Melissa Rea - Author

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Books Inspired by Alice in Wonderland You Should Read

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beautiful and magical mushrooms books inspired by Alice in Wonderland
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Books inspired by Alice in Wonderland are abundant in our time today, and with the numerous authors out there, we can expect wonderful tales from them.

Being an author myself, I, Melissa Rea, have written my book loosely based on Alice in Wonderland titled Nights of Alice. My Rabbithole (Nights of Alice) book takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of twists, steamy scenes, and strong emotions that’ll get them hooked. I guarantee readers will enjoy the exciting story, which I’m also excited to share.

However, let’s rewind and talk more about the books that Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland inspired. We have prepared a list you can refer to below.

1. Alice by Christina Henry

Photo from Alice (Amazon.com)

Some of these tales may strike you as being a little grim. The novel Alice by Christina Henry unquestionably paints a grim picture of Alice and what happens in Lewis Carroll’s original story. The tale starts with a woman found in a hospital who can’t remember who she is.

She can only really remember bunny ears, blood, and a tea party. The woman seizes the chance to leave when a fire bursts in the hospital.

2. Nights of Alice by Yours Truly, Melissa Rea

Photo from Rabbithole (Amazon.com)

The story of Nights of Alice is one of the best books inspired by Alice in Wonderland. CEO Alice Hightower looks forward to the sun setting every day. She manages a medical device firm during the day that is ready to introduce a ground-breaking cardiac bypass technique.

Alice opens the closet door each night as the sun sets, discovering clothing she has never seen. Each outfit is a perfect fit. There can be flapper dresses with fringe during the Roaring Twenties or bell-bottomed dresses from the 1970s.

In the Rabbithole (Nights of Alice) book, she is only certain that once she dons them and opens the balcony door to her balcony, her attire will be ideal for the evening’s sensual experience. Nights of Alice is one of the great books that reimagines Alice in Wonderland.

3. Marissa Meyer’s Heartless

Photo from Heartless (Amazon.com)

Marissa Meyer’s novel Heartless is her interpretation of the Queen of Hearts. However, Meyer is more interested in the queen’s past than in the events that transpire in Alice in Wonderland. The King of Hearts favors Catherine, but she has no interest in becoming queen.

The Queen of Hearts prefers to train as a baker and start a business with a close friend. She is not interested in relationships or marriage. Catherine shows romantic interest in people when she runs into Jest, the court jester.

Disregarding the repercussions, the two start dating covertly and are off on a journey they weren’t expecting. Go ahead and read the book to discover what happens next.

4. Curiouser and Curiouser by Melanie Karsak

Photo from Curiouser and Curiouser (Amazon.com)

Steampunk and Alice? Let’s go! Written by Melanie Karsak, Curiouser and Curiouser is a steampunk interpretation of Wonderland. It’s Alice’s job to help the Mad Hatter, who is in peril.

She has to work with the man she loves and hates to do this. Alice had planned to turn a fresh leaf, but the Hatter’s irresponsibility forced her to collaborate with the Caterpillar again. The heist should be easy since she needs only to steal a sizable diamond.

But Alice needed to prepare for how difficult her affections for her ex-lover would be.

5. Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Photo from Alice in Zombieland (Amazon.com)

The premise of Alice in Zombieland is certainly entertaining, with a teenage Alice battling the dead to exact revenge on her family. The interpretation of Carroll’s tale by Gena Showalter inevitably centers on Alice, who instantly lost her family to the army of the undead.

Cole Holland, a young man with secrets that could endanger the two of them, is the partner she must work with.

Be Sure to Check Out These Books Inspired by Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll will always be a timeless classic. But reading and seeing other books that were written thanks to the story’s inspiration is interesting. Authors like myself could write our versions of Alice and the wonderful land she visited thanks to the original tale.

With that said, I hope that you find this article helpful and fun to read. I hope you find the version of Alice you’re looking for in the books I’ve listed here. Or better yet, perhaps you could start writing your own story of Alice and the adventures she finds herself in.

Also, remember to buy a copy of the Rabbithole (Nights of Alice) book today by clicking here, and try reading some of the other blog posts I have written here as well!

