The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest 

BOOK 1 OF THE TALES OF THORNBECK

by 

Melanie Dickerson

Available May 12, 2015

MY TAKE:

Melanie Dickerson is back again with another FANTASTIC fairy tale recreation. Robin Hood meets Swan Lake - Genius.

Robin Hood has always been one of my favorite tales, so to see a strong, caring female in the role of archer is always a fun spin. Odette Menkels is both a shining light and an oddity among the women in her era. Her courage and independence make her desirable and yet outside the norm of what society expects of women at that time. Despite all societies pressures to get married for security, Odette would rather provide food for the poor and study, things she's sure a husband wouldn't allow her to do. Love is a must for marriage. Bravo, Odette. You're a woman after my own heart.

Jorgen is a strong, handsome man with mettle and valor. He's also kind and gentle. If only he had the money and societal standing to convince Odette's uncle he's a worthy suitor.

If only I could magically transport Jorgen to present day and off the pages of my book. Wow. He had me at hello, so to speak. :) The growing relationship between he and Odette is not just sweet, but at moments breathless. Even though it seems to be doomed from the beginning, happily ever afters are possible in Thornbeck Forest and I love the twists and turns that finally bring them together.

Melanie did an amazing job recreating a story I love into another tale I love just as much. Odette and Jorgen are characters that transcend the page and become legends in their own right.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

A beautiful maiden who poaches to feed the poor. A handsome forester on a mission to catch her. Danger and love are about to unite in Thornbeck Forest.

The margrave owns the finest hunting grounds for miles around—and Odette Menkels spends her nights poaching his deer to feed the hungry orphans of Thornbeck. By day, Odette is a simple maiden who teaches children to read, but by night this young beauty has become the secret lifeline to the poorest of the poor.

For Jorgen Hartman, the margrave’s forester, tracking down a poacher is a duty he is all too willing to perform. Jorgen inherited his post from the man who raised him ... a man who was murdered at the hands of a poacher. When Jorgen and Odette meet at the Midsummer festival and share a connection during a dance, neither has any idea that they are already adversaries. The one man she wants is bound by duty to capture her; the one woman he loves is his cunning target . . .

What becomes of a forester who protects a notorious poacher? What becomes of a poacher when she is finally discovered?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Dickerson is an award-winning author who earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from The University of Alabama.

 She has taught in Georgia, Tennessee, Germany and the Eastern European country of Ukraine.

A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA), she now spends her time writing and taking care of her husband and two daughters near Huntsville, Alabama.



I received this book free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. 

CFBA: Rise and Shine by Sandra D. Bricker

Song Stuck on the Brain: Indescribable by Chris Tomlin

 



This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:   Rise and Shine River North; New Edition edition (May 1, 2014) by   Sandra D. Bricker


MY TAKE:

I love fairy tales - of all kinds - and you've probably figured that out by now. What can I say? There will always be the little girl inside who daydreams about the possibilities and romance. As an adult I find that not only do I still enjoy the romance and magic, but I appreciate the deeper, sometimes more allegorical aspects of the tales. Whether they're stories of caution, forgiveness, redemption, love - or all of the above. There is always a deeper story to be found underneath the fairies and magic mirrors.

Sandra D. Bricker caught my attention immediately with her latest Rise and Shine. How fun! A modern take on Sleeping Beauty! One of my favorite tales. Reading the back cover I wondered how she would balance such serious topics as coma, cancer and death with the upbeat and romantic side of the fairy tale. Would it be more depressing and not light hearted enough? Or would the coma and serious issues be glossed over too quickly to make way for the comedy and romance of a new relationship? Only way to find out was to give it try. Let's just say, she did an AMAZING job of balancing the story. I loved it! It was like finding that snack that's the perfect combo of salty and sweet.

Shannon is fun and quirky, but she also has a lot of memories and relationships to rebuild. Including her relationship with God. She struggles with her feelings of anger at losing her husband so soon and missing out on 10 years of her life, but like Job, God can bring new life to one that has been lost (Including a very sweet blood hound.)Discovering who she is now is an adventure.

