Monday, June 23, 2014

Cinderella of the Day: Elisabeth Brown (Five Glass Slippers Blog Tour)



It's early evening, and the ball is about to begin. A footman opens the door of your carriage, extends a hand to help you down the steps. The chandelier and candles in the ballroom are shining through the windows of the castle, beckoning you onward. You glance down at your dress. Perform a little twirl and smile a little smile just for the sheer joy of the moment. The faint strains of music drift through the air, and you skip-walk until you merge with the crowd.

You've arrived.

* * *

Welcome to the Five Glass Slippers blog tour! (The home page/entrance hall can be found HERE.) We're celebrating the release of this special Cinderella-themed anthology (published by Rooglewood Press) by featuring each of the collection's five authors as "Cinderella of the Day." You'll find out which dress they're wearing to the ball, what dance song they've requested, and you'll hear about their very own Cinderella moment - in addition to discovering some fabulous fun facts via the interviews on participating blogs. Before we get to today's author, though, let's start out with an overview of the book:


ONE BELOVED STORY, FIVE EXCITING WRITERS

A COLLECTION TO CHERISH

What happens when Cinderella is so painfully shy that she cannot bear the idea of attending the royal ball? Or when the slipper fits . . . but on the wrong girl? What happens when Cinderella is determined to oust an imposter prince from her rightful throne? Or when she is a cendrillon miner working from a space station orbiting a cthonian planet? What happens when Cinderella, a humble housemaid, is sent with a message for a prisoner trapped in a frightening fairy circus?

Here is Cinderella as you have never met her before, wearing glass slippers and off on unforgettable adventures!

Available now in paperback and Kindle formats! 

http://www.amazon.com/Five-Glass-Slippers-Collection-Cinderella-ebook/dp/B00KWMZ9WA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402990401&sr=8-1&keywords=Five+Glass+Slippers
 (Psst...The Kindle version is only $.99 this week!)

* * * 

Today's "Cinderella of the Day" is Elisabeth Brown, author of "What Eyes Can See"!


Elisabeth Brown has always loved words. The third of seven children, she enjoyed being homeschooled through her senior year of high school, and is now studying piano performance at Appalachian Bible College. When she’s ignoring the fact that she should probably be practicing more or doing Greek homework, you’ll find her sewing, baking, reading, singing along to basically any musical ever created, hiking through the woods, or laughing at incredibly silly puns. What Eyes Can See is her first published story, but she also rambles at www.metaphoricalcello.wordpress.com.


"What Eyes Can See" by Elisabeth Brown

Painfully shy Arella begs her stepmother to let her stay home from the prince’s ball. But kindly Duchess Germaine is determined that her beautiful stepdaughter should be presented at court along with her own two daughters. So, dressed in a gorgeous gown and a pair of heirloom slippers, Arella catches the eye of the crown prince . . . and finds her life suddenly far more complicated than she ever desired.

* * *

Amber: And our first honored guest has arrived! Welcome, Elisabeth. Let's see what dress you chose to wear to the event...

  Source: Dressed Up!

In Elisabeth's words: It's purple. It's poofy, but not too poofy. It's sparkly, but not too sparkly. It's basically perfect.

Amber: I am in complete agreement! Purple is my favorite color, so I'm loving this dress. So which dance tune are you hoping to hear tonight?

Elisabeth: "The Laendler" from The Sound of Music



Amber: Lovely! Perfect for a ball. :) Makes you want to hum along. 

Now, before you enter the castle and start dancing, could you share a "Cinderella moment" with us?

Elisabeth:  I've never faced an authentic Cinderella moment when I suddenly went from scullery maid to princess, mainly because I've never been a scullery maid. I have felt like a princess, though; one relatively recent time when I was particularly blessed was last January. I was in the piano lab at my school, doing ear training drills, which are, for me at least, quite challenging, sometimes even tear-inducing. Anyhow, I was sitting there, drilling away, when a friend texted me: I'm ready for a break from homework. Do you want to join me in the Servant Center? (The Servant Center is, gentle readers, the location of my school's student lounge.) Tired of ear training, I eagerly acquiesced to her suggestion.

We wandered over to the Servant Center, when she paused before a classroom door. "I wonder what's going on in here?" she remarked innocently. "Kaite," I replied suspiciously. "Why are you going into a dark and empty room?" Katie merely returned "Why not?" with her most angelic face. So we walked in, and immediately were greeted with calls of "Happy birthday!!" ... just for me. My friends had gone out of their way to throw me my very-first-ever surprise birthday party (complete with purple cake!), and I couldn't have felt more blessed. From ear training to cake-eating...I'd say that's a Cinderella moment if ever there were one!

Amber: Indeed! How special. Purple cake and a surprise from friends - doesn't get much better than that!

Want to learn more about Elisabeth? She's starring on several blogs today, and you won't want to miss all the fun features:
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Do you want a chance to be Cinderella of the ball, as well? All this week (through Friday) you have a chance to enter the tour-wide giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a paperback copy of Five Glass Slippers, several Cinderella-themed items (including a bookmark crafted by Belle on a Budget, a journal, and a DVD copy of the Disney movie), as well as special gifts handpicked by a few of the collection’s authors (a glass slipper cookie cutter with recipe, freeze-dried astronaut ice cream, and an Apple Tree Inn cup and saucer). This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd be interested reading the different takes on Cinderella. Thanks for doing a giveaway.

-Caitlyn

Unknown said...

