Today’s guest author is Lila DiPasqua, who writes lush and sexy historical romance with a fairy tale twist. In fact, she writes “Fiery Tales,” classic fairy tales cleverly reimagined into sensual and sophisticated romances. The first in her Fiery Tales collection is Awakened by a Kiss, which retells Sleeping Beauty, Puss In Boots, and Little Red Riding Hood. This debut collection got great reviews, including a 5 star review from The Romance Dish:
“Every now and then a debut author knocks my socks off with her first novel. . . AWAKENED BY A KISS is a magnificent debut!!!! …Purchase it right now!!!” — The Romance Dish
I have to tell you, I love the idea of taking classic fairy tales from our childhood and retelling them as sensual and romantic adult tales. It’s one of those great high concepts that makes a writer think…damn, I wish I’d thought of that!
Here’s the book trailer for Awakened By A Kiss, which gives you a sense of what these stories are about.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoNZ9In935c&feature=player_embedded]
Lila’s second collection of Fiery Tales is The Princess in His Bed, which got phenomenal reviews including this one from Publishers Weekly: “Ripe with steamy affairs, these lusty stories are hot enough to warm the coldest winter night.”
Wow! Or steam things up on a hot summer night too, eh? Romance Junkies gave the collection a coveted 5 ribbon review:
“Lila DiPasqua weaves another sumptuous collection. The heroines are ladies in every way, the heroes just rakish enough to be adored… I recommend this to all adult fairytale lovers. – 5 RIBBONS!
For historical romance lovers, what could be more enticing than all those handsome princes from days gone by, coming back to life as sexy romance heroes between the pages of Lila’s books – fun!
Lila has a new book coming out in August. A Midnight Dance is a full-length historical romance, inspired by the tale of Cinderella.
Of all the fairy tales we know, Cinderella is perhaps the most romantic and just perfect for Lila’s unique talents. Here’s the blurb:
Born into wealth, Sabine Laurent and her twin sister lived a life of luxury, their father’s prestigious theater frequented by royalty and aristocracy alike. And Sabine dreamed of her own prince charming—the devastatingly handsome Jules de Moutier.
That was before the loss of her sister and her family’s fall from grace—a disaster Sabine blames on the Moutier family. Now, with her father’s death, she’s inherited his sizable debt and the responsibility of caring for his spoiled long-time mistress and her two wastrel daughters. But with the help of Sabine’s eccentric friends—the balance of her father’s acting troupe—she plans to get very close to her old infatuation, seduce the rake—and make away with a fortune.
Resisting Jules’s skillful mouth and tantalizing touch is not as easy as Sabine supposed. And soon she must decide whether her desire for vengeance is greater than her desire for her one and only prince…
Doesn’t that sound great? Jennifer Ashley, the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie would agree:
“A MIDNIGHT DANCE is a fun, spicy, historical romp that’s sure to delight! A lovely twist on the Cinderella fairy tale, with a deliciously dark hero and a heroine who’s more than a match for him.”— Jennifer Ashley, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
A Midnight Dance is available for pre-order on Amazon, and at all your favorite booksellers. You can find more info about the book, including an excerpt, on Lila’s website. And while you’re on Lila’s website, be sure to check out her amazing contest for her upcoming blog tour and party. And here’s another one of Lila’s interesting and totally fun twists – the blog party is being hosted by her husband, and will feature interviews with the husbands of romance writers, including mine! Yes, DH will be appearing on Lila’s blog on July 21. Mr. DiPasqua will also be hosting the husbands of Sophie Jordan, Kris Kennedy, Kate Noble, and Kieran Kramer, among many others. The whole thing sounds like a riot, so you’d best get yourself over to Lila’s blog and check out the details.
Lila has very graciously donated a copy of A Midnight Dance, which I will give away to one person who stops by the blog today or tomorrow morning. Just tell me what’s your favorite fairy tale, either as a child or as an adult.
I love Beauty and the Beast! I must have re-read Robin McKinley’s “Beauty” dozens of times in middle school and I saw the Disney version in the theaters I don’t know how many times.
Oh, I love that movie. So sweet!
