The Retreat to Avalon (The Arthurian Age Book 1) Arthurian Historical Fiction Adventure by Sean Poage ➱ Book Sale with Guest Post & Rafflecopter

 

 

The Retreat to Avalon

The Arthurian Age Book 1

by Sean Poage

Genre: Arthurian Historical Fiction Adventure 

Fifteen hundred years have turned history into legend…

After three generations of struggle against ruthless invaders, Britain has finally clawed its way back within reach of peace and prosperity. Across the sea, Rome is crumbling under an onslaught of barbarian attacks, internal corruption and civil war. Desperate for allies, Rome’s last great emperor looks to Britain and the rising fame of her High King, Arthur.

Arthur believes the coming war is inevitable, but many are opposed. Dissent, intrigue and betrayal threaten to tear the fragile British alliance apart from within, while the enemies of Britain wait for the first sign of weakness.

Meanwhile, Gawain, a young warrior craving fame, is swept up in Arthur’s wake as the king raises an army. While Gawain’s wife and kin face their own struggles at home, the young warrior finds himself taking on more than he bargained for, and heading into the greatest battle his people have faced in generations.

The Retreat to Avalon is the exciting beginning of the historical fiction trilogy The Arthurian Age, introducing readers to the origins of King Arthur and the world he lived and fought for.

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Excerpt from The Retreat to Avalon: 

The next morning dawned bright and crisp. Gawain let Rhian sleep while he went outside to check on the boys who stayed the night watch. He was surprised to find Modred and his companion beside the open gate, saddling their horses and preparing their gear for travel.

"Our humble hall can't hope to compare with Din Pendyr, but must you return home already?"

"I don't plan to return home, at least not for a long time," Modred turned and smiled. "If the itch to seek adventure weren't so strong, I'd be quite content to remain here."

"Stay a bit longer, at least until my father returns," Gawain appealed. "He will have a great feast to honour you for winning the game for us, and his generosity in gifts is well known."

"I don't know how long it'll be before he returns, and I have stayed longer than I intended," Modred looked conflicted, then smiled. "And besides, you won that game, not I. I only scooped up your glory right before your gates."

"If you hadn't, no one would be celebrating how I almost won the criapan."

"Be that as it may, it's time for me to continue my travels before I become soft with the comforts here." He paused in his work and looked at Gawain with sudden earnest. "Come with me! We'll strike out to find fame and riches, and become ring-givers in our own right."

"I..." Gawain felt oddly conflicted. "I cannot. I have my wife to think of, and my father has entrusted me with the care of his holdings until his return."

"More like imprisoned you with them," Modred grumbled, returning to his preparations. He glanced at Gawain and, seeing the stunned look on his face, shook his head. "Forgive me. The scorn was of my own reflection, not of you."

Modred nodded to his companion, and both swung up into their saddles. He leant down to grasp Gawain's hand, smiling. "You have the makings of a formidable warrior. I hope you have a chance to see more of this world, and I hope we may yet have an opportunity to run through a Pict or two together." He wheeled around and trotted out of the gates, leaving Gawain feeling much as he did the morning his father left for Alt Clut.

After a few minutes of staring out at the fog-covered lowlands, Gawain trudged back to the mead-hall. He found Piran sitting on a split log bench near the door, with some chewy day-old bread, cheese and a large leather mug of water. He had brought out enough for two and motioned for Gawain to join him.

"You look like the glow of your victory has faded already," he said around a mouthful of bread, gazing across the yard.

"It wasn't my victory," Gawain mumbled, sitting down and picking up the mug.

"Ah, silly of me to offer up an easy way to change the subject." He pulled off a piece of bread and handed the rest to Gawain. "So tell me what is bothering you."

"I don't rightly know," Gawain replied after a long minute. "I feel like I'm missing something. That I'm not doing what I was meant to do."

"You mean like riding off with Modred?"

"Well, no. I mean... I don't know. I wish he had stayed longer and met my father."

Piran chewed on his bread for a bit, thinking. "Keep in mind, Gawain, that he is a prince of a land that lost its sovereignty to this kingdom. Relations may be friendly now, but there may yet be tension and unspoken bitterness. I would imagine there is a reason your father doesn't speak of his years before his fostering with Ceretic."

"Is there something you know of this?" Gawain probed.

"No," Piran chuckled. "Your father is as miserly with his words as he is free with his treasure. He's only told me enough to enable me to recite his lineage at feasts, so that is how I realised that Modred is your cousin."

Gawain ate silently for the next several minutes, while Piran finished and sat placidly staring out at nothing in particular. Finally, Gawain finished off the tankard, stood and stretched.

"So," he said. "I suppose it's time to carry on with my duties and find contentment in the blessings I've been given."

"Very wise," Piran nodded. "But don't despair. As the psalm says, 'Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.'"

"The pastures are quite safe," Gawain chuckled. "And I should get on with doing good, so that I may earn those desires."

"Quite right," Piran nodded. "Just be wary of what those desires may be."

Two hours of the sun had passed, and Gawain was supervising a work crew inspecting the well when he heard the slow metal clang of the copper bell beside the gate. He jogged over to the gate, where a small group of people were gathering. Conn pointed out a single rider coming from the north, riding fast towards the fort. Gawain looked around and found Peredur near at hand.

"Peredur, go rouse the men at the hall and tell them to stand ready. We have a messenger arriving."

Peredur dashed for the mead-hall while Gawain sent one of the young stablehands to prepare a horse, in case the rider needed a replacement to continue on with.

In a short time, the tired horse and rider clattered up to the gate. One of the young warriors from the hall took the reins of the sweating and frothing horse as the rider dismounted and saluted Gawain.

