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Almost 1500 years have passed since the beginning of the Legend of King Arthur. Ancient history you say—well, actually, medieval history, and one that should matter little to young readers accustomed to instant communication and worldwide access in seconds. However, kids today—and a significant number of adults—continue to embrace the medieval world, specifically Arthurian Legend.

When I introduced my 9th grade students to T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, I realized I’d opened a treasure cave. My kids—even ones who hadn’t read a thing I assigned—scrambled to participate in discussions, projects, and outside reading!

After retiring from teaching, I taught Medieval Writing Workshops for elementary-age children. I found kids as young as 6 and 7 just as excited as the 8-12 year-olds. When I worked with the Colorado Girl Scouts on writing, I had girls (ages 9-12) showing up in princess and dame costumes!

At a Medieval Writing Workshop, these Brownies and Junior Girl Scouts donned their best in princess wear

So, how do you as a writer for children incorporate the popular Arthurian Legend/Medieval Time period in your stories? Here are some suggestions.

1. Setting: Choose a setting in the future, on another world, or in another time dimension. The actual Medieval time period as we know it doesn’t have to be used. The successful Stargate SG-1 television series (1997-2007) frequently took events and settings from history and catapulted them to another planet, even Arthurian Legend.

2. Characters: Arthurian Legend and Medieval times are packed with tales of knights fighting knights, evil kings/queens/magicians, dragons and other mythical characters. Dress characters up like some of these and even make up new creatures. Tolkien’s orcs now find new homes in many Medieval games. And don’t forget the heroes. These can be the true knight who rescues ladies in distress, comes to the aid of their king, or champions the weak and the poor. They can also be the boy or girl next door who realizes that horrible abuse is happening to the kid next door and vows to help and inform the authorities.

Even these 5 & 6 year-olds were into the Legend of King Arthur

3. Magic and Mystery: Kids and adults are fascinated by magic and the powers associated with magic. The fact that Merlin can see into the future makes the tales of Arthur even more intriguing. Think what an evil sorcerer could do with that knowledge! One look at Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings shows how popular this subject is today. Everyone loves a story with a wizard, whether good or bad.

4. Strong Women: Medieval tales written today abound with women in more active roles. Girls can be knights themselves—known as dames—coming to the rescue and going on their own adventures to save the world. Think Katniss in The Hunger Games, which can be traced back to Arthurian Legend.

These Girls are Knights, also known as Dames

5. Right vs. Wrong: The definitive line between right and wrong present in the Arthurian tales fills kids’ need for boundaries and ideals to guide them in their growth. These ideals give kids different ways to look at themselves and their world. It’s not hard to put characters from any time period in a fight for right over wrong. And, sometimes, it can even be the wrong that wins, as it does often in the Star Wars saga. Add life-threatening battles and races against time to keep readers engaged and eager to turn the pages.

For astute readers and writers, the Legend of King Arthur can be found in blockbuster books/movies like Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games as mentioned, as well as a host of others. And, while our audience knows that living in the Medieval times was difficult, dangerous, and not a lot of fun, they choose to view it as a time of grand adventure filled with dangerous situations that can be conquered with skill and a little magic!

From the author: For someone who supposedly isn’t real, King Arthur has been an enormous inspiration in my writing. And, while I’ve ventured into the Ancient World with my latest stories, the Legend continues to fuel my writing for young readers, especially those reluctant readers I hope to reach. Look for the second book in my Guinevere trilogy in 2016: Guinevere: At the Dawn of Legend—Cedwyn’s Story.

I am a retired high school English teacher. A devourer of books growing up, my profession introduced me to writings and authors from times long past. Through my studies and teaching, I fell in love with the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. Now, I hope to inspire young readers and those Young-at-Heart to read more through my Quest Books set in these worlds.
You can find me on Carpinello’s Writing Pages, where I interview other children/MG/Tween/YA authors. My home is at Beyond Today Educator. At The Quest Books, I’ve teamed up with Fiona Ingram from South Africa and Wendy Leighton-Porter of England/France/Abu Dhabi to enable readers to find all of our Ancient and Medieval quest books in one place.

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Hi

Its been a while since I blogged and I’m actually excited to be tapping away at the keys on my keyboard and seeing words come alive on my screen.

