2020 braggathon: Release the wolf!
2020 is at an end, and that’s the best to be said of it. But it ends with a scent of hope, strong and invigorating as coffee. Mmm, can you smell it? My deepest gratitude to you all, my readers, and my hard-working writing family, for making even the dreaded 2020 an amazing year! Your dedication made all this happen, so let the yearly bragathon commence! First of all: The start of the new series!
The Iron Wolf: A bestseller and my fifth(!) nomination for the Bookseller’s Prize!
The Iron Wolf launched in Norway straight onto the bestseller list. It was nominated for the Norwegian Bookseller’s Prize, was sold to 10 countries before it was out, and the reviews were wonderful and juicy, sometimes borderline indecent! :D But more on that later. I am extremely grateful to you all for embracing the new series and making this happen. Thank you! <3
The bestseller lists
The Iron Wolf launched right to the general bestseller list, and as a fantasy lover, I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to see Nordic fantasy hover between great names in crime fiction, like Nesbø, Kepler and Guillou. It’s been out for three months and is still lingering on the bestseller list for Children/YA. Yay!
The reviews and features
Competition for attention has never been more fierce, so I’m truly lucky to have been featured and reviewed by all the major media outlets in Norway. The Iron Wolf also frequented the various «Best books of the year» and «Book tips for Christmas» lists. But most importantly, the reviews were absolutely gorgeous! Here are some of my favourite quotes:
«Masterly by Norway’s fantasy queen […] This is the book you want to see in big screen production. No one above, no one beside. The Iron Wolf is the start of an historic fantasy so intense and masterfully assembled that it’s almost unbearable. Stroke by stroke, Siri Pettersen paints a picture so rich with fates and connections that you end up standing there, admiring it, long after you finished reading.»
- VG, Kristine Isaksen
«Juicy… erotic yearning… desire and electric tension… cusses that would make Tolkiens dwarves blush…[…] What impresses me with Siri Pettersens story, is the rich detail and consistency in the world she portrays. The city of Náklav is convincingly described, with its greed, depravity, and diverse social layers and customs. She also has a rare visual power of imagination that few writers can match.»
- NRK, Ola Hegdal «Powerful and spine-tingling fantasy. […]
The Iron Wolf is a thrilling novel, at times blood-chilling, and even though the plot is complex, Pettersen never loses drive or nerve. […] The first book bodes more than well.
- Adressa, Ørjan Greiff Johnsen
«Sets the bar high. […] Siri Pettersen’s new series is well written about feeling young, brave and fit for fight. Pettersen lies to our belief, and we feel like the hero in a crucial drama of life and death.
- Aftenposten, Morten Olsen Haugen
Setting the mood with book trailers
My Norwegian publisher, Gyldendal, hired the talented people at Manus advertising to create a series of video teasers for the book, and they capture the mood so beautifully! If you haven’t seen it, it’s right here. The advertising magazine «Kreativt Forum» wrote an article about the making: «Two bloody fangs, tracks in the snow, a glimpse of a crossbow. Those are the small details, from a grand and mighty universe, that get to play center stage.» I even got to visit on set, which was one of the best days of 2020!
Outland edition
I love the geek stores! Every country has one, and in Norway, it’s Outland. Now, when the geekiest store in Norway asks you for the possibilities of a special edition, you say YES! Limited to 400 copies, we designed a special cover for them, in white watercolour. Isn’t it gorgeous? My sincere apologies and tons of love to everyone who ended up buying two copies, just to have both!
A cosplayer’s dream
Aaaaah, I’m dying, this is so amazing! Look at it! Gyldendal hired a seamstress to bring Juva’s red suit from The Iron Wolf to life, and here is the stunning result! Her name is Siri Eriksen, and she combed the book, looking for clues to the design. The outfit is heavy and gorgeous, and has been on display in one of our flagship bookstores. In 2021 we hope to have it as a traveling display, from bookstore to bookstore.
The Raven Rings: Over a quarter million sold!
When I got this news in june, my first reaction was to drop an F-bomb. The Raven Rings has now sold well over a quarter million copies, worldwide. My amazing agents at Grand Agency swear it’s true, it’s approaching 300K, and I’m like... Haha, seriously? This is YOUR doing! I am so deeply grateful to all of you, for making these books available to the world. Thank you. Really. I can’t even...
Geffen finalists
The Raven Rings 2 & 3 were finalists for the Geffen Award in Israel, for «Best translated fantasy», together with... *checks notes* Terry Pratchett, Naomi Novik, Brandon Sanderson, J.R.R Tolkien, and George R.R. Martin. Wait, hang on... *checks notes again* No, that’s... That’s actually right! My deepest thanks to translator Yonatan Bar, and Sial publishing, who obviously did a fantastic job.
German Collector’s Box
Oh, mein Herz! This year, Germany is launching its own limited edition collector’s box! My wonderful German publisher, Arctis Verlag, is creating this gorgeous slipcased edition of Die Rabenringe, with an extra «making of» pocket book, containing my notes and photos, Hirka’s herbal guide and the story of Hirka and Rime. It will be limited to 2500 copies, and they did a superb job with the design!
Lingering on the radio
The covid pandemic has changed how we work, but one of the upsides seems to be taking our time. I did two long format interviews on radio, and really enjoyed spending time in the studio for longer and deeper conversations. The shows were «Drivkraft» (Drive) and «Kulturstripa» (Culture strip), both available in Norwegian, just click the links.
Giving back
There comes a time in every woman’s life, (possibly the midlife crisis?) when the need to give something back to the world, becomes pressing. Some time ago, I asked friends and followers for suggestions on how to help aspiring authors or contribute more in the broader sense of things, and there were myriads of ideas. An outline of a plan is slowly taking form, and my over-ambitious goal is to launch a mentor or scholarship program or something similar in 2021.
I lost over 30 kg!
Totally on the way too personal side, but I have to say it, because my neighbour asked if I was sick! Also, I’m super proud and really WANT to tell you! :D When Norway went into covid lockdown, I called a personal trainer. Spent the past nine months sweating over weights for hours every single day. The lack of cocktails has quite frankly been outrageous, but it was worth it to replace all my lingerie. The feeling is 10/10, would recommend! Nothing like winning the fight over yourself…
What’s up for 2021?
Once you start a series, there’s no rest until it’s done. You are not shy about telling me that you are waiting for the next book. So: if I’m a little hard to get a hold of over the next few months, you’ll have to forgive me, but at least you can be sure that I am writing. I’m also really excited about the US launch of Odin’s Child in march. Everyone: Thank you again, I owe you all the world, and I wish the best year for you and your loved ones. Stay sane and healthy until we ride this one through.
Love from Siri
