Every adventure party needs a Human, an Elf and a Dwarf – An excerpt from “The Dark Tides”

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Friendship reaches across race, religion and culture on every corner of our world today. This is no exception in literature today, especially fantasy stories. Anyone who’s played Dungeons and Dragons has been in a party with any combination of Human, Elf, Dwarf, Half-Elf, Gnome, Half-Orc and Halfling. It’s what makes adventures fun.

Most oDungeons-and-Dragons-Arena-of-War-teaser-003f us who enjoy reading fantasy novels harken to The Lord of the Rings with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. These three (along with the rest of the Fellowship if you want to get technical about it) are the standard bearers when it comes to the bonds of friendship between fantasy races in literature.

In the Forever Avalon series, I had the same inkling when I put together the friends and allies of Lord Bryan MoonDrake, the Gil-Gamesh. They included the Wizard Archibald Browbridge, Eonis the Elf, Master Dinius of the Gilded Halls of the Dwarves and many others. It may seem cliché or even repetitive when putting these types of characters together, but it seemed natural to me. Also, I tried to take a slightly different approach with their personalities.

I wanted characters with their own heart and soul, not based on formulaic pre-conceptions. Eonis is a true warrior at heart, looking for adventure outside his home of Alfheimer to see first-hand what it means to be human. Master Dinius is the Lord of the Gilded Halls, but he is a Dwarf first and foremost. He loves his ale, telling stories of his many adventures and never letting anyone get the best of him.

In this excerpt from The Dark Tides, you get to see how the three friends first met and where their travels took them during the Gil-Gamesh’s Grand Tour.

***

Every man and women wanted to shake the hand of the new Gil- Gamesh, or even just touch him on the arm. The talk around the tavern grew louder and louder. Even the bards were already making up songs about the new Gil- Gamesh and how he stood up to Constable Durm.

Bryan sat down as Lily brought him a fresh pint of ale. Through all the excitement, he noticed that Dinius never stopped eating and drinking. Bryan was amazed at his ignorance.

“Well now, Gil- Gamesh …” Dinius ascertained, “… You sit down and drink with a Dwarf and don’t tell him who you really are?”

“I apologize Master Dinius,” Bryan retorted, “My deception was necessary to maintain a low profile during my Grand Tour of Avalon, especially now since I’m travelling alone.”

“Alone?” Dinius asked. “I thought Sir Thomas was travelling with you?”

Now Bryan wondered who this Dinius Oddbottom was. How does he know Sir Thomas? “Sir Thomas is heading to Cornish on a personal matter,” Bryan interjected. “He’s meeting me at Strongürd Keep after I confer with the Wizard’s Council.”

Dinius nearly choked on his drink when he heard this. “You’re going to Strongürd alone? Are you mad? That’s takes you through Blackbriar Forest? Every cutthroat and brigand will be waiting for you in there?”

“Well, I’m going to have to deal with them sooner or later,” Bryan insisted. “It might as well be now. I’m not going to cower like a frightened child.”

Dinius smiled at the brash attitude this young man had. “Well, I am heading back to the Gilded Halls and it just so happens that Strongürd is on the way there. That is, if you don’t mind the company.”

Bryan thought about his proposal. He didn’t know this Dwarf, so it could be a trap for an easy kill to collect the bounty. Before he could answer, an Elf approached their table. He was handsome with long brown hair. His pointed ears stuck out through his hair. He wore a shining chain mail under a green and brown wrap and a long green cloak. A long sword hung at his belt and a bow and quiver were slung across his shoulders.

“Salüs dai Tulafáir Gil-Gamesh, I am Eonis,” he introduced himself, placing his hand over his heart and bowing— a sign of respect in Avalon. “I bring you greetings from the Elves of Alfheimer.”

Bryan stood and extended his hand to Eonis. The Elf took it as a sign of human friendship. “Thank you Eonis. I hope to be in Alfheimer sometime soon to pay my respects.”

“I will inform Lord Baldrid of your intent,” Eonis concurred. “We will anticipate your arrival.” Eonis quickly turned his attention to the Gil- Gamesh’s companion, whom he recognized.

“Master Dinius,” he said, bowing again with respect. “What brings the Lord of the Gilded Halls to this corner of Avalon?”

Bryan turned to Dinius with a look of disdain at the Dwarf he’s been buying drinks and food for all night. “Lord of the Gilded Halls, huh?” he inquired. Bryan’s heard about the Gilded Halls, the home of the Dwarves of Avalon. It seemed Dinius Oddbottom wasn’t what he appeared to be. “I guess I wasn’t the only one ‘hiding in plain sight’, eh Master Dinius?” Bryan joked.

Dinius gulped his ale, aware that his own deception had been uncovered. “Yes, well, Sam makes the best ale this old Dwarf has ever tasted,” he tried to explain. “I come here from time to time to satisfy my thirst.”

