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Retellings: Hope Ann and The Stealthmaster’s Shadow

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Today, we have Hope Ann visiting with her 12 Dancing Princesses retelling!

Meet Hope Ann…

Hope Ann uses chocolate to bribe a wide ring of spies, from the realm leapers of Aslaria to the double agents of Elkbend, for their stories. Based in Indiana, she is the self-published author of the Legends of Light series, a personal writing coach, and writes the Story Embers newsletters. You can find out more about her at authorhopeann.com
Blog link: https://authorhopeann.com/


Hope’s Retelling…

It’s been ten confounded years since the war ended.

Verus, a retired soldier, determines to enforce the peace the victory ought to have brought. His wanderings bring him to the city of Nerva, a sprawling riverside chaos no other Stealthmaster will touch.

Commandeering the task of a former comrade, Verus presents himself to the governor and promises to search out hidden Subverters. The true reason for his actions he keeps to himself. After all, the tyrannical governor will hardly approve of lending aid to those pitted against him, but the Subverters need information. Maybe even weapons.

The wishes of the Subverters themselves are immaterial. They weren’t there during the war. They didn’t see the horrors Tauscher spread.

Verus has.

So has the new ambassador from Zahavia who strides through the great doors of the feasting hall, bringing Verus face to face with nightmares from his past.

As the simple mission dissolves into confusion, Verus struggles to help those he’s plunged into danger, from a serving lad to the infuriating woman he’s taken to calling “Princess.” Fleeing will only make the enemy stronger. But staying…

Staying could doom them all.

Perfect for those who love fantasy but don’t have the time to sit down for a full-length novel, the fourth novella in the Legends of Light series presents the story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses in a clean, exciting, and inspiring manner. Full of wit, secrets, danger, and distant threats looming on the horizon, this is more than the mere retelling of a favorite fairy tale.

A stand-alone story, The Stealthmaster’s Shadow focuses on the fourth fruit of the Spirit, long-suffering, while following the results of the war between the Prince and Tauscher.

FIND ON AMAZON.


Sarcastic Renditions: Twelve Dancing Princesses

A note from Hope…

Verus is one of the most sarcastic and dramatic characters I’ve written, and perhaps one of my favorite character to write. Though his story, The Stealthmaster’s Shadow is written in third person, almost everyone I talk to remembers him in first person. I even remember him in first person most of the time because his voice is so strong.
He was a relief to write in more ways than one. I’d attempted a contest with a Snow White retelling directly before his story and it failed. Miserably. I couldn’t connect with the voice or characters. So when it came time to write Legends of Light 4,  I wondered if I could still, well, write.
Then Verus happened.
The Stealthmaster’s Shadow, a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses, is probably my favorite Legends of Light novella so far. Each story is separate, standing alone from plot-wise. It’s the history that carries over from book to book, not the characters.
Verus is a soldier from the ‘confounded war’ that ended ten years ago. He served the Prince. They won.
And the world went on as normal. There’s still pain. There’s still sorrow. And Verus, hiding scars of his own, intends to do what the Prince failed to do and set things right.
In his own way, of course.

Verus didn’t glance back even though at least half a dozen guards must be spilling into the room.
The tavern master’s arm tightened around Eolus. “If it had been any other…” His glare flitted past Verus. “But Diomed is under Governor Osvaldus’s protection and orders.” He broke off.
Verus’s lips pressed tight. Right. If anyone was hunting innocents, it would be Diomed. Shadows edged Verus’s sight as men closed in warily, weapons drawn.Verus pivoted. “Good evening, gentlemen.”The captain of the guard hesitated, one hand resting on the pommel of his sword. His gaze flitted from the chain on Verus’s shoulder to the one in his hand, then to the figure prone on the floor. “We… Stealthmaster, sir. The governor—”“Yes, yes.” Verus held up one hand. “I need to see him too. Half a moment, if you would.”

When I set about to write a twelve dancing princess retelling, the character who fascinated me the most was the man who finally took up the challenge to follow the princesses and watched them dancing each night.
While there’s very little to dance about in this version of the story, Verus shifted into a dynamic character well able to follow anyone who tried to hide.
Of course, this meant he got himself into all kinds of trouble.