I can't recommend this one enough. I loved it so much I went looking for what I soon discovered was book 1, If the Shoe Fits: A Contemporary Fairy Tale, a modern spin on Cinderella and Prince Charming. Just got it and can't wait to read it. You can get a free sample of If the Shoe Fits on Amazon.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Shannon Malone thought she'd found her happy ending when she married Edmund Ridgeway, but a diving accident on their honeymoon left her in a coma. Waking up to the news that she's thirty years old would have been daunting enough . . . but she also learns that Edmund has lost his interim battle with cancer and the world has marched on without her.

Her gorgeous doctor, Daniel Petros, seems to know everything about her and becomes Shannon's tour guide into a whole new world of madness where reality television has taken over the planet and everyone's life appears to revolve around a tiny screen on their cell phones!

As Shannon struggles to navigate through the changes-both in the world and in her-she also must discern real memories from imagined ones. Did she really ever wear Capri pants and entertain in her living room, or was that Laura Petrie from her favorite classic TV show? And where is her beloved dog, Freeway? Oh, wait! That was Jonathan and Jennifer Hart's dog, not hers.

Shannon's three elderly aunts flit through her life in true Sleeping Beauty style with her well-being always a priority. And Edmund's sister Millicent descends like the Evil Queen she is, trying to extract Shannon from any claim on the Ridgeway family fortune.

When a tornado moves through town and Shannon is knocked unconscious, will Daniel's kiss awaken her once and for all?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Rise and Shine, go HERE.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.

The author says that it was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer. "I'm a Christian woman, first and foremost," she says. "So it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch the Love Finds You line."

Sandie's real-life role as cancer survivor has parlayed into her steadfast commitment to raising awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research. Spearheading a series of devotionals for Summerside Press (such as the popular His Grace is Sufficient...Decaf is Not), the author has stipulated that a portion of each contributor's proceeds will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

"Being allowed to combine my faith and my humor with raising funds for my pet projects ... and still pursue my writing dream," says Bricker, "well, that's the best of all worlds, as far as I'm concerned!"

And one of the author's pet projects is animal rescue, evidenced by the special bond she has created with one particular formerly-abandoned puppy -- a red-haired collie with "killer brown eyes and the heart of the class clown."

Fairy Tales and More

Song Stuck on the Brain: Gray Squirrel, Gray Squirrel, swish your bushy tail....

I've been watching out my window and laughing at the squirrels in my yard all morning. They've been very playful.

I found something else quite cool while I was surfing the web. I'm a huge fan of kids fairy tale picture books. I love the artwork and collect a lot of them for the fun of looking at the art. I was browsing through Amazon.com, when I found a the book A Knock at the Door. It was originally a Internet video, but was such a huge success they created multiple products around it. I checked it out, and have to say, the art is AMAZING. I thought you all might enjoy it as well, so here's the link: A Knock at the Door.

If you do enjoy fairy tales, here's another fantastic idea: Go rent Penelope starring Christina Rici and James McAvoy. I watched it last night and fell in love with it. Really great story, and a strong message too. It made me feel so warm and fuzzy when it was over, and yet made me think a little more about how I perceive myself and others. Now there's a good combination!

Today, I'm off to spend more time writing, so wish me luck and lots of focus. Maybe I'll get something literary-ily worthwhile accomplished today. :)

Happy Wednesday!

A.

Lil' Miss Priss’s Fairy-Tale

Song Stuck on the Brain: Clumsy by Fergie

I just finished Magic and other Misdemeanors, book five in the Sisters Grimm series. I thought it was the last in the series. I'm both excited and frustrated to find that it is NOT. I love this series, and the book did not disappoint. However, now I'm left anxiously waiting for book SIX.