Dinius got up from the table and walked over to Bryan. “Forgive my deception lad, but the Wizard Browbridge mentioned you may be coming this way and, knowing that I frequent the Weathered Wren, he asked me to keep an eye out for you … Indiscreetly that is.”

Now everything was starting to make sense to Bryan. “I suppose Archie sent you too,” he asked Eonis.

“Sir Charles, actually …” Eonis explained. “He asked me look in on you as well. This was a logical stopping point on your journey to Strongürd Keep so I came here and waited.”

“And is there anything else I should be aware of?”

“Besides an embarrassed Dwarf and Elf, nothing at all,” Eonis bemused, attempting a joke, something Elves were not known for. “But truthfully, Gil- Gamesh, Blackbriar Forest is no place for any man to go alone, including you.”

“He’s right lad, just think of us as close companions on your journey,” Dinius added.

Bryan couldn’t believe it. Since his arrival on Avalon, people who never knew him had gone out of their way to protect and aid him. The devotion to the Gil- Gamesh was overwhelming to him.

“Alright, you can accompany me to Strongürd,” Bryan noted. “We’ll be leaving in the morning. Until then, good- night.” Bryan walked over to Sam to ask about his room. Sam motioned for Lily to escort Bryan upstairs to one of the rooms at the tavern.

Eonis and Dinius kept a close eye on him until he disappeared behind the door. “Well, that didn’t go as well as expected,” Dinius lamented.

Eonis looked down at him, visibly upset. “It may have helped if you didn’t scrounge food and drink off him all night,” he declared.

Dinius huffed and returned to his seat. “A Dwarf’s got to eat, you know,” Dinius told Eonis, drinking down his ale then belching loudly as he finished his meal.

***

SKU-000941753The Dark Tides is now available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

 

How pizza, beer and late night “Dungeons and Dragons” sessions started my writing career

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dungeons_dragons-5I was first introduced to Dungeons and Dragons in 1981, as a college student at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I got in with a small group of friends who spent their weekends eating pizza, drinking beer and playing D&D. One of my friends was nicknamed Frodo, which tells you a lot about them.

I was hooked instantly. I played constantly, learning everything I could about the game. I bought all the manuals, dice, Dungeon Master boards and graph paper for drawing out dungeons. I even had a Crown Royal bag for carrying my dice, something most D&D players from that era can relate to. It was an obsession.

Unfortunately, I think my over-indulgence in D&D led to troubling issues of living on my own for the first time. I left college and returned home, but I brought D&D with me. I introduced it to my friends at home and we started having all-nighters. That led to low job opportunities and zero prospects of returning to college.

Are you starting to see a pattern here? Well, so did my parents. My father, a retired U.S. Marine, pointed me towards military recruiters. Reluctantly, I did and I soon found myself enlisted in the U.S. Navy; and guess what, I brought D&D with me again.

After I graduated boot camp, I was assigned to Journalist “A” School, where I introduced my shipmates to D&D. We spent our off duty hours playing the game, drinking beer and eating pizza. My first duty station as a young Sailor was the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal, where once again, I got in with a group of Sailors and played D&D.

68171_10204763840443258_1258278380228746833_n

Me in the SITE-TV studio aboard USS Forrestal circa 1986

I think you can see my obsession forming here. D&D consumed my time, especially when we were underway and there was nothing to do. You have to remember, this was before the Internet, email, satellite TV, or video game consoles.

I know you’re wondering why I went to all this length to tell you about how, as a young adult, I was obsessed with D&D. Well, that’s where the story really begins. It was all those late night, weekend long, D&D sessions that led to me writing my two novels, Forever Avalon and The Dark Tides.

I tell this story every time I’m interviewed about my novels, but I wanted to tell it one last time so everyone can understand where the ideas for my stories came from.

I always thought that I had a big imagination. As a teenager, I was creating my own superheroes and I originally wanted to be the next Stan Lee or Jack Kirby.

Playing D&D took it to a whole other level. As a Dungeon Master, I created whole worlds, ever-changing scenarios and formidable characters to challenge the players.

During my first deployment on the Forrestal, I was playing almost nightly, every day while off duty. At the same time, I was missing my wife and newborn baby girl terribly. It was the first time I was separated from family and it was heart-wrenching. That led to some seriously disturbing dreams.

I started dreaming about being stranded on a deserted island; an island filled with the magical fantasy found in D&D. Soon, my wife ended up on the island with me and we had to survive and adapt to living there together.

Over the years, as my children grew, they started to invade my dream. I had that same dream nightly, whenever I was underway, at-sea, away from home; even though I stopped playing D&D altogether in the 90s.

One of the strange things was that, in my dream, I found myself living as one of my best characters I ever created in D&D, a half-elf, chaotic good, fighter/thief/magic user called Luna Moonstone. It was that character that started it all.

