"Many scholars of Arthurian legend believe that, if there was really a Camelot, it was in England," Stanfill says. "I've found compelling evidence that there was a Camelot -- in France! And I believe the Grail of legend was found nearby, in a grave."
A world traveler intimately familiar with France and Italy, Stanfill employs real-life archaeological discoveries and ancient history in a plot about an unlikely modern romance. The protagonist is Bianca Caldwell, a single young woman who writes for a New York art magazine. Her gift is a powerful imagination and intuition.
On a trip to Venice, Italy, for a wedding, she meets handsome archaeologist Giovanni Di Serlo, who's in no mood for a relationship. The couple nevertheless embark on a journey through time and geography, following the ancient trail of an enormous bronze vessel known as the Krater of Vix.
"In real life, this vessel was found in 1953 in a grave near Mont Lassois, France, where archaeologists unearthed a hilltop fortress in 2007," Stanfill says. "I believe that fortress was Camelot, and that the Krater is the Grail -- krater is a Greek word that evolved into the word 'grail.'
"Add to that, Mont Lassois is near Avallon, another important place name in Arthurian legend."
Arthur Riothamus, King of the Britons, (a real historical figure in the mid-400s A.D.), was known to have spent time in France and died in Avallon following a battle.
Erik T. Haskell, professor of French Studies & Humanities at Scripps College, Claremont University Center, was enchanted with "Realms of Gold."
"The novel is a masterful tapestry of human aspirations and enterprises, of science and intuition, revealing the author's profound understanding of the past and her visionary re-crafting of it that leads to the story's romantic -- and historically surprising -- revelation," he wrote.
About Terry Stanfill
Terry Stanfill is an Overseer of the Huntington Library in San Marino, Calif., former international representative for Christie's auction house and former director of Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, Calif. Stanfill is married to Dennis Stanfill, former CEO of 20th Century Fox and MGM Studios.