I decided to hop on over to the The Sisters Grimm website to see if I could find any info on the next book in the series. I didn't, but I did find other fun stuff. Like the Grimm Game. It's a Fairy Tale Generator. It was a lot of fun and my story turned out surprisingly cohesive. I thought I'd share it. Although, if you want to do your own, go play the game first and then come back and read mine so it doesn't ruin the story for you.

Enjoy!

A.

Lil' Miss Priss’s Fairy-Tale

Once upon a time there was a World Class Story Weaver named Lil' Miss Priss with the most beautiful eyebrow in the whole world. Unfortunately, she was very sad because her one heart’s desire was to have a Peppermint Ice Cream.

An old witch in her town named Angel the Magnificent told her that she could find a Peppermint Ice Cream at the top of Mount Eric Boy. Our hero was filled with hope so she went home and got Nunu, her pet elephant, and together they headed off into the forest below the mountain. The forest was dark and creepy and gave Lil' Miss Priss and Nunu the heebie-jeebies, and it wasn’t long before they both started hearing rustling noises. They were coming from a nearby holly bush. Before they could run away, a gruesome monster jumped out of the holly bush, nearly scaring them to death!

“I am the mighty Ichthiopius! If you wish to pass you must answer three questions,” it said.

“But we don’t have time,” Lil' Miss Priss cried. “We’re trying to get to the top of Mount Eric Boy.”

“Tough noogies to you,” Ichthiopius cried. “Answer my questions or go back home. First, could you fit a foil crown in your nose?”

“That’s a silly question!” Lil' Miss Priss said. “I guess I could if I had to!”

“Ha!” Ichthiopius laughed. “You’re right! You have a huge nose. Now, answer me this. How many cream filled long johns could you eat in one sitting?”

“Well, I don’t care much for cream filled long johns but if I had to I could probably eat 22.”

The monster laughed even harder. “What does your pet’s pinkie toe smell like.”

“I don’t know why you would care but it smells like anchovies.”

The monster realized our hero was honest and true and allowed her to pass. So, Lil' Miss Priss and Nunu went farther into the woods until they came to a clearing. There, on a pedestal sat a foil crown.

“Well, that’s weird,” Lil' Miss Priss said. “That monster was just talking about one of these. I suppose I should take it. It might be helpful later on, though I don’t know how.”

So Lil' Miss Priss and her trusty pet, Nunu, set off again and found themselves at the base of Mount Eric Boy. There they found a monkey bars and used it to scale the mountain. They struggled for 22 days and 19 nights. All the time they were attacked by giant wolves and enormous flying frosted sugar cookies with passionate purple tentacles and chartreuse earlobe. But, finally, they got to the top of the mountain. It was a good thing, too, because they were both ready to give up and go back home!

At the top of Mount Eric Boy was a huge lime green castle with a drawbridge. On the drawbridge was a big basket filled to the top with cream filled long johns. “Well, this is peculiar,” Lil' Miss Priss said. “I remember that lunatic monster in the woods was asking about these, just like he did about my nose and the foil crown. I guess I could take these with us in case they come in handy, but to be honest, I have no idea how they could be useful.” So she hoisted the basket onto Nunu’s back and together they went into the castle.

Once inside they found an ugly Gremlin, even more gruesome and smelly than the first monster. In fact, he smelled like cream filled long johns that had fallen under the seat of a hot car.

“I am the mighty Karen the Baker, King of the Goobers! I rule this castle and everything in it. I suppose you’ve come here because I have tons of Peppermint Ice Creams.”

Lil' Miss Priss nodded. “It’s my greatest wish to have a Peppermint Ice Cream.”

“Then you must show me something remarkable!” King Karen the Baker said.

Lil' Miss Priss was so angry she jiggled, but getting mad wasn’t going to solve her problems. She had to do something remarkable and the only thing she could think of was to stick her foil crown up her nose. So she did! It was totally disgusting, and Lil' Miss Priss looked like an idiot with the foil crown sticking out of her nostril, but the King of the Goobers applauded. “That is remarkable.”