After my last deployment in 2001, aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, I decided to start writing the dream down and developing it into a story. It took me almost five years to finish my first novel, Forever Avalon, but I did it. I based the Drake family on my own and the rest just fell into place.

After I finished writing Forever Avalon, the dream ended. I haven’t had the dream since then. There was a purpose behind the dream, super-charged by an imagination fueled by D&D and the separation of a family. This is what gave birth to the world of Forever Avalon. I know I can continue the story for everyone to enjoy the adventures of Lord Bryan MoonDrake, the Gil-Gamesh, and his family.

The main thing I wanted to say, through all of this, is that whatever your inspiration is, follow your dream and it will be there for you.

Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.The Dark Tides is now available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

Magic is at the heart of any good fantasy story

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244277Magic is defined as “the art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of incantation or various other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the forces of nature.” Magic is at the heart of any fantasy story.

For the Forever Avalon series, I had to come up with the “how’s and how too” of magic in the world of Avalon. That was the easy part. In Forever Avalon, all magic exists only on this enchanted island. When Merlin cast the spell to bring all magic from the outside world to Avalon, it infused the island with magical energy. Magic exists in every rock and tree, plant and animal, man, Elf, Dwarf and creature alike.

So now the question is asked, how do you access that magic? To me, the innate ability to tap into magical energy requires thought, belief and the right word. Anything is possible if you believe in it. Faith, courage and the human spirit has shown us that throughout history. If you add magic into the mix, the impossible becomes possible.

The Gil-Gamesh explained it best in in a conversation with his son-in-law Andrew in this excerpt from The Dark Tides.

***

“Here, the impossible is possible. The laws of nature are reversed. This is a world based on magic, not science.”

“But basic science rules apply, don’t they? I mean, practices like physics and chemistry, they still exist or else you couldn’t get your ship to fly or fire to burn.”

“True, but it’s how we get that science to work. We take that one step, beyond the reason of science and make it happen through magic,” Bryan explained. “For example, science tells us that folding space to travel from one place to another instantly takes tremendous power and an equation as long as a football field. But on Avalon, all it takes is a good wizard with the right spell.

“Eo Ire Itum! ” Bryan chanted as he waved his hand and in an instant, vanished right before Andrew’s eyes.

“You see?” said a voice from behind. There stood the Gil- Gamesh, appearing out of thin air.

“I really can’t explain it and even I had my doubts when I first arrived here,” he continued as he sat back down. “But, the longer you’re here, the more magic touches you, it will make you feel younger, vibrant and more alive and it will make you believe that anything is possible. I think that’s why magic left the outside world. It wasn’t just Merlin’s spell, it was also because of man.”

“I don’t understand?” Andrew queried.

SKU-000941753“Well think about it; at the end of the ‘Dark Ages’ man had already began to fundamentally change the way we thought about the universe. Science had answered the age old questions … Gravity, stars, planets, the Earth itself. People like Galileo, Copernicus, da Vinci and others changed the way we thought about life. Science was now our magic.

“Merlin’s spell brought all things magical to the realm of Avalon. In the outside world, there is only science. Here, magic and science co- exist with magic leading the way. That’s what makes the impossible possible on Avalon,” he concluded.

***

So now that we know how magic works, the next question was spells. I didn’t want to create a whole new language for spells, I decided to use one of the oldest languages as the basis for magical incantations … Latin!

First and foremost, I want to thank the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!) for one of the best English to Latin translators online. All I had to do was type in a word or phrase and it would give me various usage options for those words. That helped tremendously in the creation of magical spells.

The last element was components. This is something I can harken back to my days of playing Dungeons & Dragons. I remembered that a simple darkness spell required bat fur and charcoal to complete the incantation. I wanted to incorporate this into my spell casting but not for every type of spell.

Since Avalon was infused with magic, simply lighting a candle shouldn’t require a pinch of sulfur. So, the more complicated the spell, the more components are required to cast the spell. Even harder spells require a magical item as a “well” to draw upon the magic of Avalon to power the spell (hint, if you want to see this in action, read The Dark Tides to see how Morgana Le Fay wields her magic through the Orb of Veles).

Magic is at the heart of a good fantasy story and as writers, we have to be the sorcerer and create the spells, components and magic items to bring the magic to life.

The Dark Tides is now available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

Keeping the history of our world alive through literature

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TARDISat60FathomsDid you ever feel like you were born in the wrong time? I get that feeling all the time. It’s probably why I am such a huge fan of Doctor Who. I could spend a thousand lifetimes travelling throughout history to see everything imaginable. I want to stare in awe at the building of the pyramids or laugh with Queen Elizabeth while watching A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Globe Theater; but I also want to bear witness to the horrors of humanity as well. From the Holocaust to the “Trail of Tears,” there are events we must never forget or else we may repeat them.

