The Challenges of Rewriting a Classic Tale

By Nancy Fraser

The criteria for a great fairy tale is not all that different from the formula used for an engaging romance. Both require the following:

A sensitive, brave, intelligent hero—preferably good looking, or at least confident in his appearance.

A strong, beautiful, empathetic heroine who’s not afraid to kick a little butt should the situation call for it.

A plot fraught with angst, danger and attraction. Whether the attraction leads to a chaste kiss or a steamy love scene depends on your audience.

A resolution that is both enlightening and satisfying, not only for the reader but also for the characters.

And, of course, the Happily Ever After required of all great tales.

My Beyond Fairy Tales story, Do You Want Me, is based on the Grimm Brothers tale, The Devil’s Sooty Brother. More macabre than romantic, it’s the tale of a soldier who returns from war to find he’s lost everything he’d left behind.

In order to make a new life for himself, he agrees to work for the devil and earn the money he needs to begin again. The idea of creating a ‘devil’ gave me the perfect protagonist for my story. The original tale also contains a king who has two daughters. While not a huge part of the original story, the idea of sisters fueled my naughty imagination.

So, how does an author of modern-day romances take a fairy tale written hundreds of years ago and make it current?

I started by outlining my hero...it had to be the soldier from the fairy tale...complete with memories and scars. In most cases, the next character I’d work on would be the heroine. However, since in the original, there are no female characters present until the very end, I decided to flesh out other aspects of the story first before getting a handle on who would steal my hero’s heart.

As with any series, there were also certain requirements set forth by the publisher. The biggest challenge among those was the inclusion of a narrator. Nicodemus, the storyteller, is a must for every book. I admit, I fretted over how to include this ‘outsider’. Then, two glasses of Baileys-over-ice later, I had it! (I do some of my best plotting under the influence of Bailey’s and crushed ice.)

I don’t want to give too much away other than to say, I have a sexy, battle-weary hero, a feisty tease of a heroine, a devil of a protagonist, and a father who holds an important position of influence (a king of sorts).

I’ve also done something I’d never attempted before. I wrote the entire story in the hero’s point of view...even the steamy love scenes.

I ended up enjoying the process so much, I’ve started on my second fairy tale and look forward to sharing that one as well in the near future.

Decadent Publishing || Amazon || iTunes || ARe

Blurb:

Decorated war hero Reece Michaels agrees to go undercover in order to bring down the Irish Mob. In return, the civilian life he’s coveted for the past six years will be returned to him. Hired by mob boss Sean O’Malley to protect his youngest son, Reece soon discovers the young man needs more protection from his own family than its enemies. What Reece doesn’t count on is his instant attraction to the police chief’s beautiful and willing daughter. Abby Mackenzie is the younger sister of a woman with whom Reece once had a torrid affair. He’s determined to not give in to Abby’s come-hither ways. After all, one Mackenzie woman was more than enough.

Author Bio: Website || Blog || Twitter: @nfraserauthor ||Facebook ||Goodreads

Like most authors, Nancy began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet, which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it. Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for four publishers. She has published twenty-two books in both full-length and novella format. Nancy is currently working on a Valentine’s story for 2016, her next Rock and Roll novella, the third McCade Legacy book and a second fairy tale for Decadent Publishing. When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five beautiful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Out Of the Shoebox and Into a Book

By Nancy Fraser

Where does inspiration come from? How can you cultivate an idea without inspiration? Just exactly how much research must one do to write a steamy love scene? And, more importantly, where do you find the best research partner?

As an author, I often find my inspiration in my family’s history. Not so much the current generations but, rather, those who have come and gone before me. Such was the case with my latest release, The Mysterious Mrs. Pennybaker.

While going through some of my mother’s treasure trove of old family photos, I came across a shoebox tied shut with some old-fashioned twine. The writer in me was eager to tuck into the contents.

Among the many things I found were WWI ration stamps, a card of pearl buttons with a 2¢ price tag, a bill of sale for a 1927 Chevy for $625, and various newspaper clippings for miracle remedies for everything from warts to a sore back. Most of these items belonged to my grandfather, a man I barely remembered.

One item that stuck out was a decree of military service from WWI, but not for my grandfather. Rather, it was my French-born, paternal grandmother who had served as a translator and telephone operator for the U.S. troops stationed in France. Part of General Pershing’s Expeditionary Forces, the hundreds of women recruited to service were known as “Hello Girls”, a colloquial term given back in the states to telephone operators.

I spent the entire weekend glued to my computer researching everything I could find on this unknown branch of the military. Unfortunately for the many who served, full recognition as veterans was withheld and the women were discharged as civilians, without military benefit. And all this despite the fact they had to complete basic training and wear a uniform. It wasn’t until the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the war that the “Hello Girls” were finally given veteran status.

