by Greta Buckle
Published
by CreateSpace (Indie)
YA Fantasy Romance
Contains elements of action, adventure and comedy
Heat Level: Steamy
Length:
258 pages
Available at:
Blurb:
He wasn't looking for love. He only wanted to prove he was worthy of
being a king's son.
Adventurer Theseus had dreamed of meeting his father, King
Aegeus. As Theseus journeys to Athens , he meets his match
in strength along the way. But is it the will of a beautiful young princess
that puts this strong young man finally at his mercy? Or will he be able to
conquer the princess’s heart?
She had settled for a life of unhappiness and believed a man who would
love her for herself was only in her dreams.
Princess Ari has followed her father’s dictates all her
life. On her way to meet her bridegroom, she is attacked. Saved by a handsome
adventurer, Theseus, she tempts fate and follows him on his journey to Athens .
Being with Theseus opens up a whole new world of opportunity for her. But will
she allow her heart or loyal duty choose her life for her?
Excerpt:
He took his hand off her head. He had
protected her. Again.
Staring up at him stirred something unique
inside her that she never believed could happen to her. She’d seen the plays
and the tragedy that love caused, but never understood temptation. The fire in
her belly burned into every part of her body from his smoldering eyes. He
looked down at her as he cradled her in his arms. “That was Sinus. I don’t
think he’ll kill anyone else ever again.”
“He won’t. How do you know his name?”
“He’s the reason I chose this path when I was
fifteen. I had planned to prove my courage to my father, and take out the
biggest villain on the road.”
“Check that off the list of goals then.” she
said. “Good job.”
She continued to embrace Theseus, making her
body tingle from crazy stirrings. What would he taste like? She’d die a happy
death if he put his lips on hers. My, what was she thinking?
“I never believed you’d be here, or that my
goal in that moment would turn to protecting you.” he said, pulling her closer.
She shook off her desires. She needed to let
him go. She focused on logic instead of the male body in front of her. “I don’t
know what to say. Today has been the craziest day.”
“It’s the middle of the night, little one.”
“You’re right. I don’t know what’s happening
to me anymore. Theseus, this never happens to me.”
“What doesn’t happen to you?” he asked,
smiling.
“I don’t know.”
He played with her hair, and straightened her
clothes. “Your innocence and desire are a siren’s call to me, Ari, and you
don’t have a clue, do you?”
“Who’s Ari?” She half expected to be
disappointed with whatever he would say.
“You are. It fits you much better than
Ariadne. Ari trembles for me.”
She licked her lips, wanting to kiss him. But
she couldn’t. Theseus embodied a man out of her dreams.
She looked away thinking of what waited for
her when her father’s men found her. “I don’t know my bridegroom. I’ve only
ever known my duty.”
Theseus’ body tensed. “You’re betrothed?”
“I never agreed. The bride price, I’m told,
paid for my father’s upgrade to the artillery. In the morning or someday soon,
I’ll be found. But…can you do me one last favor?”
“What, little one?” His arms grew warm again,
tightening around her. She dared for a different life, where she lived with a
chance of walking next to him in life. Letting him go and going back to the
life her father chose sounded cold and dreary. She couldn’t, not yet.
“Kiss me, Theseus, just once.”
Taking a step closer to him, she looked into
his mesmerizing eyes. His strong hands framed her face, his fingers circled her
mouth and his eyes darkened with tenderness. When he leaned into her, her
eyelids fluttered shut. His light pressure sweetly opened her mouth.
Her secret wish had come true. The prison
walls in Ariadne’s heart disappeared in her soul, and today Ari’s lips ached.
He bent his head close. Then, she felt his
strong lips on hers, and she lost control.
Greta Buckle grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She’s worked in engineering, then
became a lawyer. After realizing she hates clients, she became a high school
teacher. Teaching is fun, but writing is a passion. She wrote one hundred and
one fan fiction stories online before deciding to transition into writing her
own stories. Never ask her to republish her fan stories from age eleven-
horribly written stories of princesses. Greta dreams of writing professionally,
where her barista can make her coffee and a walk on the beach, can motivate her
tales. Theseus story came to her when she was a freshman in high school as her
English teacher, the nun, told her how life was hard and tragedy teaches
lessons. Greta’s love of writing has kept her centered and focused. How is she
crazy? The voices in her head are characters in novels and she’s not insane.
Visit Greta online at:
Website / Facebook
Author Interview
1.
