On a Sword’s Edge

On a Sword’s Edge

Today, author J.R. Tomlin shares a behind the scenes interview about her fabulous novel of medieval Scotland, On a Sword’s Edge.

Scotland. 1263. The scent of rain mingles with the smoke of campfires as word spreads: the Norse are coming… 

As tempers rise between King Alexander and the Norse King Haakon, at the center of it all is sixteen-year-old William Douglas, a squire in service to Sir John Stewart, Lord High Steward of Scotland.

When Haakon’s fearsome fleet is espied approaching Scotland’s shores, carrying the greatest invasion force the Norse have ever mustered, the dread of battle settles over the land. Summoned to Ayr Castle, William joins the Scottish forces in a desperate defense. Now tasked with serving his newly knighted brother, Hugh, William has little time to dwell on the fear – or thrill – of his first real taste of war.

And once the Norse’s menacing line of ships finally touches shore, Scotland’s fate may rest on more than noble titles and knightly deeds— it’ll take the mettle of every soul on the ground for them to triumph.

Set against the wind-swept coast of medieval Scotland, On a Sword’s Edge takes you right into the center of The Battle of Largs alongside a mere – yet fearless – squire.

Where to buy the book:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3R7l8D 

Interview with the Author:

What’s the tagline or ‘elevator pitch’ for your book?

I thought up a couple, but this is the one I think is the best:

The Norse bring swords and fury. Scotland answers in kind—and one scrappy squire joins in the fray. Will he live to see the end of this brutal conflict, or will he become another name lost to history?

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

The idea found me as often happens. The Battle of Largs was vital in the growth of Scotland as a kingdom but is largely forgotten. Certainly, as far as I know, no one writes about it. And it is a period when England and Scotland were at peace and had a positive relationship. So, the idea of writing about Scotland with fresh problems and different enemies really appealed to me.

How did you create a realistic setting for your story?

I talked with friends who live in that part of Scotland who suggested routes the Scottish army might take and supplied details of the landscape. I always like to put in brief mentions or descriptions of the plants and wildlife and daily life, such as dinner at a tavern or a Christmas Day feast. But I think that the sense of smell is particularly important in putting the reader in the place and time. Snippets like this are important: The inside of the stable was dim but had a smell that was pleasant in its familiarity, an earthy scent of sweaty horses, dust and dirt and hay and grain overlaying the smell of leather, cold iron, and a whiff of horse piss.

 What surprised you in the course of your research?

One of the important events in the novel is a civil lawsuit between my main character’s father and the Earl of Argyll over payment for some land in England. I had some knowledge about the medieval English court system from my reading, but I was surprised at its complexity when I started researching it. Writing about the trial was fun, because it differed from any scene I had ever written before, and I suspect might surprise readers as well.

Do your research findings guide the plot, or do you plan out the plot first and flesh it out with research? (Or perhaps both?) 

All my research is done before I start writing, and it very much guides the plot. Most of my characters were real people and I rarely change the events of their lives, although of course most of what they did or said is not recorded, which leaves plenty of room for imagining their story.

Do you completely plan out your cast of characters before writing, or do you sometimes add new characters as you go along? What are some of the reason you’ve added new characters to a story?

I know most of them, but occasionally I realise that another character would add to the scene, so then they are added.

What do you have planned for your next writing project?

My next project is the sequel to this novel. Its working title is “Cheating Death” although I am not sure that will be the title I end up using.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

I have a Westie, and we spend a lot of time walking or hiking. I am an inveterate computer game player, also, and spent an embarrassing amount of time of time recently playing Baldur’s Gate 3 (probably the best game of the decade). And I average reading at least one book a week, sometimes non-fiction mostly on history or sometimes fiction. 

Author Bio:

J. R. Tomlin is the author of more than twenty historical novels, set for the most part in Scotland. Her love of that nation is traced from the stories of King Robert the Bruce and the Good Sir James her grandmother read to her when she was small to hillwalking through the Cairngorms where the granite hills have a gorgeous red glow under the setting sun. Later, her writing was influenced by the work of authors such as Alexander Dumas, Victor Hugo, and of course, Sir Walter Scott.

When JR isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time hiking, playing with her Westie, and killing monsters in computer games. In addition to having lived in Scotland, she has traveled in the US, Europe and the Pacific Rim. She now lives in Oregon in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.jrtomlin.com 

Twitter: https://x.com/TomlinJeanne 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jrtomlin.bsky.social 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-r-tomlin 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jrtomlin 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4094154.J_R_Tomlin