Modern Day Fairy Tales

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Karyn Good

Monday was National Tell a Fairy Tale Day and I’ll let you in on a not so little secret, Beauty And The Beast is my favourite fairy tale. Or, more accurately, the more modern Disneyfied version of La Belle et La Bete written in the 18th century by French novelist Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve is my favourite fairy tale.

La Belle et La Bete VS Beauty and the Beast

One would assume the older version of the fairy tale would be the more gruesome and deadly. Surprisingly, it’s not. While the theme of learning to love, irregardless of appearances, is at the center of both tales, in the original the Beast is not being punished for a wrongdoing, he is the victim of an injustice. He refuses to marry his governess, an old and wrinkled evil fairy. so she curses him. A good fairy intervenes and promises a reversal of the evil spell if he can find someone to love his beastly self. She also camouflages the castle in a fog and puts everyone to sleep. Or turns them to stone, I can’t remember.

Also, there is no deadline in the original fairy tale. No fading rose. But a rose does cause problems in the original, as Belle’s father picks one for her from the Beast’s garden, to which the Beast takes great exception.

There is no Gaston, no Le Fou, no singing servants in the 18th century version. But there are costumed monkeys and birds. And, of course, both versions of the fairy tale include a courtship (with notable differences), and Belle does leave to visit her family in both versions. The Beast’s curse is broken in each and the handsome prince once again has his looks. But where the Disney version ends, the original has more to it. Mainly, a nasty mother-in-law who’s not impressed with her new daughter’s-in-law less than noble standing and a plot twist worthy of The Sixth Sense.

Books That Read Like Modern Day Fairy Tales

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Witness by Nora Roberts

Helpful Link!

20 New Fairy Tale Retellings For Adult Readers

Do you like fairy tales? Prefer the modern take on things or the original version?

Give Your Love A Book For Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 14, 2018 by Karyn Good

It’s Valentine’s Day! A day for cards and chocolates, and who doesn’t love chocolate! But if your love is a passionate reader, remember to stop by the bookstore after you hit the flower shop and the card store.

The Top Five Reasons To Give Books For Valentine’s Day:

Nothing says I Love You! like a well chosen book. Even a misguided choice will do. Giving a book says they understand and support your obsession.
You can return books. Let’s face it, sometimes your significant others might know you love books but they’re clueless about what you actually like to read.
Books don’t make you sneeze.
There’ll be some of it left over the next morning, unlike the chocolate you inhaled.
Books are full of good ideas, especially romance novels. They just might have a sexy suggestion or two for later.

Also, if you’re solo this Valentine’s Day, because, hey, you choose to be, you can take yourself to the bookstore and buy your own book! How about organizing a Galentine’s Day book club with flowers and chocolates for everyone.

Likewise, if you’re suffering this V Day, and are in need of comfort. You don’t even have to leave the house to find some solace, eBooks have you covered.

Thought Of The Week:

I read this article in the Chicago Tribune which ponders the future of the romance novel in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

“Romance offers that comfort read, but it also offers resistance. You have a lot of feminists who are writing romance, Alisha Rai, Alyssa Cole, Sarah MacLean, and they’re all putting that kind of thread through their books. Resistance has always been there. Women have always had to resist in order to get what they want out of life,” Beverly Jenkins

Go ahead and buy yourself a treat this Valentine’s Day and get that book you’ve been wanting to read. You deserve it.

What are you’re plans for Valentine’s Day?

Ebook Boxed Set Deal: Closer To Danger

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Karyn Good

Hi Everyone,

It’s Friday and I know readers everywhere will have their noses buried in a book! And if you’re looking for a edge-of-your-seat read, look no further than this boxed set of 6 books, which includes BACKLASH. What a deal! The whole set of six ebooks costs about $3.00 dollars depending of which country you live in!

Our romantic suspense boxed set, CLOSER TO DANGER is now available!

Amazon US * Amazon CA * Amazon UK * Amazon AU * The Wild Rose Press

BACKLASH

When dedicated teacher Lily Wheeler interrupts a vicious gang attack on one of her students, she vows it won’t happen again. But her rash interference puts her in the path of a cold-blooded killer and the constable tracking him — a man she has little reason to trust, but can never forget.

Constable Chase Porter returned to Aspen Lake to see justice done, not renew old acquaintances. But when he rescues the woman he once loved from a volatile situation, he realizes his feelings for Lily haven’t lessened over the years.

Now, the dangerous killer Chase has sworn to capture has Lily in his sights. Can Chase and Lilly learn to trust each other again before it’s too late — or will old insecurities jeopardize their future?

My Inspiration for Chase Porter!

My inspiration for Lily Wheeler.

So, if you’re looking for a romantic suspense to read, or 6, check out this boxed set! That’s six ebooks! Don’t miss out on this deal!

Know of any other good book deals we should be aware of? Please, share in the comments!

My Favourite Romance Tropes!

