Tag: inspiration

Three elements every fantasy story needs are fear, adventure and magic

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vmt98p0p4iacoqs7h42sldt8o74fdeabd4e1bbcDiving into the depths of the fantasy genre is like free diving … The deeper you go, the more out of breath you get. I got that feeling when I read Elric of Melnibone for the first time. After reading it, I was left breathless.

Fantasy taps into everything a human being experiences through life. What scares us? What piques our curiosity? What sparks our imagination? In fantasy, anything and everything is possible, and as writers, we grab onto that and lay it out for readers to dive into.

Fantasy has three critical elements: fear, adventure and magic. I know the last one is a bit broad, so let me start with that.

Magic covers everything from the fantastic to the supernatural. It is the mystery that brings out the curiosity in all of us. What we can’t explain or understand, we associate with magic. That’s what makes it an essential part of any fantasy story.

But magic is more than spells, Wizards, faeries and unicorns. Magic is the lifeblood of all these things and more. Magic has been a part of stories ranging from Paul Bunyan to Santa Claus.

The second element is adventure. Adventure is more than swashbuckling, chandelier swinging, high seas sailing adventures. The first part of the adventure is–as in real estate–location, location, location! What would Harry Potter be without Hogwarts, or Lord of the Rings without Middle Earth. Location establishes the adventure, from the urban jungle to a floating island.

Another part of adventure is, of course, the action; hence the term action/adventure. Whether its sword fights or bare knuckle brawling, you need to bring the excitement into your fantasy; but make sure your keep it real and accurate. I watch a lot of Errol Flynn/Bruce Lee movies and professional wrestling to guide me through scripting my fights.

The final element is fear. It is the basic element at the core of every human being. Our fear makes us human, gives us that innate curiosity to explore that which we do t know. Without fear, we wouldn’t gather or strength and courage to fight back, that basic survival instinct.

Fear can be visualized in scary monsters, spooky places and death-defying adventure. You see my point? Fear is what brings all three elements together into one story of fantasy.

Like a painter, you start with broad strokes and work your way down to the fine details. In the end, you should have a memorable story you can call all your own. Mine’s called Forever Avalon, what’s yours?

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.

Family will always be there to give you advice, raise your spirits or kick you in the butt when you need it

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f0ccc3b6-4243-49a0-878d-11e449bd63aeI’d like to take a moment to talk about family. Family is at the heart of the Forever Avalon series. It’s the very core of my own life experiences and I can’t imagine what my world would be like without it.

Everyone has their own experiences when it comes to family, both good and bad. I can honestly say I’ve been on both sides and I’d like to think that it’s made me the man I am today.

Through writing, I’ve tried to share my love for my family through my stories. It’s not the exact picture of the perfect little family, but what is? They have been, and always will be, an inspiration to me. My family kept me strong during long deployments with their love and support. I kept that going through my novels, Forever Avalon and The Dark Tides.

In this excerpt from The Dark Tides, I wanted to show how family comes together in times of adversity and demonstrates the strength of love, faith and courage. Caution, SPOILERS!

***

Bryan and Stephanie stepped outside their tent, where Ashley, Andrew, Rose and Edan are waiting. Bryan looked over at Edan and saw he was holding Rose’s hands as he talked to her. Before Bryan could say anything, Sarafina and Hunter joined them, bringing the whole family together.

“Captain O’Brian, are the guns ready to go?” Bryan asked.

“Yes milord, we have 20 canons with about 100 rounds each standing by.”

“Good, stick to the plan. If I have any changes in my orders, I’ll relay messages to you through Maverick, alright?”

“Yes Gil-Gamesh, it will be done,” he said with a bow. As he turned to depart, Rose ignored protocol and, in clear defiance of her parents, kissed him goodbye. Once Captain O’Brian was gone, Bryan glared at Rose, but he knew this wasn’t the time or place for it.

As they gathered together, Hunter broke the silence hanging in the air. “The King asked me to tell his Grandpa good luck today,” Hunter quipped. Everyone just laughed at that, except for Ashley and Rose who were in the dark. “Ask Mom, she’ll explain it to you later.”

“I’m not going to say anything except to tell you all how proud I am of each and every one of you,” Bryan told them. “You have all grown and matured into the best I could have ever hoped for in my children … that includes all of you!” he added, looking directly at Sarafina and Andrew.

