The popularity of ABC’s Once Upon A Time and the release of movies based on the classic fairy tales Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Rapunzel and, less recently, Cinderella all speak to timeless nature of these stories from our childhood. The concepts of good defeating evil, of true love finding a way to bring lovers together despite the odds, and of someone from humble beginnings rising to meet challenges and earn a happy ending resonate for all of us. Sprinkle in some magic pixie dust, royal weddings, and a fairy godmother or two, and you’ve got the stuff of romantic daydreams.
I fell in love with fairy tales and romance stories as a little girl watching Walt Disney movies on the big screen. I had imaginary mouse friends I’d modeled after Cinderella’s pals Jacques and Gus, and I created my own stories of handsome princes coming to rescue me and sweep me off to their castles. Is it any wonder I became a romance writer? To this day, I get choked up when the music swells at the end of a Disney movie and the narrator speaks those magic words…”And they lived happily ever after.” Dreamy sigh.
When I sat down to write TRUST IN ME, I didn’t intend to draw parallels to the Cinderella story, but fairy tale references crept in, just the same. Soon I realized what I had, and the story really came to life for me. While not a strict retelling of Cinderella, I call the story my ‘Cinderfella’ book.
Kevin is a small town guy, working a blue collar job and struggling to get by. Claire is the wealthy and sheltered girl, searching for independence and a fresh start. More than once, Kevin rides to Claire’s rescue, much to her dismay, since she wants to learn to handle little crises on her own. Yet through his good deeds, Claire begins to see Kevin as more prince than pauper, more white knight than frog. For example, when Claire’s car won’t start, Kevin takes her home on his trusty steed…er, motorcycle. Here’s an excerpt:
He pulled up next to her and killed the engine. Tugging off the helmet, he extended it toward her. “Here, you wear this. I only have one, and I’d rather you wear it.”
She gaped at him a moment, unmoving, numb with trepidation.
“A m-motorcycle?”
His chestnut eyebrows whipped together. “Is that a problem? I guess I should have explained … I don’t have a car.”
“Is it safe?”
He grinned. “As long as we don’t crash.”
Her pulse jumped, sending adrenaline scampering through her blood. Her face must have reflected her doubts, because Kevin sobered quickly and raised a hand toward her. “Sorry, I guess I shouldn’t joke about it. I’ll drive slow, and you’ll be safe. I promise.”
The warmth and concern in his gaze reached deep inside her, calming her nerves more than his words could. Her soul seemed to know instinctively to trust Kevin. She accepted the helmet with a trembling hand and drew a slow breath for courage. Pulling the helmet on, she fastened the chin strap and lifted her gaze to Kevin for assurance she’d put the protective gear on correctly.
He grinned, then slapped the seat behind him. “Swing a leg over and hold tight to me. On turns, lean with me.”
She nodded and took another deep breath, inhaling the aroma of sweat, leather and soap inside the helmet. The intoxicating blend of scents spun her senses in new directions, all centered around Kevin. She clambered onto the motorcycle, self-conscious over her lack of finesse. If Kevin noticed her fumbling, he had the courtesy not to comment. Thank goodness she’d worn slacks today, a concession to comfort her mother would have never approved of, but which now proved a good choice.
Kevin started the engine, and Claire wrapped her arms around his chest, pressing herself close to his broad back. The rumbling engine echoed the thrum of her pulse, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
As he prepared to drive away, Kevin shifted his weight, and the bike rocked. She gasped and clutched his shirt tighter.
Placing a hand on her leg, he gave her knee a quick squeeze and turned his head toward her. “You can trust me, you know. I’d never let you fall.”
I was tickled to learn that Romantic Times Book Reviews called TRUST IN ME “a thoroughly delightful romance.” I hope you’ll agree! TRUST IN ME is available for download from Amazon here: http://amzn.to/t2XHkr
Now it is your turn. Tell me why you love fairy tales and which fairy tale is your favorite, but hurry, the spell …okay, the comment period …only lasts until midnight ET on May 13. I’ll choose one comment at random on May 14 to win an ebook copy (so international readers can play too!) of either my award winning romantic suspense UNDER FIRE or REYN’S REDEMPTION (winner’s choice). Thanks and happy reading!
Beth Cornelison
Award winning author Beth Cornelison received her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Georgia. After working in public relations for about a year, she moved with her husband to Louisiana, where she decided to pursue her love of writing fiction.
Since that time, she has won numerous honors for her work including a final in the Rita contest sponsored by the Romance Writers of America. She made her first sale to Silhouette Intimate Moments in June 2004 and has gone on to sell many more books to Harlequin/ Silhouette. She has also published with Five Star Expressions, Samhain Publishing, and Sourcebooks.
Beth has presented workshops across the country to numerous chapter meetings, conferences, online classes and book clubs. She lives in Louisiana with her husband, one son and a fluctuating number of cats who think they are people.
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