“You think all trouble revolves around a group of Subverters?” Osvaldus advanced a step. “If you can’t read the meaning of a locked door—”“It wasn’t locked,” Verus said. “There was merely an obstruction to opening it. A fault I fixed. Without charge, I might add.”The governor’s fist clenched. “Get out.” He splayed the fingers of his other hand against Verus’s chest. “Now!”Verus twisted to the side, shoving the man’s hand off. A flush burned behind his ears. “There’s more than you’re telling me, Governor. You will give me the information I need or you will release me from this contract. I await your pleasure.”“Lift a dagger against me, and it will end up in your chest faster than the north wind itself.”
“Is that what you think?” Verus clenched it tighter. “You’ve given me a task. There’s no need to torture men for information you’ve hired me to find.”

The question Verus has to decide is if those he’s been sent to find are actually worthy of being hunted. And if they aren’t, is betraying them the step needed to open their eyes to danger and force them to safety?
There’s no easy answer. With nightmares from his past closing in around him, Verus’s mere presence may doom those he’s come to care about, regardless of his actions. But the one thing he learned from the war was to depend on no one.
He’s not about to start now when the stakes are so high.

While Verus is completely opposite me in character (ESFJ while I’m an INTJ) working with him did more than explore the problem of pain and sorrow. It helped me delve back into writing and fall in love with characters again. Even the crazy insane ones who are nothing like me.


Retellings: Susanne Dietze and Austen in Austin

Published on by Amanda Tero5 Comments
Today we’re featuring another Jane Austen retelling!

Meet Susanne Dietze…

Susanne Dietze began writing love stories in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she’s the RITA® nominated, award-winning author of over a dozen romances with Timeless Heart. A pastor’s wife and mom of two, she loves fancy-schmancy tea parties, the beach, and curling up on the couch with a costume drama.


Facebook: Facebook.com/SusanneDietze/Books
Twitter: @SusanneDietze

Susanne’s Retelling…

Four Texas-Set Novellas Based on Jane Austen’s Novels

Discover four heroines in historical Austin, TX, as they find love–Jane Austen style. Volume 1 includes:

If I Loved You Less by Gina Welborn, based on Emma
A prideful matchmaker examines her own heart when her protégé falls for the wrong suitor.

Romantic Refinements by Anita Mae Draper, based on Sense and Sensibility
A misguided academy graduate spends the summer falling in love . . . twice.

One Word from You by Susanne Dietze, based on Pride and Prejudice
A down-on-her-luck journalist finds the story of her dreams, but her prejudice may cost her true love . . . and her career.

Alarmingly Charming by Debra E. Marvin, based on Northanger Abbey
A timid gothic dime-novel enthusiast tries to solve the mystery of a haunted cemetery and, even more shocking, why two equally charming suitors compete for her attentions.

Find out about Volume II here.

Note: Susanne’s novella can be purchased separately on Amazon here.