“I never really believed in fate or destiny until I arrived on Avalon. Though I still believe that we are in control of our own future, everything that happened has led us to here and now. No matter what, this doesn’t end here. This is only the beginning.”

Bryan’s words inspired them as they hugged each other one last time before leaving … brother and sister, parents and children, husband and wife. Hunter and Andrew head off with Sarafina, leaving on the Gil-Gamesh as he said one last goodbye to Stephanie.

“I love you husband,” she said as she kissed him.

“I love you wife,” Bryan added with their traditional goodbye.

He turned to leave while Ashley, Rose and Stephanie headed toward the hospital. “Okay, now what was Hunter talking about?” Rose asked. “Is Bowen his …”

“Uh-huh …” Stephanie interrupted, trying to be discrete.

“You mean, Hunter and the Queen, they …”

“Yes …” Stephanie cut her off before she said anything out loud.

“Holy …” Ashley cursed.

“Oh that little player,” Rose quipped as they continued to gossip amongst themselves.

***

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

Fantasy is the great escape that everyone can find their way to

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fantasy_city-982958What is it about fantasy that attracts so many into it? I believe it’s a natural escape mechanism that allows people to avoid the sometimes harsh realities of life. Author Llyod Alexander said, “Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.”

Both of those sentiments are correct. Fantasy is the one genre that encompasses anything and everything, from historical drama to science fiction, all of these can be defined as some form of fantasy. James Cameron’s Avatar is a great example of that as he combined the futuristic science fiction of space travel, genetic manipulation and scientific exploration to tribal mysticism and spirituality.

The late Terry Prachett said, “Humans need fantasy to be human. To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.” Just reading that quote brings so many images to mind of stories I’ve read over the years. It speaks volumes about how fantasy stories have evolved over time.

When man first started to explore beyond their normal boundaries, their minds started to see things and explain them in terms of what, today, we would call fantasy. Strange fish in the water were called sea monsters and  ominous sounds from the woods were made by goblins or faeries.

I think that’s why Dungeons and Dragons and World of Warcraft are such popular games. They take the heart of fantasy and bring it to life by immersing the people into the story. Sometimes you’re part of the story, sometimes you create the story yourself. In either case, it is the fantasy that makes it all possible, in your mind and your dreams.

Alexandre Dumas wrote, “When you compare the sorrows of real life to the pleasures of the imaginary one, you will never want to live again, only to dream forever.” Throughout human history, we try to explain both good things and bad by blaming them on gods, monsters or otherworldly creatures. We escaped the horrors of the real world by putting the responsibility on something we couldn’t  explain.

These unexplained phenomenon fell into myth and legend in the stories we know them as today; and today, authors take those stories and turn them into something new and exciting. I took that approach with the Forever Avalon series. I took the legend of King Arthur legend and combined it with all the magical tales of faeries, dragons, wizards and Elves.

This is why I love to use fantasy as the medium for my storytelling. By bringing together these myths and legends into the modern world of today, I’m able to tell these stories for a mew generation. As long as we keep telling these stories, they will go on and on forever.

Professor Jack Zipes from the University of Minnesota said, “Fairy tales, since the beginning of recorded time and perhaps earlier, have been a means to conquer the terrors of mankind through metaphor.” That’s what makes them legendary. That’s what makes them fantasy.

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.

Navigating the maze of a writer’s mind

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mazeistock_000018139778smallJ.K. Rowling said, “I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book!” I think that’s why I enjoy writing so much.

Writing is a very difficult profession to get into. Many famous writers talk about the difficulties they’ve experienced in their career, but they always end that with how much it was worth it.

That part I have to agree with. Writing has its ups and downs. There are times I find myself trapped in a writer’s block that, to me, resembles the hedge maze in The Shining. Then there are times when an idea hits me and, as soon as I get it written down, I am flooded with an overwhelming sensation of joy. The hard part, it seems, is navigating your way through your ideas and putting it down on paper.

I spent my formative years dreaming about being a comic book artist, the next Jack Kirby. I was okay but there were many others better than me. Even after one year of art school, I never improved so I left. I switched from artist to writer when I joined the Navy and became a Navy Journalist. That’s when I really got the writing bug.