One of the most interesting facts I found was that some of these women also did double duty as spies, often using their feminine wiles to extract vital military secrets from the enemy. Needless to say, I was ecstatic with such an ‘intriguing’ find.

From that weekend of research...and my off-kilter imagination...Mrs. Ariel Pennybaker was born.

Please enjoy.

Blurb:

In the Roaring Twenties…

A former Hello Girl during WWI, widowed Ariel Pennybaker served her country proudly. She now carries on her late husband’s legacy…a home for the many returning, injured soldiers.

With her year of mourning nearly at an end, she’s had enough of her self-imposed celibacy. It’s time to get back in the game.

A chance meeting with a handsome WWI aviator has her imagining thoroughly naughty thoughts. When a second man walks into her life, her naughty thoughts turn downright decadent. What better way to fulfil her fantasies than by sharing both men’s beds.

As tempting as the idea is, Ariel has a huge secret, one she must protect at all costs. And, it’s possible one or both of her lovers is not what he seems. 

Buy Links:

Amazon || Kobo || Google || iTunes || All Romance Meet the Author:  Website || Blog || Twitter @nfraserauthor || Facebook || Goodreads

Never Too Old to Learn ... Or to Change Gears

By Nancy Fraser

Let me start off by saying, I’m no spring chicken. As a matter of fact, I’ve retired...twice.

I was not “born” on the Internet. My first book was written on an IBM electric typewriter. I went through a lot of correction fluid before they invented those wonderful little orange spools with the tape built in.

I did not “grow up” on Facebook. As a matter of fact, I had a Facebook profile for nearly a year before I realized what those little icons at the top were for. I had no idea you could click on them to see who’d commented on a post. Or, who’d asked to be your friend. Or, even who’d sent you a message. My old-fashioned self was fixated on the worded tabs to the left because I understood what they were asking/telling me.

I did not “mature” on Twitter, or Pintrest, or Google+. Heck, I don’t even know what LinkedIn is or why people keep asking me to follow them. When I first signed up for Twitter I was hoping for 100 followers. Thankfully, I’ve far surpassed that goal. And, I’ve also learned how to use Hootsuite to my advantage. Yeah me!

It’s been a very wide learning curve. The “old hen” has learned some new tricks. I have to be honest though, I still appreciate the value of face-to-face networking. Of exchanging business cards and email addresses. We then follow our new friends on Facebook and Twitter but, still, the initial contact was made in person. You can put a warm body to the profile, rather than a cutesy icon, or family photo.

Thank goodness for conferences where you can not only make those one-on-one connections but also attend workshops on how to navigate the ever-growing, always-changing social media.

I see social media advances, especially for someone who began writing in the 1990s, as ongoing education. And, as challenging as those changes are, there’s also a bigger challenge ... what I like to refer to as the “reinvention” of the romance genre.

When I started writing, you’d have never found a romance novel that including spanking, or a ménage. Erotic novels, yes. But not romance. The traditional publishers had very firm rules on what was taboo!

Five to ten years ago, swearing was still avoided in romance novels. Now, it’s almost impossible to find a romance without one ... with the exception of Christian romance, category romance, and those labelled “sweet” by both the author and publisher.

As difficult as I found learning social media to be, the change in popular romance posed an even bigger hurdle for me.

There are certain words that I find very unromantic. Most of them have to do with female body parts. Because I wanted to continue to write, and sell, I’ve embraced a number of the terms that were once considered too risqué for romance. Still, there are some I will never use.

So, how did I get past the changes to embrace my naughtier side?

I read a lot. Not just the most popular authors, but also some of the up and coming authors and publishers. I made myself a list of words that were now acceptable and then red-stroked the ones I would not use.

I watched some “R” rated movies (not that I hadn’t already seen most of them). I made another list of possible plot devices. Yes ... I’m a list maker.

Finally, I took a tried and true romantic trope and filtered in both the plot twists and, heaven help me, the bolder words. There were actually a few words I enjoyed using ... they helped with the frustration when a scene wasn’t going exactly as I wanted it.

One of the things I discovered when writing my first erotic romance, The Muse, was that my creativity got a definite jump start. The freedom of writing without as many boundaries let loose an entire new side of me as an author.

By the time I got to the next book, The Mysterious Mrs. Pennybaker, due out this spring, I had a good handle on both my risqué side and pushing the language barrier. Mind you, both books are set in the 1920s, so there was a bit of timeframe language to deal with, but ... naughty words are still naughty words.

By the time my next project comes out I should be old hand at this ... I hope. And, if I long for a traditional story, or want to push less boundaries, I’m confident I can backpedal and find the perfect home for even the softest of romance novels.

In the meantime, it’s back to the next idea and that dratted social media schedule. It’ll be fun to see what trouble I can get into next. 

An (Erotic) Romance Author’s Holiday Wish List

By Nancy Fraser

One of the many things I love about the holiday season are the beautiful Christmas carols. Not just the heartfelt, slow ballads … although those are wonderful. Especially when done by an amazing vocalist.