“I’m glad you’re impressed,” our hero said. “Now may I have a Peppermint Ice Cream?”

“No!” the king roared. “To get that you must beat me in an eating contest! I hope you like cream filled long johns.” The king hurried Lil' Miss Priss into a dining room where a huge plate of piping hot cream filled long johns was waiting on a table.

“No one has ever eaten more of these than I have but if you can I’ll give you your heart’s desire.”

So, seeing that she had no choice, and being a bit hungry from climbing the mountain, our hero removed the basket from her pet’s back and dumped all the cream filled long johns onto the table. Together, she and the King ate and ate. They ate for 357 days and 19 nights. They even ate on Christmas, until the buttons popped off their pants. But, when it was all over, Lil' Miss Priss had eaten one more cream filled long johns than the King of the Goobers.

“I ate more than you,” our hero cried. “Now give me what I came for!”

“Absolutely not,” the king bellowed. “You cheated somehow. I won’t give it to you.”

Our hero was so angry she picked up her pet and shoved Nunu’s pinkie toe into the King’s face. The King screeched in horror.

“NO! I can’t stand the smell of elephant pinkie toe. It’s my only weakness!” And a moment later the King of the Goobers melted into pickle juice all over the floor. Lil' Miss Priss and Nunu were glad to be rid of him and searched the castle, finally finding the Peppermint Ice Cream! And since the castle was now abandoned they decided to live there, where they would never have to stick a foil crown up their nose or eat nasty old cream filled long johns again. And besides, they had no idea how to get back down the mountain.

And they lived happily ever after!

Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst

Song Stuck on the Brain: Take Me Out to the Ball Game

I love fairy tales. I'm addicted to them. So when I found Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst, I thought I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did, what a fun read.


What's on the Cover:

“Let me put it this way: when your mom cooks, she doesn’t have to close the doors to make sure the Gingerbread Men don’t run outside.”

Junior high is tough enough, even when your family is ordinary. And Julie Marchen’s family is
anything but ordinary: her brother is a talking cat, her grandmother is a bona fide witch, and her mother is Rapunzel.

Yep, that Rapunzel—long hair, tower, prince… Five hundred years ago, Rapunzel escaped the
fairy tale with her fellow storybook characters to live incognito in our world. But now Julie’s
world, our world, is about to change—the fairy tale wants its characters back.

Now Julie must fight wicked witches, avoid glass slippers, fly griffins, and outwit magicians in order to rescue her mom and save her town from becoming a fairy tale kingdom.

About the Author:

Sarah Beth Durst grew up in Northboro, MA, a town in central Massachusetts which (she claims) was temporarily transformed into a fairy tale kingdom for several days in 1986. These events later inspired her novel, Into the Wild, as well as her paralyzing fear of glass footwear.

Sarah has been writing fantasy stories since she was ten years old. She holds an English degree from Princeton University and currently resides in Stony Brook, NY, with her husband and daughter.

What Others Have Said:

“Into the Wild is VERY cool, with a unique look at the great fairytale characters. I couldn’t put it down until I discovered how this brave, extraordinary girl could face such powerful magic!” --Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of Terrier (Beka Cooper) and The Will of the Empress

“Sarah Beth Durst’s Into the Wild is fabulous in the oldest, truest, and best sense of the word,
harking back to fables, wonder, and magic unleashed. It’s bold, sassy, and utterly engaging. I can’t wait to see what she does next!” -- Bruce Coville, author of The Unicorn Chronicles and Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

My Take:

How's that for a new twist on the fairy tale? It reminded me a little bit of Michael Buckley's Sister's Grimm series. Fairy tale characters living in the real world under new identities. The creative twist that seperates the two series, is the Wild. A living, intelligent, plant-like magical creature that controls the fairy tale characters. For years it's been living under Julie's bed, but one ill-chosen wish sets it free and it grows at an alarming rate, sucking in fairy tale and non-fairy tale people to fill it's stories. It really was a rather insidious and sinister twist.

