authenticity, root out plot holes and rewrite what’s necessary. But I don’t pretend to have this business of editing down to a science. I just go about it the best way I know how, with God’s help.

Confession #5: Finally, when I delete big things (usually scenes), I don’t really get rid of them for good. I usually copy and paste them into another folder, and that helps ease the pain of altering the original document. (Yes, I know you feel it too)! I also keep the whole original in an “Original Documents” folder, in case I ever want to go back to it for some reason.

So that’s my editing process! I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing it—maybe you've learned something new, maybe you could teach me something new. How does your process compare?

My Writing Process

It seems that every time I get within four to five days of my next blog post’s due date, I end up in a mad scramble to get something useful down for the readers of this blog. Well… this time around is no different, but I thought I’d write about something a little more personal this time: my story-writing process. (My blog post-writing process is just a panicked sprint to the finish line).

This is something that’s unique to every writer out there—some fill the walls of their writing space with minutely-detailed post-its during the plotting process—others don’t plot at all. Some write several thousand words in one sitting, while some write only a couple hundred on a good day.

My method breaks just about every familiar writing tradition (myth)? out there, and ends up somewhere in between pantsing and plotting. Since I'm such a terrible rule-breaker, I thought I'd show you my process through a series of confessions. ;P
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Confession #1: I don’t carry a notebook for jotting down story ideas. I find it kind of inconvenient, and don’t really enjoy writing by hand. [distant screaming] However, I still have a strange, groundless obsession with pretty notebooks and pens. (I know, I'm weird).
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So what do I do with plot bunnies? I figure if they’re meant to be, they’ll stick around. When I do have an idea that eventually turns into a fully-fledged book, it’s usually because it did stick around and I discussed it with my sister. Having someone to talk over plot ideas with is invaluable. Sometimes simply saying ideas out loud helps me realize that they’re just a bit too crazy for the story I’m writing, or leads me into lovely new territories. (Plus, the person you talk it over with is bound to have some golden inspiration to contribute as well).

Then, I just try and remember what we talked about. :P If I forget anything, it just wasn’t meant to be written. (Although if I'm wise I fill out some kind of character development sheet for the main ones). And how long does this talking-it-out period last before I write anything? Months, if possible. The longer I think about characters, their world, and the plot, the easier it is to write, and the better it comes out in the end. (When I’m not writing, I’m editing, but that’s a topic for another post).

Confession #2: I write on Scrivener, and edit/format my books on Microsoft Word. [police sirens in the distance] There’s a lot of negativity out there surrounding Word, but it makes good eBooks. I’ve heard that Scrivener doesn’t do them as well, but I can’t attest to that, since I’ve never tried it. But I do write on Scrivener, since I don’t need all of Word’s formatting bells and whistles for that part of the process.

And how does that “process” go down? I get up every morning with the intention that I am going to write that day. I also try to pray before I get started, to ask God for help writing the story only He can write. Usually it happens in the morning hours, but sometimes I’ll go into the afternoon if the words are coming easily.

Since I like to let my plot simmer for a long time, I usually have a pretty good idea what I’m going to write each time I sit down at my laptop to do it, so I don't have to face the dreaded white screen for long. Most of the time—not always. There are usually unplanned scenes and characters that sneak their way in, and that’s just part of the glorious thrill of discovery.

Then I write a chapter at a time. My chapters are usually about 1,000 words long, give or take a little. It’s how I wrote chapters when I first started writing, and it’s one of the very few things that hasn’t changed since then. I try and write at least one every day, but sometimes I write two or three of them, and they can take anywhere from one to two hours apiece. (I'm a fairly slow writer in that regard).

Confession #3: I don’t snack while writing. I don’t even drink tea or coffee while I’m at it, either. [cue the sound of Darla entering the dentist’s office of Finding Nemo] When I’m in the zone, I just don’t like being interrupted. Sure, chocolate is great—when I’m not writing. The same goes for coffee. (Yes, there is coffee in the picture above, but that's just because I liked that photo). :P I’m sorry, all ye snackers and caffeine junkies. It’s just not for me.

Confession #4: I don’t listen to music while I write. [enter ironic silence] I find it insanely distracting. I love film scores, I just don’t use them for writing.

Confession #5: I don’t have a special room to write in, or desk to do it on. [trash cans clanking, glass breaking, and cat yowling in some alley somewhere] I usually write in the living room. My family knows to leave me alone while I’m writing, at risk of vacant stares and/or glares because someone is dying and you want to talk about lunch?? (Sorry, Family)!

So, basically, I write in the living room (where I could be interrupted), in boring silence, without tea, coffee, or salty-sweet snacks, every morning like a job (because it is a job). That’s my very un-romantic path to getting words on the page, but it works for me. How does your routine compare?

Character Development Sheet

A lot of times when I'm plotting a new book, I store all the information away in my head, where, inevitably, something gets forgotten. Sometimes it's not anything very important, but other times I find myself asking, "Wait... how old was that character again?"

When that happens, I wish I had written such necessary specifics down. Something that makes it much easier and organized is a character development sheet. (Sometimes called a character creation questionnaire). It's simply a list of questions that help you nail down little details like a character's age, physical appearance, hobbies, hopes and dreams, etc., so you can refer back to it later, when—imperfect human that you are—you forget your dear character's eye color. (No really, I'm speaking from experience here... nothing's worse than opening up a proof and finding a character's eye color has changed between pages five and eight).

Although the above-mentioned example was largely a lapse in editing attention on my part, it would have been very helpful to have a character development sheet to refer back to whenever I had a question about details like that. And so, I have taken the liberty of creating my own version of a character creation questionnaire. I tried to cover all the bases when I made it, with the result that you probably won't need to use all of the questions—after all, I don't think a fifteen-year-old MC will have grandkids—but I put the slot in anyway, in case you have an elderly main character.

I should also mention that there are two versions of it. My favorite, the one I fondly refer to as "the pretty one," has a header image much like the one at the top of this blog post. The other version is for ink-saving individuals, and is only black and white. :P Feel free to use/print/download however many of these you want. It doesn't really matter which you choose, since they have the same questions.

• Character Development Sheet #1 (The Pretty One)
• Character Development Sheet #2 (The Practical One)

I hope you found these helpful, and if you have any ideas for more questions that I could add into the development sheet, fire away in the comments. I'll try and add them in!