Tore Olav Arnesen
BEYOND RAGNAROK
Tell your readers
a little about
yourself, where
you grew up,
where you live
now, where you went to school etc. Let them get to know
the personal you.
- My parents both immigrated to the US from Norway.
- I was born and grew
up in the greater Boston area. Went to
Boston Technical High an all boy’s school
- Then went to Wentworth Institute an
engineering junior college.
- I was transferring to Northeastern University but lost my deferment and was drafted into the army and shipped off to Vietnam,
where I served in the infantry.
- After the service I finished my BS in Architectural Engineering at the
University of Wyoming and then my MS
in Structural Engineering at the University of
Nebraska.
- Moved
to New York City for two years and my
first job. Then relocated to Omaha for seven
more years and finally came to Broomfield Colorado, where I have lived ever since.
- I worked for over thirty years as a structural and forensic engineer
and finished my last ten years as a corrosion prevention consultant. During this period published
many technical and business related articles.
- Coauthored professional engineering
guidelines and standards.
- Inventor and Presenter of many technical
papers at engineering conferences, etc.
- After retiring I did some part time
consulting and technical writing, which has now ended.
Completed my novel BEYOND RAGNAROK, which I had been working on for about a decade and published it. This novel is
meant to be a trilogy, so I’m
completing a 2nd novel in this series.
Weather permitting, I play golf three times a week.
My wife and I try to take one
international Birding trip each year.
What inspired
you to author your book?
I’m not sure? As a child I was a persistent daydreamer. I suppose I still am? I’ve always been an
animal lover and I don’t view humans as being special or superior to other life
forms. We’re just another mammal. As
a result, I assume other animals have some of the same feelings,
emotions, etc. as we do. Therefore, I’ve always been fascinated by what
other animals, in particular mammals do and are capable of. Ever since
childhood I’ve been especially curious about
the intelligence of other apes,
birds like parrots
or corvids (crows,
etc.) and of course dolphins
and whales. Thus, my interest in
dolphin communication capabilities and when combined with my Norwegian and American heritage,
resulted in the creation of my first novel.
Where did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
My novel takes place in Norway with Nords and mountains and included reference to its Viking past and also in the U.S. Because it’s about a breakthrough in communications between humans and dolphins, I knew the cover had to include some of these items.
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Who has been the most significant influence on you personally and as a writer?
I don’t
have a good answer
for this? I was a difficult child and probably
still am? Having
an independent nature
or spirit, I’ve always primarily done what I wanted.
What were your
struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to get this
book written?
Initially, I was still working, so could only occasionally work on my novel. Then, trying to find an agent or a publisher was difficult, especially since my novel was considered “General”, not a specific genre such as a mystery or romance novel. Most publishers appeared to specialize and where not interested in a novel that was a mix of several genres.
Tell your readers about your book.
My story starts in Norway, where a scientist named Jens doing research on human and dolphin communications makes a breakthrough. During the cold war much research including this project in Norway was jointly funded by the U.S. Navy, especially when having military potential.
This breakthrough by Jens was with a bottle nosed dolphin named Kong the Institute he worked at had rescued. From what Jens learns from Kong he decides he can no longer share his breakthrough with others. Because of its importance, the U.S. Navy kidnaps Jens and takes him to the U.S. to force his cooperation. To cover this up they fake his death in Norway.
The dolphin Kong was released and witnessed Jens’ kidnapping. Because of his work with Jens, Kong is successfully able to communicate with a colleague of Jens’ and by enlisting the help of Jens’ family and other colleagues is able to rescue Jens and return him to Norway.
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Who is your
target audience, and why?
Because it includes historical reference back to the cold
war and further to the time of the Vikings and also includes mystery, romance, military alliances, and
intrigue, it should appeal to a broad audience. Because it includes cultural
references of both Norwegians and Americans, It should also be of interest to
an international audience.
If you were
going to give
one reason for anyone looking
at your book
to read, why should they buy it?
Interspecies communication between humans and dolphins has been of great importance to many nations, in particular for its potential military benefits, for decades. My novel explores the possibility of a higher level of communication between man and dolphin than is now publicly know about. It presents a unique perspective about dolphin intelligence and knowledge beyond anything most people could imagine. Since I am planning to write a trilogy there is more of the story to come and I hope they will want to see more.
What do you consider your greatest success in life?
I suppose I’ve had what most people would say was a successful professional career with many accomplishments, but I don’t like to look backwards. My focus has always been on the present and the future. So, I would hope, by broadening my activities, my greatest success will be ahead of me.
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What one unique thing sets you apart from other writers in your genre?
Since my novel is more general and includes a mix of genres, this type of novel, unlike romance or mystery novels, will invariably be more unique and more likely to include unexpected and surprising content.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
Since I’m retired, writing isn’t my way to earn a living, this has not been an issue. But, beyond that, I’ve always had runaway imagination, so have never had difficulty finding things to write about. I guess I’m lucky. Any time I sit down at my computer and start writing, I can’t keep up with the flow of ideas.
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What one piece of advice do you have for new authors?
Put all inhibitions and concerns about what others may think about your story behind, let your emotions and imagination run free, and move boldly forward.
Tell your readers anything else you want to share.
Always be curious, optimistic, brave, free spirted, have empathy, and most of all be HAPPY! Did I leave anything out?
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Tore Olav Arnesen has released an incredible book. His book, "Beyond Ragnarok" is one not to be missed. Filled with mystery, conspiracy, and a special bond between one man and a dolphin, this story will captivate you from the beginning to the end.
