“Dru controlled most of her waking hours, but she wouldn’t control Ella’s thoughts. You haven’t been the same size as your mother since you were ten.” Ella
Alberta (Canada) inspirational novelist, Lisa J. Flickinger, just released a fun, summer novella based on the Cinderella story:
Ella Goodwin, abandoned by her father and abused by her stepsister, seeks to make sense of her new life as a prisoner in her own home. Squirreled away in the attic, she lets her imagination soar by designing and sewing a magnificent gown. However, all hopes of attending the masked ball are dashed when she’s discovered and her gown is stolen.
Thomas Bailey, withdrawn from active duty in the Foreign Service, struggles with a moral issue he must resolve if he wishes to keep his position. He arrives at his coworker’s home to deliver a parcel, a beautiful pair of red silk shoes, and unaware of any deception he agrees to escort the women of the house to the ball.
Chaos and confusion ensue as Thomas attempts to extricate himself from the clutches of an obnoxious stepsister. Will he unravel the mystery and learn the true identity of the beautiful woman who has captured his heart? Join author Lisa Flickinger as she takes you on a fairytale journey though time when life was simpler … or was it?
This fun and familiar novella reached #1 Christian Historical Fiction on Amazon.ca. Congrats, Lisa.
Lisa Flickinger, author of historical novels Fool’s Notion, and All That Glitters, lives and writes from the cliff of a river along the majestic Rocky Mountains. When not writing or reading, you will find her scouring antique shops to add to her collection of old ladders, brooms, linens … or sipping a maple latte with friends and family.
To purchase Ella, click on the cover above, or to visit Lisa, go to www.lisajflickinger.com
BONUS BOOK REVIEW by Janice L. Dick
Think Ever After with an underpinning of morality and faith, and the perfect spark of humor. Lisa J. Flickinger’s redo of the Cinderella story is entertaining and fresh.
Ella’s father is away on an extended military posting abroad, and his new wife has brought her two daughters, formerly unknown to her new husband, to live in the household. As the story goes, they mistreat Ella at every opportunity.
Ella has no way of contacting her father, until an officer shows up who has worked for him. But how can she contrive a way to convince him that she is the real daughter, and that her father’s estate is in jeopardy if left in the clutches of his new family? And what is this feeling that has arisen toward the man who has the power to step in and save her?
Oh, and the red slippers, brought along by Ella’s father’s emissary for his “only daughter.” Perfect. The mean stepsister claims them, then fabricates a long list of excuses and postponements to trying on the slippers, which are half the length of her foot. And in the end, whom do they fit? This is one of those stories that’s fun to read even though you know the ending. Or do you?
The truth is, the cover grabbed me first. It’s gorgeous, a more accurate rendering of a historical character than many I’ve seen on other historical fiction covers. Definitely a winner in my opinion.
I found the Ella novella to be engaging, and although it is based on a premise that good will win out, there is enough tension to keep me reading. I recommend this short book to all those who love fairy tales, especially those with a romantic bent.
Hi, Janice and friends, thank you for the wonderful opportunity to visit you and bring Ella along.
Happy to help. It’s worth the read.