Christina Courtenay was named winner of the Romantic Novelist's Asssociation's Fantasy Romantic Novel Award for Echoes of the Runes, published by Headline Review.

Echoes of the Runes is the dual-time story of Ceri, a Welsh noblewoman taken hostage by a Viking in the 9th century, and present-day Mia, who uncovers secrets at an archaeological dig. When the present begins to echo the past, and enemies threaten, they must fight to protect what has become most precious to them.

Christina is half Swedish and found it a joy to write about the Vikings, as part of her heritage.

The story was initially inspired by a Viking style ring she owns, which is an exact replica of one displayed at the Historical Museum in Stockholm. When she went to the museum to compare the two, she was very excited to see them together and was struck by the germ of an idea for her winning book.

Christina’s agent, Lina Langlee of the North Literary Agency, is also Swedish and loved the idea behind the novel. As Christina worked on the story, suddenly there were Vikings everywhere —a fictional TV series, a big exhibition at the British Museum and several factual TV programmes caught her attention — it felt serendipitous.

Christina is no stranger to RNA awards, having won their Romantic Novel of the Year Award for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014).