Author Guest Post: Candice Gilmer and Fairy Tales Going Adult?

 First off, I want to thank Kate for letting me post on her blog today. I’m very excited to be here.

And with the release of my new story, Rescuing Rapunzel, with Lyrical Press, I find that I’m one of many authors coming out with erotic or at the very least, more adult versions of classic fairy tales. 

For myself, the reason I wrote Rescuing Rapunzel was because as I was reading the original story in Grimm’s Fairy Tales with my daughter (who was 8 at the time), my imagination began to wander.

While the original story remained appropriately vague, it spoke of a man coming to Rapunzel’s tower every day, and then, when Gothel discovers this, not only is Rapunzel pregnant with the man’s child, the man claims that they are married.

Which made me wonder, what was going on every day in the tower? How does a total stranger wind up seducing and marrying a girl trapped in a tower?

Or the other fairy tales? Like what really happened when Cinderella and the prince were in the gardens during the balls. (In the original Grimm’s tale, Cinderella went to three balls, not just the one.) Or when the princess kissed the frog in her room, and he turned back into a man?

The possibilities are endless, and leave much to the imagination. And romance writers always have been very imaginative.

I know I had a lot of fun imagining what exactly Rapunzel did, all alone in her tower, with Nick.

Here’s one of my favorite exchanges between Nick and Rapunzel, whom he calls Tressey:

“Are you cold, Rapunzel?” Nick’s voice was deeper and more resonating than before. I could not explain it, but those few words sent more shivers through me, and I wrapped my arms around my body. I was not sure if it was cold, but the expression on his face certainly made me feel exposed.

He stood directly in front of me. “Tressey,” he whispered, sending another shiver through me.

Everything in the room seemed magnified--the shadows darker, the light even brighter. The crackle of the fire louder than usual. The air, suddenly thick and heavy with anticipation.

Nick put his hands on my shoulders and the heat burned my skin, sending pulses through my body.

Rising to meet him, I tipped my head to see his expression, a mix of emotions that I did not understand--both caring and sadness hiding in his eyes. His gaze traveled down my face to my throat. So intense, it felt physical. His breath dusted my skin. His mouth opened, just slightly.

My lip quivered.

Nick leaned closer. My heart hammered in my chest and I knew not what to do. I was rooted to the spot, unsure if I should move or stay still. He stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, and it seemed his touch sparked my skin to flames.

Words burned behind his eyes, so powerful, I could feel them, yet I knew not what they were. I opened my mouth to ask, but he closed my lips with a brush of his finger.

“I have…”

I reached for him, wrapping my arms around his neck. Thunder roared through me as I held him, staring into his eyes. As close as we were, he could not hide his torment.

“Please,” I said, though I knew not what I asked for, except that I craved touching him, if only to ease his burden, to soften the worry that marred his brow. “How can I make it better?”

His forehead touched mine. “I cannot bear to think of you trapped here, Tressey, but I also cannot force you to leave. I will come to you, every day for the rest of my life, if that is what it takes to convince you.”

I stood on my toes, pressing my lips to his.

He let out a groan, and when his lips moved against mine the most delicious sensation rippled through me. The first kiss we shared was nothing like this. It seemed chaste and barren in comparison. I started to sway, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me tight against his body. My breath was stolen by the beauty of this warmth against me.

I held onto his shoulders, looping my arm high around his neck. Running my fingers through his hair, I marveled at the texture, so smooth and silky it felt as fine as the most delicate silk.

Nick’s mouth opened, teasing my lips. He pulled me harder against him, letting out another moan as my hips crashed into his.

I pulled back, afraid I had somehow hurt him. “Are--”

He stopped my words with his mouth, running the tip of his tongue over my lips. A sigh escaped me and I sagged against him. With his hand on my jaw, he tilted my head to the side and dipped his tongue into my mouth.

Fire burned through my body as the kiss deepened, until I thought I might explode.

Nick slid one of his hands along my back, the other caressed my waist, and I sighed as he slipped his lips off mine to touch my jaw, to slide over my throat. I groaned as his kisses sent more lightning through my body, bringing every sense to life. My knees began to buckle, but he held me firm against him and did not let me fall.

“Nick,” I whispered, my voice sounding husky and strange to me.

“My Tressey,” he murmured against my throat.

Bio:

Candice Gilmer leads a dangerous double life as a mommy and a writer. In between diaper changes and boo-boo healing, she writes stories usually to the tune of children’s television shows. 

Growing up in the Midwest, Candice stays close to her family, especially the ones with basements when the tornadoes come around. She also works as a hairdresser, which she’s done for over fifteen years, and brings her laptop to work so she can write between clients.

When she’s not writing, styling hair and taking care of her family, she gets together with her girlfriends for gossip and coffee while her husband hunts ghosts with Wichita Paranormal Research Society.  All in all, she stays very busy, but really, she wouldn’t have it any other way.  

Well, maybe a little less children’s television. 

You can find Candice at: 

Website: http://candicegilmer.com

Blog: http://candicegilmer.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candice-Gilmer/96543284794

Twitter: http://twitter.com/candicegilmer

Available for $5.99 at Lyrical Press

Synopsis: The Charming Nobles Book 1

Getting Rapunzel out the tower is only half the problem...

Rapunzel longs to live in the world she sees through her window, but more than her tower keeps her trapped. Her mother has taught her obedience without question and filled her with fear. She knows she will never reach the ground. Then Lord Nicolas von Hohburg scales her wall, breaks into her life, and changes everything.

Nick has resigned himself to a life of duty when Rapunzel's song calls him to her tower. Soon she has his heart wrapped in her lengthy tresses and he can think of nothing else. But his responsibilities and sense of duty threaten to come between them...

Warning: A scheming witch, a damsel in distress and a Charming Noble who just might save the day.