Coffee and biscuits kickstarted a collaboration on a Viking thriller

I had never imagined I would write books in collaboration with others. But that notion was one worth challenging. Now, Jeanette Varberg is my new partner.

It likely began with a budding idea years ago: wouldn't it be exciting to write a crime novel or thriller — but set it in a prehistoric era?
Ideally the Viking Age — a period that, despite its relatively short duration, holds such a strong place in our collective consciousness and which I find incredibly fascinating.

But... the next thought always stood in the way of the dream. After all, how on earth could I possibly acquire enough knowledge to write a novel set in the Viking Age? It seemed impossible...

Along the way, however, I did read quite a bit — including a magnificent non-fiction book about the Vikings (Viking – ran, ild og sværd / Viking – Raid, Fire, and Sword) written by Jeanette Varberg, a curator at the National Museum of Denmark.
Then, one fine day, fate would have it that I stumbled upon the local weekly newspaper, Horsens Posten. On the front page was a large photo of... Jeanette Varberg. And it turned out she actually lived in the local area — at Husodde in Stensballe — not many kilometers from where I live.

Now considerably more knowledgeable, the idea began to stir again... "Okay, we’re neighbors... What if?"

After mulling it over for a few days, I took the plunge: I wrote to Jeanette Varberg and invited her for a walk by Horsens Fjord — complete with coffee in a thermos and biscuits. During the walk, I shared some of my thoughts regarding Vikings and the suspense inherent in their everyday lives. The whole idea of ​​going on raids and chopping off heads just didn't really appeal to me.

The rest is history. Fortunately, Jeanette was familiar with my books (and liked them...) – and agreed to collaborate after a few days.
FRÆNDE – Blodspor is the result of our new partnership. It is a book I am proud of, and one that turned out really well, in my humble opinion.

And yes... We’ve had fun along the way, and it’s great to have a partner to discuss everything — big and small — with.
So... I’m sure we’ll do it again...