Today, Elizabeth Morgan has popped in to share her view on Prince Charming!
This was a delicious question asked by a
friend of mine when I asked for topic suggestions for guest posts, and frankly,
I found I had to reply.
Firstly, let us look at the idea of Prince
Charming. Fairytales, and often movies, make him out to be a perfect male; he
swoops in and rescues the damsel whenever she needs him too. He is strong in
all ways, handsome, passionate, caring, responsible, understanding, charming .
. . the man is just sheer perfection, and quite frankly, so cheesy and fake
it's ridiculous.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say
that men are incapable of any of the above, and heck, I'm pretty sure they
would have a handful of those characteristics, but no man or woman is that
perfect. We all have faults, and our flaws and faults can be just as fabulous
as all of the good stuff.
The
problem is Prince Charming, too some degree, has been typecast. He is believed
to be all of those wonderful things and more so that when we do mention him we
all sigh and think, "if only he was real."
Well, you know what ladies he is; I just
think that Prince Charming is different for all of us. He isn't one man. He is
whoever you want him to be, because let's face it; we all have a list of what
we would like to find in a partner. Maybe we don't want him so clean-cut. Maybe
we want him to be a little rough 'n' ready; a motorbike instead of a horse.
Maybe we want him to be quite and sweet.
My fave book hero is Mr Rochester from Jane
Eyre. Why you ask? Because the man is miserable, cynical, and angry; yes, I
love that he has lived life and has been crushed by it. He has had experiences.
He has a wicked sense of humour, and likes to tease Jane. He is smart,
open-minded, doesn't judge of discriminate, and my god the man is passionate.He
is a character who has equal flaws and strengths. He doesn't ride in on a white horse and save
Jane, but he does show her kindness and befriends her, and in turn she gives him
hope. He doesn't overshadow her and take over. She isn't weak.He doesn'tbecome
the strength she needs, or anything soTarzan. They help one another; they are
equals, whichbrings me to the next point and indeed the actual answer to the
question posed:
Is the idea of Prince Charming still
important in the modern age?
Yes and no, and this is where it's going to
get confusing.
I love romance, of course I do, I write it.
I read it. I watch it. I listen to soppy songs. And deep down in my heart I am
hoping that one day I will meet the man I have always dreamed about;the one who
will win over my cynical side, who will steal my breath, my heart, and decide
that he is crazy enough to actually want to spend the rest of his life with me.
But I do have a cynical side. The main
reason for this is due to being brought up by a single parent and having to
watch this parents relationships go down the drain; one after the other, after
the other, and believe me there were a few. I had to hear the arguments. Watch
the hurt. Wipe away the tears while constantly promising that things would be
okay, and I have found myself from the age of, gosh ten, hoping that I never
end up like that.
Naturally, break-ups happen, we all get
hurt. Live, learn, grow, but I decided at sixteen that my career came first,
that I had a life and a purpose, and that no matter what happened in my romance
life, the only person I ever need is me.
Perhaps that sounds sad. Perhaps it is sad,
but my cynical side says women don't need men, and men don't need women. No one
needs anyone. We are all strong, unique individuals who can do anything we put
our minds too. Our lives shouldn't revolve around relationships.
Years ago women were house wives and
mothers. Heroines were weaker, completely depending on men to save them and
make them feel like they were worth something. The world isn't like that
anymore. Women have careers, and can juggle being a wife and a mother. Heroines
can now kick ass all by themselves and every woman finds her own worth and
place in life.
Women can stand their own ground. Men are
not needed . . . but they are wanted, because let's face it, deep down each
woman is in love with the idea of a perfect partner; a soul-mate; a twin-flame,
and why not? Who isn't in love with the idea of love; of romance and passion,
and finding their other half; that person who will complete them, who they can
spend their life with?
The one who will prove that hoping was
never a dumb idea, because they've been looking for you too. Men won't admit
it, but deep down they want a Happily Ever After, it's just not necessarily as
detailed as a woman's. We weren't programmed to be alone.