Thanks so much for having me, Vanessa! I’m sorry I’m late to the party. I love it that everyone is selecting their favorite fairy tales. I agree with Vanessa—That is a sweet movie, indeed!
I’ve always like Cinderella. I remember watching Lesley Ann Warren and Stuart Damon in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella as a child. I loved the singing, dancing and costumes.
Carole, I’d forgotten about that movie – I loved it as a kid!
Hi Carole, Cinderella is one of the first romances I ever read. It has a special place in my heart. I think it’s only fitting that my first full-lenth novel was based on this romantic fairy tale. 🙂
Oh Cinderella has got to be my favorite…..who doesn’t want their prince to rescue them!
Yep. It’s a very potent fantasy, isn’t it?
I can’t argue with that. 🙂
I have to say that they all are my favorite in different ways. I can’t pick just one. They all have their individual personalities, and story lines.
Sara, my mother had beautiful editions of both Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Hans Christian Anderson’s. So many good ones that it’s hard to pick.
I agree, Sara. It’s hard to choose! I’m so grateful to Charles Perrault–the 17th c. French writer who first created the genre of fairy tales and published THE TALES OF MOTHER GOOSE. 🙂
> I always liked the story of the ugly duckling. I think because when I was little, I felt like I didnt compare with the other pretty little girls and it was an underdog kinda story.
> Hansel and Gretel scurrred me big time.
> The Princess and the Pea annoyed me.
> I always love Sleeping Beauty as a child. Of course, Anne Rice’s version blew me away as an adult. LOL
I have wanted to read one of Lila’s stories ever since I did an interview with Madison J Edwards on my blog and she named Lila as her favourite erotic author. What a better place than to win a book! Thank you.
MichelleKCanada
http://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspot.com/
@AnotherLookBook
Hansel and Gretel was scary!
I agree, Vanessa—Hansel and Gretel WAS scary. I share your love of The Ugly Duckling, Michelle.
I think my favorite fairy tale has always been Sleeping Beauty. Just the thought of a handsome prince waking me with a kiss… Of course, I get to wake my own handsome prince with a kiss every day!
Nice, Sue!
Yes, very nice, Sue!
My favorite book story was The Princess and The Pea. After that, it was Cinderella.
Would love to Win Lila’s Midnight Dance. Good luck everyone!
Now that I’ve had a chance to think about it, my favorite probably is Beauty and the Beast, followed by Cinderella.
I’ve retold both those fairy tales. The Princess and the Diamonds is found in The Princess in His Bed….and A Midnight Dance is my unique Cinderella retelling. 🙂
My favourite fairy tale as a child and even now is Cinderella, so you can imagine I was waiting very impatiently for Lila’s full length steamy Cinderelly retelling 😀
Just a story to show how much of a Cinderella fanatic I was: when I was around 4, I loved watching the Disney version, and one day my mom got the shock of her life when going through the living room she noticed that I was saying the dialogue with all the characters along the movie! All the words and songs! She was freaked out and put away my VHS since she deemed I have watched it enough times 😀 and want to hear the wird thing? I found my video cassette a few years ago, of course I popped it in to watch it (thanks to my dad we still have 1 VHS player at home), and all the long forgotten dialogues came back, they were alive in my ears! I knew what line would be next! It was such a weird experience 🙂
But back to Lila: HUGE CONGRATS!! and so cannot wait to read A NIDNIGHT GLANCE!
Thank you for the giveaway! 🙂
stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com
Great story, Stella! I swear, I can still do that with some of the original Star Trek episodes.
I love that story, Stella! Thank you for sharing and for the good wishes. 🙂
Beauty and the Beast, if only for the magical library! 🙂
Damn straight!
*sighs* Oh, yes!
Vanessa and Lila,
My favorite was fairy tale was Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs. As a young girl, I thought they were all so funny and Snow White was so pretty and SWEET! Of course, the evil Stepmother was SO wonderfully wicked, but sadly I barely remember the hero. I guess he couldn’t possibly hold a candle to my Vietnam War fighter-pilot father!
