Fables and Fairy Tales

Once Upon a Time…

What is it about this phrase that captivates our collective consciousness? We all love a fairy tale. Yes, guys you can admit it. We are all friends here. Is it the happily ever after ending? Surely it isn’t Prince Charming or the kiss that leads to bliss. Is it the thought of living with seven little men in the woods? No, it’s none of these, is it? We can make our own happy ending; we no longer need anyone to do it for us. As for the Big Bad Wolf, we can be the Big, Bad Cougar if we so choose, so why the enduring charm of the fairy tale? At this most magical time of the year, let’s take a moment to try and understand the mystique of the simple fairy tale. Those parables, myths, fables and legends which stay within our culture and bring meaning to us.

Why do these stories bewitch and enchant us? They are the same tales, retold and revised. From Cinderella to Snow White remixed into Beauty and the Beast and Pretty Woman. We watch cartoons, read books and comic books, watch movies, the children’s books evolve into the grown-up versions, and we still watch the movies, read the books and continue to love them. A sad, ugly little girl gets a chance to spend one night away from their usual humdrum existence. Let’s say she gets to stay out late, leaving a shoe behind, because she wants to get home before she gets caught…before the spell is broken.

Exactly what is it that resonates within us to make a story like this timeless? It is because we are that sad, ugly, scared little child. At one point in our lives, we have all been waiting for someone to notice how very special we are, behind those braces on our teeth and thick glasses. Fairy tales are our broken experiences- that is why they are classics. The stories continue to swirl and develop around us as we grow. As we break and mend, the stories do the same. They give us something to believe in, something bigger than ourselves.

Be strong.

Believe.

Find the beauty within.

Love.

Cinderella isn’t the only tale that charms us. The non-fiction story of Anne Boleyn intrigues to this day because Anne, as a young girl who wasn’t considered beautiful, still captured the heart of a king and changed the destiny of a nation and history itself, all for love. Although the story of Anne Boleyn had a tragic ending during her lifetime, the romantic concept remains with us to this day and has made her story with Henry VIII immortal, a love that time cannot erase.

Consider how many different ways stories like The Wizard of Oz, Snow White, Romeo and Juliet, Batman, Superman lure us…they all teach us lessons of right and wrong. The stories are rewoven, retold over the years. How do fairy tales stay popular for so long? We fill in the gaps with ourselves, and as our culture changes, we bring our stories with us. Each generation brings its insight, concepts and ideas into the paradigm. Thus has it ever been throughout the human experience. On a cultural level, we adapt as our society reinvents itself. Hence, the continuing popularity.

Sleeping Beauty awakens at the right moment.

Superman fights for truth and goodness.

Romeo and Juliet remind us that there is a love so bright, life itself becomes dim in comparison.

Fairy tales break the key rules of character development. With their quirks and strange nuances, the characters of fairy tales are one dimensional, when reading the traditional versions. The same could be said for many of our most retold stories. We project ourselves into the stories as a method of filling in the missing pieces. It is a process of identification…self-identification that brings the stories to life.

Could this be the attraction? When a character and a story gives us spaces, we fill them with our imaginations? With so much to explore, there’s no end to the possibilities, are there? The end results are personal and compelling.

If the ugly duckling can become a swan and the lonely child can grow up to conquer the world, anything can happen. Does the secret lie in the fact that we all want to believe in the magic of possibilities? We believe deep within ourselves that dreams can come true?

We continue to immerse ourselves in fictional, mystical realms filled with magical people and evocative fantasies, even if the story reflects a contemporary setting. Many yarns continue to enchant, no matter how often we spin them anew.

What story captures your imagination every time it is retold?

Fables of the Reconstruction - A Whole New Genre

  

The reviews are coming in and readers are finding Fables of the Reconstruction original and intelligent.

Reviews from Fables of the Reconstruction (Kindle Edition)


5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual, December 30, 2012
By James - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Fables of the Reconstruction (Kindle Edition)
The author has written an unusual story that absorbs the reader and is one of those 'can't put down' books.

