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Post by Carter Seagrove on Oct 3, 2014 14:07:26 GMT
The Awakening - an epic love story The epic love affair between Jeremiah, the human and Marcus, the merman ... a modern myth centred on the power of love and the sacrifice which sometimes love demands. It all starts with a storm ... Get started by obtaining your copy of The Awakening - available from The Carter Seagrove Book Boutique with Coupon code DEBUT Look out for the full synopsis this weekend. Alp
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Post by Carter Seagrove on Oct 4, 2014 14:00:23 GMT
The Awakening is a romantic m/m story told in three parts; The Tempest, The Changeling Moon and The Pallasite Star.
The Awakening was an attempt on my part to write something 'epic' (not necessarily in terms of page count but in terms of the scale of the storyscape). It definitely needed to include gods and mythical creatures but I was conscious of the need to portray an essentially 'human' story - and above all, a love story.
Quite unexpectedly, having developed the characters of Jeremiah and Sven (who were destined to be the lovers), I found myself with a character - Marcus - who, though destined to play a bit part, offered something more to the story and it all changed after that point.
Writing this story was sort of like fishing; I cast my net and hauled in the ideas - and pretty surprising that catch was too!
This story was written over the course of some months and, customarily, without a plot plan (I never have a plan) - nor character list nor any idea of where or how the end would arrive - I won't say that the story wrote itself - but I seem to have gotten to the end prettily dreamily - it was a kind of dream I suppose.
If there was a central theme (other than love) then I would say it was 'sacrifice' - all of the characters have to sacrifice something for love; often the turning point had them balancing dangerously on the edge of the abyss (what is an epic story without its abyss?!)
It all starts with a storm ...
The Tempest (Part One of The Awakening)
Sven, a young merman, incurs the wrath of Poseidon and is banished. His expulsion causes a great storm. Jeremiah's village is destroyed. He finds Sven on the beach and rescues the merman. When Jeremiah finds out that Poseidon caused the destruction he demands to be taken to him. Sven gives him the gift that means he can survive under the water and they go to Poseidon.
Events begin to turn like huge wheels and Jeremiah finds himself travelling North to the realm of Atlantis with Sven who needs a healer. A demon was released during the storm and is abroad; only the armies of the three kingdoms will defeat it.
The great mustering has begun.
The Changeling Moon Part 2 of 'The Awakening’
In this part, Jeremiah takes Sven to the Northern Realm to get healing and to reunite him with is father, Atlantis, from whom Sven asks for sanctuary. Jeremiah is thrust into the battle against the Leviathan, the ancient beast which threatens all the Seas. The sea horse king, Throne, befriends Jeremiah and they form a new 'cavalry' to spearhead the assault on the demon. Jeremiah is accepted into The Brotherhood of the Guard and meets Marcus. Sven rejects Jeremiah when he hears that Jeremiah has been accepted by Throne and the Brotherhood; Sven quits the city. Jeremiah forms a strong attachment to Marcus and ultimately they fall in love. When Marcus bonds with Jeremiah to impart the gifts that enable him to live under water, Jeremiah is changed and transformed into the merhuman.
The gods lead the armies out to challenge the Leviathan. Jeremiah, Marcus, Throne, and Prow, the old whale, launch their own daring plan to destroy the beast. Sven seeks redemption but his act of selflessness appears doomed and despite seeing Jeremiah in his last moments, he is lost to them.
The Pallasite Star (The Awakening)
In part 3, the Leviathan is slain but all is torn asunder. Jeremiah is in a coma and Sven is lost. Traveling to the Southern Reaches, Jeremiah recovers and with Marcus and Throne, they arrive at The Retreat, the home of Briscoe, the King of the Southern Reaches. Jeremiah discovers that Sven lives but his life hangs by a thread. Only by sacrificing his new found immortality and some of his mortal years can he save Sven, but what of his life with Marcus?
Choices and honouring gifts form the basis of this finale to the story. Jeremiah saves Sven ... and one final gift remains to be given.
A story woven with myth and legend; fantastical sea monsters and gods rub shoulders with men and all are bound by the sacrifice for love.
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Post by Carter Seagrove on Oct 7, 2014 13:08:14 GMT
I had a question via an email about the locations used in the story. Well, the seaside village where Jeremiah lived was based on a fishing village in Cornwall where I stayed as a child, for the entire summer - Porthleven the place is called.
The northern realm is reminiscent of Oban on the west coast of Scotland - where my father was born. Obviously, the Northern Realm is underwater so I imagined the coast to be submerged. The middle realm of Poseidon was loosely based on the beach at Brook on the Isle of Wight, where, at low tide, there are lots of pools and rocks - it looks something like a reef - and there is a fossilized forest in one part of the beach which gives the place a slightly eerie quality. The southern realm was a mixture of Fuertaventura and Malta - the beaches of the first and the cliffs of the second.
Probably fair to say that most of the locations in my stories are places where I have formed a very strong attachment for one reason or another.
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Darla
New Member
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Post by Darla on Oct 24, 2014 16:42:33 GMT
Where has this month gone? Of course I wanted to comment on the story as it was one of my favorites.
The imagery was simply beautiful and so imaginative and creative. I remember when I read it, how engrossing it was and how disoriented I felt when I looked up and saw that I was still in a room in my house! I love stories where I am transported somewhere else. Of course the love between Jeremiah and Marcus was just so tender and sweet. I loved Throne and Prow and I really like how they were kind of these vehicles for delivering bits of wisdom.
In my mind, the best stories are like that. They entertain, elicit emotions and also give the reader something to think about long after the book is put down. This one did that for me and I truly enjoyed it.
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