First Five Pages Syndrome

Hello FF Readers!I'm currently neck deep in rewrites, so pardon the short post.We’ve come to that time of year (which has become more and more nebulous) when TV shows make a last bid for our attention. Quite a few of those shows are in their freshman run and are competing with a huge field to get noticed. By consequence too many of these shows suffer from what I call First Five Pages Syndrome.Writers know that this is the mythical time it takes a reader to pick up a book and decide whether or not they intend to finish it. So, writers try with near maniacal precision to craft the perfect opening—five pages worth—to entice a reader to keep reading. As a writer I find this beyond stressful. As a reader, I feel like the first five pages are condescending. I give a book considerably more than five pages before I abandon it.TV shows do the same thing. They try to accomplish in one episode what used to take a whole season. It makes it feel hurried and overstuffed, like a badly made sausage. It’s something I keep in mind while I wade through another round of edits. Good stories are good stories and writers have to trust they’ll find the right readers.

Believing your own hype--like a tailor

Being a writer is hard.I know everyone says that, but it's like parenting--you don't know how hard it's going to be until you're in the trenches, slogging through it all.It turns out writing and rewriting (and rewriting, and rewriting...) is actually the easy part. Especially if you hold to the rule that you should write something you'd want to read. That's freeing, empowering. But it doesn't end there, does it? Not if you want to get your work out there. Now you have to be brave and send it out to PEOPLE! You know, the kind that can take your precious baby and declare that it's ugly.Or they could love it, wouldn't that be a kick in the head?But the trick is, you don't know until you put yourself out there and say, "Here's my work" or "Have at it". Either way you're opening yourself up to possibilities, good or bad, and that kind of vulnerability is scary.So, dear readers, dare I ask it? Is there something to glean from fairy tales? Yes, I was skeptical too, but go with me here...There's a story called The Brave Little Tailor who, on the strength of killing seven flies who dared to buzz about his breakfast, decides he can slay giants, catch unicorns, fell wild boars, and become a king. And he does it! Okay, he doesn't actually do any of it, but he's clever and lucky.  Just like that, he believes in his own hype and rises to every occasion despite being just a little tailor. He was brave. He was a boss.That's what I love and hate about blogging. There's no rewriting, no second-guessing (okay, maybe a little...) just writing and sending it out into the world. But then there's the waiting and wondering if you've reached anyone.Until you do, you have to just believe in your own hype. I AM A WRITER! :)

Admitted--Not Accepted

Here’s a weird thought. Have you ever had that moment when someone makes it clear that although you’ve been admitted, it does not mean you’ve been accepted? It made me think about Cinderella.After Cinderella was found by the prince and then he married her, what happened next? She was, for all intents and purposes, a scullery maid who spent the better part of her life subservient to others. She may have been beautiful and good, but was she ready for a world that was not her own?It turns out there are many versions of this story as far back as Ancient Greece and exist outside of Europe. The story is essentially the same, with a widower and father remarrying a woman with daughters of her own who supplant the widower’s daughter. She, in turn is mistreated and maligned until a prince comes with some footwear from the lost and found and takes her as his wife. Happily ever after ensues.Or does it? A mysterious woman captures the prince’s imagination (and allegedly his heart) and he marries her into a royal household. Do they accept her? I keep thinking of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her speech to Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice:“…for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you willfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be slighted, and despised, by everyone connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us.”Was such a speech given to Cinderella when she first arrived at the palace? I’d like to think she was able to push back as Lizzy Bennet did, but Cinderella’s story was all about how good and compliant she was—not a firebrand. Did she accept her new lot—the same as her old one with better clothes—just as passively?We’ll never know what happily ever after looked like to Cinderella and her prince; we can only speculate. My only hope is that when any of us is confronted with situations in which we’re admitted, but not accepted we can say as calmly and coolly as Lizzy Bennet:“I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.”

