Stephen King: what the master of horror teaches about romance

I got busted reading "Carrie" in science class. I trembled with the thought of surviving a pandemic with "The Stand."

Stephen King: A romantic hero? Maybe atypical but absolutely! Let’s look at why:

Stephen knows loss. He grew up with an absentee father and a mother who took charge, a woman who made her living working hard and caring for her sons. She tended to her children's mental and spiritual health as well as caring for her extended family. A woman who provided an inspiration of strength for those who knew her. She died far too young. A loss a young man shouldn't have to face, but her strength was passed on to her children. instead of blaming the fates, they carried on. His modest background gave him sensitivity to the working class and some vital insight about the human condition.

Stephen went to college He worked his way through school as a janitor.
It was in college Stephen met Tabitha. As writers they connected.He admired her for her intelligence and creativity, as she is a writer as well. It was Tabitha who rescued "Carrie" from the trash and demanded her husband finish the manuscript. He was smart enough to listen to his wife, and finished the work. He has loved and dedicated his life to his lady, Tabitha, his college sweetheart. Together they’ve faced and overcome his drug addiction and the physical challenges that came from a severe motor vehicle accident.

He has been a father to his children for the long haul.

He has overcome personal tragedy and offered support to budding authors with his "On writing" book.He fought a drug addiction during his marriage. It takes courage to admit you have a problem and to ask for help. It is even more courageous to make private pain public so others can be inspired to seek help too, even though doing this gives the mean spirited an easy target.
Stephen was given another horrific challenge when he was hit by a car.

Months in physical therapy allowed him to walk again, but the steps were slow, a grueling struggle to heal. Despite the damage to his body Stephen didn’t fall into despair. The self is the greatest enemy, the love of his family his greatest asset. Tabitha was with him every step of the way, no matter how trying.

Horror is all around us. We see the evils humans do; it drags us into emotional mire. Hearing the news is enough to make us want to hide under our beds or just get through the day so we can make it back to the sanctuary of our homes. Through it all love makes it bearable, infusing us with the power to look evil in its face and claim victory. The master of horror, by his own strength and perseverance is the model of a true hero.

Caribbean Dreams of Love By Bess McBride!

I'm tickled to see that my recent release, a light paranormal/fantasy called Caribbean Dreams of Love received a Fantastic Review from Amy at Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction. Here is what she has to say:

"This is such a heart warming book! It tells a story of a woman who gets another shot in love and romance. The story catches my interest from the start and keeps me going till the end. It's just hard to put down this book and I just could not stop reading.

Bess McBride writes a fantastic story in Caribbean Dreams of Love....This is a must read for dreamers and to those who never stop looking for true love. Thumbs up!"

http://blog.lyndacoker.net/2009/01/08/wrdf-review-of-caribbean-dreams-of-love-by-bess-mcbride-2.aspx

Blurb: Daisy and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lily, are embarking on a Caribbean cruise. She isn't looking for anything special on the cruise other than a pleasant break from her humdrum existence as long-time divorced single mother to a busy teenage girl. She certainly isn't prepared for an enigmatic man named Peter whose idiosyncrasies in dress and speech mark him as an eccentric person to avoid. But Daisy can't avoid him. In fact, she begins to obsess about him from the first moment she catches him staring at her in the cruise ship terminal. Peter remains elusive and mysterious throughout the cruise. She catches sight of him occasionally, never often enough to please her, and they connect one wonderful night as he sweeps her into his arms for a waltz. A waltz? On a Caribbean cruise ship? While Daisy's dinner companions share nightly tales of the legends of cursed pirates, Daisy dreams of the mysterious man who has captured her heart.

Excerpt:

Bjorn glanced at his enrapt audience and took a deep breath. Daisy cringed. Something was coming.

"And with his last ounce of strength, Captain Smith grabbed his sword and plunged it in Gentleman Jones' heart."

A stab of pain seemed to knife through Daisy's own heart, and she involuntarily put a hand to the painful spot just below her left collarbone.

Even Becky was speechless, her jaw hung open. Lily took a breath and asked the question uppermost in Daisy's mind.

"Did he...does he...?"

"They say he still wanders the Caribbean, alone and lonely, a ghost with no hope of dying or returning to the living."

Bjorn's voice drifted away. He scanned the faces of his audience solemnly.

He shrugged. "But it's just a silly story, one of many. Who knows if any of them are true?"

And in a surprise move, he picked up his fork and resumed eating. Johana smiled demurely and took a sip of water before she too resumed eating.

Bjorn's stunned dinner companions stared at him. Lily, Daisy and Becky exchanged saddened glances.