That’s something I hate about the “PC” world we live in today. To ensure we don’t hurt people’s “feelings” or make them feel inadequate about themselves, some people are trying to rewrite history to make it conform to popular thinking. The movie Interstellar had a great example of this when a teacher tried to explain that the moon landings were faked just so the U.S. would win the Cold War. Ridiculous!

I know they’re not teaching this in schools but, you have to admit, it’s a real possibility. There are people out there today who think events like the Holocaust and the moon landings were faked, created by the government  to control people. That’s like saying Africans weren’t thrust into slavery, they walked on those boats of their own free will.

You can’t change history, and if we try to, we are a failure as a society and as writers. We take history and make it real through our stories, myths and legends. There are books that tell the story of a generation within their pages: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Grapes of Wrath, and Gone with the Wind just to name a few.

Even by taking liberties with history, we are telling a very important story. One of my favorite authors of alternate history is Harry Turtledove. He takes one event in time and changes it, then follows it to fruition from past to present. The best example of this is in my favorite book of his, How Few Remain.

51FRPAQSB6LThe novel starts with a Confederate courier, carrying the plans laid out by General Robert E. Lee, wrapped around some cigars. In history, the courier dropped those cigars where they were picked up by a Union Soldier, revealing Lee’s plans to the Union Army, thus winning the war for the United States; but that’s where the twist comes in. If those plans were never lost, could the South have succeeded in winning the Civil War? Turtledove picks up ten years later, with a divided  country heading into another war but with England and France as allies of the Confederacy and Germany allying itself with the U.S.A. Through the next 11 books, he takes you through the Industrial Revolution, World War I, the Depression and ending at World War II, but with a very different but equally shocking Holocaust as African-Americans became the victims of a ruthless Confederate regime that acted like Nazis, sending them to gas chambers and mass graves.

Even in a twisted universe like that one, there are still lessons from our world history written into every word. This is our mission in life as writers. We cannot change the past but we can write about it so that, generations from now, people will know how we lived, laughed and loved … That is until The Time Machine is invented, but H.G. Wells timetable is way off by now!

Don’t Mess with the Gil-Gamesh – An Excerpt from “The Dark Tides”

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People always underestimate one another, especially when it comes to outsiders or people who are different from them. I grew up feeling that way because I was different from most people I knew. I liked comic books, cartoons and sci-fi/fantasy movies while others thought those things childish and nonsense.

SolaresFrostI think that’s why I made Lord Bryan MoonDrake, the Gil-Gamesh, an outsider with a lot to prove in Forever Avalon and The Dark Tides. Though most of Avalon looks up to him as a hero and a champion, others scorn him as an Outlander and unworthy of wielding the Twin Swords of the Dragon Moon.

Here is an excerpt from The Dark Tides where the Gil-Gamesh’s power is tested by such an individual, but he proves himself once again as the champion of Avalon.

***

Anger filled his eyes as he looked down the street toward his attacker. Th e lone figure stood in the middle of the road, his face shrouded by a flowing black robe. In his hand, pointed at the Gil-Gamesh, was his wand, still pulsing with magical energy. Th e wand was a twisted branch of wormwood with a dark moonstone embedded at its base.

“I don’t know who you are, but you must have a death wish to attack me here in my own home,” Bryan swore.

“The only one who will be dying here today is you and your pathetic Outlander family Gil-Gamesh,” the attacker grumbled, his voice low and guttural. “Th e Cult of Darkholm will seal your fate once and for all.”

Th e Cult of Darkholm came to rise aft er the Gil-Gamesh killed Lord Kraven Darkholm in a wager by battle … A duel to the death. The death of Lord Darkholm meant the end of the line of Morgana le Fay. Th e cult believed that they must kill the Gil-Gamesh in order to restore balance to Avalon.

“How many more of you fanatics do I have to kill to end this idiocy?”

“You cannot kill us all Gil-Gamesh … Death cannot kill that which never dies!”

“Never say never zealot!” the Gil-Gamesh shouted as he leapt at his attacker, swinging Twilight down toward the cultist’s head. But before his sword strikes, he cried “Incandesco!” causing Twilight to burst with bright light. With the attacker temporarily blinded, Hunter and Nevan drew
their GunStars and fired a volley at the attacker. The spell shots erupted as a single fiery projectile that split into many fiery projectiles.

Th e cultist waved his wand and chanted “Caligo Obscurus Cimmerii”—an incantation Bryan had never heard before. Tendrils of darkness fl owed out of the wand like an octopus attacking its prey. It reached out to form a protective shield in front of the cultist, swatting at the meteor swarm to dissipate as it impacted on the barrier.

Th e Gil-Gamesh couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d seen spells that blocked magical attacks or deflected them, but never cancel them out like that. He knew he had to take a different tack against this madman. He sheathed his swords and motioned for Hunter and Nevan to back off . The cultist expected the Gil-Gamesh to attack him, swords swinging like a whirlwind, as he is known. He tried a different tack against the champion of Avalon.