Its been a busy period in my life and chief amongst the activities that have kept me busy all summer was a house move that seemed to drag on and on and on. Well, I’m happy to say my family and I have finally moved and I’m no longer a London boy. We moved to Kent fondly known as ‘The Garden of England.’ I now live in a beautiful and quiet village and my children are settling down in their new schools while I’m getting used to the longer journey into the centre of London where I work. We have good neighbors who’ve welcomed us with their smiles and cards.

We’re still unpacking but I can’t wait to set up my writing zone in our house. I started a mystery story in Spring which I’m looking to continue working on plus I want to write a Christmas story in time for the holiday season. My children really got into the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ books over the summer holidays and it was nice to see them devour the box-set my wife and I got for them. It made me want to write something in that genre just for them. Watch this space on that front.

Cheryl Carpinello who was a special guest on Author Interview Thursday many moons ago, did a special piece on her blog about writing tips from authors and there’s a snippet from yours truly included in that piece. A worthy read to inspire and encourage you so click the link below to read all about it.

Cheryl Carpinello’s Writing Tips

Have a lovely day.

It’s Author Interview Thursday and I’m so glad you’ve joined me today and our special guest. The wonderful lady in the hotseat has a background in education and recently became a grandma for the third time. Between juggling her roles as a wife, mother, grandma, educator, champion of children authors and so much more, she finds the time to write brilliant books for Middle Grade and Young Adult readers. She writes Quest stories that span different historical time periods like the Medieval era or ancient Egypt. She’s one of the main hosts of the Kidlit Blog Hop and has personally helped me broadcast my books on her blog and social platforms. She has a big heart and I know you’ll pick up something good. Do join me in welcoming Cheryl Carpinello.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself & the first time someone complemented you on something you had written.

I’m a twice-retired high school (ages 14-18) English teacher from Colorado having taught for 25 years. I love working with my students, and now I write for middle graders and early teens. It is my love of the ancient and medieval worlds that provides my settings for my stories.

Shortly after my first book, Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend, was published, I was doing a medieval writing workshop for 30 Junior Girl Scouts. As part of their participation, each girl received an autographed copy of my book. About a week later, I received an email from one of the girls. She told me that she had fallen in love with Guinevere and thanked me for writing the story. She also wanted to know when the next book would be released!

What can a reader expect when they pick up a book written by Cheryl Carpinello? 

Readers can be sure that they will be transported back into the ancient or medieval world in an adventure that at times, while exciting, may be dangerous and life-threatening. Weaved throughout the story are historical facts and fiction which enable readers to imagine themselves in that setting.

You’ve written several books set around medieval and ancient times. Can you tell us where this fascination with ancient tales stemmed from? 

I would like to say that it was from my childhood when I first watch Disney’s The Sword in the Stone, but my fascination with Medieval times started in college when I read Malory’s Morte d’Arthur. I fell in love with his descriptive interpretations of that era. Then I discovered T.H. White’s The Once and Future King. I’m a romantic and these stories drew me into the heart of medieval times. As for the ancient worlds, I’ve always loved them and teaching ancient Greek & Roman literature furthered my fascination and love. We spent three weeks touring Egypt in 2008. Always on my bucket list, Egypt stole part of my soul.

What were some of your favourite books as a child? 

I loved—and still do—horses. I devoured horse stories growing up. My favorites were The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley and The Golden Stallion series by Rutherford Montgomery.

What role would you say social media plays in building an author’s platform, and have you found it helpful in marketing your books? 

In today’s book world, social media is where an author gets their name out in the world. An author needs exposure and social media can be an important tool. I’ve met a lot of people—authors, readers, educators, PR—that would not have been possible without Twitter, FB, LinkedIn, & Pinterest. In that aspect, it has been helpful, but at times it is also frustrating, overwhelming, and time consuming. I would love to have a simple formula to plug in and use. Know one?!

What tips do you have for writing good dialogue? 

Writing good dialogue demands an ear for how an author’s characters speak. After 25 years teaching teenagers (14-18), their nuances and mannerisms are second nature to me. That is extremely helpful when writing for MG/Tween/YA. Authors should pay attention to conversations around them. If writing for young readers, observe nieces/nephews/younger cousins and/or volunteer at local schools/youth sporting events. Observation and listening are important tools when it comes to writing dialogue.

Is there a particular book or film that inspires you to be a better writer and why? 