Where did
the idea come from for the book?
I came back from the Chicago Spring Fling
Conference all fired up about short stories. The lecture was that inspiring! I
could do a 10 to 20k short story. LOL. They said to look for calls out, and I
saw one for ancient Athens or Rome. Immediately I thought, Theseus has never
been told right at all.
Yeah, that’s not what happened in the end. The
story took a life of its own.
2.
What
genre does your book fall under?
I prefer to call it action adventure romance,
but most people would call it fantasy romance.
3.
Which
actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Liam Helmsworth for Theseus. He can die his
hair like his brother did in Star Trek. Melissa Benoist aka Marley on Glee
season four (new Rachel).
4.
What is
the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
On a quest to prove himself worthy of being a
King’s Son, Theseus mets Ari, the girl who he falls hard for.
5.
Will your
book be self-published or represented by an agency?
This one is self published. I have another
book coming out in February, Two Weeks in Miami, that is professional. But for
Ari and Theseus, they needed to be told right, and the characters already
waited 5000 plus years for a good fix. I didn’t want to wait.
6.
How long
did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Funniest thing, less than a month. Not the
first or last thing I’ve written, but they took on a life of their own. And it
was intended to a short. The rewriting took longer.
7.
What
other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
If I had found a book like this in modern
times, I’d compare it in a heartbeat. With the time period or the genre lately,
the heroes are supernatural or godly in some way. Theseus and Ari are not, and
to me that makes them human facing extraordinary adventures.
8.
Who or
What inspired you to write this book?
My voice is contemporary. I know it. But I
wanted to tackle history. And I love stories from this time period. 300. Troy.
(slightly later, Gladiator, Spartacus, HBO’s Rome and I’m missing one right
now.) With this time frame there are myths and legends and history all rolled
together, and I’m stifled with verb choices on what’s proper and what’s not.
9.
What else
about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Mything You was a fun and pleasure to write. The
characters are engaging. Ari’s set to marry another man whose she’s never met,
and never dared live on her own. She’s a good girl, and she always makes sense.
On the road, Theseus saves her from near death, and she decides to follow him.
They have to fight thieves, giants, witches, murderers, and of course the
Minotaur to free Athens from danger and fall in love. Ultimately this is a
romance with the sense of an adventure story. I had so much fun rewriting a
myth and the sequel is in rough draft form already.
Greek mythology, Romance, Adventure. Meeting up with an all time favorite of mine Hercules. Kevin Sorbo the perfect candidate for the role that made this mythology story an every day household name. Then there was Xena, who can forget that lady, Lucy Lawless with her companion. Fearless, skilled with every weapon known, with a fierce punch. Do not forget Gerard Butler in 300, perfect in the role of the King of Sparta, or Brad Pitt in Helen of Troy and the new released Thor. These were awesome hunks and ladies that made the old Greek myths alive, living the grandeur of rich story telling. Just love the stories and hardly ever miss a series or movie in regards to this genre.
Greta Buckle bring in exciting characters but with a life of their own to enhance the well known tale of Midas and the cursed golden touch. With Hercules in his protective role and the Amazon women who tries to abduct Ariadne. The female main character in the book MyThing You. Princess and daughter of King Midas. Sold to the prince of Crete and almost died at the hands of thugs.
In step our hero, Theseus. Prince son of King Aegeus, King of Athens and saved the day. He is young, strong, vibrant, honest and in love. All the elements to continue a Greek myth as he fight giants, murderers, killing the Minotaur, and release the curse from Midas.
The well known tale end where Midas's daughter greeted her father with a kiss and she turned in a statue of gold but Theseus would have none of that. Searching for a solution through piles of documents and with no patience with King Midas he set out to find the cure and set his love free. With the help of Hercules he conquered his city after his father was killed.
I really enjoyed the young man, his character constant and growing to be a good leader to his people. He set out one goal, to proof he was a man his father could be proud of. He accomplished this as well.
But Ariadne's character lacked at times that same constant characteristics of the man she fell in love with. Her thoughts fleeting at times making her weak although at the end she turns out to be strong saving the city from a sea monster.
There were many gaps in the story that broke the flow, many repeats. I have learned is a big no-no in writing. The mind frame or thought patterns of the characters jumped around loosing the momentum at times.
The story of the apple was a sweet interlude keeping the two at a safe pace to get to know each other and making long lasting commitments to each other.
Overall a good read that many YA fantasy readers would love.
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