Author-versary

Last week a fellow writer and blogger celebrated her first year as a published author. I thought it was an amazing idea and wrote in her comments how much I lamented not having done the same. Not the post, but the celebrating. When you’re an indie author, work can be a bit of a slog. Everyday is an opportunity for a hundred and one things that will get your books noticed. Writing book two, getting book bloggers interested in reviews, posting news about your journey, fostering community with other indie writers. The list goes on and on and it never feels like you’re doing enough.Except we do.Do you know how many people tell me how amazing it is I’ve written books and published them, and I just shrug it off? About as many people who say they want to write a book too and never get around to it. And yet, I’m always reluctant to trumpet the successes. It’s a pity.So, I want to thank Azaaa Davis, author of the Demon Hunter book series for reminding me to celebrate. And now I’m going to remember to mark my author-versay (I really hope I make that catch on) from now on.Are you celebrating any writing milestones? #Authorversary

Formula: The Sequel or Comfort Mind Food

Last week I wrote about Hallmark Movies and their tendency to be formulaic. And I don’t think formula's are always a bad thing. But there was a time when my literary snobbery got in the way of a good time.As a teenager I flirted with a certain author’s romance stories that would be considered formulaic—perfect miniseries material. I knew the heroine inevitably lost her money, title, etc. and for three nights she’d be put through the wringer with at least three marriages, a manor house destroyed and end with one of her wayward children returning to the fold just in time to see her mother’s business venture take off.But I wouldn’t read the books. I considered them predictable and banal, but I didn’t mind them being made-for-tv catnip. Fifteen-year-old me would act above reading it, but thirty-eight-year-old me would paraphrase James Carville and yell, “It’s a story, stupid. Just embrace it.”All stories have a formula—its’ how we get comfortable with the insane amount of drama and danger we convince ourselves is okay to enjoy instead of worrying that we may be sociopaths. Except when we like the formula, we call is a writer’s “distinctive voice”. When we don’t like it, we say it’s predictable. I have a few authors that I read because I know exactly what to expect from their books. They’re my comfort food for the mind. #ComfortMindFoodDo you think the Grimm Brothers sat around worrying that the stories they’d collected had more than a few that sounded eerily similar? No and we still read and adapt those stories to this day. My point being today’s formulaic story could be tomorrow’s classic.

Hallmark Movie Drinking Game ©

The worst kept secret in fairy tales is that they conform to a formula. There’s something comforting in that, if a bit predictable. A modern-day equivalent is a Hallmark movie. They are predictable and comfortable, like worn-in shoes. Not great, not bad—just a pleasant way to spend an afternoon (or a holiday season). A bit of warmth when the world feels distinctly chilly. And this isn’t a dig. I have a strange and abiding love for Hallmark movies despite their slow, if well-intentioned, move to include diverse representation (a post for another day).But I think they could be even better, or better yet, interactive. Remember drinking games from college? What better way to pass the time (hopefully with friends and loved ones) than a nice day with soppy romances and a few shot glasses?For those who don’t do shots, sips of wine work just as well! And for those who don't imbibe, chocolate pieces are a nice alternative![gallery ids="805,806,807" type="rectangular"]Here’s my game:Part I. Challenge shots—this is where you make predictions based on the title and picture. If you win the prediction, you choose who takes a shot.Part II. Shots taken based on the action in the movie and are pretty self-explanatoryPart III. Edition Additions—for subset of movies like holidays or ones regarding royalty.

• Challenge shot: if you can guess the setback for hour 1:40*
• Challenge shot: if protag is trying to live up to a deceased parent
• Challenge shot: one each for every MWD** sighting
• Challenge shot: guess if a piece of handiwork or a baked good brings the couple together

• 1 shot for the meet-cute
• 1 shot for the scene that shows a woman who is overworked and awaiting a much-deserved promotion (1 extra if someone else is undermining her; 1 extra shot if that person will be her love interest; 2 extras if both are shown in the same scene)
• 1 shot for Cleaning*** moment (challenge shot if you know who will clean whom; another challenge if you know what will be cleaned off)
• 1 shot for the almost kiss (challenge if you know what/who will interrupt it)
• 1 shot each time a Type A lets go because of love interest
• 1 shot each time the SBF**** reminds the protag she needs to get a man
• 1 shot each time the love interest tells the protag to relax, slow down, etc.
• 1 shot each time someone’s “city-ness” is commented on by love interest
• 1 shot for stock shots of major cities in which the characters are never found

 Holiday Edition Additions

• (HE) 1 shot for each product placement; 2 if it’s specifically for Christmas
• (HE) 1 shot for each Santa sighting
• (HE) 1 shot for Happy, the Hallmark rescue dog, is on screen

 Royal Edition Additions

• (RE) 1 shot for royal reveal
• (RE) 1 shot for royal “down to earth” stories
• (RE) 1 shot for each “American-ness” comments by disapproving parent

