Connie Almony – Story Behind the Story – Part 2 of 3

Shannon here: Connie Almony shares her inspiration for her modern-day fairy-tale retelling, At the Edge of the Dark Forest. Answer the question at the bottom of any post dated August 18 – 22 to enter the drawing for a $5.00 Amazon gift card and a copy of my title, Rodeo Song. Deadline: August 30th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Connie:

Inspiration for At the Edge of a Dark Forest
It started almost like a dare. One of my four critique partners asked if we were interested in joining with her in publishing a series of modern-day fairy tales without the magic. We would each choose a story and write our own versions. This intrigued me. On the one hand, the story was already laid out. I’d just need to follow the blueprint set so many years ago. On the other, I was limited to a story that had been retold many a time before. Did I really want to compete with another’s success? How can I make it new and fresh? Did I want this challenge?
Yep, I did.
Next question. What story do I choose? I’ve always been in love with the tale of Beauty and the Beast because of the theme of loving someone beyond their looks. I had one concern, as a former counselor who’d worked with abused women. I didn’t want to encourage the idea that a woman is responsible to transform a bitter and destructive man. So I set out to write with these criteria in mind. Now, I only needed to figure out how the man would be a “beast” (at least in his own eyes) and able to be transformed without magic.
A few years ago, I did a Military Ministries series on my blog LivingtheBodyofChrist.blogspot.com. In researching, I became increasingly aware of the needs of our service men and women as well as their families even after they came home from active-duty deployment. I was so touched by the sacrifices these people made on my behalf I wanted to honor them in some way. This project was the opportunity to do just that.
So the tale was created …
At the Edge of a Dark Forest is the story of an embittered Iraq-War vet with PTSD who wears his disfigurement like a barrier to those who might love him, shielding them from the ugliness inside. He agrees to try and potentially invest in, a prototype prosthetic with the goal of saving a hopeless man’s dreams. Carly Rose contracts to live with Cole Harrison and train him to use his new limbs, only to discover the darkness that wars against the man he could become. Though this story is inspired by the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, it is not her love that will make him whole.
I hope this tale will bring a better understanding of the needs of our service members and their families even after they return from war. If you’d like to know more about how you or your church can help, visit CruMilitary.org for resources. Ten percent of author earnings on At the Edge of a Dark Forest will be donated to this wonderful organization.
About Connie: Connie Almony is trained as a mental health therapist and likes to mix a little fun with the serious stuff of life. She was a 2012 semi-finalist in the Genesis Contest for Women’s Fiction and was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Winter 2012 WOW Flash Fiction Contest. Her newest release, At the Edge of a Dark Forest, is a modern-day re-telling of Beauty and the Beast about a war-vet, amputee struggling with PTSD.
You can find Connie on the web, writing book reviews for Jesus Freak Hideout, and hosting the following blogs: InfiniteCharacters.com and LivingtheBodyofChrist.Blogspot.com. You can also meet her on the following social media outlets:              Twitter              Facebook              Pinterest
About the book – At the Edge of a Dark Forest
Cole Harrison, an Iraq war veteran, wears his disfigurement like a barrier to those who might love him, shielding them from the ugliness inside. He agrees to try and potentially invest in, a prototype prosthetic with the goal of saving a hopeless man’s dreams.
Carly Rose contracts to live with Cole and train him to use his new limbs, only to discover the darkness that wars against the man he could become.
At the Edge of a Dark Forest is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Only it is not her love that will make him whole.
On sale for 99 cents!
Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Dark-Forest-Fairwilde-Reflections/dp/1495452174/ref=la_B00IIXLWZS_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407997045&sr=1-1
Question: Do you have any war veterans in your family?
Come back August 22nd for Connie’s proposal story!