“What’s the matter Gil-Gamesh? Are you afraid to use your vaunted swords against me? Th ey are the only reason you have any power on Avalon. Without them, you are nothing,” he taunted.

“You know, I’ve been here for more than 18 years …” Bryan lamented as he removed his gloves, tossing them to as he untied his cloak, letting it fall off his shoulders. “… One would think you idiots would take the time to do your homework.”

“Acheron Draconis!” he commanded. His body erupted with magical energy as it flowed around him until it takes the form of a dragon that acted as an extension of him. Th e people of Emmyr stared in awe of the Gil-Gamesh, but especially Ashley and Andrew. She had seen her father
do some amazing things before, but nothing like this. Th e cultist quivered slightly as fear raced through his body. He wondered if he made a mistake in taunting the Gil-Gamesh, but he
stood firm.

“I am Lord Bryan MoonDrake, Gil-Gamesh of Avalon, 17th DragonMage of the Wizard’s Council,” Bryan announced as he cupped his hands in front of him, drawing power from ground and focusing it through the dragon stone that hung around his neck. His eyes pulsated with magical energy in an unnatural glow. “You are sadly mistaken to think that I am powerless without my swords; but that is a mistake I will gladly help you resolve!”

“Aboleo evi Itum!” Bryan chanted as he released the energy through his dragon-form at the cultist. With a wave of his wand, the cultist reformed his dark energy shield but the blast hit with such a force, it pushed the cultist back. He grasped his wand with both hands, trying to hold off the Gil-Gamesh. He looked up into the sky and stared at the crescent moon, as if he were calling to it for help. The blast slowly began to break down the dark energy barrier.

SKU-000941753Bryan knew he had to press his advantage. He reached out with his right hand to toward a lit torchiere hanging next to one of the vendor’s stalls. “Draconis Infernus!” he cast, drawing the fire to him and adding it to his energy blast, igniting his dragon-form into a fire-breathing dragon. The explosion shattered the dark shield, igniting the cultist’s robes on fire. He dropped down to one knee, his garments burnt away, leaving nothing but a charred husk.

***

The Dark Tides is now available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

Hooray for Hollywood, now get to work and make my favorite book into a movie!

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Hollywood has been on a roll lately with one blockbuster after another of sci-fi, fantasy or comic book origins; but lately, it seems like Hollywood is running out of ideas by remaking older movies rather than making new ones. It’s not like they’re remaking movies from 40-50 years ago. Instead, they’re remaking (or as they like to call reimagining) movies from the 80’s like Terminator, Point Break and Poltergeist.

With the success of Game of Thrones on television and The Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit in theaters, there are some great fantasy novels out there just ripe for transitioning to the silver or TV screen, that have yet to be adapted.

Unfortunately, some series are so huge and all-encompassing that adapting them would mean some parts of the books would be edited out and you know how fans hate that. In any case, here’s my list of the top five medieval fantasy novels that need a big screen adaptation. I know that some people will disagree with my choices but, if you do disagree, please let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear what I might have missed.

Sword_of_shannara_hardcover#5 – Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks: Though some consider the series a direct rip-off of Lord of the Rings, I am one to let the Terry Brooks series to stand on its own. It takes you on an incredible journey through the Four Lands, fighting warlords and ousting wicked brothers from their throne … Everything a fantasy novel asks for. A visually stunning and epic story that deserves its own adaptation.

COMIC_elfquest_book_01#4 – Elfquest by Wendy and Richard Pini: I know most of you are wondering why Elfquest is on my list when there’s been a movie in the works for years. That’s exactly why it is on the list. This movie has been on again/off again since 2008. Let’s get it done already! Elfquest is an award winning, cult following comic book fantasy series that has been in print since the 70’s. The rights to this series has changed more hands than Kim Kardashian’s sex tape. Quit fussing about and get it done:  Live action, CGI motion capture or animated, I don’t care. Just do it!

102243#3 – Fafhrd and the Gray Mousrer by Fritz Leiber: This series is right up there with Lord of the Rings as one of the most influential fantasy series that started the entire Dungeons & Dragons genre. Fritz Leiber is even credited by many with coming up with the phrase “sword and sorcery.” Everything you want in a fantasy story is here … Wizards, thieves, warriors and the like fight through an incredible landscapes with plenty of skullduggery. There is rich history woven into the tapestry of the world of Fritz Leiber. It amazes me that this hasn’t made its way to TV or film yet.

673593#2 – Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock: Without a doubt, Elric is one of the greatest anti-heroes ever written. Michael Moorcock has created a world so fantastic, it could only be created through CGI technology of today, like James Cameron waiting until he had the right technology to create Avatar. The warrior/sorcerer renegade searching for his place in a world that hates and fears him. The hard part is trying to translate the Elric series into a trilogy. I would recommend Elric of Melnibone, Weird of the White Wolf and Stormbringer. Elric would bring horror and fantasy fans together to see the world of Michael Moorcock brought to life.