I’ve written constantly for more than 30 years, in one form or another. I get excited about what I’m writing, whether it’s a press release on an event on base or another chapter in my next book. What makes it so exciting, on the very of pure exhilaration, is to see your words in print. I will never forget the day I opened a box from my publisher and held my book in my own two hands. It was, as J.K. Rowling said … magical.

Like in other areas of the arts, like music, art and acting, writing is a gift. Some have the ability to take ideas from deep inside and turn them into words, weaving stories that resonate to anyone who reads it.

The ebb and flow of writing can galvanize a writer; it makes us want more. I think the same feelings of elation and disappointment can be found in many professions. One year, Halle Berry earned an Academy Award nomination for her role in the 2001 movie Monster’s Ball; then, a few years later, she wins the Razzie award for worst actress in the 2004 movie Catwoman. Through it all, it didn’t change her as an actress or the roles she received.

Now, I’m no Pulitzer Prize author, by no means, but that doesn’t stop me from working on my craft daily. I may be 51-year- old, but I’m still learning and developing my writing style. I can see the changes within my writing from when I first started all the way to today.

If you are a writer or want to be a writer, you have to work on it every day; and no, texting doesn’t count. To me, texting has ruined the English language, but I’ll save that for another blog.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you believe in yourself and what you’re writing about, then don’t let anything get in your way. Find your niche, that genre that works best for you, and stick to it. Remember, if what you write brings magic into someone’s life, it’ll be worth it in the end.

Great leaders making great speeches – An Excerpt from “The Dark Tides”

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wallpaper-2856211There are many great speeches, made by some of the greatest leaders of this and past generations, that history will always remember. These were speeches made at times of great turmoil, unrelenting conflict and glorious celebration. Martin Luther King at the Lincoln Memorial; President Franklin D. Roosevelt after the attack at Pearl Harbor; and President Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address just to name a few.

There have also been many great speeches in pop culture, from books, movies and the like. I will always remember the speech actor Bill Pullman made in Independence Day for its emotion and inspiration; or the speech by King Theodin before the charge of the Rohirrim at Gondor in Return of the King for its brevity yet fiery passion.

I knew that to inspire the army of Avalon, outnumbered in its fight against the forces of Morgana le Fay, the Gil-Gamesh needed such a speech. Here is that speech in an excerpt from The Dark Tides.

***

The Gil-Gamesh looked around and was amazed at what he saw; an army of all the races of Avalon, together as one. This was his last chance to say anything before the battle began. He climbed up on a large rock formation just off to the side so he could address everyone. “Vox Vocis!” he chanted, using magic to project his voice.

“Avalon! Hear me Avalon!” he shouted. “I know what you are feeling! I know when you look across the field of battle, you will look into the eyes of death and fear will fill your heart! But we must take our fears and put them aside, for you are not fighting for a track of land or against an enemy invader … You are fighting for our very lives; for our right to exist!

“Morgana le Fay doesn’t want to just conquer us; she wants to destroy us! She wants to rule Avalon from atop a mountain of the dead. She wants to unleash the Dark Tides to destroy all magic except for her own. She has nothing to lose and everything to gain while we have everything to lose.

“Look around you my friends and what do you see? Humans and Elves, Dwarves and Jotunn, Dragons and Centaurs, all standing together like never before. From majestic New Camelot to the rolling fields of Eldonshire and the vaulted shores of the North Highlands; from the shining coast of South Essex, Eastward toward noble Nottinghamshire, from Merlin’s Pinnacle and the mighty Fenris Mountains to the distant islands of Togo and Emmyr; we stand united in our love for our home and for our people and no one … NO ONE can destroy that!”

The masses cheered loudly, inspired by the Gil-Gamesh’s rousing speech.

“We are all that stands between Morgana le Fay and total victory and I say to you now my brothers and sisters, we will not let her have that victory! We will meet evil on the field of battle and beat them back with sword and shield, with might and magic, with honor and justice. She will know that we are Avalon! Now I say to you, come with me and stand by my side so together, we can fight! We fight for our King! We fight for our country! We fight for our families! We fight so that the evil of Morgana le Fay ends today! We fight for Avalon!”

The army sent up another rousing cheer as the Gil-Gamesh got down from the rock and moved back to his position in the front.

