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Sunday, March 2, 2014

Before “Once Upon A Time…” and PASSION OF SLEEPY HOLLOW Giveaway



Do you remember in school when the teacher made us read a novel and a collective groan followed? Maybe we had to read up to Chapter Four or maybe just the first two chapters, but no matter the length of that first assignment of a novel, I remember skipping the introduction, the author’s note, the preface, the prologue. Whatever it was that came before the first words, before the “Once upon on a time…,” I just wanted to get to the meat of the story. Or maybe I had waited too late to start reading and just wanted to get the assignment done :-}
 
Then I discovered romance novels and quickly learned that the prologue was a key component of the story and with it I had a hint of what to look forward to in the story, or at the very least discovered why a character was the way he or she was. But still I didn’t read anything else that might come before that.

So when my editor suggested I add an Author’s Note to the beginning of my stories I groaned. Why do that? No one would read it? But then my agent agreed with the idea. Why? Well, because I write erotic romances inspired by classic literature and she thought it was a good opportunity to summarize the original story so readers who hadn’t read it could gain another level of understanding from my stories. Okay, so how could I argue with that logic?

As a result, all my erotic romances have an Author’s Note. I know, it sounds very educational and boring, and the truth is, a reader can enjoy my stories without ever having read the original. BUT if someone was very familiar with the original classic or DID read my author’s note, then she would gain another whole level of satisfaction from my story. I guess you could say my Author’s Note is like the cliff notes to a classic. 

Just for fun I have included my Author’s Note to Passion of Sleepy Hollow. But even more importantly I have included a rafflecopter for a chance to win the whole book! And if you want to confess in a comment whether you read anything before the “Once upon a time…” you can have a chance to win too :-)
 
Always, Lexi

Author’s Note
Photo: Sandy Cramer,Knot Just Rope.

Passion of Sleepy Hollow was inspired by Washington Irving’s short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, published in 1820, featuring the famous schoolteacher Ichabod Crane. Despite his abject fear of the dark and obsession with ghost stories, Ichabod’s attraction to the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel drives him to trek to her father’s party where he discovers the bountiful farm Katrina is destined to inherit. 

Though well aware of “Brom Bones” and his long relationship with Katrina, Ichabod puts in his bid for her hand. After what appears to be a rejection, Ichabod leaves the party late at night only to be chased by the Headless Horseman, who throws his head at Ichabod. The next day Ichabod has disappeared with nothing but a smashed pumpkin left upon the trail. Irving suggests that Brom may know a bit more about the disappearance than he allows. In the end, Katrina accepts Brom’s proposal.

But what if Ichabod had the last laugh by initiating a curse upon the village of Sleepy Hollow and luring Brom away from Katrina forever?

Passion of Sleepy Hollow may be purchased at:

About Lexi:
Lexi Post spent years in higher education taking and teaching courses about classical literature. From the early American short story, Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Masque of the Red Death" to the 20th century American epic The Grapes of Wrath, from War and Peace to the Bhagavad Gita, she's read, studied, and taught great classic literature.

But Lexi's first love is romance novels. In an effort to marry her two first loves, she started writing erotic romance inspired by the classics and found she loved it.  Lexi feels there is no end to the romantic inspiration she can find in great classic literature.

Lexi lives with her husband and cat in the Caribbean where gorgeous sunsets, warm weather, and driving on the left are the norm. She makes her own ice cream every weekend, loves bright colors, and you will never see her without a hat (unless she is going incognito).
website:  http://www.lexipostbooks.com/            
twitter:   https://twitter.com/LexiPost              

Enter the Rafflecopter to win PASSION OF SLEEPY HOLLOW

a Rafflecopter giveaway

11 comments:

  1. Yes. You never know what interesting tidbit the author gives you.

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  2. It depends on what it is. If the author is thanking others or dedicating the story. I read that. Sometimes there's a prologue, I read that. One book had some kind of poetry, I didn't read that.

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    1. I like reading who the author thanks as well. It's fun to see what friends and family are being appreciated :-)

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  3. I always read it, I want to know what the author has to say, how the characters came about, what influenced them, was it difficult or easy, who do they thank, who inspired them. It helps get inside the authors mind, a chance some people will never get if it wasn't for the author notes in the books. Not everyone has access to social media or the time for it.

    Shannon
    sabai30705(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. I agree, Shannon. It's nice to have that information readily available.

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  4. Thank you so much! I'm looking forward to reading it!

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