Darragha Foster - Guest Blogger

Norse Gods Gone Wild!
My guest today is author, Darragha Foster. Darr has a wealth of knowledge to share with us AND she's also offering a choice of either an e-copy of Love's Second Sight or an e-copy of Teaching Old Gods New Tricks to one lucky poster! She'll be around to post and answer questions and to share some very special tidbits. ;~D

So, here's Darragha!:

I recall the very first time it registered to me that the Norse gods were naughty beggars. I was preparing for a presentation to a group of 5th graders, as a guest-lecturer on the Norse Explorations and Norse Mythology. I had my "kids’ books" about Norse Mythology out, and I had my direct Icelandic to English translations. I got to the point where Loki tied his bollocks to a goat...and realized that to tell these kids about Norse Mythology, I'd soooo have to use the sanitized versions of the myths.

Did you know that the primary Norse gods were shape-shifters? From male to female to animal or object, they enjoyed shifting. And screwing.
I love the whole shape-shifter Norse god scenario. So many lovely thoughts come to mind!
As I found I had a penchant for writing erotic romance, I, of course, turned to what I know best as fodder. The Norse myths. Hot, horny, omni-sexual gods with healthy appetites for making love. Man to man. Man to woman. Woman to woman. Animal to animal. And the icky stuff, too: brother to sister. Father to children.

Excerpt from “Love’s Second Sight.”

"What do you mean to do here?" Ivar asked, not relishing the intimate touch of
another man.

"Trust me," Loki replied, putting his mouth to Ivar's in a forbidden kiss, forcing
Ivar's mouth open, and his own serpent-like tongue, down Ivar's throat.

The men, seemingly locked in a passionate embrace, Ivar struggling against Loki,
Loki pulling Ivar to him with the strength of ten Rus, stayed joined at the mouths for
what seemed to the conventional Ivar, a lifetime. Or two.

Loki literally sucked the shadow of death from Ivar.
* * * *
The Norse gods were part of a working religion back in the day (and still are, actually), and the men who worshipped the gods made rules based on what they believed would be acceptable to their gods. Like Odin would care if a Viking had sex with a man, a woman or himself!

Scholars agree that: There was nothing at all shameful about a man having intercourse with another man if he was in the active or "manly" role. Homosexuality was not regarded as being evil, perverted, or innately against the laws of nature: rather, it was felt that a man whosubjected himself to another in sexual affairs would do the same in other areas, being a follower rather than a leader, and allowing others to do his thinking or fighting forhim.

That’s right…a Viking had to be “the top” to keep his manly-manness intact. I’ll have to remember that when I write my M/M Viking book!

Now, about those horny gods:

Odin, the Chief god, had this throne from which he could see over all nine worlds, the freakin' busy-body. He saw a handsome "jotun," or giant, and wanted him. Wanted being the key word. That handsome young jotun was Loki, the lovely son of giants, and shape-shifter extraordinaire. After they "spent some time together," they opened veins and mixed their blood to become brothers. Odin vowed that he’d never accept a cup of mead unless one was poured for Loki, too. Big mistake on Odin's part. Big mistake!

Odin did Loki. Lots of indirect references:
Odin and Loki wandered the world of humans and planted "good deeds" as they went.

Loki made babies with his first wife, his second wife, and slept with everyone else's wife. He also shifted into a female horse to lead an enchanted male horse astray and came back with a colt. Loki gave birth!

Loki liked shifting into various animal forms, too. And he was a crude bastard! At a party (which he crashed), he made terrible comments to one and all:

Enough, Idun! I know what you are,
The most wanton of women:
Once, half-washed you wound your arms
About your brother's killer.
(he’s saying the goddess Indunn was smelly-dirty and sleeping with the murder of her brother.)

Enough, Gefjun! I know your secrets,
I know your seducer's name,
The white god who gave you a jewel
To lay your leg over his.
(a goddess prostituted herself. This is not the only instance in the mythos!)

If I have allowed, as allow I should not,
Faint-hearted fighters to win,
You lived under the earth for eight winters,
And bore babies there,
Were milked like a milch-cow
And played a woman's part.

(Odin’s reply to Loki after an insult. Yes…Loki was a male demon-god who was someone’s wife, too)

Charms on Samsey, they say you worked,
Wicked spells like a witch,
Flew about in the form of a wizard
And played a woman's part.
(Loki accusing Odin of being on bottom)

Darr will be posting more goodies during the day, so stay tuned!