Fresh and Unique! December 1, 2012

By Regina Mitchell

I started reading this book as a recommendation from a friend and am so glad I did. Hunter S. Jones takes the erotica genre and mixes it with zombie horror. It's exciting, fresh, and extremely steamy!

I never would have thought of zombies as sexual beings, but in Fables of the Reconstruction all things are possible. I loved how the author combined the idea of voodoo zombies with horror film zombies and created a whole new sexual monster. Back up vampires! Zombies are the new thing!

I highly recommend this book to other lovers of both erotica and horror. The writing is so smooth and the book is filled with non-stop action. You won't want to put this one down for a second! Very well done!

5.0 out of 5 stars A Whole New Genre? October 27, 2012

By Beth H. 

Fables of the Reconstruction is an original and fascinating tale told from several perspectives, taking place during the time of Jack the Ripper. Author Hunter Jones offers an alternate recipe for turning the alive to the undead, in this extremely erotic novella. This is certainly a book intended for adults, but the writing is solid and intelligent, and the story interesting, particularly within the context of Whitechapel and the era represented. I recommend Fables for any fan of zombie fiction, historical romance, erotica, and just plain fun (adult) reading!

Musician Gerg Anidem of UNIR1 Empower Radio says Fables of the Reconstruction is "Erotic, Exotic and Hypnotic!"

It's called "Original"-"Psychedelic"-"Racy"

Buy it now - only on Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SCXVMK/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_w0tHqb0PVYPFZ

Lucy Felthouse - When the Whip Comes Down

Please join me in welcoming the fabulous Empress of Erotica - Lucy Felthouse!

Lucy, it is my pleasure having you join me in Exile today. How are you?  What have you been up to lately? 

Why don't we begin by you introducing yourself in 50 words or less. 

I'm an erotica and erotic romance writer from the UK. I'm with several publishers and write in several sub-genres and pairings – and it's great fun!

What books are you currently reading? Who are your favorite authors?

I'm currently reading Eighty Days Red by Vina Jackson. My favourite authors in erotica and erotic romance include Portia Da Costa, Saskia Walker, Janine Ashbless, and many, many more. I discover new favourites all the time!

What inspires you to create?

My imagination, I guess! The more I write and get published, the more I want to write and get published. Also hot guys are pretty inspirational—I tend to write my celebrity crushes into my books.

Didn't you get into writing erotica because of a dare?

I sure did! It was when I was at University. I decided to do a Creative Writing degree because when I left college I still had no idea what I wanted to do as a career, so I thought I'd buy  myself three more years to decide. When I was there, I was sitting around the dinner table with a group of friends. I don't remember the exact conversation, but I suspect it must have been quite dirty because it spurred one of my friends on to make a comment that I should try writing erotic fiction. I laughed it off to begin with, but then he dared me to do it, so I couldn't say no, then! The rest is history!

What lead to the creation of the book we're discussing today?

I'd wanted to write for Ellora's Cave for a long time, so when I saw that they were launching a range for men – Ellora's Cave for Men – it spurred me on to have a think about aiming at that range to start with, then hopefully to write other things for them. I like writing from the male perspective, and I had a good think about what I could write that would be suitable for men, utilising their fantasies, etc. I came up with the idea of a young man on his gap year, having all sorts of sexual adventures. And that's where it all started. A Taste of London just released, and I can't wait to see what readers think. Also, there's no reason why women shouldn't read it, too, if they enjoy hard erotica.

Do you have more planned? Is this book part of a series?

Yes, this is the first book in a series. Each one will be set in a different place that the lead character, Ryan Stonebridge, visits on his gap year. After London, he visits Paris, then Rome. After that... who knows? You'll have to wait and see! J

Any plans to be in Atlanta soon?

I'm afraid not. If my books start to sell really well and make me lots of money, then I'll definitely go travelling. And if I end up in Atlanta, I'll be the one trying to sneak onto the set of The Vampire Diaries in order to seduce Ian Somerhalder...