My cynical side stays put because I have
watched too many people I care about get hurt. I don't need Prince Charming. I
can fight my own battles. Make my own choices. Stand my ground. But if he is
out there, and my romantic, hopeful side believes he is, well, as long as he
understands that I'm an independent woman with dreams of my own, well, I
wouldn't turn him down.
A
modern twist on a long haired tale....
Will she let down her hair for the man of her
fantasies?
Famous for her long, golden hair and beaming
smile, RazelD’Punz is the hottest model in the industry. But although most women
would kill to get ahead in this profession, Razel lives an isolated life; one
she has learnt to accept...until she meets Matthew Prince, a new photographer in
the business.
Refusing to let her mother/agent’s strict
rules stop her from spending time with the man of her fantasies, Razel quickly
discovers that one night with Matthew isn’t enough....
And neither is the life she is chained to.
Something will have to change if she is ever to get her very own Happily Ever
After.
Razel Dazzel by Elizabeth Morgan
They were two beautiful people. Both strong and healthy, exactly what
she was looking for.
The male was at least six foot, slender, but his body was firm. His
light brown hair was slicked back, making his jaw-line and chiseled cheekbones
more defined. His eyes were firmly fixed on his partner as they attempted the
triple spin.
The female—such a petite thing with snow-white skin and a dazzling
set of white teeth. Her blue eyes shone as she gazed up at him from a slanted
dip. Her golden hair was tied up with stray curls hanging around her
face.
Such a beautiful couple. They will do
perfectly. She waited for the show to
end.
*****
Gabriella stood in front of the dressing room door. The small copper
star resting against the worn wood had lost its gleam; the scratched metal had
seen better days. She moved her attention to the two sheets of paper pinned
below it, one reading: Robert Burton; the other: Nina Hewson. The dancing couple
from Arizona.A couple whose lives were about to change.
She knocked sharply upon the door, which opened immediately, bringing
her eye to eye with the polite, green-blue gaze of Robert.
“May I help you?”
“You may indeed.” She walked past him into the small
room.
The dressing room, like the rest of the broken-down theater, wasn’t
anything special. The general necessities were there; a mirror, vanity table,
railing for costumes, and two chairs that looked like they had been stolen from
a high school classroom. And from what she could guess, the hideous, moth-eaten
red fabric hanging from the wall toward the end of the small space was the door
to the restroom. The faded floral wallpaper peeled in many places, and the room
stank of sweat and cheap perfume. Her nose wriggled almost uncontrollably as the
rancid smell swamped her. At the sound of the door shutting, she turned and
focused her attention on Nina, who was standing and pulling her faded, pink silk
robe shut.
She drank their beauty in almost hungrily, reminding herself why she
was in the hellhole of a theatre in the first place. Robert moved and stood
beside Nina, who had folded her arms across her chest.
Happy with her choice, Gabriella dusted one of the chairs and sat,
making herself as comfortable as possible. This was the last place in the world
she would ever choose to be, but for her plan to work, she would need working
class people. Individuals hungry enough for fame and fortune that they would
sell their souls to the devil himself just for a taste. Who could be more
famished than a struggling performer; or in this case, a couple of
performers?
So she’d had to drag herself downtown, forced to sit for two hours in
the dump that somebody had a nerve to call a theater. No one in their right mind
who cared about their career or their bodies would even consider what she was
about to propose, but the information she had found on these two loved-up
dreamers was enough to assure her that her money would be welcomed, even if it
took quite a bit of persuading. And she was, after all, very good at
persuading.
She placed her red purse on her knee and folded her hands. “May I
just begin by saying that you are both simply marvelous dancers?” Her fake and
flattering smile slid into place, and satisfaction stirred inside her as the
compliment sank in.
Nina blushed as Robert nodded.
“Why, thank you.” His broad smile fluttered across his lips. “What
can we do for you, miss?”