***

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

Dungeons and Dragons is a great tool for creating fantasy characters

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STK463898Characters are the driving force behind every story. If you don’t have great characters–strong, inviting, mysterious and like able–people are not going to read your stories. That’s the one thing I really have to attribute to my early days of playing Dungeons and Dragons. It helped me design characters and weave their stories together to make them almost real in the game.

Character creation is an essential part of the D&D. From the very start, you take basic characteristics–strength, dexterity, wisdom, intelligence and charisma–and use them as building blocks. These traits determine what type of person you are. Are you smart or wise, fast or strong, like-able or trustworthy? Add in that an alignment, from Lawful Good to Neutral to Chaotic Evil, and you have a fantasy character of your very own.

The protagonist in the Forever Avalon series is Lord Bryan MoonDrake, the Gil-Gamesh of Avalon. He has two identities within the story, that of a Sailor and as a Warrior/Wizard. The later aspects of his personality came from one of the best characters I ever created in D&D.

His name is Luna Moonstone, a Half-Elf Fighter/Thief/Magic-User. He was a bad ass, one of the best characters I ever rolled, and everything about him inspired the Gil-Gamesh. A lot of the magic items and weapons he used in-game, I brought over to Forever Avalon, including Whirling Death, the Cloak of Thieves and the Gauntlets of Stone Giant.

Sorry, I digressed … I get nerdy when I start talking D&D. In any case, it was these games that helped me develop such wonderful characters for Forever Avalon and The Dark Tides. In a look ahead to my next book in the Forever Avalon series, The Outlander War, I am pulling out my old character sheets and bringing another of my old D&D characters to life in my trilogy.

One of the most powerful characters I ever created in D&D was a half-Orc fighter. He is special to me because I rolled a perfect 18/00 for his strength and, anyone who’s played D&D knows how hard that is.

He is a sword master, proficient in the use of every type of sword. He collects the swords of his enemies, hanging them in a special vault in his keep, just so he can constantly laud over his many victories. This creature is evil, mean and rotten to the core. In his mind, he has no peers and he lives by one ethos; only the strong survive and he is the strongest there is.

He has a scar across his face, from his right temple to his left cheek. It was given to him by his mother, who tried to kill him at birth. She was stopped by her grandfather. He noticed that the baby didn’t cry out, even after being wounded. The old man took the child to raise into a great warrior.

He is a General amongst men, leading through fear an intimidation. His name is Ben-Farst; now, that being said, there will be some changes made.

First and foremost, I am not using Orcs in my series. Orcs were a creation of J.R.R. Tolkien and not a part of any cultural mythology. I don’t want to bring something into Avalon just to use a popular race from RPGs and other fantasy novels. So for The Outlander War, he will be a half-demon instead.

Next, his name. I honestly don’t remember how I came up with he name Ben-Farst, but I got grilled and taunted for it on a regular basis. I know “Ben” was the name of the grandfather that raised him and “Farst” was a knockoff of farce, because he was rejected by both man and Orc. I want to keep something from him but make it match his new persona as a half-demon. So, I am going with the name Abdel Ben Faust.

Abdel is Arabic for Servant and Faust is associated with Hell so I think “Servant of Hell” fits perfectly for a ruthless half-demon military commander; but I’m also keeping Ben to illustrate that there is a human side to him.

So how does General Abdel Ben Faust fit into the world of Avalon? You’ll have to wait until next year and The Outlander War to find out! In the meantime, catch up on what’s happening on the island of Avalon in my latest book, The Dark Tides!

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

The story of the Technocrats — An excerpt from “Forever Avalon”

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49cf002f2e0be8dc329cf7ec458bdb77What strikes more fear into a medieval society, a dragon the size of an aircraft carrier or a gun-toting, technology-driven medieval knight? I explored those very premises in my first novel, Forever Avalon. How would a society of based on a medieval hierarchy, guided by the laws of magic, deal with a group of Outlanders who, not wanting to conform to the rest of their society, formed a “home-away-from-home” using outlawed technology?

Here is an excerpt from Forever Avalon which tells the story of the “Technocrats” and Uther’s Folly”.

***

“Over five hundred years ago, shortly after the last Gil-Gamesh was killed, there was a large influx of Outlanders arriving on Avalon. This would be around the 50’s and 60’s, when planes and ships were disappearing regularly in the Bermuda Triangle. Unlike previous Outlanders, these people refused to conform to Avalon society. They did not accept the reign of the monarchy nor were they willing to live a medieval lifestyle. These Outlanders formed their own community on the southwest shores. They separated themselves from Avalon as much as possible and called themselves the Technocrats.