Behind the Retelling
A note from Susanne… 

Austen in Austin Volumes I & II were born out of a conversation between friends.
I belong to a group blog called Inkwell Inspirations, and several years ago (seven, maybe?) we decided to fill a few of our empty weekend spots with backlists of books that fit a theme: Christmas reads, medieval settings, etc. I chose to compile a list of books inspired by the works of Jane Austen, from Austenland to Pride, Prejudice & Zombies to the Jane Austen mystery series to Death Comes to Pemberley. It was a long list!
I asked the gals in the blog if they had any favorites I’d forgotten, and Anita Mae Draper quipped, “I might like Mr. Darcy a lot more if he wore a Stetson.”
That single comment got our minds racing. Mr. Darcy in a Stetson…Austen heroes retold as 19th century Texans in a series of related stories. “Austen in Austin?” I joked. As in Austin, Texas?
It stuck!
Eight of us wanted to participate, so we divided up Austen’s stories to retell (Sense and Sensibility received two retellings, one each for Marianne and Eleanor). Together, the eight of us built a world where we could set our stories: historic Austin, of course, but we needed more. We settled on a ladies’ finishing school, Austen Abbey where our Austen-inspired heroines could either attend, work, or visit. Certain characters, like the headmistress, remained constant through the stories. Some heroines knew one another. Others didn’t. We gave our characters new names, but the stories’ plots were based on the Austen originals.
My story was the Pride and Prejudice retelling, and I named it after a bit of Mr. Darcy’s dialogue: One Word From You. It’s the story of an Austen Abbey student named Eliza who attends a party and forms a most unfortunate first impression of Will Delacourt, a railroad tycoon. 
Supporting characters are easily recognizable as their Austen counterparts (Jane, Mr. Bingley, etc.), but we gave them a Texas twist.
I ended up entering my story in the novella category of the ACFW 2013 Genesis Contest. Unfortunately, the novella category didn’t receive enough entries that year, so it was closed. My entry was moved to the Historical Romance category and…it won! 
Soon after, WhiteFire agreed to publish the stories in two volumes. Our hope and prayer with the collections was that Austen fans of all sorts could enjoy the stories and receive encouragement and entertainment from them. 
We still hope that’s true, but I can also state that we authors were blessed by the experience. Working with friends was a joy and a treat, and we all cherish that book and that time we spent putting it together.

Retellings: Kelsey Bryant, Jane Austin, and the Grimm Brothers

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments
Today we’re hosting another Vintage Jane Austen author, Kelsey Bryant. But she’s written more than just a Jane Austen retelling! This year, she released her second retelling. Keep reading to find out more.

Meet Kelsey…

Raised in a house with hundreds of books, Kelsey has been writing stories ever since she can remember and dreaming of when her books would join the ranks. Now a copyeditor as well, she loves helping other writers achieve their dreams.
Like some of her fictional characters, she grew up homeschooled and makes her home in the Texas Hill Country. To counteract all that time at a desk, she loves being active, especially practicing and teaching martial arts and traveling. But by far the most important thing in her life is her relationship with the Lord.

Find her on: Facebook | Goodreads | Newsletter | Blog | Website

Kelsey’s Retellings…

The mystery surrounding their father’s criminal accusations is almost as hard to solve as the many puzzles springing on their hearts.

Canton, Ohio, 1935. Ellen and Marion Dashiell’s world crumbles when their father is sent to prison. Forced to relocate to a small town, what is left of their family faces a new reality where survival overshadows dreams. Sensible Ellen, struggling to hold the family together, is parted from the man she’s just learning to love, while headstrong Marion fears she will never be the actress she aspires to be. When a dashing hero enters the scene, things only grow more complicated. But could a third man hold the key to the restoration and happiness of the Dashiell family?

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Their lives are saved by a dream. But only friendship can make that dream a reality.

Once upon a time…

Etzel the donkey is getting old, but he works hard on his farm—until the day Herr Hoffman decides he is no longer worth keeping. With no choice but to escape, Etzel sets off on the road to Bremen to seek his fortune as a musician. On the way, he rescues three other animals—a dog, a cat, and a rooster—who are also old and destined for death.