“I was wondering if you would like to make some extra
money.”
They glanced at each other.
“I was thinking along the lines of ten thousand. How does that suit
you?”
Excitement sparked in their eyes. She could see the slight twitches
running through their bodies at the offer, and she imagined they either wanted
to embrace each other in sheer delight or fall at her feet and kiss her Prada
shoes.
Nina beamed. “We would be very interested.”
“Yes,” Robert agreed, although hesitation quivered in his words. “But
firstly, who are you?”
“My name is Gabriella D’Punz. I am—”
“Gabriella D’Punz, the founder of Ivory Tower Modeling Agency?” Nina
dropped her arms to her side and took a step forward.
Gabriella cleared her throat and purged the surge of irritation that
pulsed through her at the girl’s interruption. “That is right, my
dear.”
“We accept.”
She fought the slight urge to smile at Nina’s conclusion. “You do not
even know what I am proposing.”
Naturally, the girl would presume they were being offered a contract
for modeling; why else would a modeling agent come to see
them?
“But surely there is only one reason you would want to see
us—”
“I’m afraid you have mistaken me, my dear.” Nina’s brow creased under
her words. “Or should I say you jumped to conclusions. I am Gabriella D’Punz,
founder and agent of Ivory Tower, but I have not come here to offer either of
you a modeling contract.”
“But—”
“Although you are both beautiful—I openly admit it—and you are at a
reasonable modeling quality, well, you are such wonderful dancers. That is where
your hearts are, and I wouldn’t dare drag you away from that
passion.”
“Then what do you want?” Nina asked, slumping down in the chair
facing Gabriella.
“I want a child.” She paused as their eyebrows dipped in uncertainty
to where this conversation was heading. “You see, my husband is growing old, and
I am unable to have children….”
“I…I’m sorry to hear that, but what has this got to do with us?”
Robert asked.
“Well, I was wondering if you could help me.”
Nina lifted her shoulders, her eyes widened a fraction. “How
exactly?”
Gabriella’s focus shifted to Robert; a small smile curled her lips as
realization blossomed over his face.
“Haven’t you heard of adoption?”
“Yes. But I want a surrogate mother and in all honesty, I have had my
eyes on you,”—she rested her gaze on Nina—“my dear, for quite some
time.”
Nina shifted in her seat. “What do you mean?”
“I want you to be my surrogate.”
“What? No.” She shook her head. “No, I won’t do
that.”
Robert stepped forward. “Why her? What do you mean; you’ve had your
eyes on her?”
“I saw a show of yours a year ago. I became interested in you. You’re
both beautiful and in good health. From what I have learned of your education,
you are both decently smart. All the qualities I need in a child. I have
considered adoption for years, but I never found a child I
liked.”
Nina’s eyes grew bigger. “What, you…you’ve been spying on
us?”
“No, not spying. I just have an interest. I also have an interest in
your career. You’re not making very much money. You have no home. You’re living
out of Motels, travelling up and down the country—”
“How dare you!” Robert thundered. “How dare you come in here and…and
poke your nose in to our business, to ask—”
“There’s no need to get hysterical.”
“No need? I...I...Get out! I want you out!”
Gabriella sighed. “I see you are going to make this difficult. So,
let’s just get down to it, shall we? How much money do you
want?”
“What? This isn’t about money,” Robert snapped.
“Nonsense, everything is about money.” She reached into her purse
and pulled out her silver cigarette pouch. “Everyone has a price. So name
it.”
“No. This isn’t about money. This is about a complete stranger
waltzing into our dressing room demanding a baby from us!”
“I have not demanded anything from you. Please keep calm.” She placed
a cigarette in her mouth and put the pouch back in her purse.
“I will not! You have no right! No right to ask this! No right to go
digging around in our private business!”