I would have to choose Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien handles the hero’s journey and the quest story masterfully. We studied the similarities between Tolkien, Golding’s Lord of the Flies, and T.H. White’s The Once and Future King in my high school English classes and talked a lot about the influence of Joseph Campbell in all of those. For readers not familiar with Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, Tolkien does the best job of incorporating Campbell’s philosophy in his writing. That is what I strive to emulate in my writing.

Toy Story or Shrek? 

Shrek! Sorry to say I’ve never seen Toy Story. Shrek is on his own hero’s journey in his story.

With a background in education, what qualities have you seen in books that tend to capture children’s imagination? 

Kids tend to be drawn into stories that transport them to other world(s). Writers can do this by focusing on their audience and writing at a level that encourages growth in understanding and vocabulary. Continuous action without long drawn out description is equally important. Young readers also love to read about characters that they can identify with either in age, situation, or experience. Take poetry as an example. Many readers—young and old—have a difficult time with understanding poetry in meaning and vocabulary. The main reason for this is that readers bring to a written piece of work their personal experiences. If they are unable to relate to the poem’s topic or the vocabulary is several levels above where they are reading, chances are good that the poem won’t be finished or even tried again. The same works for stories, fiction and non-fiction.

What three things should a first time visitor to Colorado do? 

Getting up into our Colorado Rocky Mountains is a must whether it’s summer or winter. Colorado has 53—although some say more—peaks over 14,000 feet (4267.2 meters) in height. Hiking or snow skiing in the Rockies is an experience not found elsewhere.

Southwestern Colorado has some of the best examples of Native American ruins in the US. Mesa Verde with its cliff dwellings is not to be missed.

If visiting in spring or summer, taking in a concert at the world-renowned Red Rocks Amphitheater is an experience of a lifetime. The best of the music world have performed on this outdoor venue including The Beatles, Mumford & Sons, and James Taylor. The entire metro Denver area is visible from the seats as well as the start of the eastern plains.

What can we expect from Cheryl Carpinello in the next 12 months? 

After spending the last two years in ancient Egypt, I’m back in Medieval England working on the second of three Guinevere books. Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend was meant to be a stand-alone. Over the last five years, I’ve had readers contact me wanting to know when the next book about this young princess would be done. Also, Guinevere’s young friend Cedwyn has been whispering in my ear. Seems he really does have his heart set on becoming a knight! So, I’ve given into the pressure and am just finishing the first draft of Guinevere: At the Dawn of Legend—Cedwyn’s Story. At this time, it looks like very late in 2015 or early in 2016 for a release date.

Where can readers and fans connect with you? 

I have three websites:

Blog: Carpinello’s Writing Pages http://carpinelloswritingpages.blogspot.com where I interview children/MG/YA authors. Readers can find your interview there.

Author Site: Beyond Today Educator http://www.beyondtodayeducator.com

3-Author Site: The Quest Books http://www.adventurequestbooks.com where I team up with South African MG author Fiona Ingram and Abu Dhabi MG author Wendy Leighton-Porter. New subscribers to our monthly newsletter get to choose a free eBook from all our eBooks.

Social Media:

Good Reads:   http://www.goodreads.com/cherylcarpinello

Twitter Home Page: https://twitter.com/ccarpinello

Linkedin Page:  www.linkedin.com/pub/cheryl-carpinello/25/671/a02

Google URL: https://plus.google.com/110918922081424857545/

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/ccarpine/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.carpinello1

Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the industry? 

Write because you love to write, not to get rich. Writing is a long uphill climb.

Write the type of story you love to read, not what is popular.

Be passionate about your audience.

Thank you, David, for having me.

The pleasure was all mine Cheryl. I liked what you said about observation and listening being highly beneficial when it comes to writing good dialogue. Do connect with Cheryl at one of the links she provided. I did a short piece on Cheryl’s latest book – Sons of Sphinx. Be sure to share this interview on your social network and leave a comment below.

This week’s special guest on Author Interview Thursday is Cheryl Carpinello. I’m really looking forward to having a good chat with her and get her to reveal a few tips on what’s working for her and keeps her going as an author. Cheryl writes Middle Grade books and today I wanted to shine a light on her latest tome – Sons of the Sphinx. Enjoy.

Historical background of Sons of the Sphinx:

Sons of the Sphinx is based on the schism that shot through ancient Egypt when, according to historians, the Pharaoh Akhenaten turned his back on Thebes and the gods of Egypt. He built his own city to honor his god the Aten, and he insisted that the people of Egypt do the same. Along with this, he supposedly refused to send troops to defend Egypt’s borders thus incurring the wrath of the then General Horemheb. When Tutankhamen becomes pharaoh, he reverses Akhenaten’s proclamations and returns the governing center to Thebes and the worship back to the god Amun.