Will these four new friends find their success and worth as musicians in Bremen? Or does the road hold something better?
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A Note from Kelsey…
Amanda, thank you so much for asking me to take part in this blog series! I’m honored. These authors have shared pure-gold advice and many interesting things about their retellings of old favorites. To add to the conversation, I’ll mention just a few thoughts that helped me as I wrote my retellings. Hopefully someone else will be encouraged!
Themes
First, I had to find the underlying themes of the original stories so I could use them as themes for my retellings. I had to internalize them so that my retellings were their own stories straight from my heart, or else they would have fallen flat. Readers can tell when authors are merely parroting a story instead of pouring it out of themselves.
For example, from Jane Austen’s classic novel Sense and Sensibility, I pulled out persevering through hardship, finding your way, and unconditionally loving your family and then used those themes to drive my novel Suit and Suitability. I added a stronger Christian element by including the theme of trusting God, which I thought fit very well into the basic storyline that Sense and Sensibility provided me.
From the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale “The Bremen Town Musicians,” I pulled out the beauty of unlikely friendships, the triumph of unlikely heroes, and the truth that becoming old doesn’t mean you’ve lost purpose. Those themes helped propel my novella, The Road to Bremen.
Plot and Characters
When I embarked on retelling Sense and Sensibility, a fairly long novel in early-nineteenth-century England, I was joining five other authors in the Vintage Jane Austen series. The historical setting was already determined: 1930s America in the midst of the Great Depression. The characters and plot points translated extremely well! So well, in fact, that I had to be careful to make my story different enough from the original. Sense and Sensibility contained many great elements that were tempting to keep intact, but I believe a good retelling changes things up and gives readers some surprises. So I didn’t try to include every character or scene, and I put in plenty of variations to create some suspense. One major example is that I didn’t kill off Elinor and Marianne Dashwood’s father; he was arrested and in prison, and the mystery surrounding the circumstances became a small and diverting subplot.
Retelling a novel with a novel of your own is quite different from retelling a fairy tale or fable or parable. These itty-bitty stories have so much room for expansion and interpretation. I wanted to write a novella-length (or chapter book–length) embellishment of “The Bremen Town Musicians” because it’s always been one of my favorite fairy tales and hasn’t been retold many times. And since it hasn’t been redone that often, I could be free to keep it in Germany (where the story is based), use the same farm animal characters, and follow the basic plot of the original. Adding details and expanding on the few details already in place was crucial here. The setting needed description, the animals needed personalities, and the plot needed new elements to add depth, intrigue, and suspense. My imagination had a whole lot of room to romp around, have fun, and spin those details!
Advantages
I loved my experience with retellings. For me, creating plots is not one of the easiest parts of writing, so having a basic plot to tweak or expand upon gave me a leg up in the writing process that I greatly appreciated. Plus, a widely beloved story that’s been repackaged is attractive to lots of readers, so retellings are beneficial in the marketing department as well.
Have you ever written or thought of writing a retelling of a well-known story? I encourage you to try it! I think it would be especially fun and interesting if you picked a tale that you haven’t seen done before. There are all sorts of novels, parables, fables, fairy tales, and even true stories such as those from the Bible that just beg to be reinvented for the pleasure and edification of readers.

A Sneak-Peek | Librarians of Willow Hollow

Published on by Amanda Tero7 Comments
Last month, you got to meet Lena. Of course, I didn’t give you much about her or her story, so today I want to do just that! What’s more, you’ll get sneak-peek into all four characters’ stories!
Today, it is my honor and privilege to introduce to you…

Miss Ivory Bledsoe
the heroine of A.M. Heath’s “Hearts on Lonely Mountain.”

When Ivory Bledsoe left home to minister to the people of Willow Hollow, she never expected to be the one shunned and left all alone … Alone that is, except for the company of a 5-year-old boy and his uncle, who can’t stand her.

Now, to find out more about Lena, you’ll have to go digging around on my friends’ blogs. Then come back here and let’s chat some! Which character do you think you’ll most identify with? Whose story are you most excited about? Which one do you think will be the happiest? The saddest?

Find out more about my heroine and the others by visiting Faith Blum, Alicia Ruggieri, and A.M. Heath.

Get all three “Tales of Faith” eBooks for less than the cost of a frappe!

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

Okay, so I just used frappe because it’s one of my favorites. But it’s true… right now, these guys are on sale on Amazon Kindle for $.99, $.99, and $1.99, which is a total of $3.97. And I don’t know about you, but when I get a frappe, I drink it in less than an hour. And I can guarantee these books will last you longer than that (unless you’re an insane superstar at speedreading).

ALSO… this is the very first time that “Protecting the Poor” is on Kindle for a reduced price! Yeah, usually it’s $3.99.