“The single advantage they had, over the rest of Avalon, was gunpowder. They were the first to master the manufacture of gunpowder, cannons and even simple flintlock guns. They used these hi-tech weapons as protection from the evils of Avalon.

“Soon they discovered a large vein of gold under the land they built their community on and things went from bad to worse. They thought this discovery would permit them to buy their way into Avalon society and its good graces. They planned to trade for goods, food, and other items they needed for survival, but they were wrong.

“King Uther XV would not negotiate with the Technocrats under any circumstances. He informed them that the gold, as everything on Avalon, belonged to him. He set up a blockade around the Technocrats and gave them a choice … Surrender or die.”

Stephanie and the children listened intently as Bryan continued the tale. His words did little to comfort them and Stephanie knew it. Like Bryan, she realized that though the truth may be brutal, it’s important they hear it.

“The Outlanders fought back,” Bryan continued. “They made a valiant stand—the stuff legends are made of; but King Uther would not be swayed. To defeat the Outlanders, he forced the wizard’s council to summon the most ferocious beast imaginable … Tiamat, the Dragon God.

“Imagine a dragon the size of an aircraft carrier with five heads, each one with a breath more noxious and deadly than the next. Tiamat destroyed the Technocrats, their entire community, along with every last man, woman and child. King Uther considered this a great victory, but he never realized the cost and boy, did it cost him dearly.

“The wizard’s council warned him that summoning Tiamat came with a price, but Uther didn’t care. When the smoke cleared, Tiamat was gone and so was all the gold. The Dragon God took the gold as payment for services rendered. Everything represented in battle that day was lost in the blink of an eye.

“Needless to say, Uther was not happy. But he didn’t blame himself or the wizard’s council or even Tiamat … He blamed the Technocrats, the Outlanders. He made a decree which stated that, henceforth, any Outlander who came through the barrier shall be killed on sight.”

Those words left Stephanie speechless. The girls clutched their mouths in disbelief. Sarafina hugged them, offering some comfort. Hunter held on to his mother tightly.

Bryan neared the end of his story. “Since any surviving Outlanders were presumed dead by the outside world, King Uther had no qualms about executing them the moment they arrived on Avalon. Some Outlanders were spared, captured and used as slaves, which meant a sentence of instant death for both the Outlander and the person who held him or her captive.

“Candletop Lighthouse,” Bryan explained grimly, “wasn’t built to pick up wayward Outlanders and help them. It was a place to lure Outlanders to their deaths.”

***

Forever Avalon is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Happy Fourth of July! It’s okay to be patriotic!

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year_of_the_water_dragon_by_ross_sanger-d4mvn3c

Happy 4th of July!

First and foremost, I want to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July! I hope your weekend is filled with fireworks, barbecue, family and friends. As a retired veteran, I am always proud to be a part of our nation’s birthday. I like to think it’s a sense of pride, although some in the world today might see it more as arrogance.

Is it arrogant to be proud and patriotic? I don’t think so. People have pride in their looks, in the job they do, in celebrating achievements through life, like graduations. What’s wrong with pride in one’s country?

To me, that pride is transcendent of not only who you are but where you live. People who come to America from other countries are proud of their heritage but that changes when they raise their hand and take the oath to become American citizens. I’ve witnessed such a ceremony and, believe me, it’s a very emotional moment when an immigrant proudly calls him/herself an American for the first time.

In the Forever Avalon series, Lord Bryan MoonDrake starts out as a simple Sailor, devoted to God, duty, country and family, while serving in the U.S. Navy. That patriotism—that pride—transcends when he finds himself stranded on Avalon, after he discovered his extraordinary  lineage with one of the original Knights of the Round Table.

At that moment, he changed his loyalty, devotion to duty and his patriotism from the United States of America to Avalon. Though his world changed completely for him, he took it in stride as he stepped up and assumed the mantle of the Gil-Gamesh. Instead of answering to the President of the United States, he now answered to the King of Avalon.

This may seem simple enough plotline for a story but it’s really not. A lot of thought and emotion goes into decisions like this. The real question is, what happens if those loyalties are tested?