Wedding Edition Additions

• (WE) 1 shot for each wedding setback
• (WE) 1 shot if the main wedding spawns another wedding/engagement
• (WE) 1 shot each time a family member laments the single status of the protagonist

In the end, no matter how much may say otherwise, a Hallmark movie is all we really need for a good time. ¡Salud! *The incident that causes the last-minute wrench in the romance**Minority Window Dressing: visible, but voiceless; usually found in large scenes, like weddings, coffee shops, etc.*** The Cleaning moment is the first time the protag and love interest touch because someone has something on their face or in their hair. The two lock eyes and then turn away, embarrassed.****Sassy Best Friend 

The Elusive Ooh

Writers are some of the best readers. Many of the same traits that make a good writer are cultivated by good readers. Attention to detail. Love of a good story. Ability to suspend disbelief. But there's a fourth thing that I've only ever experienced as a writer.I've been working on my second novel and the moments that give me the most agita are when I know where something starts and where I need to go, but not how to get there. A plot point will irked me for days, even weeks because I can't figure out how it fits into the larger whole.And then it happens. I poke and prod and reshape and then I find my way from A to C. I find B. I call it the elusive ooh. I call it that because it's usually what I say when I finally crack the code. Kind of like that moment in a fairy tale when it all turns around for the protagonist.It happened when I was thinking about what to post today. I mentally searched my catalog of fairy tales and folk stories, thinking of ways to connect it to my editing woes and then... Ooh, I could just write about my editing woes. Or better yet, how I overcome them.

Fairy Tale Ambitions

I’ve been thinking about ambition lately. Wishes, yearnings, desires. It all sounds very intimate. Ambition is all about what we want deep down inside and work toward. We all have them, don’t we?Here’s where Snow White lost me. After escaping a death sentence because the queen’s servant takes pity on her and finding shelter with the dwarves, she sits back and cleans house.Cinderella lost me when she discovered her mother’s grave granted wishes asks for a dresses to go to a ball.The Sleeping Beauty, Briar Rose, barely wakes up and sees her family before they marry her to the who, according to the story, just happened to kiss her when the curse was weakening anyway.What they all have in common is ambition, or the lack thereof. Princesses (or in the case of Cinderella, aspiring princesses) hardly ever want anything aside from the essential. But given the power they could wield, they choose instead to be martyrs.Snow White could have easily told her story to the dwarves and at the end asked them to help overthrow her evil stepmother (who, if had resorted to killing children to be called the most beautiful must have been engaging in other nefarious endeavors). Cinderella could have asked for an escape route, money to fend for herself or if you want to get truly dark, a potion to rid herself of the evil women in her house. Briar Rose should have walked away—a hundred years under a spell and I’m sure she wanted to see something of the world before being tied down.Shouldn’t princesses dream of being queens? Queens seek power, respect (and yes some go the fear route), and to be more than they are. That’s not a bad thing. Ambition is part of human nature. What does that mean for fairy tale princesses?

Deadlines in the World of Make Believe

Fairy tales love deadlines. Midnight curfews. Seasonal mandates. Royal decrees with an expiration date. It ramps up the drama to know that not only does a protag have an obstacle to overcome, but there’s also a clock on when it must be completed. Readers love that.You know who doesn’t love it? Writers. We put our characters through the ringer, but nothing compares to the rollercoaster of meeting a deadline—especially when you’re an indie pub author. Deadlines are yours to control and without external forces demanding you meet them; they can become ephemeral. Empty. Pointless. It takes an extraordinary amount of discipline to keep to a self-imposed deadline. And sometimes we fall short.I know I did. I expected to return to my blogging within a month. Three months later I’m finally climbing out of my book edits. And I’m not done, but I realized that being a part of this community was something I missed. Not the deadlines for posting! I did, however, miss interacting with fellow writers and bloggers. But to avoid ramping up the drama in my life, I’ll be kinder to myself with deadlines and post every other week—at least until I finish edits for book two in my Enchanted Path series, A Noble’s Path.And thanks to those of you who kept reading even when I wasn’t writing.

