K. V. Johansen
K.V. Johansen writes mostly darker fantasy of soul-wounded people on the edges, but here offers some light-hearted retellings of medieval ballads.
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K.V. Johansen is the author of the Sunburst-nominated Blackdog, and its sequels, The Leopard: Marakand Part One, The Lady: Marakand Part Two, Gods of Nabban, and The Last Road (forthcoming 2019) epic silk road fantasies from Pyr. However, in her long career she's written everything from children's novels (fantasy and science fiction), secondary world fantasy for teens, picture books, literary criticism, short stories, and literary fairy tales. She has Master's degrees in Medieval Studies and in English, and is a member of the EETS, the SFWA, and the Writers' Union of Canada. The stories being offered up here are mostly from her second book, a collection of literary fairy tales based on ballads from medieval Denmark. No assassins, no gods, no armies or brutal, suffering immortals, but they may contain a shapeshifter or two.
Fiction · Posts · Books
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Fiction
Inge and the King
Published Aug 12, 2019 · 4,838 words (18 minutes)
Historical Romance medieval happily ever after (maybe)
I'm not sure why I chose this ballad to retell for my collection, way back in the nineties - no magic, no shapeshifting, no humorous twist. Just a straight love story, not my kind of thing, really. At least she picks her own man?! Reading it over, I find the king amusing, at any rate. However, the women of my novels, even my children's books, would give Inge very different advice on how to get her lands back. Edged weapons would no doubt be involved.
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Fiction
The Gallant Came Late
Published Aug 12, 2019 · 5,125 words (19 minutes)
Humor Historical Romance medieval Humour happily ever after (maybe)
I pinched the title from Sir Walter Scott, but this is of course another Danish ballad, one of the humorous ones. Three childhood friends, the old love triangle, a flooded river on the wedding day ...
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Fiction
Bold Ellensborg
Published Aug 12, 2019 · 4,234 words (16 minutes) · 1 view
Humor Historical Romance fairy tale medieval Humour Happily ever after?
Another humorous fairy tale based on a ballad from medieval Denmark. Bold Ellensborg, fed up with her beloved's failure to return from a trip to the Holy Land, crews a ship with her maidens and sets sail to fetch him home.
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Fiction
The Serpent Bride
Published Dec 24, 2018 · 5,144 words (19 minutes) · 5 views
Fantasy Historical Romance shape-changing happily ever after fairy tale medieval enchantment
Benedikte, transformed to a snake by her brother and his nurse, walks in the dreams of knights to find the one who can break her curse.
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Fiction
Sir Karl's Wake
Published Sep 18, 2018 · 5,103 words (19 minutes) · 11 views
Fantasy Humor Historical Romance happily ever after medieval wistful nuns
When young Sir Karl's beloved is forced into a nunnery by her land-greedy aunt the abbess, Sir Karl's mother, Lady Brenda, comes up with a perilous scheme to free her.
Free
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Fiction
The Mighty Harp
Published Aug 8, 2018 · 4,845 words (18 minutes) · 688 views
Fantasy Historical Romance Orpheus happily ever after medieval fairy tales trolls
Based on a Danish ballad that is part of the Orpheus family of tales, this is one of my favourites of the many ballads I read while working on the stories for the original collection.
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