This is a tease for the next installment of the Forever Avalon series I’m currently working on, tentatively title The Outlander War! I hope to have it finished by the end of the year. Now, those of you who’ve read The Dark Tides know what little twist I’m talking about; and for those of you who haven’t read it yet, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to pick up my book. I guarantee that, after you do, you’ll be eagerly anticipating the third book.

In any case, I guess what I was really trying to say is that, though it may not be “politically correct” to be patriotic anymore, I wear it with a great deal of pride. I am proud to have served my country, I am proud to live in the greatest nation on the planet and I am definitely proud to be an American. Have a safe and happy Independence Day! God bless you and God bless the United States of America!

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

A “pop culture” guide to King Arthur and the legend of Camelot

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kingarthur1By many accounts, the legend of King Arthur and the historical facts about King Arthur vary from country to country. Though there are countless stories written from the 6th Century to today, written in every European language imaginable, the most definitive stories on the “King of the Britain’s” is Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory and The Once and Future King by T. H. White.

King Arthur has found his way into modern “pop culture” from movies, television, comic books and anime. He has been portrayed by Sean Connery, parodied by Monty Python, entertained as a Broadway musical and animated by Walt Disney. He even has his own brand of flour!

There are more than 50 movies  and television series dedicated to his story. He has been portrayed in Japanese anime, DC Comics and even on Nickelodeon. Here are, what I consider, the best representations of King Arthur in all forms of media.

Camelot_3000_1Camelot 3000, DC Comics (1982-1985) Written by Mike W. Barr and penciled by Brian Bolland, Camelot 3000 tells the story of King Arthur’s reawakening to save England in the year 3000. With the help of Merlin and reincarnated Knights of the Round Table, he faces off against an alien threat and Morgan le Fay. This is a great series, combining fantasy and sci-fi through a well-written story that includes elements of the grail legend mixed in with the traditional Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot love triangle.

OTD-March-14---Monty-Python-and-the-Holy-Grail-jpgMonty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) I know this is a comedy and not a true representation of the Arthurian legend, but you have it admit, it’s freaking hilarious. You can’t go anywhere and talk about Brave Sir Robin, the Knights of Ni or the “Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch” without someone breaking out in laughter. This is, without a doubt, the epitome of King Arthur pop culture wrapped up into one movie; and if you disagree with me, “your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!”

merlin__121126104412Merlin, BBC Television (2008-2012) This BBC television series focused on a young Merlin (Colin Morgan) and his relationship with Arthur Pendragon (Bradley James). It took some creative licence with the characters and the story of Camelot, but it was masterfully done. The fact that magic was outlawed, Merlin had to protect the future King Arthur because he would restore magic to the kingdom. The series only lasted five seasons but it has a loyal following that keeps it alive in syndication today.

sword-in-the-stoneThe Sword and the Stone, Walt Disney (1963) One of my favorite Disney movies that tells the story of young Arthur as Merlin teaches him things about the world through a series of misadventures from shape shifting into a fish, a squirrel and a bird. The wizards duel between Merlin and Madame Mim, who in my opinion is far worse a villain than Morgana le Fay, is the best part of the movie. The cartoon image of the Arthur pulling the sword from the stone is something everyone can recognize.

p20989_p_v7_aaQuest for Camelot (1998) I realize that I’ve put two animated movies in a row, but this one counts more as a musical to me. I never really got into “Camelot” so this counts as a musical for me. It tells the story of an adventurous girl, a young blind hermit and a goofy two-headed dragon who race to find the lost sword, Excalibur, and to save King Arthur and Camelot from disaster. Great music including “The Prayer” sung by Celine Dion and a duet between comedy icons Don Rickles and Eric Idle as the two-headed dragon. With Pierce Brosnan (as in 007 James Bond) voicing King Arthur, this is a wonderfully entertaining movie.

I have to give honorable mentions to Excalibur (1981) which has, what I think, is the first on-screen sex scene with a knight in full armor; King Arthur (2004) with Clive Owen and Kiera Knightly, who shows meaning behind the term “less is more” in costuming; and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1949) starring Bing Crosby because you can’t outdo the original (i.e. Black Knight starring Martin Lawrence).

I would love to hear some of your favorites I may have missed here. Feel free to include them in the comments below.

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.