Clothing Empowerment for Women

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Photo by Godisable Jacob

Do clothes make the woman? Does it affect how a woman sees herself? While it may not be the case sometimes, taking into account the impact of clothes on a woman must be examined.

Nobody should diminish or dismiss the significance of every woman’s struggle to look good. Be it for themselves or others, women dress up. If we were to trivialize their struggles over fashion, not only do we seem uninformed. It can impact their self-esteem and motivation in the future.

Clothes are part of our basic needs, placed at the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy. We can’t live without clothes daily; they are an imperative object we must always have. It’s secondary to one’s identity and can amplify clothing empowerment, especially about who we are than what we say about ourselves. Society tends to judge people solely on what they wear, and we must accept that.

How clothes affect our personality and outlook can also be reflected in the book ‘Rabbithole (Nights of Alice)’ by Melissa Rea. The story revolves around a girl who magically got random outfits from different periods. They took her to other worlds with extraordinary men spicing things up. As she later discovers the truth in her travels, Alice realizes that she must choose to choose her satisfying fantasies or enjoy the nights as they are.

It may be just another romance fantasy novel, but the book can still impart lessons to let readers pick up classes. Clothing empowerment reveals much about how we perceive everything around us.

What we wear is who we are.

As a debatable statement, there’s a tiny grain of truth regarding clothing empowerment. People around them feel disrespected once they choose to wear sloppy clothing without making an effort. It would seem inappropriate on certain occasions, especially in work settings and parties. Unless the event calls for it, we should be wise enough to know when and what to dress.

Confidence is a significant factor in how we feel about the clothes we put on. Since immemorial, societal standards around women’s clothing have been rigid and restrictive. Now that those standards have been broken down and blurred, women have more opportunities to exercise who they are.

It doesn’t matter if women wear revealing or flashy clothes. Those who are stuck in a time of outdated standards would still throw disdain at the changes they refuse to accept and see. The value of wearing clothes is not on their monetary price. It’s more on the way it makes the wearer look and feel. We must remember that how we look results in our treatment.

The struggle of today’s generation with their clothing

Every generation of women faces specific struggles in dress, while a few distinct individuals choose to challenge the norms. Such acts can go both ways: either they’ll be unforgettably terrible or admirable. In the present, women have broader choices in what they are comfortable with wearing.

We wake up hours early each morning to choose what we will wear. Sometimes it takes a tedious amount of time because “we have nothing to wear” on top of the pile we dug through. Once we find something that makes us feel great, that’s when we look great. Contrary to the simple clothing pattern, how we feel in them will translate into how we look at ourselves.

Clothes encourage creativity and joy.

Women and dressing up is common knowledge that’s not surprising. However, there needs to be a clarification about the perception of women wanting to look good and feel powerful. Some treat it as a craft and a form of self-expression that takes them to a specific place in their minds.

The joy and excitement couldn’t be discounted either, and it’s not just due to the idea of colors affecting the wearer’s personality. People can still feel joyful even when they’re pulling an all-black ensemble. As women dress up, they have a particular goal: to feel positive. They want a great day, and that should start with what they wear.

The entire process makes clothes sentimentally valuable to women, from browsing, selecting, matching, and until they’re worn daily. It can potentially boost mood levels, especially when fashion is involved.

Being comfortable wearing clothes we like can significantly affect our daily tasks. We can reinvent or look for more ways to invent our fashion sense, but the goal is to achieve empowerment in what we wear. It doesn’t matter how long or short the length is. Nor how much skin or less is revealed.

How women are viewed and treated doesn’t have anything to do with all that. Clothing empowerment involves the freedom of women to make their own choices despite what others say. What makes you feel good will surely make you look good.

Writing Page-Turning Fantasy Romance Novels

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Photo by Marcelo Chagas

While it’s a relatively newer and yet emerging subgenre in literature, fantasy romance novels have caught the eye and interest of the general public. The question is, how does one create a gripping story of this genre?

Everybody loves a good romance. Stories that make your heart year to love and be loved. Those that, agreeably and quite unpleasantly, might make one feel lonely but simultaneously anticipate the love meant for them. Romance novels are unapologetically dramatic; some even are over-the-top dramatic that would elicit an eye roll. But it’s this nature that makes people hopeful and believe in love.