The-Dark-Tower-Novel-Cover#1 – The Dark Tower by Stephen King: I know this is not a true medieval fantasy, but hear me out. This novel has everything and then some and, just like Elfquest, it’s been tied to a big screen adaptation for the past few years but nothing has come to fruition. Even Ron Howard and Russel Crowe have been tied to this at one time or another. Which leads me to ask, why the hell aren’t you making this movie?! The Dark Tower is King’s take on the Arthurian legend, mixing fantasy with sci-fi and a western. I mean gunslingers, swords and sorcery, knights and thieves … what’s not to love about this series. This is one of Stephen King’s most unique stories that he’s ever written.

I know many of you have your own opinions and your own choices for fantasy books needing movie/television adaptation. I, for one, would love to see my own novels, Forever Avalon and The Dark Tides, added to that list someday. I just wish Hollywood would stop trying to redo something that’s already been done and try something new for a change.

Who is the Gil-Gamesh? Legendary Hero or Feared Warrior?

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Within many stories today, there are names that stand out when spoken, induce fear and awe into others and make a character imposing. Names like Gandalf the Gray, James Bond, and Elric of Melnibone are known all around the world.

When I began writing Forever Avalon, I wanted to create a protagonist with just such a name. A name that would be remembered by anyone who read my story. That’s when I created the Gil-Gamesh.

gilgameshIn history, the Gilgamesh was known as a hero, a Demigod and a King from ancient Mesopotamia. He was the main character of the Epic of Gilgamesh, considered the first great work of literature. The first half of the story discusses Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, and Enkidu, a wild man created by the gods to stop him. After an initial fight, Gilgamesh and Enkidu become close friends until the Gods kill Enkidu. In the second half of the epic, Gilgamesh’s distress at Enkidu’s death causes him to undertake a long and perilous journey to discover the secret of eternal life. He eventually learns that “Life, which you look for, you will never find. For when the gods created man, they let death be his share, and life withheld in their own hands.”

In Forever Avalon, I wanted to reimagine the story of King Arthur and continue the adventures after his death. As the last remaining member of the Knights of the Round Table, Sir Percival was to be a champion of Avalon, not its King, after Guinevere began her reign over Avalon. I needed a name to make Percival stand out and be recognized as the champion of Avalon. So this is where I took my own spin on history and the story of King Arthur and the Gilgamesh.

Before his death, King Arthur sent his knights out on a quest for the Holy Grail, the cup that Jesus and the disciples drank from at the Last Supper. In his search, Percival travelled through Persia and Mesopotamia. There, he heard the stories of the Gilgamesh, about his strength, his courage and his love for his people. That resonated within the knight.

Percival was given Twilight and Dusk, the Twin Swords of the Dragon Moon, by Queen Guinevere to take up arms against the forces of Morgana Le Fay and defend to Avalon. He accepted the task and took a name that would strike fear in his enemies and bring hope to the people of Avalon.

He declared himself the Gil-Gamesh, the champion of Avalon, protector of the realm and defender of the innocent. He took the name from one culture and brought it into his own, to honor the demigod King and bring hope to the people of Avalon.

This is something we do as writers … We honor and recognize the past by including their stories in what we write today. I know many people have never read the Epic of Gilgamesh and don’t know who he was; but I hope through my stories, they will.

The Dark Tides is now available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

In fantasy, the hero makes the weapon but the weapons are really cool

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Weapons are an essential part of any medieval fantasy story, especially magical weapons. Names like Excalibur, Stormbringer, and Sting are just as popular as the characters who wield them.

When I started writing Forever Avalon and The Dark Tides, I knew I had to create a memorable weapon for the Gil-Gamesh to wield. That’s when I came up with Twilight and Dusk, the Twin Swords of the Dragon Moon.

As the story goes, when Merlin cast the spell that brought all magic from the real world to the island of Avalon, he focused the power of the spell through Excalibur to help channel the energy; but the spell was too strong, even for the legendary sword, and the blade shattered.

fantasy-blacksmithThe broken pieces were given to the Dwarves of the Gilded Halls of Avalon to forge into a new weapon for Sir Percival, the first Gil-Gamesh of Avalon. With the help of the Elves of Alfheimer and the dragons of Emmyr, they forged two enchanted blades from the shards of Excalibur … Twilight and Dusk.

Twilight is the light giver, the sharpest blade ever made that can cut through the darkest night. Dusk is the night fury, a soul reaper that is fueled by the dead to contain the evils of Avalon. Together, the are the Twin Swords of the Dragon Moon, the weapons of the Gil-Gamesh.