Now, the adult in me would have a greater appreciation for the hero as well as some skepticism about those seven men all living together–what’s up with that?!? LOL
I’ve got A Midnight Dance on my Wish List but would REALLY prefer to win a signed copy from the author! *fiingers crossed*
Thanks,
Laura
heartoftexasbooks[at]yahoo[dot]com
Laura, you are too funny!
LOL! 🙂
Cinderella has always been my favorite, I think because I’ve been waiting for my fairy godmother to show up and transform me- lol!
No wonder it’s such a powerful fantasy, Sheila!
There are so many elements about Cinderella that people find appealing. I guess that’s the reason this beloved fairy tale has been around for hundreds of years. 🙂
I would have to go with The Little Mermaid and Beauty and The Beast. One’s about going against everything you know for love and the other about finding beauty where no one else cares to look. Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t mind a fairy godmother, or 3…but have you seen the beasts library?? Both of the heroines also happen to be very headstrong and I love that quality about the both of them!
Heather, I’d forgotten The Little Mermaid. Isn’t the villainess in the movie version called Vanessa?! That always made me laugh.
When she was in human form, yes it was!
Great fairy tales! I love a strong smart, heroine, too. That’s what I strive for with each story. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
It would have to be Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs for me. Snow White was so sweet and innocent. And so NICE – taking care of those 7 little dwarfs. Definitely one of my favs.
Kathy, Snow White is such a sweetie!
She was definitely a sweet character, Kathy! 🙂
Is Aladdin a Fairy Tale? I always loved the stories with adventure, but not too scary. My memories are more from movie versions of the tales like the very early Abbott & Costello versions of Jack & the Beanstalk and Babes in Toyland. They always threw in so much humor that it took away some of the scary.
OMG! I loved those movies! Do you remember Jack the Giant Killer? It had those great stop-action sequences that scared the wits out of me when I was a kid.
And, yes. I would say that Aladdin is a fairy tale.
I’d say Aladdin is a fairy tale, too. Oh and I loved Abbott & Costello. I have a thing for old movies!! Fantastic. 🙂
Beauty and the Beast in any form. I was drawn in back when the TV show Beauty and the Beast was on. It reminded me of my favorite fairy tale. Then Disney surpassed it. I also enjoy the new Disney..Enchanted. I love that it was animated and live. I’ve watched it as many times as Beauty and the Beast.
All three great shows/movies! Enchanted was just delightful.
Oh I loved that TV show! It was way better than some of the reality TV on now. Thank you for stopping by to share! 🙂
Oh I love Cinderella! Every time I see Ever After on tv I end up watching it 🙂 But…I also love The Little Mermaid….too bad my sons don’t really love all these girly fairy tales, lol. I can get them to watch them with me for a bit and then they are off! Sigh, I enjoy fairy tales so much!
Boys! They don’t know what’s good for them!
Well, said, Vanessa! Ever After is my all time favorite Cinderella retelling. I love that it’s set in France—where Cinderella originated! 🙂
My favorite was always Alice in Wonderland. I never really knew why until i got older and realized that Alice in Wonderland is just a really big head trip. I have read the books, see all the movies (even the ABC two part series from the 80’s) and even played all the video games. Every time I go to Disney I love to look at all the Alice stuff. What can i say “i’m as mad as a hatter”.
ironmonkey, sounds like a fun obsession to me. And I loved the original books when I was a kid, and read them several times.
LOL. I see nothing wrong with any of that. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Lila knows how much I LOVE her stories, *Muah* and I’ve been anticipating her new release FOREVER! Imagine my delight when she’s a guest on a blog that I check out frequently. Two birds, one stone.
My favorite fairy tale, without a doubt, Cinderella. And by that I mean the original where the ugly step-sisters cut off their toes to fit in the shoe, dripping blood everywhere.
Thanks, Madison! You know, I love those gruesome bits, too.
Thanks so much for the lovely comment, Madison! Yeah, those original ones were a lot darker than the Disney versions. LOL
I always liked sleeping beauty — who wouldn’t want to wake up after a nice long refreshing sleep to a kiss from prince charming 😉 I also enjoy beauty & the beast in it’s various incantations including various romance novels that have used the theme.
congrats to Lila on the upcoming release, I’m looking forward to it 🙂
gamistress, I like the combo of the long, refreshing sleep and Prince Charming. Some days, I think I’d take the sleep before the charming!
