Today I’m welcoming fellow Lyrical Press author,Candice Gilmer, to Jenna’s Journal.  Since last year with the release of my fractured fairy tale, I’ve been fascinated by fairy tales as a romance trope.  Candice’s newest release takes advantage of this trope, using the fairy tale Rapunzel as the premise for her Rescuing Rapunzel.

First of all, I’d like to thank Jenna for having me today on her blog. It’s so nice to be here today, talking about my latest release, Rescuing Rapunzel.

When I was a kid, I loved fairy tales. Some day the prince would come and rescue the commoner, and they would live happily ever after.

But as much as I loved them, I always wondered something–where were these kingdoms? Because there were an awful lot of princes that saved these commoners from wicked stepmothers and evil witches. Were all the princes brothers? Did they all set out to rescue/fall in love with a commoner? Was it some kind of test of being a prince? Did that mean that Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty were all sisters-in-law?

I never really figured this out, until I started doing some research for my fairy tale, Rescuing Rapunzel. Imagine my surprise when I learned that Kings and Queens in Germany, (approximately where the fictions “White Mountains” of my book is set) were
not the only ones with children who were princes or princesses.

It goes approximately like this: (pulled from German Nobility)

1. German Emperor (Or King of Prussia), and his children were princes and princesses, excluding the eldest heir–who became Crown Prince (Kronprinz)

2. King and Queen of German States, Majesties, of course, and their children were princes and princesses.

3. Grand Dukes, who were considered Royal Highnesses, of smaller states and their heirs were prince and princesses, and the heir received the heredity title.

So that’s a lot of princes and princesses. Not to mention that unlike English titles being only passed down to elder boys, in Germany, the eldest received titles, but so did all the children, whether they were boys or girls. They all became “Duke von Hohburg” or “Duchess von Hohburg,” unlike English peerage, where the eldest male is heir to the biggest title, and the other boys get secondary titles the father may have, but only upon his death.

One of the interesting “tweaks” I made to my story was that the titles can be passed down before death, so part of my hero Nick’s dilemma is that if he doesn’t find a wife in a certain amount of time, his mother will pick one for him, so he can be married when the title is passed down to him. A fun part of writing a fairy tale in my own little world is being able to bend the peerage rules to suit my needs.

Thank you so much, Candice, for coming by today.  Here’s hoping for a Happy Ever After for you and Rescuing Rapunzel!

Rescuing Rapunzel Blurb:  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.

Here’s a short excerpt from Rescuing Rapunzel, from Nick’s point of view:

“Has your mother finally gotten you to commit to one of the ladies?” Bryan asked.

Everyone in Hohburg Province knew the three of them fought the marriage-noose. Penn preferred all women to a single one. Bryan refused to enter into a loveless marriage–he had lived most his life with parents who acted like acquaintances. Nick had a mother bound and determined to see him married before he reached twenty-five. He had six months to find his own bride or his mother would choose for him.

Something Nick certainly did not want.

“No,” Nick replied, shivering at the thought.

He was loath to marry any of the local nobility. Too many of them were after him due to his rank. After all, a Duke was a rare prize indeed.

He glanced at the windows above. A gaggle of girls stood there, watching and whispering. If he dared break away from his friends, he would be besieged in moments. He would rather face an army. Women were much more dangerous than anything he would find on a battlefield.

Bryan tipped his head to the side. “You have been riding a lot lately. Do you have someone waiting for you?”

“No, no, I have just been avoiding them.” He gestured to the girls.

“The least of them has to be more entertaining than the Black Forest,” Penn said, wiping his brow. “I know where I would rather spend my evenings.”

“Everyone knows where you would rather spend your evenings,” Bryan countered.

Penn grinned. “Perhaps that is why our dear friend has tucked his latest conquest away. Afraid of a little competition, Nick?” Penn waggled his eyebrows.

“I am not meeting any female,” Nick replied. Yet he could not help thinking about the tower. When Penn looked at him, he turned away, unable to meet his eye.

Bryan smirked. “Then it is a woman.”

“No.” Sighing, he relented. “It was just a voice.”

Author 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. 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.

Author Links:

Website: http://candicegilmer.com

Blog: http://candicegilmer.blogspot.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/candicegilmer

Email: candice.gilmer@gmail.com

Internet Radio: http://www.ztalkradio.com, Dear Emmy, Saturday nights, 10pm-midnight, EST

Buy Links:

Rescuing Rapunzel @ Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rescuing-Rapunzel-Charming-Nobles-ebook/dp/B007VMJ0T2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1338576358&sr=8-6

Rescuing Rapunzel @ Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rescuing-rapunzel-candice-gilmer/1109558412?ean=9781616503710

Rescuing Rapunzel @ Lyrical Press Site:  http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_26&products_id=506