Just sayin’… 😉

I also have a couple of short stories for free (what can I say? They’re both wintery ones… can’t wait for that cold weather to be HERE!)…

$1.99 sale

Protecting the Poor

$.99 sale

Befriending the Beast
The Secret Slipper

FREE!
Finding Christmas Joy

Christmas in Winter Hill | Review

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

If you want a typical Christmas Hallmark in book form, here you have it. A big change for Krista and her daughter, a woman who hates Christmas and is thrown into it, a man she meets instantly, and small town drama that flares into a climax with accusations and questions. I could totally see this as a Hallmark movie.

Personally, I felt the story was a bit rushed and sometimes a little stiff. It’s possible that I could have looked over that, but it greatly lessened my enjoyment that Krista was a divorcee. I’m not judgmental against divorcees, it’s just that the Bible has very clear guidelines concerning them and remarriage (which are not popular in today’s world). Because of that, I wasn’t able to enjoy the story. I didn’t realize this was a book about a divorcee or I wouldn’t have requested it for review, to be fair to the author (there is nothing about it in the blurb.

It was Christian in that Krista clearly remembered a time when she turned to Christ and it was quoted that “all things work together for good,” but it was more of a few comments thrown in at random than an actual Christian lifestyle portrayed.

The whole story with the city council and “Grinch” was interesting. It was a predictable portion of the story, but I still liked it.

*I received this book from the publisher and happily provided my honest review*

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About the Book
Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager . . . well, manages.

As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn’t always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, “Where’s the snow?” Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista’s Christmas spirit before the big day?

Bestselling author Melody Carlson invites you to spend this holiday season in a town you’ll never forget–and never want to leave.

Retellings: Faith Blum and Tales of the East

Published on by Amanda Tero4 Comments

Watching Faith Blum venture into a new series–Biblical fairytale retellings–has been really cool! I first knew Faith as a Western author but she is here today sharing some great thoughts about her experiences turning fairytales into a historical setting.

Meet Faith…

Faith Blum is a small-town Wisconsin girl. She has independently published over 25 books in over five years. Most of her books are Christian Historical Fiction with an emphasis on Westerns. During an eBook sale, she was #1 in Christian Westerns and Christian Western Anthologies on Amazon. During that sale, she sold over 3,000 copies.
Faith currently resides in Central Wisconsin with her husband and their cat, Smokey. When not writing, you can find her cooking food from scratch due to food allergies, doing dishes, knitting, crocheting, sewing, reading, or spending time with her husband. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her on her website: https://faithblum.com.

Faith’s Retellings…


A wicked priestess, a morally corrupt king, and two children stuck in the middle…
Hadassah and Gidal love their parents and will do anything for them. When Priestess Basmat tell Ehud and Jerusha to pay their debt, they cannot and she takes Hadassah and Gidal as her slaves for two years.
The priestess works them hard, but there are two other servants to divide the load with, so they cope as well as they can. Then King Saul comes in disguise requesting the priestess’s other services—as a medium.
Will Hadassah and Gidal trust Adonai to take care of them? What will happen after Priestess Basmat comes face-to-face with the prophet Samuel?
A Hansel and Gretl reimagining


Everything is against them
Born into slavery, Rapha is a Philistine who is almost twice as big as his Israelite masters. They find any excuse they can to beat him. When he is accused of murder, he runs off into the desert, planning to never return and hate all Israelites forever.
Nava’s mother died when she was born.  Since then she has been raised mostly by her father, but her grandmother and grandfather have also helped. Her passion is to help those who need it most, whether it is watching the healer’s young daughter, Rina, or bringing fresh tunics for the Philistine slave who receives far too many whippings. When Rapha runs off into the desert with no water, Nava begs her father to go after him and bring him back safely.
Will Nava’s father find Rapha? Can Rapha learn that not all Israelites are untrustworthy? Will Nava trust her abba and Rapha to Yahweh’s care or take matters into her own hands?
A Beauty and the Beast reimagining set during the time of King David