A Brief Return

First things first: I'm not done with the manuscript of A Noble's Path: Book 2 in my Enchanted Path series. I am about 2/3 of the way done and would likely move faster if it wasn't turning into some Choose Your Own Adventure, where I write a chapter followed by two versions of what would happen next. Needless to say editing will be "fun".I'm also here to let you know that I do intend to come back to both my blogging and tweeting, but not before I finish my draft. I can almost deal with having to do non-writer things (like feed myself, raise my daughter, walk the dog and spend time with my husband) and writing my book at the same time. However, trying to write a draft while also meeting blogging deadlines, participating in Twitter and the like is just to many streams and not enough boats. I have high hopes for a return by the end of the month.In the meantime, I had a wonderful surprise awaiting me. My first book, A Smuggler's Path, has been given a B.R.A.G. Medallion by indieBRAG. I know indie publication is a slow slog through the desert, but it's nice when there's an oasis in sight. Check out their website and to my fellow indie authors, consider submitting your work for a medallion!

Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rip Van Winkle and Me

Fairy tales and folklore have a tradition of putting protagonists in comas. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Rip Van Winkle are only a few examples of letting things cool down while the main character takes a prolonged nap. Evil queens are dispatched. Curses are lifted and generally life goes on. It changes the trajectory of the story, like painting oneself out of a corner.Snow White and the Evil Queen could have gone on like that indefinitely.How long could Sleeping Beauty avoid new clothes and spinning wheels?And Rip's laziness wasn't going to make much of a story if it didn't lead to something.Writers do the same thing. When I get stuck on a story, I work on another story until I feel refreshed enough to get back to the old story. I know other writers who go on retreats or put their work away for a prolonged period of time, hoping distance will give them a fresh look.Well, I'm currently stuck in a marketing spiral. I've written about this before, but I've decided to take drastic measures. With book 2 in my Enchanted Path series due before the end of the year, I need to concentrate on it exclusively for the next month. I'm proud that I've been able to post every Tuesday for almost a year and intend to continue.But for now, I need to unplug from social media and blogging. I'm taking a month and a half off to get a better handle on my new draft of A Noble's Path.I'll return in time for the anniversary of my return to the blogosphere with all new insights about fairy tales. 

Fairy Tale Travel

Besides reading, my favorite hobby is travel. I love seeing new places, visiting old ones, learning about history, culture, and I’ll own it, Disney World too. No shame here! Recently I took a trip to Ireland.For me, vacations are a departure from the everyday when it’s all about enjoyment and adventure. Maybe it explains my love of literature and writing, too, because characters are rarely ordinary and tend to find themselves in extraordinary situations.So, I started thinking about fairy tales—like I do—and travel. Granted, at the time most of these stories were conceived, travel was a dangerous undertaking and therefore rare. Even royals who went “on progress” stayed for months at a time because it was so arduous.And fairy tales were no exception…if you were female.Girls who traveled got eaten by wolves or betrayed by jealous servants. Was there a princess who ever left a castle voluntarily? Meanwhile, princes practically tripped over single women of marriageable age whenever they galloped out on their steeds. Then I remembered The Snow Queen.The original story found here barely resembles the Disney version. Gerda travels from place to place, facing danger all to save her childhood friend, Kai. It’s one of the few instances that I know where a girl saves a boy and purposely goes on an adventure. It's a beautiful tale, but hardly fun. In stories, travel is for a purpose not for pleasure.In short, fairy tale characters don't take vacations. Isn't it strange that one of the most fanciful art forms we share doesn't believe in time off? Honestly, there was no time, but I do my best to always insert a little whimsy.   

Interview with me by Ari Meghlen!

Dear FF Readers,I was recently interviewed by one of my favorite bloggers, Ari Meghlen. Check it out HERE and also an interview of her on my sister site, Books by I.L. Cruz.ENJOY!