The cleverness of both Sarah Beth's story telling and her character Julie's actions, is in their breadth of knowledge about fairy tales. They know them all, and use each one to maximum impact. Julie is a brave kid and the only one capable of entering the Wild to save her family. She knows the Wild's tricks and the stories it employs to trap it's victims. I enjoyed tracking the clues to discover what story Julie was entering.

The book is geared more for a younger audience, 10 years and up, but I found that it didn't really matter to me. It's a book for the young at heart, regardless of the reader's age.

I'm really fortunate, that Sarah Beth made contact with me through our My Space pages. Without that, I might have missed out on this book and that would have been a shame.

Just to prove what a fun and friendly author she is, she allowed me to pick her brain.

Interview With the Author:

A: Into the Wild is such a creative, imaginative story. What was your inspiration for Julie's story?

SBD: I have always loved fairy tales. The dark original Grimm’s tales, the watered-down "for children" illustrated tales, the fractured fairy tales, the retold-in-novel-form tales, the only-vaguely-resembling-the-original tales... I love them all. Just give me a talking cat, a magic mirror, and/or a pair of glass slippers, and I'm happy. So it was really only natural that my debut novel, INTO THE WILD, would involve fairy tales.

The original idea came from wondering what it would be like to meet fairy-tale characters outside of the fairy tale. What would they do if they lived here and now? Obviously, Rapunzel would own a hair salon, Cinderella would drive an orange car, and the Singing Harp from Jack and the Beanstalk would appear every Saturday night at the local bar to sing karaoke. All very nice, but what would happen if the fairy tale wanted its characters back?

A: Do you have a favorite character in the book? If so, who is it and why?

SBD: I love them all. I even love some characters that I cut many drafts ago. But if I had to choose... Maybe Gothel. Gothel is Julie's beloved grandmother. She used to be the wicked witch of fairy tales, a fact which she both enjoys and hates. I love her because she has risen above her fate. She was created to be the wicked witch, but by sheer force of will, she has changed herself. One of the lines that describes her is actually one of my favorite sentences in the book: "She looked like an innocent elderly lady – and in point of fact, she hadn’t boiled a child in years."

A: Who in the story do you most identify with? Who do you least identify with?

SBD: I think I identify the most with Gillian, Julie's best friend. While Julie and her fairy-tale family fear and hate the return of the world of fairy tales (the Wild), Gillian's reaction is, "That's so awesome!!!" I would totally react like Gillian. And then a wolf would eat me or something.

I identify the least with... I really don't know. Of all the characters, I think the seven dwarves would least identify with me. They'd say that I haven't had the benefit of a proper forest education and that I don't keep my house nearly as clean as their beloved Snow would.

A: If you were trapped in the Wild, what story would your story be?

SBD: I hope it would be Beauty and the Beast because that's pretty much the only fairy tale where nothing too awful happens. Imagine being stuck as Cinderella: yes, there's the ten minutes of happy dancing with the Prince but the rest of your life is drudgery. Or Sleeping Beauty: lots and lots of napping. Or worse, what if you were trapped in the role of the witch in Hansel and Gretel and were shoved into an oven? Or the queen in Snow White, forced to dance to death in red-hot iron shoes (or fall off a cliff, if you want to go with the Disney variant)? There really aren't many nice fairy tales out there. At most, you get a few minutes of "happily ever after" at the end, but the bulk of it... You really don't want to be trapped in a fairy tale. Trust me.

A: What are your future writing plans? Any more books in the works?

SBD: I am currently working on the sequel to INTO THE WILD. It's called OUT OF THE WILD, and it will be out from Penguin (under the Razorbill imprint) next summer. After that... I intend to keep writing books for as long as my fingers can type. It's quite simply what I want to do with my life.

Thank you, Sarah Beth for sharing! I look forward to the next book. If you would like to contact Ms. Durst, you can visit her at the following sites:

Web: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/
Blog: http://sarahbethdurst.blogspot.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/sarahbethdurst

A.