Cynthia Ripley Miller's Blog

On the Edge of Sunrise, my debut novel, is set in late ancient Rome. My hero, Garic, is a Frank, a Germanic barbarian warrior. In the early 5th century, the Franks believed in the Germanic/Nordic gods. One of the goddesses was Freya, goddess of love, but she also had a militaristic side to her and a connection to the dead. Some believed she led the Valkyries to the battlefields where she chose dead heroes. She rode a chariot pulled by gray cats and is often shown wearing a helmet and carrying a spear.

Freya also possessed beauty and taste. One of the more famous stories about her involves her favorite necklace. This treasure came to her attention while visiting the underworld of the dwarves. The legend goes that when Freya saw these little men creating the most beautiful necklace she’d ever seen, her vanity—like her libido—being strong, she desired the object. She begged the dwarves for the necklace, which represented the fruits of the earth and the stars. For payment, the dwarves demanded she give herself to them. Although reluctant (hmmm. A group of dwarves—who would blame her???) Freya agreed and paid the price. The necklace enhanced her beauty even beyond her expectation, and she wore it day and night. I guess the adage, ‘A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do,' proved true for Freya, goddess of love.