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Karyn Good

Tropes are popular. Movies have them, television shows have them. Books have them. Look no further than the romance genre that’s never met a trope it didn’t like. Some of which we love and some we love to hate. That’s what makes taglines and covers so important. It’s the first indication of what you can expect to find inside the pages of a book.

My Top Five Favourite Romance Tropes:

Reunion/Second Chance Stories (Hands down my go to favourite trope! Bonus points if they take place in a small town! Sigh…)
Badass Bookworm (Intelligence is a major turn-on for me.)
Fish Out Of Water (Nothing makes me happier than a heroine or hero who finds themselves in a situation they never imagined without the appropriate skills to navigate it.)
Nerd Hero (Heroes with brains? Glasses? A aptitude for math? Don’t talk to me until I’m done the book.)
Beauty and the Beast (Always.)

My Top Least Favourite Romance Tropes:

Enemies to Lovers (This scenario does not work for me! Not sure why!)
Marriage of Convenience (I always think I’ll these ones and then I never, ever do. I think because they often have an unequal power dynamic.)
Famous Hero/Normal Heroine (These leave me cold, for lack of a better term. That includes billionaire heroes, rock star heroes, sports heroes. I know, I’m weird.)
Little Sister/Older Brother’s Best Friend. (The conflict often results from breaking a dated bro code and that doesn’t work for me.)
Boss/Secretary (Just..yuck! Again, I never enjoy the power dynamic of these type of workplace romances.)

I guess you could say I definitely have preferences. I LOVE to root for the underdog. Intelligent characters are a must for most readers, but high IQs, geniuses, characters who are passionate or experts in their fields draw me right in. On the other hand, hardworking, salt of the earth, self-sacrificing characters who are just looking to keep their heads down and get the job done are also a favourite of mine.

But any book with the word ‘bastard’ in the title – no, thanks. That goes for books with the word ‘submissive’ anywhere on the cover too. As you might have guessed from my least favourite list, any book where the representation of power is immediately perceived to be unequal is of little interest to me.

As for my own writing, BACKLASH definitely has a second chance at love feel to it. EXPOSED has a smidgen of a May/December trope. OFF THE GRID has both a badass bookworm (or smart, passionate doctor) and nerd hero vibe. And if you enjoy the family dysfunction trope, you’ll love the book I’m working on right now.

However, despite my lists, I’m always open to great writing and well-developed characters. And if a favoured author pens a book that looks like it might fall into the ‘nope’ category, I’ll definitely check it out. After all, we learn as much from books we don’t like as from the ones we do.

How about you? What are your favourite types of stories? Least favourite?

January – A Look Back

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Karyn Good

I don’t know about you, but I find January can be the longest month of the year. To combat that feeling of lethargy, I participated in two challenges: a writing challenge and a healthy eating challenge. These two challenges also helped me channel my 2018 word of the year, COMMIT.

My writing group, The Saskatchewan Romance Writers, hosts periodic month-long writing challenges on our Facebook page throughout the year, but always in January. It’s a tradition that has it’s roots in Book In A Week (BIAW). I didn’t reach my goal of 10 pages a day and to finish this run through of GONE. In this mystery of sorts, there was more going back and weaving information and details in then I anticipated.

The second challenge was a Whole 30, at least my idea of a Whole 30. So, it was a sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, alcohol-free (mostly), and caffeine-free month. I’ve done a version of this before and felt great after. The same thing happened this time. I feel awesome. Coupled with exercise goals, I feel SO much better leaving January behind then I felt emerging into this new year.

Books:

The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld – A missing child, missing memories, and a search to find one that leads to unlocking the key to releasing the other. Naomi, a child finder, is one of my favourite protagonists and somehow you could feel both the vastness and the smallness of the setting. The writing is eerie, atmospheric, and totally engaging. Would definitely recommend this one! (January Book Club Read)

Year One by Nora Roberts – The first in a trilogy with no central love story, this story is centred around a catastrophic plague that leaves few survivors, a collection of whom find each other. I love post apocalyptic romances and I haven’t found many of them. There were definitely some surprises in this one…I recommend you give it a try!

On Writing by Stephen King – In Progress

The Nazi Officer’s Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived The Holocaust by Edith Hahn Beer and Susan Dworkin – In Progress (February Book Club Read)

Netflix:

Stranger Things – As we were late to the party, we binge watched two seasons in two weeks. Don’t think there was a character I didn’t enjoy! Loved it! Loved! Cannot wait for season three.

Colony (Second Season) – I watch this one while I’m on the treadmill. I don’t know who I have a bigger crush on Josh Holloway or Sarah Wayne Callies!

Music:

Southern Gothic – Tyminski and Dear Hate – Maren Morris (Featuring Vince Gill) are my playlist favourites right now. Lots of inspiration in there for a future book idea!

That was my January in a nutshell! What about yours? Did you participate in any challenges? Find a favourite book, show, song?