Caught Up In The Fairytale
by Anna Campbell

There’s a school of thought that every writer has a single story they tell over and over again in different guises. One theme that they return to--a bit like your favorite flavor of potato chip in the pantry.

Am I giving too much information here about my eating habits? Hmm, Smith’s barbecue chips, where are you?

And, if the chips start talking back, maybe it’s time to see a doctor!

I’ve now written four books for Avon. The first was CLAIMING THE COURTESAN. A "Beauty and the Beast" story set in Regency Scotland. The second was UNTOUCHED. More "Beauty and the Beast". The third was TEMPT THE DEVIL--do I really need to say it?

My latest Regency historical CAPTIVE OF SIN is out this month. It’s an intense, dramatic marriage of convenience story featuring a national hero with PTSD, a runaway heiress, an elopement, dastardly bad guys, a magnificent house on the Cornish cliffs, and lots of derring-do. Oh, and love scenes that PUBLISHERS WEEKLY called "luscious". Thank you, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY!

I decided at last I’d broken the mold. This book was NOT a "Beauty and the Beast" tale. The world was my oyster. Perhaps, next time, I’d really go wild and, you know, do a Cinderella story instead!

My self-satisfaction didn’t last. This week, I noticed a discussion of the book which talked about CAPTIVE OF SIN as a "Beauty and the Beast" story. NOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Well, actually, now I’ve thought about it, YESSSSSSS!

Sir Gideon Trevithick returns to Cornwall after a year’s imprisonment and torture in India. He’s haunted by the ghosts of his past and his guilt that he survived when his colleagues didn’t. Convinced he’ll never lead a normal life and he’s unworthy of love or happiness, he intends to retire to his isolated estate on the coast.

So, yeah, I guess you could say we have a Beast who’s been cursed and who lives in his walled garden, shut away from the world.

Lady Charis Weston, England’s richest heiress, is running away from her greedy and violent stepbrothers. When Gideon offers her a marriage in name only to save her, she goes through with the ceremony. But Charis has every intention of fighting for her future. She loves Gideon and she refuses to accept that her love is unrequited. So, Beauty strives to lift the curse that holds the Beast captive.

Sigh, yeah, you’re right--how did I miss this?

The upside of all this is that I adore BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. It has to be my favorite fairytale. Someone who doesn’t know the story (how can this be?) once asked me why I loved it so much. I think it’s the combination of the tortured hero who by the end has become a real prince, whether he remains in his beast form or not, and the brave, unselfish heroine. Beauty is a bit more active than many women in fairytales! No snoozing through the good bits for our heroine here.

Do you have a favorite romance with a fairytale theme? CINDERELLA? THE UGLY DUCKLING? SLEEPING BEAUTY? I can think of a stack of keepers on my bookcase that fall into this category. What about you?