About the Author

Fourth Viking Quest novel, Heart of Courage,
is out in Norwegian!

And here they are!

Ester Viktoria holds the Norwegian translation of the fourth novel in the Viking Quest series. With Ester is her father, Asbjørn, the gifted translator of the vikingserien and her younger sister, Sara Aurora. Ester is holding the new book, Et modig hjerte, which is translated A Courageous Heart.

If you read this book, either in English or Norwegian, you'll know why a courageous heart is needed by Bree, Devin, and Mikkel. Have fun with the Vikings! Enjoy sailing across the big seas. Visit Leif Erikson's home and meet his family, including his mother and his father, Erik the Red.

It's a pleasure to start another adventure with all of you—my long time readers, and those of you who are discovering my books for the first time.

I enjoyed traveling to Norway, Ireland, and Northern Ireland to research this series. The novels take place 500 years before Columbus discovered America, and there were awesome people in many countries who helped me with what I needed to know. In the novels my main characters—Bree, Devin, and Mikkel—travel from Ireland to what is now Norway, then Iceland and Greenland. From there they sail with Leif Erikson to the Viking site he built in present-day North America.

I believe you'll enjoy reading about Briana and Devin and Mikkel as much as I enjoyed writing about them. In addition to Viking Quest #1, Raiders From the Sea, #2 Mystery of the Silver Coins, #3 The Invisible Friend, and #4 Heart of Courage, my publisher has released the fifth novel, The Raider's Promise. Yes, you'll like these books!

Even though my characters live long ago, you'll discover they have thoughts and feelings like yours or like people you know. When we face big-time mystery and danger, all of us need the courage to win! Click here to read more about the Viking Quest series and an excerpt.....

First two Viking Quest novels translated into Norwegian. My friend, Julie, took this picture in a Stavanger, Norway bookstore.

News from Norway:

Lois researched her Viking Quest series in Ireland and Norway. After the first two novels came out in English, Ingvar Vikesland of Aurland, Norway, wrote this article for the local monthly magazine published in the Aurland Fjord. This is a translation of part of what he said:

Children in America Read Books about Viking times in Aurland

The American author Lois Johnson came to Aurland in the autumn 2002 to learn about Aurland. ... She has written many books for children and others in America and wanted to use Norway and Aurland for the basis of a new one. For three days she used her camera, tape recorder and pen to find answers to questions about how the area might have looked hundreds of years ago and how the people might have lived. Anders Ohnstad was able to give her many insights, and we have followed up later via email...

With these books Lois has put a focus on Norway, the western country, and Aurland for many in America. For the ancestors of emigrants from this area, these books should be of interest.

Ingvar Vikesland (on the right) gives Lois' novel, Raiders from the Sea, to Librarian Andreas Buzzi Nøttestad for the new library in Aurland, Norway.

First this photo came from the people in Norway. Then Lois e-mailed it to her webmaster to be put on this website. Now the people in Norway can see themselves from America! Thanks, Ingvar, Anders, and all of you!

Note from Lois: To read more about Anders Ohnstad, see the dedication in Viking #2, Mystery of the Silver Coins, and the acknowledgments in Viking #1, Raiders from the Sea, Viking #2, and Viking #3, The Invisible Friend. To learn more about Ingvar Vikesland and the help he gave me see the acknowledgments in all three novels.



Jacob with Lois Walfrid Johnson.

Meet Jacob!

Mrs. Vee Wonders, Jacob's fourth grade teacher at Northside, a Christian school, read the first Viking novel to her class. Then she checked online to see whether Lois would be one of the authors signing books at a Children's Literature Network event (www.clnetwork.org). It was a long drive for Jacob and his mom, but they came anyway! Lois loved meeting them. And she loved hearing that Jacob and his class were enjoying Raiders from the Sea.

Later, when Mrs. Wonders wrote to Lois, she said, "When we were on a field trip, one of my boys saw the second novel in a gift shop. The children begged me to get it. We were so glad we did when we got to the end of the first book." As soon as the class finished reading Raiders from the Sea, they started Mystery of the Silver Coins.

Vicki Palmquist, webmaster for Lois' site, founded Children's Literature Network. She creates special events for parents, teachers, librarians, authors, illustrators, home educators, and others who care about connecting children with books. CLN works to encourage children and young adults to read.

It's a Pleasure to
Meet My Readers

Katelyn, a North Dakota fifth grader, with Lois at Høstfest. That's a Norwegian word for autumn festival, and it's a fun four-day gathering of Scandinavians from all over the world. Each October it's held in Minot, North Dakota. Thanks, Katelyn, for liking the Viking series and for stopping by to talk!

Lois signs Viking Quest books for Andrew, who loves reading her novels.

A class of 6th grade students in Taiwan is enjoying Lois' Viking Quest books.

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