Siri Pettersen's Blog, page 2

Helsinki Book Fair - program!

Finland! 🤩🇫🇮 I’m thrilled to say that I will be at Helsinki Book Fair next weekend! And yes, Silver Throat (Hopeakurkku) will be there too, just in time for the fair so there’s a lot to celebrate with liquorice and schnapps 🙌😄🖤 This is where you can join me and I will be very excited to see you all and sign your books!

SATURDAY OCT. 26th

11:00 - Main stage Senaatintori. Interview, with J.S. Meresmaa.

11:35 - Book signing at Hertta’s stand (6k30)

14:00 - Meet & greet by Töölönlahti stage (7k140) with Finnish bookstagram and bookTok.

16:30 - Book signing at Hertta’s stand (6k30)

Thank you to my fantastic publishers at Hertta Kustannus and my brilliant translator Eeva-Liisa Nyqvist.

Pyrkon - full program!

I am SO ready for Pyrkon! Here is the full program from my publisher, Rebis, with every chance we have to meet each other. NB! I am not there on friday, the lecture is held by my brilliant translator, Marta Petryk

*** Great news for VARDARI fans! We are honored to announce that the author of the bestselling fantasy series, Siri Pettersen, will appear at this year's edition of the PYRKON Fantasy Festival!

On Friday (14.06) at 17:30, in the small hall of the Literary Zone, there will be an opportunity to listen to stories from the universe of Siri Pettersen's books, as well as delve into the world of mythology, religion... and the translator's confessions. The lecture will be given by the Western Branch of the Association of Literature Translators.

On Saturday (15.06) at 18:00, we invite you to the English-language panel where Adrian Tchaikovsky and Roderick Gordon will sit next to Siri Pettersen. The talk will focus on the role of magic, technology and science in literature.

On Saturday (15.06) at 19:00, there will be an opportunity to get to know the author better, to ask questions and find out more about her work. Join us at 7pm in Iglica and get your questions ready - Siri Pettersen will be answering them live!

On Sunday (16.06) at 10:00 get ready for a panel discussion featuring three outstanding figures from the world of fantasy: Siri Pettersen, Ian Watson and Brent Weeks! During this unique event, the authors will discuss the fascinating relationship between science and fiction. Unusual stories and many surprises await you! See you at 10:00 in Iglica!

Signings and photo sessions with Siri Pettersen on Saturday at 15:00 and Sunday at 12:00!

We also invite you to our stand, where you will be able to buy the latest volume of the series - "SILVER THROAT", as well as other fantastic books. See you in the Literary Zone!

Vardari diorama!

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🤯 I am absolutely mind-blown! People, this is REAL! Actual, physical models of Juva and Skarr, in a diorama that captures the very essence of Vardari. It’s made by the wildly talented Julie Loen (@craftiosa on Instagram) and it’s like nothing I have ever seen.

Just look at her! Everything is perfect, down to the last astonishing detail: Her suit, the mask, the crossbow, the harness, and the effing DOOR! I can practically smell him in there, it’s friggin insane! She even made a perfect little blood vial dangling from the slit in the door, probably just to prove that she can! My heart hurts, this is just beyond gorgeous! That’s it, I can go to bed now, this #FanArtFriday has peaked! Thank you, Julie. I have NO words! ❤️

The Raven Rings is sold to French Canada!

🇨🇦 The Raven Rings is sold to Canada - in Frech! Technically, it’s called «North American French rights» and this is where Google gets to school me: I knew there were French speaking North Americans, I just didn’t know there were over 16 million of them, so shoutout to my French teacher in college, I knew it would be worth it!

It’s been over a decade since Odin’s Child first launched in Norway, and I’m deeply touched and grateful that it’s still expanding. Amazing! Thank you to my new publisher, Saint-Jean Éditeur, and my fantastic agents at Grand Agency 🙌❤️

Going for triple series tattoo

One tattoo for the first trilogy, one tattoo for the second, and Gemma from Sweden gently informed me that there was room for more, as she handed me a box of delicious homemade cookies. I hear you, Gemma. I hear you loud and clear ❤️🙏

Signing at Science Fiction Bohandeln

I have a new rider, thanks to The Science Fiction Bookshop in Stockholm, so for all my future signings I shall require what they provided, in the following order:

A black velvet table cloth, studded with diamonds to look like stars, and an assistant to drape me in it if a crisis should occur.

A pink pencil case with unicorns. Similar fantastic beasts are acceptable.

A full mug of chilled water.

An air conditioner or tower fan strategically placed beside me.

At least three super sweet minions to perform vital tasks such as opening books at the correct signing page, and tell me the hottest trends in fantasy.

A photographer.

At least ten fantastic employees with fantasy related name tags. Classic names like «Poor Yoric» and «Slutty Space Queen» are non-negotionable.

Thank you to everyone who took the time on a sunny day to come and see me, and to Science Fiction Bokhandeln for caring so deeply about their visitors. You are fantastic!

Silver Throat out in Czechia!

🇨🇿HAPPY LAUNCH DAY, CZECHIA! Silver Throat is released today, just in time for the big book fair in Prague, one of the most beautiful cities on earth and how I wish I was there! 😍🙌 (If only my favourite café was still there, hidden in a backyard near Karlsbridge) Thank you to all my wonderful Czech readers, my great publisher Nakladatelství Host and my translator, the remarkable Jitka Jindriskova! 🥳❤️

Silver Throat out in Sweden!

Today is launch day for Silver Throat in Sweden, and I am so happy to say that I’ll be there soon to sign books and meet readers! On May 22nd at 17:00 you’ll find me at the amazing geek store Science Fiction Bokhandeln in Stockholm! Event here, and on Facebook here. Thank you to my amazing translator, Ylva Kempe, and my publisher, B. Wahlströms 🙌🥰

How do you write immersive stories?

My one specific top tip: Staying invisible. Not lifting the veil. The less a reader sees of you, the better. I’ll be digging into this in my upcoming newsletter tonight, so if you want to catch that, sign up here. Writing immersive stories is a choice. I strive (and sometimes fail) to fool you into belief. Ideally, you’d turn the last page and only then remember that it was all a book. In other words: Don’t tell your readers that you exist. Super easy! Like laying a puzzle with burning boxing gloves. In space.

Accidentally lifting the veil happens when you mess up point of view (POV) The most common spellbreaker is when writers have clearly chosen a mind to nest in, but keep writing things that wouldn’t be in that character’s head at all. Culprit number one: describing things a character wouldn’t see: «She was cold. She hurried along, hair bouncing behind her». Eyes in the back of her head, well done. You’ve got sticker action going on here: «Remember: this is just a story.»

What your characters can sense, is only the surface, deeper down it’s about what they would think, and how we need to avoid dumping info in their thoughts that they would never need to explain to themselves. More on that in the newsletter.

I’ve been told that I’m a brutal storyteller. That I drop people in unfamiliar territory from page one, like they were the Bear Grylls of fantasy. They say I have no glossary and provide no explanation. There’s only one answer to that: Thank you, I love you, too! 🧡

Raven

Ravens evermore 🖤 This beautiful painting by Jenna from Finland, who always loved ravens, but started painting them after reading The Raven Rings. This is actually a five year old screenshot rediscovered on my phone, and I think it was painted long before that. Glad I found it again. Thank you, Jenna! 🥰🙏