This hopeful longing is among the many reasons that make romance novels one of the most popular genres in the market. Aside from these love and charming stories, a good portion of the population also seeks and enjoys nail-biting genres that lay out an alleyway for escapism. One such genre is fantasy or stories that involve magic, mystical creatures, and everything under an imaginative sun.

Now, mix these two genres, and authors birth one of the most exciting, daring, captivating fantasy romance novels.

Fantasy Romance Novels

Imagine having clothes randomly appear in the closet. Whenever they’re worn, the person gets transported to a particular time and with men who are the closest thing to being perfect. This would be a dream come true for every hopeless romantic. To experience a love that reflects how men romance women during different centuries and decades would be a blissful rollercoaster ride. This is the plotline from Melissa Rea’s story, Rabbithole Nights of Alice.

From the title, readers can expect to fall into the protagonist’s rabbit hole of nightly adventures, relationships, and the connections she encounters when she slips on a magical dress. The book shows the perfect balance of romance and magic. On one end of the story lies a delightful romance wherein the character meets and connects with different types of men. The fantasy element that sprinkles fun and thrill into these love lines is woven throughout this.

This Rabbithole Nights of Alice book perfectly captures the typical elements of fantasy romance novels. These are stories where fantasy and romance overlap or blend into one plot. Fantasy romance novels may primarily be romance with a fantasy subplot or the other way around. As a combination of two separate genres, it can be challenging to juggle fantasy romance. So, here are some tips to help authors capture and create page-turning fantasy romance novels.

Focus on the Fantasy Aspect. Romance Can Come In Later

While fantasy romance novels must be a balanced mixture of the two genres, it can’t be denied that one needs a little extra attention and effort. Between romance and fantasy, the latter requires more planning. Romantic connections can be written easily compared to fantasy novels’ world-building and plot design.

Authors can focus on creating the fantasy aspect of their stories first. What magic system or mystical creatures exist, and how do they affect the story? What should the protagonist experience within this fantasy world, and what are their conflicts? Once these details have been settled, the romance can be added and will often naturally flow out between characters. This romantic element of the story can further add excitement to the fantasy.

Consider a Trope and Maximize It

Every genre has tropes. For instance, fantasy has the “chosen one,” and romance has “enemies-to-lovers.” By identifying these tropes first, the story and subsequent plot points will be easier to determine and plan. Should the story have the protagonist save the city? Will her enemy be someone who’ll choose to save her in the end?

In Melissa Rea’s story, the fantasy pretty much makes up the opportunity for romance to happen. With magical dresses, the protagonist can meet different men and experience different love stories. The magic regarding tropes is that authors can twist and play around with them to create something fresh and exciting.

Identify Characters and Their Goals

Romance can’t happen when the needed characters don’t meet and interact. And no effective storyteller will randomly insert a new character mid-story to fulfill a romance subplot.

In fantasy romance novels, characters must be well-planned since the stories juggle two different genres and externally different goals. Every character must contribute to the story. Hence, although one character might primarily be the love interest of another, they must also play a part in the plot’s fantasy aspect. They can’t magically come out of nowhere when the story needs romance, even though a person magically appearing can be considered fantasy.

Some authors create character profiles before plotting things. This process can ensure all available characters serve a purpose and have goals to achieve on their own.

Craft Great Romance Scenes

Most readers stay for great romantic scenes. More than the thrilling fight scenes or exhilarating journeys, readers want to get excited about love. They want to experience the characters’ pining, pushing, and pulling. Some readers get more amusement from these events. Hence, authors must provide for this demand.

Maestro’s romantic and historical plot by Melissa Rea

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Maestro book title Maestro's romantic and historical plot by Melissa Rea

How would you feel if you were scheduled to be hung on the gallows a day before you turned nineteen in 1718? In Melissa Rea’s book Maestro, we get the rare opportunity of seeing through the eyes of someone (Gabriella) who experiences just that. Prepare to be pulled into the classical world of 18th-century Venice, Italy, with Maestro’s romantic and historical plot.

Maestro by Rea offers a unique take on romantic and historical fiction by having Gabriella (the main character) tell her story of innocence in front of a growing crowd as she awaits her execution. As you read through this brilliant publication’s pages, it’ll feel like you are a part of the crowd Gabriella is addressing. Thanks to the author’s impressive storytelling prowess, you will undoubtedly be invested in her story.