These weapons have joined a long line of magical weapons created in the pages of books from the Sword of Gryffindor in the Harry Potter series to Anaklusmos from Percy Jackson and the Olympians. In addition, there are countless weapons from movies and video games that have invaded pop culture; but there are equally powerful weapons in myth and legend too, some of which you probably never even heard of.

  • rodrigo-diaz-de-vivar-c-1043-1099-known-as-el-cid-conquest-of-valencia-june-15-1094-spainTizona is the sword of El Cid from the heroic poem Cantar de Mio Cid. It is said that the sword frightens unworthy opponents of the legendary hero.
  • In Japan, Tonbogiri is said to be one of three legendary spears created by the famed swordsmith Masazane. It is said to be so sharp that a dragonfly landing on the edge would be cut in half.
  • From the Emerald Isle, Caladbolg is the two-handed sword of Fergus mac Róich in Irish legend; said to make a circle like the arc of a rainbow when swung and has the power to cleave the tops from the hills.
  • 0743589b0397a04b754ccb1d699550d3In Welsh legend, Dyrnwyn is the sword of Rhydderch Hael. When drawn, it blazed with fire; if drawn by a worthy man, the fire would help him in his cause, but its fire would burn the man who drew it for an unworthy purpose.
  • Ruyi Jingu Bang is the magical staff wielded by the Monkey King Sun Wukong in Chinese classic Journey to the West.

I could go on and on with names like Mjölnir, Zulfiqar, Clarent and Gungnir. These are just a few of the names of weapons that will go on in immortality if myth and legend; but remember, it’s not the weapon that makes the hero, it’s the hero that makes the weapon.

Forever Avalon is now available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Dark Tides is now available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

Remembering our heroes through writing – An excerpt from “The Dark Tides”

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This past weekend, we celebrated Memorial Day in the U.S., honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. As a veteran myself, I try to honor my fellow military service members in my writing.

The main character in the Forever Avalon series, Lord Bryan MoonDrake, the Gil-Gamesh, was a U.S. Navy Sailor, lost at sea. His friend and mentor, Sir Charles Taylor, is based on Navy pilot, Lt. Charles Taylor, flight leader of Flight 19, who disappeared with his squadron at sea.

In reality, the Gil-Gamesh is also based on a real-life Navy hero. His name was Chief Gerald Farrier, an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate who died aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal during the Vietnam War.

Fire erupted aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV 59) on July 29, 1967.

Fire erupted aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV 59) on July 29, 1967.

On July 29, 1967, while the ship was preparing for flight operations, a Zuni rocket misfired and exploded on the carrier’s flight deck. The deck was full of aircraft, loaded with fuel and bombs. The fire engulfed the aft deck, trapping pilots inside their planes. Farrier, without regard for his own life, ran towards the fire with a PkP fire extinguisher in an attempt to help the pilots escape. Within minutes, the bombs started to explode and Farrier was killed instantly.

The USS Forrestal was the first ship I reported to when I joined the Navy in 1983. I became very familiar with the story of the Forrestal fire and Farrier’s heroism. You can find his name enscribed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., along with his shipmates who perished that day.

It was that selfless devotion to duty and the protection of others that I tried to instill in my character of the Gil-Gamesh. Writers take inspiration from a elements and experiences in their life, and I can’t think of a better inspiration than a true hero like Chief Farrier.

Here is an excerpt from The Dark Tides which recalls the event that brought Chief Bryan Drake from the real world to the mystical island of Avalon and into the role of the Gil-Gamesh.

***

Inside Flight Deck Control, Bryan rushed into a flurry of activity. McGregory was on the phone with the “Air Boss”— the officer in charge of air operations on Enterprise while others peered out of the small windows to get a peek at what’s happening on deck.

“Clear away from the window,” Bryan shouted to the sailors. “If you don’t have any business in control, get out now!” The sailor’s groaned and filed out as the Handler hung up the phone. His mustache twitched— a sign Bryan came to learn as trouble.

“Chief, the Boss doesn’t want that aircraft damaging any others,” he said to Bryan. “It’s already clipped another helo and a Hawkeye. Think you can secure it?”

Bryan looked at the Handler, tense and nervous. He’s always relied on Bryan for the tough jobs, and he knew it had to be done. “Yes sir. Just give me Georgie, Bartman and a couple blue shirts and we’ll lock it down.”

The Handler picked up the sound- powered phone while Bryan grabbed a flight deck vest and helmet off a hook on the wall. He’d need the safety gear out on the flight deck, especially in this weather. George, Petty Officer Mike Bartman and two blue shirts— sailors who chain the aircraft down to the deck— arrived in Flight Deck Control. Bryan finished buckling his helmet as he relayed orders to his crew.

“Georgie, you drive the tractor. I want that bird hooked up and holding steady. Bartman, you guide him into the helo. Once that’s done, you two lock it down tight. Ready?”

