Showing posts with label fairy tale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fairy tale. Show all posts

Thursday, July 6, 2017

A Guest Post by Christina Lorenzen about Rapunzel and a Lighthouse

Sweet Memories Create a New Twist on Something Old
A guest post by Christina Lorenzen

The sweetest memories I have are the times my grandmother would sit at the foot of my bed and tell me my favorite bedtime story, Rapunzel. My grandmother lived with us for as long as I can remember until she passed away when I was in my early twenties. As a child, my parents would go out for an evening. I would wait for bedtime when my grandmother would ask me what bedtime story I wanted to hear. And each time I would ask to hear Rapunzel. Just as I never tired of hearing her tell it and my grandmother never tired of telling me that fairy tale.


All these years later, when my publisher, Forget Me Not Romances, announced they were putting out a novella collection of fairy tales with a modern spin, I had the pleasure of writing my own version of Rapunzel. The classic tower became a defunct, dilapidated lighthouse and my heroine, Georgie Daniels, is a self-imprisoned longhaired damsel in distress. Raised by her father after her mother dies when she’s barely two years old, Georgie’s father passed away two years ago. Add to that the heartache of her fiancĂ© abandoning her and she has shut out the world, finding security within the walls of the lighthouse cottage.

Writing this novella was such an enjoyable endeavor. I have wanted to write a story with a lighthouse setting for several years. Being able to combine that magical setting with my favorite fairy tale was more play than work. I researched lighthouses and learned quite a bit about them. My heroine Georgie is based on a friend from long ago. The hero, Colby Ford, was a combination of several ‘hero’ type men in my life. I’m proud to say that I have both an Air Force uncle and Navy uncle in my family.

After writing Rapunzel’s Lighthouse, my interest in putting a modern spin on another fairy tale has been sparked. There just might be another military hero in there too. That’s the wonderful thing about storytelling – there are no limits to the possibilities of ideas. Who would have thought that almost fifty years after first hearing my grandmother tell the tale, I would write my very own Rapunzel story? I think she would be pleased.

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Author Bio: 
Christina started writing as a young teen, jotting stories in wire ring composition notebooks. Her first typewriter made it faster to get all those stories out of her head and down on paper. Her love of writing has sustained her through a myriad of jobs that included hairdresser, legal secretary, waitress and door-­to-door saleswoman.

Luckily for her, writing proved to be successful and a lot less walking than going door to door. Snow Globe Reunion, a Christian Christmas romance, is Christina’s third book. She is also the author of A Husband for Danna and its sequel, A Wife for Humphrey.

Christina is a member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found walking her dog, talking to her herd of cats and spending time with her family.

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Book blurb for Rapunzel's Lighthouse: Georgie Daniels rarely leaves the cottage attached to the Salt Cliffs lighthouse, except when necessary for a trip into town for food. For the last two years, since the lighthouse was declared a historic landmark, she’s lived in the cottage out of sight and, she hopes, out of the minds of the town. With the defunct lighthouse in arrears and in disrepair, she knows it’s only a matter of time before the lighthouse will be on the auction block of the town hall’s steps. With long hair that no one has seen before, except in the fabled fairy tale Rapunzel, things were going well until new neighbor Colby Ford shows up on her doorstep.

Colby Ford didn’t intend to retire from the Navy, at least not right now. When he finds himself with an injury that pushes him into an early retirement, the possibility of opening a sailing school in the coastal town of Salt Cliffs is his only hope. Renting the Moore cottage, he needs to find the right location for his school and a place to store the boats. 

While in town, a conversation with a storekeeper makes his curiosity about the lighthouse burn even stronger – what kind of woman lives alone in a defunct lighthouse? 

In need of paint for the cottage porch, he pays Georgie a visit. Feeling like he’s seen her before, that’s when it hits him – Georgie Daniels is a real life Rapunzel. And this Rapunzel wants nothing to do with being neighborly. Until she’s forced to save him during a storm.

Georgie and Colby have both had their share of disappointments and heartache. Just as Georgie is beginning to open up to him, a letter she finds threatens to shut her down again. Can their shared desperate need for a home bring them together?
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Buy Christina's book on Amazon

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Connect with Christina:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/chrisfoxlorenz/
Facebook Author page - https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaLorenzenAuthor/
Website - http://christinalorenzen.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/christina_lorenzen/

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

True Love Stories: The Princess and The Dragon

"Once upon a time...," starts every great fairy tale filled with make-believe people searching for romance in fictional story worlds. But what if "once upon a time" in this real world, there was a real love story in the works? One better than a fairy tale?

Anybody who said happily ever afters do not exist in real life has not read today's featured true love story crafted so cleverly by a woman--or in the story sense "princess"--named Tiffany! :)

Curious to find out how a happily ever after can exist between married lovers in this day and age? Read this modern day fairy tale and discover why it's not only possible, it's beautiful! 

~*~
The Princess and The Dragon
Tiffany Amber Stockton's true love story

Once upon a time a red-haired princess sat alone in her tower gazing out at a distant land. Though she was fair of face and form no prince had come to free her from her isolation. She dreamed of the time when she could escape the tower and live free. Her only relief came through the benevolence of a queen far away who let her attend a gathering of scribes once each year.