All he wanted was his father’s approval
Chileab is born to privilege as the second-born of King David, but he still feels like an outcast. His crooked foot make it hard for him to do anything and although he enjoys being an advisor for his abba, he never feels like King David approves of him.
Born with unnaturally light hair, Rina loves helping her mother heal people around their small village. One day, her life is turned upside down when she is kidnapped by two Amalekites bent on using her for her healing powers to make them rich.
When Chileab hears of the little girl who had been kidnapped, he goes off to find her, even though five years have passed.  He makes his way into the desert by himself. Can he find Rina? Will he learn that Adonai’s approval is all he needs? Will he learn to rely on more than just himself?
A Rapunzel reimagining set during the time of King David


Ignored by her father…
Adah was neglected by her abba and her brother. She must do something. All her previous plans have failed, but she won’t slip up this time. Since her abba is King David, author of many songs, what better way to gain his attention than pulling off a concert featuring twelve of his daughters?
As she plans, Adah’s discontentment grows. She throws herself into the work but worry edges into her heart anyway. Can Adah learn to rest in Adonai as her father? Will she learn contentment in all things?
Inspired by The 12 Dancing Princesses fairy tale

FIND THE SERIES ON AMAZON


Writing Retellings in a Series and Historical Setting
A Note from Faith…


I wrote my first fairy tale retelling about five years ago. It was a Beauty and the Beast retelling in the time period of King David. I wrote the draft of it and then let it sit because I was in the process of publishing other books in the Western time period and didn’t want to get distracted by this one too much.

Then I had some ideas. Ideas for other books that could connect to my Beauty and the Beast retelling. Some of the actual basic ideas on what fairy tales to use came from other people—two from my mom—but how I did it was entirely up to me.

Now, I personally prefer to write stores that are in a series but can still be read by themselves without having to read the other books in the series. So that’s what I did with these books. I have some reoccurring characters, so if you want to get their full life’s stories, you would do well to read all of the books, but other than that, reading all of the books is not necessary.

Writing my series was fun. I outlined most of the books before I started writing any of the other books. Mainly because I needed to know which book would be first in the series and which would be last. I knew Trust and Obey—a Hansel and Gretl retelling—needed to be first because it was the only one during the time of King Saul. Love Lifted Me—my Cinderella/Song of Solomon mash-up—needed to be last because it had Solomon as Prince Charming so he needed to be old enough. The other books I needed to figure out exactly where in the timeline they would be and I wrote them accordingly.

As for writing in a time period that actually happened, that was a little trickier. There isn’t a lot of easy ways to find out what living during Old Testament times was like. I borrowed my mom’s Times and Customs of the Bible book she had from her days in Bible college, but even that didn’t tell me everything I wanted to know. I took a few liberties and used my imagination for many things. For others, I read some Biblical Fiction to learn a few more things.

But my biggest help was when I asked my pastor if he had any books that talked more in detail about the betrothal and marriage ceremonies. The next Sunday, he gave me five books about Bible history with bookmarks in the sections that talked about betrothal and marriage! That was super helpful.

My biggest tip for anyone wanting to write any series or Historical Fiction is to try to plan as much of the series before you start writing any of it that you can and then find a guru who is big into the time period you are writing about who can aid in your research. Also, make sure you are reading other books written in the time period. For Biblical Fiction, Lynn Austin has some amazing books! She has been my main source right now.

Have you ever written a fairy tale retelling? Or anything in the Biblical time period?

One Final Breath | Book Review

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments


This was my first time reading Lynn Blackburn (I know, I know—I totally should have started with book one), and I was totally impressed. The spiritual content was the backbone of this novel and there were really great messages. I specifically appreciated the discussions on God’s calling, and how being a missionary isn’t the highest calling and all other positions reserved for “lesser people.” The characters struggled, but you knew where they stood in their relationship with God. They weren’t perfect, but they were humble enough to seek counsel from wiser, more mature Christians. It went beyond the typical watered-down Christian themes so often seen in books and dealt with real-life issues in very real-life ways.

For the first time in a very long time, I can say that I enjoyed every single chapter in a book. Lynn’s style was engaging, her plot believable, a few twists here and there, and (for me) not too much romance to throw the balance off-kilter.