Thanks so much for having me here, I appreciate it! And thanks to those who have stopped by J

*****

Ryan Stonebridge and his friend Kristian Hurst are heading off on the trip of a lifetime. They’re spending their gap year traveling the world and expect lots of sun, sights and sex. The guys have a couple of days in the English capital before catching the Eurostar to Paris. Unfortunately, a family emergency means that Kristian has to head back home for a while, leaving Ryan to continue the trip alone.

Luckily for Ryan, he’s an attractive guy and there is no shortage of gorgeous women available to help take his mind off Kristian’s family drama.

More info, excerpt and buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/a-taste-of-london/

*****

Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Decadent Publishing, Ellora's Cave, Evernight Publishing, House of Erotica, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour, Seducing the Myth, Smut by the Sea and Smut in the City. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Exile on Peachtree Street

It has been one week since my ankle surgery. My real life remains mine, so I won’t tell you what the exact surgery was, however I will share with you that it wasn’t for anything life threatening-just life style threatening. And, now all the good drugs are gone…well the opioids at least. I will be confined to our condo for at least six more weeks. So, here I am, right in the middle of Hotlanta, and I can’t go anywhere.  It will probably be four months before I can actually begin anything close to what was once my normal life. The doctor says it will be a year before I return to normal activities. Whatever that means…

What these last few weeks since the accident have given me is the opportunity to create, which is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. I have always written something, anything for anyone interested in publishing my stories. It just wasn’t my career. Now, I have the unique opportunity to explore through words what has always been lurking in the murky depths of my subconscious. I had absolutely no idea that I was so sick and twisted. I am one sick pup and it is great fun! Let’s just say I have been influenced by Anne Rice and Edgar Allan Poe much more so than Margaret Mitchell. I probably listened to a band called The Cramps a bit too much when I was a kid, too. Having a family cemetery probably figures in there somewhere, as well. But, those are all stories for another day!

One avenue I have been able to explore during my ‘Exile on Peachtree Street’ has been the world of the indie writers. Having spent the years of my incredible, folly filled youth in Nashville, I have long been accustomed to the camaraderie of the indie music scene. Now, I have discovered that the indie writer’s scene is just as creative and supportive as our musically inclined indie friend’s community. The outpouring and encouragement I have received to write anything, with no line being drawn on my creative sand, and without anyone messing in my creative sandbox, has been nothing short of a revelation, a veritable epiphany after my time spent in corporate America. The same concept applies with Facebook. I am enjoying my new found friends and I am truly amazed at the guidance and encouragement offered. It’s remarkable how creative a person can become when there are no guidelines.

One fun thing that has happened this week is my adventure into the world of Twitter. First warning, a person with ADD who is on opioids should never, never, ever, never, ever, ever go on Twitter. However, this little journey has landed me almost 1000 new friends in less than one week. Let’s just say, I appear to be famous among German rock bands, so a least someone understands me! (It really just reinforces my belief that women should connect with men that do not speak the same language, since men never seem to understand what we are saying anyway.) There again is another story for another day…So back to Twitter, the support of indie writers and publishers has been over whelming. It’s a beautiful thing. It really is. The writing community seems to understand, as do our indie alternative music friends, that name recognition is the first name of the game. It’s been a fun week on Twitter, and one that has made me laugh through an otherwise excruciatingly painful week.  Now, I just have to figure out what a Shout Team is, how I got on one, and how to share in German.. That should be easy enough. Gawd…

Anyway, by Halloween I should have my first three short stories available. Who knows, maybe if I listen to Lux Interior sing ‘Life is short, filled with stuff, don’t know what for…’ one more time, I may have the book completed by Halloween…that is, if I can get off Twitter long enough to actually write something!

Stay tuned for the next exciting update and enjoy the August Blue Moon...oh, thank you for taking the time to read my first official blog.

Cheers y’all!

Hunter S. Jones