EPISODE · Aug 14, 2026 · 58 MIN
EP 64: FREYJA_Margret Ann Thors
from Page One Podcast · host Holly Lynn Payne, Margret Ann Thors
The Page One Podcast, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books. About the guest author: Margrét Ann Thors is an Icelandic-American writer based in Reykjavík, Iceland. She received her MFA from Columbia University and teaches at the University of Iceland. Her writing has appeared in Glamour, Creative Nonfiction, Ós Pressan, Storychord, and other outlets. Freyja is her debut novel. About the host: Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup that built an AI book discovery platform with a grant from the National Science Foundation. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. Her latest book, Rose Girl: A Story of Resilience and Rumi, a medieval, mystical thriller was awarded a Kirkus (starred) review and named Editors Choice from the Historical Novel Society. Holly lives on a houseboat near the Golden Gate Bridge with her daughter and Labrador retriever, and enjoys mountain biking, hiking, swimming and pretending to surf. To learn more about her books and writing coaching services, please visit her at hollylynnpayne.com and subscribe to her FREE weekly mini-masterclass, Power of Page One, a FREE newsletter on Substack, offering insights on becoming a better storyteller and tips on hooking readers from page one! (And bonus: discover some great new books!) Tune in and reach out: If you're an aspiring writer or a book lover, this episode of Page One offers a treasure trove of inspiration and practical advice. I offer these conversations as a testament to the magic that happens when master storytellers share their secrets and experiences. We hope you are inspired to tune into the full episode for more insights. Keep writing, keep reading, and remember—the world needs your stories. If I can help you tell your own story, or help improve your first page, please reach out @hollylynnpayne or visithollylynnpayne.com. You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. Hear past episodes. If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my very short monthly newsletter at hollylynnpayne.com and follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is always private and you can always unsubscribe anytime. The Page One Podcast is created near the Golden Gate Bridge, California, as a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Thank you for being a part of my creative community! Be well and keep reading, Holly @hollylynnpayne on IG Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.Leave a review on your favorite podcast players. Tell your friends. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.For the love of books and writers,Holly Lynn Payne@hollylynnpaynehost, author, writing coachwww.hollylynnpayne.com
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What this episode covers
In EP. 64, I interview Icelandic author Margaret Ann Thors about her gripping debut thriller, FREYJA, set in Reykjavik and steeped in Icelandic folklore. Thors explains how the novel evolved through multiple iterations—from an early draft centered on a male protagonist shaped by her near-death experience (a 2010 stroke caused by a hole in her heart from birth) to a version unlocked by motherhood and a willingness to blend literary prose with suspense. We dig deep into using skepticism within the protagonist to integrate folklore without turning the story into fantasy, employing structure to sustain an 80,000-word arc, and how her willingness to embrace genre provided the “architecture” that enabled her creative freedom. I love how Thors discusses revision, describing it as essential discovery and she credits her agent Erin Harris for her patience in the years-long development of this stunning debut. This might be one of my favorite interviews of 2026 as we discovered so many parallels—suriving near death experiences at the age of 22 and choosing to write as single mothers of young children. Thors told me, “I feel I met a kindred spirit.” I could not agree more. I am so excited to introduce this debut novelist, and am so grateful she had the courage to leap from her background in non-fiction and into the wild, precarious and more daunting discipline—and art of fiction.
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EP 64: FREYJA_Margret Ann Thors
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