Speaking of the romance, I thought it was sweet. I definitely missed out on some of the backstory, not having read the previous books, but I liked that Lynn and Gabe had a history and theirs wasn’t a whirlwind romance, but had some foundation. I don’t recall any cringe-worthy romantic interactions but found it to be realistic.

The whole story with Liz was really neat. This wasn’t as suspenseful as some Christian Suspense books I’ve read this year and some of it was semi-predictable to me, but I thought it had a nice flow.

A quote that caught my eye:
“Staying put and doing the hard work right where you are takes the same obedience, the same passion for the Lord, as any other calling.”

*I received this book from Revell Reads and happily provided my honest review* 


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About the Book
When investigator Gabriel Chavez had his cover blown by an aggressive reporter, the silver lining was being able to rejoin the dive team. The downside? Dive team captain Anissa Bell–a woman who both fascinates and frustrates him.

Anissa grew up as a missionary kid on the Micronesian island of Yap and always planned to return after college. But she remained stateside, determined to solve the case that haunts her–the murder of her best friend and the disappearance of a three-year-old child.

When Anissa’s fractured past collides with Gabe’s investigation into the tragic shooting death of a teenage boy in Lake Porter, they’ll have to put their complicated history with each other aside in order to uncover the identity of a killer. What they’ll discover is that revenge has no statute of limitations.

Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn closes out her nail-biting Dive Team Investigations series with a story that will have you wondering how long you can hold your breath.

One month (and a special deal!)…

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I’m super excited and cannot wait to share Stephanie’s journey with you! A mix of humor and heart-touching struggles sums up Steph’s journey–one with which many singles can identify.

How many of my readers are singles? What are some good singles’ books you’ve read?

For the next thirty days, you can get “Wedding Score” for a discounted price!



Reserve your copy here. 

You can also pre-order your copy on Kindle for $1.99 and read it as soon as it releases!


Yesterday, I shared the first of what I hope to be many videos concerning “Wedding Score” and singleness. You can stay updated by following me on FaceBook or Instagram. Also, keep your eye open for giveaways and other fun activities!



Are you on Goodreads?
Add “Wedding Score” to your TBR list!

Retellings: Hayden Wand and Fairytale Retellings

Published on by Amanda Tero6 Comments
Today we have Hayden with some fairytale retellings of her own–and some great thoughts about the fairytales and questions concerning them.
Meet Hayden…
Hayden Wand has been writing stories since before she can remember, but only decided to pursue being an author after she realized her childhood dream jobs were surprisingly unattainable. (Why is it so hard to get a gig as an international jewel thief or a deadly-spy-slash-private-detective these days?)

Her novella “The Wulver’s Rose” was published in Rooglewood Press’s FIVE ENCHANTED ROSES anthology, and she is also the author of two more fairy tale retellings: WITH BLOSSOMS GOLD (2017), and JANUARY SNOW (Coming Winter 2019). She lives in South Carolina with her family.

Twitter:https://twitter.com/Hayden_Wand
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHaydenWand/
Blog:https://haydenwand.wordpress.com/
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8037264.Hayden_Wand
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Hayden’s Retellings…

SHE NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE THE TOWER. HE NEVER WANTED TO RULE THE COUNTRY.
Nella has lived quietly in her tower in the woods for over a decade. After dangerous accusations drove her and her grandmother away from their village, they escaped deep into the forest where no one would try to harm them. Now, after her grandmother’s death, Nella is alone, and she is determined to stay that way. She has no patience for a world she deems judgmental and ignorant.
Or so she tells herself. In reality, her paralyzing fear prevents her from stepping foot outside of the tower.
Prince Benedict Allesandro is an adventurer- a rescuer who prides himself on saving the weak and unfortunate. When he hears rumors of a beautiful damsel trapped in a tower, he rushes to her rescue…only to find a woman who most definitely does not wish to be saved.

But when war breaks out, this reckless prince and reclusive maiden are faced with overcoming their deepest fears in order to determine not only their own fate, but that of their entire country.