'Twas at the third one of these gatherings that she beheld a strange sight. A great blue-eyed dragon stood before the assembled scribes and spoke in a tongue most strange. Yet something about the dragon captivated the fair lady. Perhaps it was the longing she caught in his face or the quiet manner in which he held his audience of scribes captive. Thus, when once more in her lonely tower, she sought out the dragon through enchanted letters.

Now far away in his lair the great blue eyed dragon found these magical missives quite to his liking. Though he had been enchanted by other fair maidens who fled at his presence, and heard many frightful tales of princesses, he found this one to be far from threatening. At the fourth gathering of scribes, the sweet maiden and scaly beast formed an unlikely friendship, sharing merriment and meals together, and piquing the interest of the scheming madams of the land.


Something stirred in the hearts of the princess and the dragon even then. Though the dragon feared some sorcery might be afoot, he found the princess to be quite different from the ones he'd previously encountered.

The princess locked in her tower, sought to break the spells binding her heart through this connection with the dragon. Their messages continued to flow, and their friendship blossomed.

In the year of the fifth gathering of scribes, in the land of the lone star, the Unseen Hand who had been weaving the threads of these lives together quickened the loom. Though the blue-eyed dragon was loath to admit it, the red-haired princess had stolen his heart.

For three long months, the dragon fought against the tug of his love, and the princess did the same. Despite the counsel of several scribes in the far off land, the bond between her and the dragon could not be broken.

At last, wearied from his struggle, the dragon succumbed to the sweet bliss of the maiden's charms and flew to her tower. There, with a single kiss, the great dragon was transformed into a handsome blue-eyed prince with the gleam of the dragon still in his eyes. He swept her from her tower and carried her among the stars. From that glimmering sea, he plucked the brightest spark and pledged his undying love.

As it was proclaimed throughout the kingdom, from scribe to scribe, the fair princess, Tiffany Amber Miller, gave her consent to marry the noble prince, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, on the 28th day of the 7th month of the 2007th year. Festivities and celebrations took place throughout the kingdom, for this was the first marriage of two members of the esteemed scribes.

PART TWO

When last we left the fair princess, Tiffany, she had given her consent to marry the noble prince, Stuart Vaughn Stockton. Festivities abounded to celebrate the auspicious event, both in Princess Tiffany’s kingdom and in the kingdom of Prince Stuart. All were present to welcome her to her new castle where she now lives with her prince in jolly bliss.


Months passed as they adjusted to their new shared lives. The spells that bound her heart to her prince’s grew even stronger. The three-fold cord that ties these two together is stronger than any force that might attempt to break them apart.

After a year, their thoughts turned toward the flourishing of their new kingdom. After all, a kingdom cannot thrive if it does not grow. A few weeks later, the news they anxiously awaited finally arrived.

Do allow us to share that joyous decree with you now:

King Stuart and Queen Tiffany would like to announce the coming arrival of a wee bairn some seven months hence.

Thus, it was proclaimed throughout the kingdom and all neighboring lands, from scribe to scribe, in the early days of the 4th month of the 2009th year, we welcomed the arrival of the new little princess, and the child was christened into the world of the scribes.

PART THREE

Now, the fair queen, Tiffany, her beloved King Stuart, and the little princess Victoria prepare for yet another celebration. When last we met with this beloved family, the wee Victoria had yet to make her presence known to the world. Festivities abounded to welcome the darling to her new home. All came out to celebrate the much-anticipated event, and the details were recorded in the kingdom registry, preserved for all time.

Nearly seventeen months aft, the kingdom saw yet another addition to the royal family.

King Stuart and Queen Tiffany announced the coming arrival of a second wee bairn some six months hence.

And thus, it was proclaimed in the early days of the 4th month of the 2011th year, we welcomed the arrival of a new little prince, Richard. The child followed in the footsteps of the eldest sibling, joining Victoria in the world of the scribes.

And so they now live…happily ever after.


~*~
Bonus features: 

For more about Tiffany's real life, visit the "About" section of her official website, 
http://www.amberstockton.com/aboutamber.html

Engagement announcement slideshow, 
http://www.ritersbloc.com/surprise/announcement.htm

The Stockton's first baby announcement, 
http://www.eagle-designs.com/announcement/news.html

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Author bio: 
Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much.

Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who has partnered with Nerium International in the anti-aging skin care industry, helping others look younger and live better. 

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have one girl and one boy, a Retriever mix named Roxie and and Australian cattle dog named Timber. She has sold seventeen (17) books so far and is represented by agent Sandra Bishop of the TransAtlantic Agency.

Connect with Tiffany on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Buy books by Tiffany via www.amberstockton.com/books.html under the feature for Brandywine Brides

More about Brandywine Brides: Love and Literature Bind Three Couples in Historical Delaware

Nestled amid the beauty of historical Delaware, three generations of bookstore owners find love grows out of a shared love for great literature. Charlotte Pringle is pressured by her parents to marry advantageously, but while Richard Baxton loves her, he cannot provide for her because all his finances go to help his niece walk again. 

Grace Baxton is on the search for a missing heirloom book. Andrew Bradenton offers to help her, but his past mistakes cast him in a suspicious light, even while a dashing suitor catches Grace’s eye. After the loss of his friend and her brother on the Titanic, Aaron Stone encourages Lillian Bradenton to restore her hope by bringing a boarded-up bookstore back to life. 

Will each woman’s literature-inspired dreams lead her to the right man of faith and devotion?