However, the damage has been done, and by the time Horemheb attains pharaoh status, he has proclaimed the betrayal of the Egyptian people by Akhenaten so widely and so much, all members of the family including Tutankhamen and Ankhsenamun and Ay are dishonored.

The historical significance of my story is the main reason I was able to write Sons of the Sphinx. Needing to help right a wrong done over 3000 years ago and reunite the boy king with his queen (whose tomb has yet to be identified or found), allowed my protagonist Rosa to come to terms with who she is and what her place in this world is.

Synopsis:

Armed with what she considers her grandmother’s curse, 15-year-old Rosa agrees to help the ghost of King Tut find his lost queen Hesena. Though Hesena’s ba inhabits part of Rosa, finding the whole spirit of Hesena so that she and Tut can be together for the first time in over 3000 years proves to be a harder task than Rosa first thinks.  Thrust back into Ancient Egypt with Tut, Rosa discovers that finding Hesena is not all she must do. She must keep out of the reach of the living Horemheb—who crosses mortal boundaries using Seth’s evil magic—if she is to stay alive to make it back home.

Buy Links:

AmazonUS: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MVGC96Y/

AmazonUK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MVGC96Y/

Amazon Print: http://www.amazon.com/Sons-Sphinx-The-Quest-Books/dp/1500554936/

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/sons-of-the-sphinx

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469860

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sons-of-the-sphinx-cheryl-carpinello/1120481788

iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sons-of-the-sphinx/id925912370

This Book Blast is brought to you courtesy of Adventure Quest Books. Answer the hero’s call to adventure and enjoy more tales, legends and myths from the ancient and medieval worlds for MG and YA readers.

About the Books

The Search for the Stone of Excalibur by Fiona Ingram

Title: The Search for the Stone of Excalibur (The Chronicles of the Stone, Book 2) | Author: Fiona Ingram | Publication Date: October 6, 2014 | Publisher: The Educational Publisher / Biblio Publishing | Pages: 399 | Recommended Ages: 10+

Summary: Continuing the adventure that began in Egypt a few months prior in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are hot on the trail of the second Stone of Power, one of seven ancient stones lost centuries ago. This stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered sword that archaeologists believe belonged to King Arthur: Excalibur. However, their long-standing enemy, Dr. Khalid, is following them as they travel to Scotland to investigate an old castle. Little do they know there is another deadly force, the Eaters of Poison, who have their own mission to complete. Can Justin and Adam find the second Stone of Power and survive? And why did Aunt Isabel send a girl with them? And how annoying for them that their tag-along companion, Kim, seems to have such good ideas when they are stumped.

Max’s Arabian Adventure by Wendy Leighton-Porter

Title: Max’s Arabian Adventure | Author: Wendy Leighton-Porter | Publication Date: July 16, 2014 | Publisher: Mauve Square Publishing | Pages: 82 | Recommended Ages: 7+

Summary: In this spin-off adventure from the Shadows From The Past series, Max the talking Tonkinese cat goes on a solo mission without his usual time-travelling companions. Snatched from the house where he lives with eleven-year-old twins Joe and Jemima Lancelot, Max is dragged back into the past by an evil magician who has lined him up to perform a special task. Torn away from all he holds dear, the despondent cat fears he may never be able to return to the present and his beloved owner, Jemima. What will become of him? Will he make it back or will he be condemned to remain forever in a distant time and place, far from home?

Sons of the Sphinx by Cheryl Carpinello

Title: Sons of the Sphinx | Author: Cheryl Carpinello | Publication Date: October 10, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 182 | Recommended Ages: 10+

Summary: Armed with what she considers her grandmother’s curse, 15-year-old Rosa agrees to help the ghost of King Tut find his lost queen Hesena. Though Hesena’s ba inhabits part of Rosa, finding the whole spirit of Hesena so that she and Tut can be together for the first time in over 3300 years proves to be a harder task than Rosa first thinks. Thrust back into Ancient Egypt with Tut, Rosa discovers that finding Hesena is not all she must do. She must keep out of the reach of the living Horemheb—who crosses mortal boundaries using Seth’s evil magic—if she is to stay alive to make it back home.