A life is a high price to pay for stealing a rose. Nevertheless, Bonnie honors her father’s agreement and travels to the remote, ruinous castle wherein dwells the legendary creature known as a wulver—half man, half wolf. Though he is monstrous to behold, this beast is oddly gentle, tenderly caring for his beautiful rosebush, which blooms out of season. Is there more to the wulver than meets the eye? Is he somehow connected to the frightened child who visits Bonnie in her dreams?

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The Questions That Drive Fairy Tales
A Note from Hayden…
“But it’s been done before.”
Originality is a haunting concept that hangs over artists of all types—including authors. And perhaps writers of retellings struggle with this even more than others. After all, we know from the start that we are dealing with expanding, twisting, or reexamining something that we know has already been done. But all writers deal with juggling well-known tropes, archetypes, and genre expectations. The trick is how to use those tools effectively—and for someone who writes retellings, the original story is just one of the tools in the box. An important one to be sure, but one that shouldn’t really be all that more intimidating to use than any other.
For me, one of the best ways to effectively retell any well-known story is to focus on the questions the original tale brings up.
Fairy tales are complex and heavily thematic, and at times heavily moralistic. But there is a simplicity to them, too; sometimes, what seems important to us isn’t important to the fairy tale at all! Why did Rumpelstiltskin want the queen’s firstborn child? Why did Rapunzel’s birth mother want forbidden lettuce so badly that she was willing to risk her husband’s life and give up her daughter for it? Did the prince reallythink that Cinderella’s shoe size was so unique that he was sure her foot was the only one that would fit the slipper?
We don’t know because the fairy tales don’t tell us; those aren’t the questions that the themes of the tales are prompting us to answer.
However…
Answering these questions are a great starting point for writing retellings.
For instance, the entirety of the plot of my Beauty and the Beast retelling, The Wulver’s Rose, came from wondering why on earth the beast was so upset that Beauty’s father took one of his roses.
That single question spiraled out in my planning process, so that it became the central issue that the rest of the story hinged on—and one that drove the story’s theme of reparation, redemption, and forgiveness. 
But sometimes, the ways we choose to answer these questions are simple and don’t end up taking much of the story to explain. In my Rapunzel retelling With Blossoms Gold, the reason Rapunzel’s father stole from the “witch” was because of famine; that’s why the wife would die without it, and why he was willing to give up his daughter. However, this ends up in my character’s backstory and doesn’t play a large part in the plot at all. That question simply didn’t became central enough to play such a large part of the story.
And that’s where different kinds of questions come in. The questions that don’t ask “why?” but rather “what if?”
Each of the fairy tale retellings that I’ve written—including unpublished ones—have their driving force grounded in flipping one aspect of the fairy tale and then trying to remain as true as possible to the rest of the story. I’m not looking to be subversive and completely flip the morals or motivations of the original tales on their head, but rather imagine, “what if this one central thing was different?”
For instance, in With Blossoms Gold, the question was, “What if Rapunzel didn’t want to leave the tower?”
For The Wulver’s Rose, without going too much into spoiler territory, the idea was “what if the Beast was trying to break the spell primarily to save someone else?”
In January Snow, my upcoming twist on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the question became, “what if Snow White, the ‘innocent princess’ wasn’t innocent at all?”
But what really makes a retelling “click” for me is when the “what if?” questions perfectly intersect with the “why?” questions.
For example, the two questions “Whydoes Cinderella stay with her abusive family?” and “What if Cinderella literally couldn’t refuse to obey her stepmother?” collide in Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted.
In her Lunar Chronicles series, Marissa Meyer asks the question “What if classic fairy tales took place in the future?” but then utilizes the tools of her setting—technology and space—to create parallel situations to the original stories: a cyborg Cinderella loses her mechanical foot rather than a shoe; Rapunzel is trapped in a orbiting satellite rather than a tower. The core elements and imagery of the original story are still there but they’ve been utilized in an unexpected way—subverting and fulfilling expectations all at once.
Any fairy tale retelling you write can be as traditional or as unconventional as you desire—but pondering the questions that tug at you when you read the original usually gives you a personal investment and connection to the fairy tale. If you want those answers, then your readers can usually tell.

And that gets us invested in finding those answers, too.