Congratulation to Teril/ Cheri Hack who won our personalized calling cards http://fireandicereads.com/2011/01/calling-card-giveaway.html
and Holly Hewitt, Brynne Skoropys and Aurora Momcilovich who all won The Vespertine Prize Pack from author Saundra Mitchell http://fireandicereads.com/2011/01/book-review-vespertine.html
Fire and Ice would like to welcome author Danielle Thorne to our site. She has written a wonderful post called ” Why Imperfect is Perfect” plus she’s donated a copy of her most recent book Josette as a giveaway.
About her: Danielle Thorne is the author of Historical and Contemporary romance with such titles as THE PRIVATEER, TURTLE SOUP, and BY HEART AND COMPASS. Other work has appeared with Espresso Fiction, Every Day Fiction, Arts and Prose Magazine, Mississippi Crow, The Nantahala Review, StorySouth, Bookideas, The Mid-West Review, and more. She won an Honorable Mention in Writer’s Digest’s 2006 annual writing competition and the 2008 Awe-Struck Short Novel Contest.
Danielle writes from south of Atlanta, Georgia. She was the 2009-2010 co-chair for the New Voices Competition for young writers, is active with online author groups such as Classic Romance Revival and moderates for The Sweetest Romance Authors at the Coffee Time Romance forum boards. She lives with four sons and her husband, who is an air traffic controller. Together they enjoy travel and the outdoors, High School marching band music competition and BSA Scouting.
Why Imperfect is Perfect
Most people don’t enjoy blemishes. We throw away moldy bread, agonize over pimples and rub those little smears on the mirror. Why then, do we prefer our heroes with a few defects?
This isn’t a new idea. Jane Austen created one of the most memorable and complicated heroes in 1813 when she penned PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Our first few encounters with Fitzwilliam Darcy do not fare well in the opening pages. How could anyone fall for such a rude snob? But in a matter of chapters and exchanges of the heart, it isn’t just Elizabeth Bennet who falls for the gentleman. Readers do, too.
Most of us started out with Prince Charming, while toddling around in our mother’s heels, but by the time reality sank its teeth into our innocent little hearts, things were changing. Suddenly there was the “bad boy.” He was the cute but always-in-trouble boy on the playground with the cool tee-shirt and sweaty hair. You know the one…he yanked your ponytail hard enough to make you cry and lured you under the monkey bars for a sloppy first kiss. We all ran from boys like that. But it was kind of fun.
Nobody wants to reach for something they don’t believe they can ever have and let’s face it–none of us are the perfect size with perfect features. Our scars from reality’s bite marks make it hard for us to buy that some perfect hero is going to sweep us off our feet and love us for eternity. And if it can’t happen for us, we have a hard time buying it can happen for a heroine, even one that we love. We need a hero with a few flaws. Whether they are physical, emotional, or just a personality quirk, flaws make our heroes more human. They give us something to forgive. (So we can forgive ourselves?) And don’t forget, there’s also the flattering idea that a woman can make a man love hard enough to actually change!
The perfect hero is imperfect. We love him despite his flaws. He loves us back, and he changes for the better. I believe this principle gives us hope, not just for our heroine’s Happily Ever After, but for our own. There are still a few good gentlemen out there. I should know, I married one!
A good romance story can be so much more than a Cinderella story. It can make us believe that despite all our blemishes we can be loved; and despite his, he’s still the next best thing to Mr. Darcy!
Find out a little more about my moody hero in JOSETTE. Inspired by Jane Austen’s work, it’s my interpretation of romance in the Regency era of elegance and manners.
Josette Price sees her future in Beddingfield Park. While her brother, George, needlessly pursues a naval career, she promises to watch over their beloved parents and the park estate. Nothing would make Josette happier than to see her sister and her self settled within the palings of Beddingfield. But dark, brooding Captain Carter rides into their lives with news that ruins everything: George has been lost at sea.
Learning the Park is entailed to their cousin, Edward, Josette must decide between marrying her fickle relation or helping her besotted sister trap him in her stead. Only Captain Carter and his delightfully spinsterish relatives can stop the Price girls from making a choice that would be the greatest tragedy of all.
Here’s to heroes!
More about JOSETTE?
http://www.daniellethorne.com/josette/
Danielle Thorne
http://www.daniellethorne.com/
www.thebalancewriter/blogspot.com
Bumpy Landings
by Donald J Carey
Paperback, 256 pages
Published January 8th 2011
by Cedar Fort, Incorporated
ISBN 1599554135
4 stars
When Jordan MacDonald goes behind his mother’s back to get his pilot’s license, he soon finds out that a life full of dishonesty attracts more turbulence than he’s ever faced in the air. Set against the majestic backdrop of the Hawaiian islands, this heartwarming story of romance and self-discovery will take you to new heights with each turn of the page.