“I was not digging, and more to the point, I am offering you fifteen
thousand dollars to have a child for me; for a woman who is unable to have
children.” Gabriella pulled her lighter from her purse and lit the end of her
cigarette.
“And that’s our problem?”
“I do not see what the problem is.”
“You wouldn’t, would you? You strut in here with your expensive
clothes thinking you can buy people. Thinking you can buy a baby?” Robert's face
grew redder with each word.
“Why did you choose us?” Nina’s voice was soft,
tentative.
Removing the cigarette from between her lips, she blew out a cloud of
smoke. “Because with your looks,—” Gabriella’s lips twisted into a smile “—you
would give birth to a supermodel.”
“You’re disgusting,” Robert replied through clenched teeth. “Get
out!”
“You’re making a big deal out of nothing. I get a child, and you get
money.” She slipped the lighter back into her purse. “Money that you are both in
need of.”
“Get out.” Nina stood up. Her hands balled into the material of her
robe. “Please, get out.”
“Are you sure you want to turn this offer down?” She kept her
attention on Nina as she stood. “Twenty thousand can really come in
useful.”
Robert walked to the door and opened it. “Your money isn’t welcome
here.”
She laughed, and glanced in his direction. “My money is welcome
everywhere.”
“Get out.”
“Why are you so insulted?” She tucked her purse under her arm. “I am
offering you twenty thousand dollars to have sex and get pregnant. Once you are
pregnant, you will stay in my home as guests. My doctor will see you, take care
of you, and then when it is time, he will deliver the baby. As soon as you are
well, you may leave. You may leave twenty thousand dollars richer than you are
at this very moment. You can get on with your lives, fulfill your dreams. Tell
me what is so disagreeable?”
“You want me to get pregnant and sell my baby to you for twenty
thousand dollars?” Lines creased Nina’s forehead.
“Yes.”
“No! It’s wrong.”
Gabriella shrugged. “Who said it is wrong?”
Nina shook her head. “I won’t do that.”
“Not even for twenty-five thousand dollars?” Gabriella quirked her
right eyebrow. “How much do you want?”
“Get out!” Robert demanded once more.
“Fine.” She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small ivory
card, which she placed on the vanity table beside Nina. “Call me when you
realize this is the best offer you will receive in your lifetime.” She walked
past Robert and out the door, turning right toward the fire
exit.
Gabriella heard the door slam shut as she took another drag of her
cigarette. Then the shouting began. She pushed the fire exit open as her smile
spread to her ears.
About the Author:
And now, here she is, years later, hiding away like a hermit in her little cottage in Cheshire, England, writing like crazy and loving every minute of it.
Elizabeth started life wanting to be an actress because she loved
entertaining people. She enjoyed nothing more than being able to make people
laugh and to help distract them from reality for a few hours.
She studied Musical Theatre in college, but during her second year, her
mind started to overflow with story ideas, so she began writing plays. Slowly,
over the following three years, she wrote more and more, channeling every ounce
of her imagination into the written word.
And now, here she is, years later, hiding away like a hermit in her little cottage in Cheshire, England, writing like crazy and loving every minute of it.
Giveaway:
Elizabeth is giving away five ebook - copies of the Razel Dazzle and ten
swag packs during her tour.
For a chance to win just fill out the Rafflecopter below.
Tour Dates: December 2nd - 20th
This Tour is for Spotlights, Interviews,
and Guest Posts
12/2 - CU's eBook Giveaways
12/3 - Ella Jade
12/4 - Corey's Book Reviews
12/5 - Kristy Centeno
12/9 - Sexy Between The Covers (guest
post)
12/10 - Mammasez... (guest post)
12/11 - Book Reviews by Xuinaria J
12/12 - Tamaria Soana
12/13 - Reading, Writing, and Roses
12/11 -
What's Beyond Forks (guest post)
12/17 - Queen Of The Night Reviews
12/17
- Imogene Nix (guest post)
12/19 - New Age Mama
12/20 - Harlie's Books
(guest post)