I also like the cheesy ones like "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." Every year I watch diligently as someone will invariably post a new version of an old classic to You Tube and, just as excited as one of my grandchildren opening up a new toy, I’ll be glued to the computer screen enjoying this new rendition.

One of my “new favorites” this year is the wonderfully comical take on the 12 Days of Christmas, complete with hilarious slapstick.

In honor of the holiday season, and taking into consideration those things important to most authors, I thought I’d put together my own version of a 12-Day’s Wish List.

12  5-« reviews

11  New “likes” on Facebook

10  Busy book signings

9  New Twitter “follows”

8  Finished chapters

7  More to edit

6  Extra hours a day

5  Great new plots

4  Signed contracts

3  Sexy lovers

2  Less rounds of edits

And, a New York Times best-selling book!

Whether you enjoy the carols, the presents, the food, or just the closeness of your friends and family, please have a safe and happy holiday. May you be blessed with peace, love and as much chocolate as you can eat!  

An Author’s Thanksgiving

Available HERE

 by Nancy Fraser

    Today is a day for giving “thanks”… a tradition which began in 1621 when the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest after coming to the new world. Thanksgiving wasn’t given official “holiday” status until 1863 when, amid the ravages of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared a ‘day of Thanksgiving’ to be celebrated the last Thursday of November.

    As authors, we have a number of things to be thankful for, not just during the holidays, but throughout the year. In the spirit of the holiday, I’d like to offer up my thanks for the following writer’s blessings. While there are certainly more things to add, these are the six I hold most dear.

Talent - Whether it comes naturally, or you’ve had to work for it, learn it, hone it to perfection, it’s your talent as a storyteller that fuels your desire to write and your success as a published author.

Talent must also be nurtured, whether by taking classes, reading, or completing specific research. It must be used often so that it doesn’t go stale.

    Inspiration – Almost anything in our lives can translate to inspiration for a new book. Currently, I’m working on story for the Beyond Fairytales line. My inspiration? The Grimm tale of The Devil’s Sooty Brother. If you’re unfamiliar with the story, look it up on the internet. There’s not a romantic, or sexy, thing about that particular tale. Yet, it gave me the inspiration I needed to create a story of discovery, love and a whole lot of steamy!

Inspiration can come from anywhere. I once found an old shoebox in my late mother’s closet filled with items from the 1920s and 30s. The possibilities were endless. Every item in the box spoke to me on some level or another. So far, I’ve written four books from the inspiration found in that one shoebox.

    Publishers – Be it traditional print, independent print or digital, or a self-publishing platform, without someone to take a chance on our dreams our creations would be collecting virtual dust bunnies on our computers. A great publisher willingly works with their authors, supports them both during the creative process and afterward with promotion and innovative sales techniques. The publisher has put their resources, and their reputations on the line for us … they deserve the best we can give them AND our gratitude.

    Editors – An important part of the publishing process, a great editor walks a fine line between your best friend and your worst critic. I’m fortunate to have worked with a number of the most talented editors out there and I always do my best to take their advice to heart. I know their intention is to make my book the absolute best it can be. You can’t ask for more than that.

    Cover Artists – As exciting as it is to make the sale, receive the contract and, eventually, celebrate your book’s release day, nothing can compare to that first peek at your cover. My very first cover (way back in 1996) was created by the fabulous cover artist,Pino as an original painting. The painting was then turned into a print and the print into a book cover. Those days have given way to clip art, and pre-styled backgrounds. Yet, the effort extended by the artist is just as time consuming and the results just as beautiful.

    Cover artist, Fiona Jayde, took every one of my suggestions to heart when she created the exquisite cover for my October release, The Muse. Her work is currently nominated for an award in the November competition at: http://www.lollytova.com/novembers-cover-love-poll-2/. Voting runs until the end of the month and, as the author, I know we’d both appreciate your recognition.

    Readers – This is a case of saving the best for last. Without the readers, we might as well not bother writing. They are ‘why’ we do what we do. Writing is an isolating business with hours spent in solitude, our eyes glued to a computer screen. When we come into the real world, whether through social media or at a hands-on book signing, the comments we receive from readers is what makes it all worthwhile.

I was recently asked whether or not I write a passage or just sign my name when autographing one of my books. As I explained, I am greatly humbled by the fact that someone has handed over their hard-earned money to buy my book. The least I can do is say ‘thanks’ with a salutation and short passage thanking them for their purchase.

As we approach the upcoming holiday season, we will undoubtedly be inundated with a combination of responsibility and wonder. Let us not forget the tangible things we sometimes take for granted, such as good health, our families, and our freedom. Then, whether you’re a writer or a reader, take a moment to consider the joy a good book can bring, and how the story portrayed in that book can, and will, affect your life.

Happy Holiday, no matter which ones you celebrate,

Nancy