J. A. Hunsinger lives in Colorado, USA, with his wife Phyllis. The first novel of his character-driven, historical fiction series, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, represents his first serious effort to craft the story of a lifelong interest in the Viking Age—especially as it pertains to Norse exploration west of Iceland—and extensive research and archaeological site visitations as an amateur historian. He has tied the discovery of many of the Norse artifacts found on this continent to places and events portrayed in his novels.
Much of his adult life has been associated with commercial aviation, both in and out of the cockpit. As an Engineering Technical Writer for Honeywell Commercial Flight Systems Group, Phoenix, Arizona, he authored two comprehensive pilots’ manuals on aircraft computer guidance systems and several supplemental aircraft radar manuals. His manuals were published and distributed worldwide to airline operators by Honeywell Engineering, Phoenix, Arizona. He also published an article, Flight Into Danger, in Flying Magazine, (August 2002).
American Institute of Archaeology, Canadian Archaeology Association, MIPA-Midwest Independent Publishers Association, and IBPA-Independent Book Publishers Association, are among the fraternal and trade organizations in which he holds membership.
J.A. will be on a virtual book tour in March and April 2009 to promote his historical fiction novel, Axe of Iron: The Settlers. We interviewed him to find out more about his exciting new book.
Q: Thank you for this interview, Jerry. Can we begin by having you tell us why you chose historical fiction to write?
A: I am an avid reader of both history texts and historical fiction novels. Written history has many holes, gaps if you will, that give an author an endless supply of fodder. It is natural for me to tell stories about subjects that I have always had an interest in. The Greenland Vikings and the Viking culture in general have always been my focus.
Q: Did you outline before you wrote your book or did you just go with the flow?
A: I tried to outline, but it did not work for me. The story that I am telling literally gushes forth and I found the outline wasted my time. I draw bubbles—like cartoon bubbles—for each chapter number. I briefly note the highlights within the connected bubbles. I also have a cast of characters for the chapters that I include within the bubbles. It seems a good way for me to keep paradoxes or enigmas out of the story.
Q: Who was your favorite character in Axe of Iron and why?
A: I like them all for I created them. Gudbjartur is one of two protagonists. The other is Halfdan, the chieftain. They are my favorites because they are fair, hard, and honorable men. I like that.
Q: Who was your least favorite character?
A: A man named Gisli.
Q: Can you tell us about the setting and why you chose it?
A: The setting is the pre-historical Canadian Province of Quebec. I chose the southeastern coast of James Bay for my Norse characters to build their settlement because that is where I believe they would have gone to begin the assimilation process with the pre-historical ancestors of the Cree, Ojibwa, and Iroquois Indians.
Q: What was the hardest part to write?
A: Dialogue can be difficult to write, especially when the author must deal with thoughts, words, and actions associated with medieval people about whom we know practically nothing. Certainly it gives the author wide latitude, but when you want to get it right it is difficult nonetheless.
Q: What was the inspiration behind the story?
A: My Swedish/German heritage provided inspiration initially—the need to know who my ancestors were—and my parochial education. The nuns, brothers, and priests who educated me gave me an excellent basis for further study. I think the Germanic mythology taught in grade school and high school provided the spark.
