Appearances

2024

 
Wednesday 11 December 2024: Octavia Interviewed by KS Barton and Johanna Wittenberg on their podcast “Shieldmaidens: Women of the Norse World”
Exploring the history of the Saga novels, Octavia’s love of Gotland, and her decided opinions of how all things Viking are typically being depicted today… Have fun listening on YouTube!

Friday 2 August 2024: Stavgard Viking Days, Burs, Gotland
Octavia was not able to attend.

Wednesday 31 July 2024: Roma Cloister Viking Days, Roma, Gotland

July 2024: Podcast… Octavia interviewed on Finding the Throughline

Finding the Throughline is the smartest new podcast about creative endeavors on the air today. Kate Hanley gathers the most interesting authors she can find, then asks them the same questions – with very different results. Some questions are playful, but several are profound. I was the subject of Kate’s inquiries about my writing process, inspiration, daily creative habits and much more. I talk about everything from how the Saga Folk – the characters – speak to me, to my admiration for Taylor Swift. There are three 20 minutes segments. Kate designates them thus and you can listen here. 🏆

Part 1: An amazing writing process that starts outside at 6 am + Independent publishing vs. self-publishing
Part 2: dealing with professional envy + an absolute masterclass on building a community of readers
Part 3: Why Taylor Swift is a big influence + a big shift that’s brewing

2023

 
1 September – 8 September, 2023
The Saga Tour – September

18 August – 25 August, 2023
The Saga Tour – August

2022

 
Wednesday 2 February – Sunday 6 February, 2022
The History Quill Writers Convention 2022
The History Quill will host a five day virtual convention for historical fiction writers on 2–6 February, 2022. The event will be hosted on Zoom.

Octavia will be presenting twice. On Thursday February 3, her topic will be “Community is Key: Unlocking the Ardent Fan in Every Reader” and on Sunday February 6, “Spinning Straw Into Gold: Storytelling Voracity When Evidence is Slight” (with Marion Wiesler).

Slides from each presentation are available here for “Community is Key: Unlocking the Ardent Fan in Every Reader” and here for “Spinning Straw Into Gold: Storytelling Voracity When Evidence is Slight”.

2020
The Circle of Ceridwen Saga Appearances

 
Saturday June 6, 2020
Historical Fiction Panel Video: My Virtual Literary Festival (MyVLF.com)
Octavia discusses writing historical fiction with sister authors Alison Weir, Andie Newton and Stacey Halls. Please go to myvlf.com and register for free. You will then be able to click on this link to view the presentation.

Wednesday May 27, 2020
Video Podcast: Live from America Episode #123: The Swedish Coronavirus Strategy
Octavia appears with Swedish Economist Nils Karlsson to discuss Sweden’s response to COVID-19. From the Comedy Cellar, with Noam Dworman, Hatem Gabr & Tony Daro.

2019
The Circle of Ceridwen Saga Appearances

 
Friday August 9, 2019
Medeltidsveckan 2019 – Medieval Week in Visby
1:00 PM Gotlands Museum
Strandgatan 14
621 56 Visby
Telefon: 0498 29 27 00
epost: info@gotlandsmuseum.se
As part of the famous Visby Medieval Week, Octavia will present an illustrated talk contrasting the battle tactics of the Saxons and the Danish Vikings invading England in the 9th century. Admission fee: Adults 140kr / Children 70kr.

2018
The Circle of Ceridwen Saga Appearances

 
CANCELLED due to Hurricane Florence.

15 & 16 September 2018 Saturday & Sunday
Maryland Renaissance Festival
1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD 21401
(800) 296 7304
At the Page After Page Bookstore at White Stag Lane
I’ll be there in full Norse costume from 11 am to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. Every Saga novel will be available, with a 10% discount if you purchase all seven novels. Come and meet me!

