What's The Appeal?
"ONCE UPON A TIME…"
These four words have begun many exciting and fantastical journeys. They
are like an incantation that opens a portal into worlds filled with adventure, enchantment and romance. We suddenly find ourselves in places where a knight may slay a fire-breathing dragon to rescue his fair maiden. Or an evil queen casts spells of unending slumber. And it is also a realm where the most powerful magic of all is that of a true love's kiss. With four one-syllable words, we know that good is always going to triumph over evil.
As readers, we love to see the downtrodden, unloved heroine gain the affection of the handsome prince or to see the hero's goodness and nobility recognized by the lovely damsel despite his monstrous appearance. Stories such as "Cinderella" and "Beauty and the Beast" are the basis for many modern romantic plots. The stories are well known, but still delight us in the retelling. And perhaps it is this very familiarity that makes the fairy tale theme so appealing. We know the tales, but want to see how the author will take these old, beloved yarns and twist them into something different.
In fact, fairy tale romance does bend these favorites, and make them something completely new and original. Stories that once involved a fair princess and her ugly stepsisters might now be about an advertising executive and her jealous coworkers or the beast-like hero and beautiful heroine are now an emotionally scarred sheriff and his lovely widowed neighbor. The story is no longer a children's tale about magical creatures, but about men and women overcoming the obstacles that would keep them separated.
Of course, this is not to say that magic can't be a part of these modified tales. Even as adults, we still enjoy the idea of a fairy godmother or a sorcerer's spell. And no matter where and when the stories are set or what career choices the hero and heroine might make, all contain that one magical moment we anticipate in a romance and, of course, in any great fairy tale—the perfect ending… "And they lived happily ever after."
Authors' Thoughts...
Linda Jones
"There's always magic in fairy tales, even when they're fractured a little. Thanks to childhood bedtime stories, we're familiar with the characters, the morals, the good-triumphs-over-all ending. With a fairy tale romance you have all those elements, you just get to the ending in a different way. And, of course, there is always that happily ever after to look forward to." Linda recommends The Bride and the Beast by Teresa Medeiros.
Victoria Alexander
"There's a wonderful power to fairy tales born of familiarity. It's pure enjoyment to take these old friends, "Cinderella" or "Beauty and the Beast," and see them dressed up in new clothes. And say to ourselves with a jolt
of pleasure, 'Hey I know her!' I really enjoyed Cinderfella by Linda Jones and would recommend it to anyone who loves fairy tale romances."
Judith Ivory
"Fairy tales are the underlying myths of our culture›our collective backbone of fond wishes and deep fears. I love 're-doing' them, making them come out better, where the woman is more proactive and more the winner all the way around. Feisty, feminist fairy tales, that's my fave. If you want another author—and in particular a book—try Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Heaven, Texas. It's Cinderella, only better!"
AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER ...
Whether the hero finds his heroine by having her try on a
glass slipper or a dirty old work boot, fairy tales have always
been an inseparable part of the romance genre. The following list
of fairy tale romances was crafted by Yiing Boardman and Georgine
N. Olson and is a sampling of the magical love stories based on
myth.
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