Unicorns and competitions

It's May - time for another competition; this one is geared towards the third in the Camelot Inheritance series, Merlin’s Vow.

If you’ve read the book you’ll know (spoiler alert) that a unicorn makes an appearance. So, it seemed only right that the prize should include a unicorn, albeit a toy one.

The prize includes a signed and dedicated copy of ‘Merlin’s Vow’ (the third in the Camelot Inheritance series), the unicorn, and a ‘unicorns are real’ mug.

Interestingly and topically (with the imminent wedding of Meghan to Prince Harry), when Pete and I visited London to research the fourth in the Camelot Inheritance series, we were staying close to Kensington Palace.

 One evening we took a stroll and happened upon the palace. Having written Merlin’s Vow, I was particularly intrigued by the decoration on the gate. I later discovered that the unicorn represents Scotland, whereas the heraldic lion represents England.
In Merlin's Vow wrought iron gates are one of the ways into Oakwood Manor, Merlin's house - and they're decorated too.

It seems that unicorns crop up in the most unexpected places - and palaces.

But I've deviated. 

The competition is open to anyone in Europe, Scandinavia, the USA, Canada and Britain.

(My apologies that I can’t open it further afield but posting can be complicated.)

To enter, put these details in the contact box on the sidebar of the blog. (No one else will be able to see it.) Your email address – it won’t be given to anyone else. 
Your name, of course. 
And if you’ve read any of The Camelot Inheritance books, I’d love to hear who is your favourite character. If you haven’t read any, let me know the title of a book you rate highly.

The winner will be picked electronically in mid-July. The decision will be final.

While in London researching, I found this statue in the royal park of Kensington Gardens close to the palace. It’s a statue of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up. 

And this is where you can find it, if you're visiting London.

And for all fans of Doctor Who, this well-known mode of time travel is outside the entrance to Earl’s Court underground station. If you want to visit it yourself, here’s where it is:

London’s streets may not be paved with gold, but it appears that they are littered with fantasy!

Speaking of fantasy, I thought I'd include another taster of the fourth in the Camelot Inheritance series. It's a only a small excerpt, but hopefully not a spoiler.

I hope you enjoy it.

In a narrow alley, a couple of hundred of metres from the harbour, the air wobbled.

There was a muted woomph followed by an exclamation.

Fortunately for the time-travelling Watcher, he’d landed in a secluded spot. Gradually his molecules settled until he was all in one piece: cloak, shoes and bag all together.

Viatoris glanced up and down the high-walled lane and took in the stunted shadows and blue sky.

Examining the granite stone walls he muttered, ‘Cornwall again.’

A velvet bee hummed.

‘At least it’s summer,’ he muttered. ‘The weather was foul at Christmas: snow, wind . . . storms.’

The Watcher, keeping an eye on the lane’s entrance, swung his bag off his shoulder and hurriedly pulled out a selection of clothes suited to twenty-first century Cornwall. He had prepared carefully. This time he had both boots as well as the rest of his outfit. 
On the other side of the wall a blackbird chattered. 
High overhead, a plane droned.

Viatoris swept off his cloak and pulled on a shapeless fisherman’s jumper. He slipped off his fine Italian shoes, swapped them for a pair of sturdy boots, and pushed a navy-blue cap on his head.

Cramming his fifteenth century clothes into the bag he stood up. He was ready. Most of the time he wouldn’t be seen, but the Watchers’ training stressed the need to be prepared.

He tilted his head. ‘Mid-summer, I reckon.’

Words rang in his head. The Writer, his overseer, was checking he’d arrived.