 
 
 

30 August to 3 September 2018
Dragon Con 2018
Atlanta, Georgia 30321
404-669-0773 (Dragon Con office: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm)

Find me here:

What: Reading from “Sidroc the Dane”
When: 10:00 am Friday August 31
Where: Marietta Suite – Hyatt Regency

What: Dragon Con Parade through downtown Atlanta.
I will be in full Norse costume.
When: Steps off 10 am Saturday September 1
Where: Peachtree Street NE and Linden Avenue NE

What: Panel discussion: Her-storically Speaking
Description: Well-behaved women rarely make history. We’ll be talking about some of the women who made waves, with a focus on pirates, vikings, and detectives.
When: 7:00 pm Saturday September 1
Where: Athens Room – Sheraton

What: Autograph Session (Free). Let me give you a Sidroc bookmark and bind rune amulet.
When: 11:30 am Sunday September 2
Where: International Hall South 4-5 – Marriott Marquis

What: My solo presentation: Women’s Legal Rights in 9th Century England and Scandinavia.
Description: This entertaining and far-ranging 35 minute illustrated talk and Q&A will cover intriguing topics such as the discovery that the inhabitant of the rich Viking era warrior’s grave known as Bj581 was a woman, and not a man; an examination of laws and customs governing the rights and responsibilities of Anglo-Saxon women and their Norse counterparts, and the way current media representations of “Viking” women distort the actual achievements of Nordic women.
When: 2:30 pm Sunday September 2
Where: Macon Room – Sheraton

What: Book signing and sales at Bard’s Tower.
When: Check daily schedule and Dragon Con app for times
Where: AmericasMart Building 2

2017
The Circle of Ceridwen Appearances

4 November 2017 Saturday
3 pm Varnum Memorial Library
194 S Vermont 108, Jeffersonville, Vermont 05464
(802) 644-2117
Octavia will read from The Saga and answer questions
Free and open to the public
Books One and Six on sale at the special price of $12. Or bring your books and I will sign them, as well as Saga postcards and other goodies I’ll have to give you…

14 October 2017 Saturday
2 pm Nahant Public Library to celebrate Indie Author Day
15 Pleasant Street, Nahant, Massachusetts 01908
(781) 581-0306
Free and open to the public
Books One and Six on sale at the special price of $12. Or bring your books and I will sign them, as well as Saga postcards and other goodies I’ll have to give you…

2016
The Circle of Ceridwen Appearances

27 May 2016 Friday
6 pm The Ingmar Berman Estate
Fårö, Gotland, Sweden
Illustrated talk: “Scandinavian Archetypes in North American Imaginations: From Beowulf to Alicia Vikander”

5 April 2016 Tuesday
6 pm The Harvard Club of the North Shore
Hawthorne Hotel, Salem, Massachusetts
Author appearance and book signing

2015
Light, Descending Appearances

I will speak about the great Victorian John Ruskin and read from my novel, Light, Descending at these institutions:

4 December 2015 Friday
6-10 pm Oxford Cambridge Society New England
Winchester Country Club, Winchester, Massachusetts
“John Ruskin at Oxford: From Gentleman-Commoner to Slade Professor of Art”
Cocktails, dinner and talk.

12 August 2015 Wednesday
7 pm Abbot Public Library
Marblehead, Massachusetts
“Unlucky in Love: John Ruskin’s Disastrous Romantic Life”.
Admission: Free and open to the public.

25 June 2015 Thursday
7 pm Salem Athenaeum
Salem, Massachusetts
“Unlucky in Love: John Ruskin’s Disastrous Romantic Life”.
Admission: Free and open to the public.

14 April 2015 Tuesday
6:15 pm Fundraiser with cocktails
Chilton Club Boston, Massachusetts for Save Venice
“Written in Stone: Ruskin and Venice”
Admission: $55 per person

8 April 2015 Wednesday
12 noon Boston Athenaeum
Boston, Massachusetts
“Unlucky in Love: John Ruskin’s Disastrous Romantic Life”.
Admission: Free and open to the public.

24 February 2015 Tuesday
6:30 pm Casa Italiana at New York University, for Save Venice
“Written in Stone: Ruskin and Venice”.
Admission: Free, but reservations required.
Full video here.

25 January 2015 Sunday
3 pm Nahant Public Library
Nahant, Massachusetts
“Unlucky in Love: John Ruskin’s Disastrous Romantic Life”.
Admission: Free and open to the public.