About the Authors

Fiona Ingram

I love ancient history, mystery, legends, and travel. Join my young heroes Justin and Adam in an exciting quest as they search for the Seven Stones of Power. Each book is a new adventure, so be part of it!

Website: http://www.fionaingram.com

Wendy Leighton-Porter

I spent 20 years as a teacher of French, Latin and Classical studies, but now write books for children instead of teaching them. I take young readers on a magical mystery tour through the past and hope that my love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them.

Website: www.wendy-leighton-porter.com

Cheryl Carpinello

I’m a retired high school English teacher. My hope is to reach reluctant readers with my Arthurian Tales and soon a series of stories from ancient lands and legends that will take readers on adventurous quests throughout history.

Website: http://www.beyondtodayeducator.com

* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card or $100 PayPal cash prize, winner’s choice

Contest closes: December 9, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open to: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by Fiona Ingram, Cheryl Carpinello, and Wendy Leighton-Porter and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Paperback: 120 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (April 17, 2013)
ISBN-10: 148252709X
ISBN-13: 978-1482527094
Genre: Juvenile fiction, adventure, Arthurian legend

Five stars
When the King’s Ransom, a wondrous jeweled medallion, is stolen from Pembroke Castle in Wales, it is up to three young heroes to band together to solve this mystery and save a life. Prince Gavin (12), the youngest son of King Wallace and Queen Katherine, and his two friends, Philip (13), an orphan, and Bryan (15), a blacksmith’s apprentice, are an unlikely trio, uneven in terms of social status but firm and loyal companions. Their friend, the Wild Man, is accused of murdering the king’s advisor and stealing the marvelous medallion, a symbol of absolute power and justice, but only in the right hands. Kings have enemies, and it soon becomes apparent that someone was after the medallion for the prestige it would bestow. Gavin, Bryan, and Philip race against time to find the medallion, reveal the true killer, and save the Wild Man’s life. They have only a few days before the arrival of King Arthur. If the medallion is not found, the Wild Man will be executed in front of Arthur. Can they overcome their fears and fulfill this momentous quest? Is it possible the Wild Man has tricked them all and simply used their friendship to get closer to the medallion?
What a delightful story. I am familiar with Cheryl Carpinello’s writing from reading and reviewing her first Arthurian book, Guinevere: On the Eve of a Legend. Then I was entranced by the author’s spell-binding descriptions of life in Arthurian times and her meticulous attention to detail. Cheryl’s skills have remained as bright as ever with the unfolding of this fast-paced tale, threaded with mystery, adventure, a bit of magic, danger, darkness, and lovely twists in the end. I so enjoyed the factual information about weapons, clothing, daily life, and places, cleverly interspersed in the text and dialogue to inform without overwhelming young readers. The author has a gift for delving into the depths of each young hero’s psyche. The way each one of the trio faces their fears, learns to believe in themselves, and finds their true meaning and path in life is moving. This is a superb coming-of-age story, set in a time of chivalry and pageantry, and harking back to an age when a hero was truly a hero.

Reviewer’s bio: Fiona Ingram is an award-winning middle grade author who is passionate about getting kids interested in reading. Find out more about Fiona and her books on www.FionaIngram.com. She reviews books for the Jozikids Blog.

Cheryl Carpinello’s Book Blog Tour 2013 The King’s Ransom .. .. Young Knights of the Round Table: The King’s Ransom by Cheryl Carpinello Jodi Carpinello, illustrator MuseItUpYoung 5 Stars Back Cover:  In medieval Wales, eleven-year-old Prince Gavin, thirteen-year-old orphan Philip, and fifteen-year-old blacksmith’s apprentice Bryan are brought together in friendship by one they call the …

. Young Knights of the Round Table, Book 1: The King’s Ransom  by Cheryl Carpinello Muse It Up Publishing 2012 Ariana Ebook Cover Finalist 5 Stars Back Cover:  At Pembroke Castle in medieval Wales eleven-year-old Prince Gavin, thirteen-year-old orphan Philip, and fifteen-year-old blacksmith’s apprentice Bryan, brought together in friendship by the one they call The …

. . . . Cheryl is the author of three children’s books. Her latest is King’s Ransom, reviewed here on Friday, January 25, 2013.  Cheryl is a retired teacher, with passion for working with kids, especially with their writing skills.  Her Medieval Writing Workshops are held for local elementary and middle grade students and girls …