With that said, join me as I introduce more parts of the book to catch your attention enough that you’ll read it. I promise I will not spoil too many details!

What is Maestro’s Premise All About?

The story of Maestro is set in 1718 at the special convent school of Ospedale della Pieta in Venice, Italy. It revolves around the main character, Maria Gabriella Constanzi, also known as “Gabriella” for short. At the very start, you’ll find her standing on top of a “stage” that people don’t usually use to tell their life’s story — that stage being the gallows. Gabriella is scheduled to be hanged a day before her nineteenth birthday.

Ultimately, she finds herself recalling her life in front of an unconventional audience who came to witness a macabre show. And as she spills her heart out to strangers, she wonders how differently everything could have turned out. If she hadn’t been impregnated and exiled to the convent school she was now in, if she hadn’t listened to and allowed her carnal desires to possess her, would her feet be standing on the rough and splinter-riddled surface of the gallows?

Gabriella’s “what ifs” can’t honestly be answered, but readers can see how things could’ve been as they read her words. One can even argue that if she realized or someone told her, “All you need is love!” Then she wouldn’t have let her sensual takeover.

What Readers Can Expect in Maestro‘s Romantic and Historical Plot

Maestro by Rea (that’s me!) is a novel that readers will find unique. Through dialogue, people will be led by the hand and taken on a fantastic journey through Gabriella’s life. Growing up in a dignified life, being the daughter of the Count and Countess of Pompeii, it’s normal to think that she would’ve led a straight and narrow life.

However, as a teenager who is curious about the burning desire rising from the pit of her stomach as her senses are flooded by pleasure, she is bound to make foolish choices. Gabriella eventually disgraced herself and her family because she got pregnant by another man, even though her hand had already been given to an arranged marriage. Throughout the book, you might be critical of Gabriella and her actions.

But your harsh opinions could change as you continue to read and listen to her story. You’ll start to sympathize with her and see that she’s had a rough relationship with bad luck for several years, even at a young age. Also, the other characters have been developed properly, helping to tell the story of Gabriella.

Is it Worth a Read?

Of course, the final say if Maestro‘s romantic and historical plot is worth a read would be up to the individual readers. But many people have given their reviews and said some nice things. One even said, “‘Maestro‘ is a sensual feast and gets 4.8 stars from me.”

And even though historical romance might not be your cup of tea, the storytelling I incorporated in the book will keep you engaged. I urge everybody to try it and be the personal judge if it is worth a read or not.

I am proud and happy of Maestro and the story of Gabriella — a woman burdened by heavy consequences from her actions. Maestro by Rea (that’s me, again!) is an excellent combination of history, mystery, suspense, and romance for readers. And before I leave you, I’d like to ask one thing:

How would you feel if you were scheduled to be hung on the gallows a day before you turned nineteen in 1718?

Why Write Novels?

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I write novels for the same reason I read…to escape. As a woman running a business during a pandemic, I need to escape now more than ever. Most women read for the same reason. As women, we bear so much stress on our shoulders, escaping for a little while into the pages of a book makes life a bit more enjoyable. We can’t all go to Venice during carnival, sail the ocean on a pirate ship, or experience ancient Rome. When we open a book we’re transported to as many places as there are talented authors to write about them. I am not discounting men as needing book escapes, but the data shows the majority of fiction readers are women. 

HUGE Honor…Forward Reviews Book of the Year Finalist.

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portraitAuthor Melissa ReaPeople often say when nominated for an award, “It’s an honor just to be nominated.” Sometimes it’s true. Forward Reviews is a such a well respected and long standing publication, I extremely honored to be a finalist . Conjuring Casanova is a finalist in the Romance genre in the Forward Reviews Book of the Year competition. The competition is extremely stiff so don’t expect an “I won” post, but I just needed to share this with you.

Here is the link to the finalist. Check it out and wish them all well as I do. If you would like to wish a little extra hard for me to win, I wouldn’t mind. Good Luck everyone and thank you Forward Reviews for this honor. https://awards.forewordreviews.com/finalists/2016/