Legendary King Arthur materialises in your bedroom. What do you do?
The Return of Arthur is a wild, modern day faerie tale which international story developer for the screen Stephen Cleary called “startlingly original and funny”.
I wrote it for the screen first but you can say so much more in a novel. And that is what I’m currently doing—turning the screenplay into a novel.
It’s the story of Gwen, a single mother of two, who’s Arthurian academic career is in the dumps because she doesn’t believe in Arthur Pendragon. According to Gwen’s research, Arthur doesn’t exist. And if he did, he is the man who failed both women and magic, letting arch Christianity win the battle for power over the people. It’s not a popular theory in Glastonbury, England. So we find Gwen being bullied as a seamstress of trouser hems for the local Glastonbury dry cleaner and finding it hard to make ends meet.
The prophecy and legend around Arthur Pendragon, however, is that he will return when Britain needs him most. What if today is that time?
And what will Gwen do when she meets him?
For the screenplay I did a lot of research into the world of Avalon, where Arthur was taken to be healed. Some call Avalon the place of the dead. But in my story, Avalon is a place of faerie priestesses and magical druids, fae beings and enchantment.
Arthur was healed of his physical wounds. He still has to heal his emotional wounds.. The story of The Return of Arthur is his journey to wholeness, just as it is Gwen’s.
There are a lot of other characters in The Return of Arthur, from the magical nine-year-old Vivi, to old Lionel, who lives next door and has a foot in both worlds.
I hope you fall in love with all of them, just as Stephen did. And I did too. The story of the return of Britain’s beloved son is about people, love, self -belief, and following your heart. It’s a truly transformational tale.
The book will be published in 2019. To find out when it will be available, please get on my newsletter list. The book will be published through Wild Pure Heart.