LOL I’m with you there 🙂
Thanks so much for the good wishes. I can’t fault you on your reasons for loving Sleeping Beauty. Who wouldn’t want that? 🙂
My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast! I just love the concept of someone falling in love with another’s personality and qualities, not just physical appearances.
And there are so many lovely versions of this story.
It’s definitely heart-stirring. A great fairy tale.
Fairy tales had a very dominant presence in my childhood. The very innocence of them all and the moral lessons plainly told are the things that make them so memorable to me. As a woman, I suspect little has changed except now I can read them and see them from a whole new perspective. The moral lessons are still there but the innocence has paved the way to experience and daily wisdoms. That is why it comes to no surprise that I still read fairy tales and even better read stories that are inspired by fairy tales or are retellings with a test. Some wonder and magic never cease.
I love all the fairy tales but hold The Beauty and the Beast closest to my heart. Love can be more than a happy ending, it can be an empowering thing. For me, not much is more empowering than believing in someone and inspiring hope in someone. When Belle opened her heart to the Beast, seeing beyond his scars and aloof, predatory, almost cruel nature she taught the Beast about love. That very moment is magical indeed.
Na, it’s the classic fairy tale romance, isn’t it?
I really think so! Can’t go wrong with a classic =)
So well said, Na! It’s very romantic!
My favorite fairy tale was always Little Red Riding Hood. But since I became an adult, Goldilocks and the 3 Bears (But with bear shifters, lol). Maybe I have just been reading too many m/f/m and such stories.
LOL!
LOL! We’ll I did do my own steamy version of Little Red Riding Hood. And it’s been said it’s smoking hot. But the love scenes are just between the H/h. 🙂
Hello Vanessa & Lila
I can’t wait to get my hand’s on A midnight Dance ..
Love how lila can twist the fairy tails into Fiery Tales <3
My top favs are The ugly duckling, Beauty & the Beast Snow white , Cinderella .
Have a wonderful day.
Ann/alba
Thanks for stopping by, Ann!
Thank you for the lovely comment, Ann! Those are wonderful fairy tales, indeed. 🙂
Beauty and the Beast! The Disney cartoon version is my absolute favourite!
I love it, too! It’s spectacular!
Gorgeous, wonderful movie!
The Frog Prince is my favorite but mostly because I like frogs. Also, the prince (or frog, in this case) is more than just a way out of difficulties like so many other fairytales. Plus, the moral is a rather good one: keeping one’s word/promise is important and you may get rewarded with a handsome prince or some other hitherto unexpected boon. Not of that: if you suffer but are beautiful, then you will get your heart’s desire.
Definitely a great fairy tale! 🙂
I love those old fairy tales… but am sure marking 7/21 to read about the other imporant person of my favorite authors!! What a great idea!! You go Lily!!
Thanks so much! 🙂
I usually read historical romance but Lila’s books caught my attention because what person who reads romance isn’t a romantic and a child at heart?
Lila draws you into her stories and wraps you into a world that you just don’t want to leave from the very first sentance until you close the book when you finish.
Who has read one of her books hasn’t called a friend and said “you just have to read this book!”.
*blushes* Awww, thank you so much, Jeanne! I’m so thrilled you’re enjoying the Fiery Tales series. 🙂 Hugs!
I love fairy tales and updated twists on them! I loved Rapunzel…
So do I!! Great fairy tale!
The very first show I saw on tv in color was R&H’s Cinderella. So, I may be dating myself here, but to this day it is and will always remain my favorite fairy tale.
Another fellow Cinderella fan! It’s a wonderful fairy tale. 🙂
Hi
I love Lila’s Books….
My favorite fairy tale is Cinderella.
Lila I can’t wait for the rest of A Midnight Dance… yup I have the 1st 3 chapters down packed…..
MUUAH Micaela …..
LOL! I love your enthusiasm, dear Micaela! Hugs! 🙂
I would say Cinderella, you have a handsome prince, evil step sisters and of course hard working mice.
I LOVED those cute mice! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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