They all chimed in at the same time. “Yes Chief!” Bryan opened the hatch to the flight deck, the wind and rain blowing them down almost immediately. Once everyone is outside, Bryan moved his crew toward the swinging helicopter. Its rear wheel remained chained to the flight deck but its front wheels broke free, causing the aircraft to swing like a pendulum.

Georgie and Bartman go around the island and start up a tractor while the two blue shirts stayed close to Bryan. The ship was listing heavily to right as huge waves crashed over the flight deck. The wind and rain added to the problem, making it hard for them to get good footing. Complicating things even more was the multiple aircraft around them, strained against their chains by the storm.

Georgie backed the tractor on the helo’s rear wheel and, with Bartman’s help, locked the helo down. Once steady, Bartman signaled a thumbs’ up to Bryan to send the two blue shirts in. Heavy chains hung on their shoulders, chocks in their hands, Bryan ordered the two sailors to get to work. He watched as the chocks were placed under the wheels and the chains are hooked on to tie the aircraft down.

Bryan was pleased with his team. He had a great group of sailors working for him. The blue shirts gave the thumbs up and they all started to celebrate, fists pumping and cheering, until without warning, things went from bad to worse. The ship hit a big swell that caused the carrier to drop fast and list heavy to starboard. Bryan can only watch as Bartman slipped and started to tumble backwards toward the edge of the flight deck.

He acted quickly to save his shipmate; without regard for his own life or safety, he dove after Bartman. The momentum of the listing deck flung him through the air. He reached Batman and knocked him into the catwalk, saving his life, but his life saving gesture propelled him over the side of the ship into the water.

He hit the water hard and momentarily blacked out. His safety gear kicked in, though, and his vest auto- inflated. He rose to the surface and regained consciousness. The waves, wind and rain battered him around.

He saw the ship in the distance. The sound of “Man Overboard” can be heard, even with the storm. The ship started to turn around, but to Bryan it seemed to be getting further and further away from him, as if he was being pulled away from the carrier.

SKU-000941753The waves continued to beat him about, practically drowning him in its fury. Bryan became disoriented and fear started to grip him … The fear of dying.

He thought about Stephanie and the kids. He remembered birthdays, anniversaries and holidays as images flooded his mind. Suddenly, he saw a glow in the sky. Bryan thought it was the light from a rescue helicopter, but the ship couldn’t have launched one in this weather.

“Is this it? Is this the end?” he thought as the light grew brighter and brighter until it enveloped him. Bryan closed his eyes and accepted his fate.

The Dark Tides is now available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

Frustration is the bane of all independent authors!

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facebook-frustration_fullI realize the headline is a bit of a bold statement, but it’s something I’ve experienced quite a lot since I started writing and marketing my novels. It’s not a frustration associated with writer’s block but more so the after effects when you’re trying to get yourself out there through marketing, sales, etc.

I really believe this is the bane of all writers. We all love to write and enjoy sitting down at the computer, typewriter or with paper and pencil to let our ideas flow. it’s what comes afterwards that compounds the situation.

This week, I traveled up home to N.J. for a book signing event for local authors at a local bookstore near my hometown. There were more than 20 authors there signing books. We were cramped together in long tables scattered about the bookstore. Through it all, I only sold two books to friends of mine who came to support me and get signed copies of my book, The Dark Tides.

That was pretty much the highlight of my trip. As authors, we get these images in our minds of long lines of people waiting to get their book signed, taking selfies with fans, talking to everyone about your book, getting feedback, etc. In reality, especially for independent authors like me, that never happens.

That’s what can be so frustrating when you’re trying to break into the publishing world and establishing yourself as an author. You know you have a great story to tell and want to share it with everyone else, but marketing and publicity cost money. Unless your name is Rockefeller or Kardashian, its hard to make ends meet when you’re doing all your publicity on your own.

I came home to Virginia feeling frustrated, disappointed and unfortunately, I took some of that out on my family. I broke down, wondering if this is worth all the pain and frustration I am putting us through, not to mention the downward spiral of financial woes piling up.

On my long drive back home, I was flipping through channels and came across pastor Joel Osteen. As if fate, destiny or ordained by God, his sermon was on frustration. He said that people can get frustrated with things happening in their life and pray to God to remove them, but He doesn’t always do that. God puts these obstacles in our way to help put us on the path he has carefully carved out for each one of us.

I’m trying to preach but I realize that he was right. Each one of the setbacks I’ve experienced since I started writing my novels is just another step forward to bigger and better things. Every author who made a name for themself has experienced this at some point in their career. I can’t let it bring me down. I have to pick myself up and keep moving forward.

If you let the frustrations associated with publishing your book keep you from doing what you love (and that’s writing) then you shouldn’t have started this journey in the first place. It may not line up perfectly for you but, in the end, it will make you a better person.