At 21 years old Jordan McDonald has decided he’s ready to be an adult and take on his dreams. Never mind the fact that he still lives at home with an overbearing mother who is out to control him every step of the way. Or the fact that he’s painfully stuck in socially awkward situations. He dreams of completing his pilot’s license, his deceased father’s wish for him. But he’s experiencing turbulence while navigating the paths of his life.
Set in Lai’e, Hawaii , Bumpy Landings will sweep you away with the smell of tropical flowers, Polynesian culture and mouth watering foods. Donald Carey takes you through the setting with the ease of a native. I found the book to be a wonderful break form the winter we’re having on the main land. (What I really want to know Donald…is how to you pronounce main love interest Kehau’s name?)
Bumpy Landings is a coming of age tale with just a dash of romance. The themes are ones all of us stuck between youth and adulthood experience: staying financially afloat, discovering independence, and following one’s heart. Bumpy Landings is an island gem, complete with lots of laugh out loud moments. And it’s a squeaky clean read I would recommend for all. Thanks to Donald Carey for leading me to greener pastures.
Fire and Ice is honored to be a part of the Blog Tour. Be sure to swing by Donald’s blog at http://donaldjcarey.com/ to see his own photos of Hawaii and a schedule of all the other stops.
and RK Charron who won a copy of City of Angels by Sheralyn Pratt http://fireandicereads.com/2010/12/kaysville-release-party.html. Email us your mailing address.
My Teaser Tuesday is Bumpy Landings by Donald J. Carey
DINGO
by Anne Bradshaw
Paperback, 210 pages
Published Sept. 16, 2010
by CreateSpace
ISBN 9781452384
4 stars
Summary: Fifteen-year-old Zack Novak and three friends, Joel, Erin, and Libby, meet a strange English inventor, Hunter MacMurray. He introduces the four to a gizmo named DINGO that transports them from the USA to England, with only a few hours in which to prevent a bomb attack on Yankee Stadium.
Can Zack unravel a mystifying clue fast enough? Or does their impossible task end in disaster? Many lives depend on the toughest decisions Zack and his friends will ever make.
DINGO is a quick, fun fantasy adventure for middle grade to Young Adult readers. It starts out in Minter’s Poll Connecticut and moves to England with a team full of four teens on a mission to help save US citizens from terrorist attack. I enjoyed main hero Zack’s tenacity and bravery. He takes on the world as a neglected youth who finds safety in the friendships of others. Erin and Libby are endearing and feisty. The plot moves along quickly and the resolution has a few surprise twists of fate. DINGO is one I would purchase as a clean, intriguing read for tweens and teens. I think it’s also a story that would hold particular appeal for boys. Thanks so much to Anne Bradshaw for sending us a copy for review and giveaway! What an awesome author.
To enter to win your own ebook copy of DINGO simply fill out this form. Open internationally ends 2/14/2011.
Congrats to Greenray who won our Forgive My Fins giveaway: Blue Sand Dollar necklace http://fireandicereads.com/2010/11/blue-sandollar-necklace-giveaway.html
Malkatz who won the Beautiful Sailor Necklace http://fireandicereads.com/2010/11/colorful-sailor-necklace-giveaway.html
and Wolfsrain who won the Mermaid Bookmark from Etsy seller Waterwaif http://fireandicereads.com/2010/11/mermaid-bookmark-giveaway.html
Please send me your mailing address!
Congratulations to SableLexi who won Far World Water Keep http://fireandicereads.com/2010/11/book-review-fourth-nephite-by-jeffrey-s.html
and Teril who won an ARC of Secondhand Charm http://fireandicereads.com/2010/11/in-my-mailbox-21.html in our site giveaway. Click here for a second chance to win Secondhand Charm with BIR2010!
Winners, please Email us your mailing addresses 🙂
Congratulations to Tracy Maddox who won Growing Up Gracie by Maggie Fechner http://fireandicereads.com/2010/11/author-interview-maggie-fechner.html
Janelle S won My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite http://fireandicereads.com/2010/11/review-my-ridiculous-romantic.html and
Tally/ Fairy Whispers who won the Provo Library The Lost Saint ARC prize package http://fireandicereads.com/2010/11/teen-book-fest-provo-city-library.html
Please email us your mailing address and we will ship out your prizes!
