FF–Carolyn Jewel’s Snow White

** Today on Dark Faerie Tales read Seanan McGuire’s take on Katie Crackenuts fable and win One Salt Sea you could also win Hellbent by Cherie Priest** 

To celebrate the latest release on My Dangerous Pleasure, Caroyln Jewel is explaining how similar, her My Immortals series, is the Snow White and The Huntsman's tale!

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There’s a scene in the original Brother’s Grimm Snow White fairy tale when the wicked queen, who wants more than anything to be the “fairest in the land” has discovered that her step-daughter, the eponymous Snow White, has that honor. What’s a wicked step-mother to do? Why, order a huntsman to take the girl into the woods and kill her, bringing back proof in the form of body parts. The body parts are, depending on which versions you happen to read, Snow White’s eyes, heart, lungs and/or liver.  In some versions, when the huntsman returns with his proof, the queen cooks and eats it. Yuck. Just in case we weren’t all sure she’s evil.

Any skilled fairy tale reader should immediately spot the many weaknesses in the queen’s nefarious plot. Number one, if you want something done right, do it yourself. Number two, Snow White is the fairest in the land and the queen sends a man to do the job. Number three, the required proof doesn’t actually prove that the job has been done. The queen, so overcome by her lack of pre-eminent fairness in the land, has failed to realize that only Snow White’s head will suffice as actual proof of death.

The huntsman, who is handsome, strong, single and heterosexual, duly takes Snow White deep into the forest and guess what! He falls for Snow White who is, by edict of the Queen’s magic mirror, the most beautiful woman he has ever laid eyes on. Plus, as is the nature of fairytale princesses, she’s really nice, sweet and innocent. This is not a combination any fairytale man could possibly resist. The huntsman understands evidentiary weakness of the evidence he’s required to bring back. Not only that, as a huntsman, he is uniquely qualified to return to the queen with fake evidence. And so he does. He tells Snow White she’s in danger from her step-mother and that she must flee for her life. He then goes hunting and procures the necessary organs for the queen.

I confess, I’ve always had a fondness for this tale of huntsmanly love and sacrifice. The guy has to know that sooner or later he’s going to get found out, but he’s so dazzled by her beauty and so horrified by his orders that he does not carry out the critical part of the queen’s plot. Dozens of other writers have riffed on the tale of Snow White and the huntsman. Which got me to wondering, what if Snow White and the huntsman story were to take place in the world of my My Immortals series?

For those who don’t know, the series is set in a contemporary world where there are mages (humans who can do magic) and demons, specifically, a type of demon called a fiend. The mages believe their role is to protect humans from demons who want to take over the will of innocent humans.  The mages have learned how to enslave the fiends they don’t kill outright. Once enslaved, the fiend has no choice but to do whatever he’s ordered to do. Not surprisingly, fiends object to being murdered and/or enslaved, particularly since it’s only rogue demons who harm humans these days.  Enslaved demons are always looking for ways in which they can carry out the literal meaning of their orders while thwarting the actual intent.

And that, my friends, is almost exactly the sort of thing that happens in the tale of Snow White and the huntsman. Could it be more perfect for a My Immortals story?  In fact, the first book in the series, My Wicked Enemy, contains a rather similar story. The huntsman part is played by an enslaved warlord fiend named Kynan Aijan. The part of Snow White belongs to the heroine of the book, Carson Philips. The evil step-mother part goes to a mage named Alvaro Magellan. Magellan ordered Kynan to kidnap Carson when she was quite young so that he could slowly poison her in order to block off her magic and use it for himself. Kynan watches Carson mature into a beautiful woman who does not know she’s being poisoned or that she will eventually die from the effects. He is, of course, in love with her.

Carson manages to escape from Magellan but ends up wandering alone in the forest, played by the city of San Francisco where she is found by a free warlord by the name of Nikodemus. Magellan wants Carson back, but failing that, he just wants her dead. And he has the perfect guy to make that happen; his enslaved fiend warlord, Kynan Aijan. Indeed, Magellan sends Kynan after Carson with orders to kill her, eventually. And Kynan has to do it.  The only thing that saves Carson from this fate is Nikodemus.

The My Immortals series is up to book four now. My Wicked Enemy is the first, and as noted, introduces the enslaved Kynan Aijan, ordered to kill the woman he’s fallen in love with. The second book in the series is My Forbidden Desire (a 2010 RITA finalist for best paranormal romance).  My Immortal Assassin released in January 2011 and the fourth in the series, My Dangerous Pleasure came out this June. The effect and repercussions of Kynan Aijan’s feelings for Carson and his near murder of her are carried through the four books, by the way and will continue through subsequent books.

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TEMPT THE DARKNESS Strong-willed and independent, Paisley Nichols is used to taking care of herself. But when an insane mage begins tracking her every move and threatening her at every turn, she has no choice but to put her life in the hands of a demon.

RISK THE PASSION Burned by betrayal, demon assassin Iskander won't get too close to anyone. He spends his days serving his warlord and his nights indulging in carnal pleasures . . . and that's exactly how he likes it. But when a mage wages a wrenching psychic assault on his beautiful tenant Paisley, Iskander must defend her.

Under his protection, she will be drawn irresistibly into his life and learn about her own mysterious powers. And not a moment too soon. The mage haunting her isn't acting alone-and he won't rest until he destroys both Paisley and Iskander.

Read Chapter 1 of My Dangerous Pleasure

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Interested in winning this book?

• This giveaway is open to US & Canada only (no PO Boxes)

• To enter, just leave a comment letting me know if you’ve started the series

You can to earn an extra entry (1) by spreading the word, please provide link in a second comment

tweet: #FantasticFables Read @cjewel 's take on Snow White | Win My Dangerous Pleasure http://www.tyngasreviews.com/2011/08/ffcarolyn-jewels-snow-white.html #giveaway PLZ RT

Ends September 7th, 2011.

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Carolyn Jewel writes historical romance for Berkley Sensation (Look for Not Wicked Enough in March 2012 and Not Proper Enough in the Fall of 2012) and the My Immortals series for Grand Central’s Forever line. Her historicals and paranormals have been RITA finalists. You can find her on the web on twitter at @cjewel and on facebook at CarolynJewelAuthor.

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Posted by Tynga at 09:56

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Tynga is a 32 years old mom of two, from Montreal, working as a lab technician in an hospital specialized in heart disease. In her free time, she enjoys reading all things Paranormal and photography.

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