Fantasy Realness Overload

I acknowledge that my title sounds like an episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, but that's not what this post is about.I write fantasy. It's an umbrella term I'm comfortable standing under. I've written stories in adult fantasy, paranormal, historical fantasy, YA and even a middle grade fantasy about a boy who's half unicorn. Needless to say I appreciate the renaissance of Must See Speculative Fiction TV that is finally getting its due.But you should see my DVR queue. Episodes record one after the other and I can't bring myself to watch. The fantasy shows I watch are reflecting real life so much (minus magic, mutant abilities and aliens) that it's lost the one element which draws me to it--escapism.I read the news. I have a graduate degree in history. I know how bad the world has been and the parts that still are. Fantasy and sci-fi are supposed to mitigate the holy crow moments that come at me fast and furious daily. So even though I want to watch the eight episodes of The Gifted I've saved, I also don't want to be bothered. I want to be entertained. And because it's a show and not a movie the hoped-for pay offs are seasons away. It's a slog because they lack hope. A happy ending would end the show so the bad guys keep winning. The Gifted isn't unique in this. It's not the only show waiting for my attention.It's why I like The Magicians. It is so far removed from real life (despite taking place mainly in New York) that I can enjoy the reversals and plot twists. It's my escapism from what used to be my escapism. That and reruns because I know how those end.I'm not bashing shows that borrow from current events (I've watched my share of Law & Order marathons), but sometimes I want to breathe a sigh of relief and pretend--if only for 30 minutes or an hour--that nothing real is happening. Just me, comfy clothes, and

Also Starring...A Secondary Fairy Tale Character

Fairy tale retellings has become its own sub-genre. We want to keep fairy tales in our lives but understand that the stories are problematic from a modern standpoint. We want agency, depth and inclusivity—a tall order for something written centuries ago. But we do our best, giving heroines backstories and pluck in the hopes of correcting anachronisms.But what about the other characters? Aren’t they just victims of the same outmoded storytelling? How many times have I read that secondary characters should be just as interesting as the protagonist?My curiosity started when I read Gregory Maguire’s Confessions of An Ugly Stepsister. They did treat Cinderella abominably, but they took their cues from their mother. And there were two of them—maybe it was a welcome change from sibling rivalry to direct any animosity at a picked on step-sister. As far as I know, it’s the only time a secondary character from a fairy tale was the star of a fairy tale retelling.What if we knew more about Jack’s mother before he climbed that beanstalk? Who wouldn’t want to know more about the dwarves that housed Snow White? And what about the mother and grandmother in Red Riding Hood?These are the rabbit holes my mind tumbles down when given free reign. Speaking of, what about that white rabbit? I like to think he orchestrated a coup against the tyrannical Queen of Hearts. My rather rambling point is retellings have only scratched the surface of possibilities.Who’s your favorite secondary character from a fairy tale? Have you read any retellings that have done that character justice?

Evidence of things not seen...

I’m not one to quote the Bible, but it can’t be denied that no matter what your beliefs, it’s very quotable. I’ve always had a particular fondness for the sentiment of “things not seen” being primarily a fantasy writer. I like to think I see things that others don’t because my imagination allows me to do so.I’ve spent a lot of time musing about my love-distaste (I can’t really say hate) relationship with fairy tales and more so on the pitfalls and reservations I have about them. Today I’d rather consider what I do love about them. It is, as far as I can tell, the evidence of things not seen.Fairy tales focus on an ordinary person usually in extraordinarily bad circumstances when something magical happens. Fairy godmothers appear. Curses are lifted by true love’s kiss. Wooden marionettes become live boys. And it’s all accepted as though it happens all the time. I like a world where magic exists and short of that I want to read about them.Even if we don’t like the endings or the lack of agency, our first impulse as children is to want to be the main characters. No matter how bad things get for them, magic brings the possibility of joy and happiness to otherwise crushing lives. It’s a lesson we should all consider—looking for the magic in the everyday.On my walk this morning I was struck by the strength of the wind. Windy days are my favorite weather days. Something about the roar through the trees and the movement of the leaves. I especially love the little whirlwinds that form, which make me think of tiny portals for supernatural beings.Could be the start of a great story.