This is a great way to promote your new book! Cinderella is one of my favorite fairy tales. (2nd to Beauty and the Beast) Looking forward to reading your book.

Blessings,

Tina

Anonymous said...

I'm really looking forward to this book. I'm a big Cinderella fan and can't wait to read their takes on the story.

Hannah said...

Fairy Godmother, may I just compliment the way you are presenting your lovely young authoresses? This whole presentation is charming.

Ms. Stephanie, your dress, music, and story delight me.

Thank you so much for inviting me! I had a simply awful time finding a gown. I obviously need a royal seamtress or fairy godmother. Any suggestions as to where look?

Kirsten Fichter said...

I'm really looking forward to reading all the stories in Five Glass Slippers!! They all look marvelous!

Ooh! That song is perfect! Gotta love Sound of Music! :)

Amber Holcomb said...

Caitlyn,

The different takes are quite creative - making for a very enjoyable read! :) And isn't the giveaway grand? The editor/publisher and a few of the authors put together a fabulous prize package!

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Tina,

So glad you like it! I had a lot of fun organizing this blog tour for Rooglewood Press and the books' five authors. :)

The next collection the publisher is working on is for Beauty & the Beast, so you should be able to enjoy both of your favorite fairy tales retold by this time next year! :)

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Anonymous,

Gotta love the story of Cinderella! Glad you're excited about the collection. :)

~Amber

P.S. If you're leaving a comment for the Rafflecopter giveaway, be sure to let us know your name so we can verify your entry. :) Thank you!

Beth said...

I remember the feeling of a surprise party that my husband (then betrothed) threw for me in cahoots with my mom & bestie - I literally cried because I was so happy. It truly is the thought behind it that counted, although he did go all out & get me my first pair of diamond stud earrings, so I did feel like a princess for a bit :) Thanks for the chance to win!

Beth

Amber Holcomb said...

Hannah,

Aww! *blushing* I'm so pleased. :) It was a lot of fun to brainstorm this tour!

I really love Elisabeth's choice of dress and song, too. :D

You know... I think we do need to reserve Saturday as a day for us all to show off what we're wearing to the ball! There are some lovely little shops online - you can ask these Five Glass Slippers gals where they found their dresses. ;) If I can still fit into my prom dress, perhaps I should wear that one again. I always considered it my "Cinderella dress." :)

~The Fairy Godmother

Amber Holcomb said...

Kiri,

They really are fabulous stories! Hope you enjoy them, too. :) And yes, isn't this song just perfect for a ball?

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Beth,

Aww, that's so sweet! It's definitely the thought that counts the most - knowing that the people you care about wanted to surprise you and make you happy because they love you. :) And jewelry is the icing on the cake! ;)

Thanks for sharing your Cinderella moment!

~Amber

Jaye L. Knight said...

Oh, wow, that dress! I want that in my closet right now. ;) Purple is my second favorite color. Absolutely gorgeous. Fabulous choice, Elisabeth! And I just love the twist on your Cinderella story! I can't wait to read it!

Betsy said...

Actually, come to think of it, this is probably the most Cinderella-esque moment of my life... ;) Thanks for hosting me, Amber!
Jaye, Kiri, Hannah...thanks for ratifying my taste in ballgowns and music. I appreciate you.
Beth, yay for surprise parties! I think we should have them all the time. Except then it's not so surprising, I guess.
Tina and Caitlyn, I hope you enjoy the book! I love the way the stories all work together.
~Elisabeth/Betsy/Cinderella for the day :)

Madison said...

I love that dress. Purple is one of my favorite colors (but, you know, red still wins). :D Congrats on the feature, Elizabeth!

Unknown said...

Cinderella was my favorite Disney movie when I was a little girl. I can't wait to see how these writers retell the story in "5 Glass Slippers"!

Heidi Reads... said...

I just got the book for my Kindle! I'm looking forward to reading some fairy-tale novellas this week :) Love your dress choice!

Amber Holcomb said...

Jaye,

Seriously!! I love it, too, and I totally wouldn't mind having it in my closet. I just need a good occasion to wear it... ;)

Elisabeth's is a very sweet story with some fun twists - enjoy!

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Betsy,

Awwww! Hehe. ;) It's a pleasure to host you, and I so hope you enjoyed your day!

~The Fairy Godmother

Amber Holcomb said...

Dolly,

Yes, that dress is fabulous! Not sure about this red business, though... ;) Just kidding! I'm a purple fan, myself. :)

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Molly,

Oh, that's awesome! It's such a special story, isn't it? And these five awesome authors retell it in such clever and enjoyable ways! :)

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Heidi,

Yay! That Kindle ebook sale is irresistible, isn't it? If I didn't already have an influencer copy and a complimentary copy of the paperback, I'd be all over that. ;) Enjoy the lovely stories!

~Amber

Anonymous said...

Oh I am so excited for this book! This piece of the five-book collection, especially.
Lovely interview Elizabeth!
Thanks for this chance! Can't wait to read it. :)
-Raechel
Godspeculiartreasurerae.wordpress.com

Unknown said...

That dress!! : D Love it! Congratulations, Miss Brown!

Amber Holcomb said...

Raechel,

It's a great book, with five wonderful stories! Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for checking out Elisabeth's spotlight/interview. :)

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Allison,

Right?? It's beautiful!

~Amber

Vonnie said...

Very pretty dress! I could tell that her favorite color is purple ;)

Amber Holcomb said...

Vonnie,

Yep, yep! You just gotta love purple, and that dress is such a pretty shade. :)

~Amber