"My lord," he panted, "Your father sent me in haste to tell you that he will be returning this afternoon. Moreover, he bids you send riders to all corners of his lands and call the nobles to a feast and council tonight."

Gawain turned to the handful of young warriors who had gathered and assigned each to the different farms and hamlets that dotted the territory of Pollag. As they rushed to the stables to retrieve their horses, Gawain gave orders to others to begin preparations for his father's arrival. He invited the young rider to the hall for a meal and rest.

"Is that all?" Gawain asked him as they walked. He felt a mix of excitement and trepidation. "Do you know anything more?"

"He told me nothing more," the rider replied. "There has been little news, but the rumours all speak of war."

What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?

Just ten? Very difficult to do… J.R.R. Tolkien and all his works, of course; The Thieves World anthology series from Robert Asprin that includes many amazing authors, including my favorite, Janet Morris, and her related books like her Sacred Band series; Fritz Leiber and his Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his Sherlock Holmes series; Armor by John Steakley; The Anabasis by Xenophon; Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey; Neuromancer by William Gibson; Gates of Fire and others by Steven Pressfield; the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown.

What book do you think everyone should read?

Mine!

How long have you been writing?

I’ve written sporadically since high school, but didn’t become serious until 2014.

Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?

Most are found in history and legend, so I don’t feel I can really take credit for them. I just hope I can portray them well.

What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?

Exhaustive! I’ve gone so far as look up the phase of the moon on a certain day in the year 470. I pester my academic friends, especially a brilliant archeologist named Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews, for everything from Dark Age Latin and Celtic words, to obscure records, to ensuring that I portray the cultures and mores correctly.

Do you see writing as a career?

Not for me. It won’t pay the bills, at least until I’m well-established and, by then, I will probably be retired. Then, as now, I’ll write because I love to craft stories.

What do you think about the current publishing market?

We’re in the middle of a big change in how books get to people. Publishing companies don’t do as much for authors as they used to. Until you’re a well-known author, you’re going to have to be your own publicist. If you go the self-publishing route, you’re going to have to do everything, and if you don’t do it well, or pay people to do the things that you can’t do (especially proper editing), you will likely struggle.

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?

I read a lot. It’s hard to choose one genre as my favorite. Fantasy, science fiction and historical fiction are my favorites. Perhaps historical fiction the most, though it’s harder to find good books in that genre than in the other two. But when I find a story that can transport me back in time, it is really exciting.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

I prefer silence, or rather nature sounds: birds, water, wind. I can’t really focus if the TV is on, or I’ll start singing along if it’s music.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

So far, I’ve only written one book at a time. That’s probably how I will always write, because I can’t even start a new chapter until I’m happy with the one I’m working on.

If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?

The Bible. Can you imagine the royalties?

Pen or type writer or computer?

Definitely computer. I edit a bit as I write, changing words or word order, or dialogue. I can’t go forward until I’m reasonably happy with the part I’m working on. Sometimes I find that the fix for what I am not happy with takes the story in a different, better direction. It’s much easier to edit on a computer.

Tell us about a favorite character from a book.

Critias, a commander in a mercenary band known as the Stepsons, from Janet Morris. He first appears as part of her stories about Tempus in the Thieves World series. He’s a great character. Part soldier, part spymaster. He has to watch his best friend and right-side partner spiral under a witch’s attention, all while trying to hold the band together and accomplish his orders in a world that is turning upside down.

What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision?

I love to read and experience other worlds, times and stories. As a writer, I get to experience those things as I create them. I absolutely love it.

Do you have any advice to offer for new authors?

Read. Read widely. Read constantly. Read the classics, as well as newer books. Pay attention to how good writers do certain things, like dialogue, or plot reveals. I don’t think it’s possible to be a good writer unless you’re a good reader.

Describe your writing style.

It is evolving as I learn more about writing and editing. I’d say I tend towards a more straight-forward style rather than purple prose. I like to use dialogue to bring out details in a story, and I tend towards characters who are more every-day people who exhibit greatness when needed, because I’ve found that people are capable of far more than they often realize.

What makes a good story?

That can be any number of things, depending on the reader. I’m turned off by writing that feels like an effort to showcase the author’s talent for similes and metaphors rather than telling a story about the characters and events. I like characters with flaws and strengths, and a plot that isn’t easy to predict.

What are you currently reading?

Currently reading The Stalk, the third book in Janet Morris’ sci-fi series, Threshold.

What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?

Writing historical fiction has given me a process that might change when I do different genres. I don’t do a normal outline because I am working within the framework of actual events. So I will use a rough timeline to place the events I need, add notes to that as they come to me, and start writing from the beginning to the end.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

Television. I find that if I really want to focus in and write, I have to stay away from TV for a while. The longer the better.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I’m not sure how original anyone can truly be at this point in history. I’ve been influenced by many other writers, so there is certainly something of their work in mine. I try to write the story I would want to read. You can’t please everyone, but you can hope others will enjoy your story.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Nothing. Everything happens when it’s supposed to happen.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

I’m not sure. I haven’t had what I would think of as a block, just being too busy to write, or unable to focus, or too fatigued to get into the writing space. So far, it’s cleared up in a short time.

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Good editing, I think, is a big one. Learning to cut out unnecessary words. Natural dialogue. These are all tricky skills.

Historical fiction author, Sean Poage, has had an exciting and varied life, as a laborer, soldier, police officer, investigator, computer geek and author. Travelling the world to see history up close is his passion.

These days he works in the tech world, writes when he can, and spends the rest of the time with his family, which usually means chores and home improvement projects, with occasional time for a motorcycle ride, scuba dive, or a hike in the beautiful Maine outdoors.

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