Disclaimer - I was provided a review copy from the Promotional Book Tours to facilitate my reviews.
All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.
The Fairytale Mother
Once upon a time two lives intertwined…
When Andrew Krenshaw’s wife goes missing, terror becomes desperation as he is forced to cope with a world of uncertainty where he has suddenly become a single father, an unfortunate celebrity… a potential murderer.
A hopeful heart.
Melanie Tull has everything she ever wanted in her life… except perhaps love. Her husband is absent and demanding all at once. Her home, a shell of perfection with a cold center. Her life, busy yet vacant.
… Herein lies the tale that binds them.
My Review:
I really enjoyed reading Fairytale Mother. In some ways I could identify with both Corinne and Melanie as a tired, under-appreciated Mom. I can't say I would make the same decisions either made, but I understood the motivations behind these mother's choices.
Heather Muzik did a great job of playing off of a parent's fear of being alone, physically or emotionally. Both family's story expertly woven together. I found myself wondering what scarred me more, feeling abandoned or alone in a marriage.
The Fairytale Mother is an emotional journey, well written, with characters to either love or hate. It defies assumptions and kept me reading deeper to see what happened. I highly recommend giving this dark tale a try. It won't disappoint.
Interview with Heather Muzik:
Q1 - I love a story with a good twist and was delighted with The Fairytale Mother. What inspired you to write it?
First of all, I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed my twisted tale. I, too, enjoy a good twist, whether it is in a story, show, movie—you name it. That being said, I must admit that I first came up with the idea for The Fairytale Mother about three years ago as a fairly straightforward dark and emotional journey. The twists and turns and ultimate voice of the story evolved much later, and I think the book and the reader are the better for it.
When it comes to inspiration for my books, a lot of it comes from my own curiosity and fear—looking at disturbing, upsetting, or ethically challenging situations and how they affect the human condition either directly or indirectly. The intricacies of life intrigue me.
Q2 - Who is your favorite character in the book? Who did you have the most fun writing?
Great question! Really putting me on the spot and keeping me on my toes. Hmmm… I would have to say Paul, actually. It isn’t so much that I liked him, but rather that I found him challenging to work with. He is a relatively passive character who is for the most part denied a perspective. I guess I just love how his veiled character is only really understood through the lens of other characters reacting to him; I think it brings life and intensity to the story in such an organic way.
Q3 - Which authors are your favorites or have influenced your writing the most?
As a reader yourself, you know how hard this question is…. Let me see, I would have to say Mark Twain, Jodi Picoult, Joyce Carol Oates, Sue Grafton, Anita Shreve, Ayn Rand, Allan Folsom. There are more, many more—some are authors I have read only a few books from, others I have read their whole catalog, but one thing they all have in common is their stories have resonated with me far longer than the last page.
As for influences, Stephen King and V.C. Andrews are definitely huge. I started reading both of them about the same time, around age thirteen, and they were elemental in formatting my perceptions of the written word—influencing what I like to read, how I like to be drawn into a story, and to some degree how I write.
Q4 - This was the first book of yours I read. Of course I should read them all, but do you have a favorite? Or a suggestion for following up The Fairytale Mother?
Well, of course I would love for you to read all of my work, but I must say that considering the genre diversity in my catalog, I definitely appreciate your thoughtful interest in taking the next step. I would have to say that The Fairytale Mother is kind of like a bridge between a couple of my books—a perfect place from which to choose your own adventure. On one side is Apathetic, which is a frustrating, wholly disturbing and very twisted coming-of-age story in the shadows of abuse and neglect (and therefore not for everyone). On the other side is Celia’s Journey, which is a tragic and heart wrenching story of loss and grief that is ultimately redemptive. Fairytale marries those two sides and it is up to readers to decide which way to go from there…. Or, if you are like me and like to slip in something fun between the heavy stuff, I have some of that in my bag of tricks too.
Q5 - You mentioned in your bio that you like bacon and my readers love food. So, what is your favorite dish using bacon?
Um… that would be bacon. Unadulterated strips of crispy, chewy goodness. I have a really hard time getting bacon into a recipe because it is so darn good by itself. That being said, I do make grilled cheese with bacon and tomato… and bacon and cheddar stuffed hotdogs are wonderful. And I love BLTs in the summer. Mostly, I like bacon as a garnish—on baked or mashed potatoes, on fries, on nachos, on salad, on ice cream, and on the almighty burger.
Q6 - Anything else you would love to share with my readers?
Yes, there is. I love to connect with readers—my readers, your readers… readers of any sort, any kind, anything. I love chatting, discussing, even arguing about books. So, feel free to connect with me on Goodreads or FB or Twitter or Pinterest, etc. Drop me a line or a laugh… or a recipe (especially easy weekday stuff that’s full of homestyle goodness)!
A big thank you to Heather for taking the time to chat with us and answer these questions. I love hearing directly from the author, don't you?
About Heather
After a childhood spent living in various northern states--New Jersey for half of that (South Jersey, exit 4, to be exact)--she struck out on her own. First stop, Atlanta, Georgia. After attending GA Tech to study Industrial Engineering, she settled down in a small town outside the city where she has remained ever since. She keeps house for one husband, two sons, and a thankless dog (who she adores anyway). Her loves: books, bacon, bargains... heavy metal, Christmas movies... a great pair of jeans... and anything cheesy. The four dirtiest words she knows: wash, cook, dust, iron.
Connect with Heather:
Website http://www.
Twitter @HeatherMuzik
Pinterest http://pinterest.
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