Jim broke the silence when he started laughing and clapped Bjorn on the back. Bjorn choked slightly and put his napkin to his lips.

"Well, you sure had us going. I'll give you that. So...no truth to the story?"

Bjorn leaned slightly away from Jim and shrugged once again. "I find the Caribbean folklore fascinating, but many of the stories are just that. Stories. I heard this tale from a man in a museum in Nassau once. I liked it." He gave the group a sheepish smile.

"So, it's just a fairy tale?" Becky asked.

"Not a fairy tale," Bjorn smiled slightly. "Just an old legend. If the story were true, we would have to believe in ghosts...and I for one do not care to think about such things." He picked up his knife and fork again and began to cut his food, seemingly no longer interested.

"Just a legend," murmured Johana. She shook her head in amusement. "A story. Bjorn has many."

"Mom, what are you doing? Are you okay?"

Daisy turned to meet her daughter's eyes. Lily nodded toward Daisy's hand still dramatically clutched to her chest.

She colored and dropped her hand. The pain had eased.

Such a sad story!

Video Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEfgJ8Ng7lo

Buy Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1083&zenid=158e2bb07c492a5af9aa0e192c694c7f

Bess McBride
www.bessmcbride.com

Caribbean Dreams of Love by Bess McBride Video Trailer!

Yes, it's true....I'm just nipping in at the last minute with the video trailer for my upcoming release (Friday, December 12 at www.thewildrosepress.com), CARIBBEAN DREAMS OF LOVE, a light paranormal featuring a lonely woman on a Caribbean cruise with her precocious teenage daughter, a mysterious musician, a ghost, a pirate, and nightly dinner tales of legends and curses. I had great fun with this video, especially taking the pictures!

Video Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEfgJ8Ng7lo

Blurb: Daisy and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lily, are embarking on a Caribbean cruise. She isn’t looking for anything special on the cruise other than a pleasant break from her humdrum existence as long-time divorced single mother to a busy teenage girl. She certainly isn’t prepared for an enigmatic man named Peter whose idiosyncrasies in dress and speech mark him as an eccentric person to avoid. But Daisy can’t avoid him. In fact, she begins to obsess about him from the first moment she catches him staring at her in the cruise ship terminal. Peter remains elusive and mysterious throughout the cruise. She catches sight of him occasionally, never often enough to please her, and they connect one wonderful night as he sweeps her into his arms for a waltz. A waltz? On a Caribbean cruise ship? While Daisy’s dinner companions share nightly tales of the legends of cursed pirates, Daisy dreams of the mysterious man who has captured her heart.

Excerpt:
Bjorn glanced at his enrapt audience and took a deep breath. Daisy cringed. Something was coming.

“And with his last ounce of strength, Captain Smith grabbed his sword and plunged it in Gentleman Jones’ heart.”

A stab of pain seemed to knife through Daisy’s own heart, and she involuntarily put a hand to the painful spot just below her left collarbone.

Even Becky was speechless, her jaw hung open. Lily took a breath and asked the question uppermost in Daisy’s mind.

“Did he...does he...?”

“They say he still wanders the Caribbean, alone and lonely, a ghost with no hope of dying or returning to the living.”

Bjorn’s voice drifted away. He scanned the faces of his audience solemnly.

He shrugged. “But it’s just a silly story, one of many. Who knows if any of them are true?”

And in a surprise move, he picked up his fork and resumed eating. Johana smiled demurely and took a sip of water before she too resumed eating.

Bjorn’s stunned dinner companions stared at him. Lily, Daisy and Becky exchanged glances.

Jim broke the silence when he started laughing and clapped Bjorn on the back. Bjorn choked slightly and put his napkin to his lips.

“Well, you sure had us going. I’ll give you that. So...no truth to the story?”

Bjorn leaned slightly away from Jim and shrugged once again. “I find the Caribbean folklore fascinating, but many of the stories are just that. Stories. I heard this tale from a man in a museum in Nassau once. I liked it.” He gave the group a sheepish smile.

“So, it’s just a fairy tale?” Becky asked.

“Not a fairy tale,” Bjorn smiled slightly. “Just an old legend. If the story were true, we would have to believe in ghosts...and I for one do not care to think about such things.” He picked up his knife and fork again and began to cut his food, seemingly no longer interested.

“Just a legend,” murmured Johana. She shook her head in amusement. “A story. Bjorn has many.”

“Mom, what are you doing? Are you okay?”

Daisy turned to meet her daughter’s eyes. Lily nodded toward Daisy’s hand still dramatically clutched to her chest.

She colored and dropped her hand. The pain had eased.

Such a sad story!

Bess McBride
www.bessmcbride.com