Happily Ever After by the Fairytale Feminista

I’ve been writing about happily ever after a lot lately—questioning its validity, holding it up to a modern lens—and it got me thinking…What is happily ever after in a fairy tale sense? I can’t speak to everyone’s needs and feelings, but I know what it would take for me to consider any popular fairy tale a happy ending. The women must have choices.Sleeping Beauty: After thanking the prince for his helpful, yet impulsive act, Aurora (in the original she doesn’t have a name, so I opted for the Disney name) takes control of her kingdom and institutes a constitutional monarchy knowing that consent is the first rule of any society. She and the prince remain friends and allies.Snow White: Her time in suspended animation gives Snow time to think about her plight and that of her stepmother’s. She doesn’t forgive her for the cruel and heartless acts committed against her, she understands that in their world, a woman’s beauty is everything. Prince Charming revives her and asks for her hand in marriage, but she asks for a place with the palace scholars to ensure she has other options. Snow White becomes an advisor to Aurora.Cinderella: On the ride back to the castle, Cinderella asks the prince if they can take it slow and get to know each other better. She agrees to live in a separate wing in the castle and be formally courted. During that time, she works on converting the rooms for other young ladies who find themselves at a loose end after being released from slavery.Rapunzel: Wandering the world with twins strapped the her back makes Rapunzel think up new and inventive ways to make her life easier. When she finally finds the prince (and cures his eyesight), she’s able to take all the innovations she’s created and make them accessible to other mothers in the kingdom.Rumpelstiltskin: Solving the riddle of the little imp’s name that wanted to steal her child was just another instance of someone trying to control her. She sues her husband, the king, for custody of their child and a divorce (with her new skills finding information the king doesn’t want exposed) and opens her own private investigative service specializing in fairy affairs.The Little Mermaid: You’ve got me there! She had no good choices and happily ever after just wasn’t an option.Beauty & the Beast: After Belle saves the beast (a nice change to the genre norm), she realizes she can’t go home, but can’t stay with the beast who kept her on pain of killing her father. Instead, she decides striking out on her own can’t be any more frightening than living with a monster. Her gardens are the envy of all, although no one can begrudge her its beauty because of her generosity. Her roses are world-renowned. I’m sure there are other ways to make these stories tailored to anyone’s version of happily ever after. Cinderella could start her own house cleaning service. Snow White might start a gem consortium with the dwarves. Or maybe a twist ending—The Mermaid takes over for the sea witch, for example. Or the ladies could stay with their princes, but on more equal footing. Just so long as they chose their endings. What about you? Have you considered defining what happily ever after looks like in your favorite fairy tale?  

An interview with me!

Hey FF readers,Writers are a friendly lot. We like to support each other because no one knows more than we do how difficult and solitary this profession can be. Bloggers understand that more than most and I think it's great the way we reach out to each other to make the big, scary blogosphere seem a little smaller and connected!Today Rachel Poli posted an interview with yours truly and while I hope you read my interview, I also hope you poke around the rest of her site, which is fun and informative. Thanks again Rachel for the support!

Reader Blind Date

Hey FF Readers! Happy Valentine’s Day!Reading a new book by a new author is like going on a blind date. You’re taking a chance on love. But you don’t always want to commit to a full meal, or in this case a full-length novel.Why not try appetizers instead? Say a paranormal romance novella?The Cemetery Circle is only 70 pages and 1.99 USD/EURO/GBP—a great way to get to know each other better. Available digitally today!

Coming soon to paperback and audiobook!

Romance by Another Name--My Top 5 unconventional stories about love

Valentine’s day is days away and I’ve never been one to celebrate it. One year in junior high a friend and I, fed up with the day, threw rocks in a pond and named each rock after a boy. It’s my favorite Valentine’s Day memory.Now I write a blog about fairy tales, which for some is the touchstone of romance. I, on the other hand, prefer something more modern. So in honor of a holiday I don’t celebrate I offer a list of modern fairy tale romances I wish I’d known about in junior high: Outlander series: Despite being set in the past, Jamie’s oddly progressive views about a strong, capable woman is worth wishing for. Plus, the accent… Followed by Frost: A fairy tale retelling of the Snow Queen, it’s a rare redemption story that focuses on loving oneself before loving someone elseThe Rules of Magic: Not an obvious choice, but I appreciate a story that shows that love doesn’t have to last to be deep, meaningful and powerfulThe Woodcutter: The ultimate story about faithfulness versus duty. His love of his wife is all that sustains him and keeps him strong for all the trials ahead even though it isn’t a given that he’ll return. I also love that she isn’t described as a great beauty, just someone precious to himHis Majesty’s Dragon: Not all love stories have to be romantic. Friendship is just as powerful and the love between a man and his dragon, while distinctly an idea of fantasy writers, is no less valid. Those are my top five romances for people who need a little something extra in their love stories. Here’s hoping my paranormal romance, The Cemetery Circle, makes it on to your list of unconventional romances.  Stone Watcher. The term holds no meaning for 30-year-old Cia, who thought a free vacation to Scotland would be the perfect escape from her troubles—not knowing it would commit her to a lifelong promise made centuries before her time.The Cemetery Circle is a paranormal fantasy novella that begs the question—who would volunteer to live next to a graveyard? The answer is—no one.