Published: February 29, 2012
When Eleanor Brice unexpectedly wins the heart of Gregory Desmarais, Crown Prince of Cartheigh, she's sure she's found her happily-ever-after. Unfortunately, Prince Charming has a loose grip on his temper, a looser grip on his marriage vows, and a tight grip on the bottle.
Eight years of mistreatment, isolation and clandestine book learning hardly prepare Eleanor for life at Eclatant Palace, where women are seen, not heard. According to Eleanor’s eavesdropping parrot, no one at court appreciates her unladylike tendency to voice her opinion. To make matter worse, her royal fiancé spends his last night of bachelorhood on a drunken whoring spree. Before the ink dries on her marriage proclamation Eleanor realizes that she loves her husband's best friend, former soldier Dorian Finley.
Eleanor can’t resist Dorian’s honesty, or his unusual admiration for her intelligence, and soon both are caught in a dangerous obsession. She drowns her confusion in charitable endeavors, but the people’s love can’t protect her from her feelings. When a magical crime endangers the bond between unicorns, dragons, and the royal family, a falsely accused Eleanor must clear her own name to save her life. The road toward vindication will force a choice between hard-won security and an impossible love.
The Cracked Slipper is a book club friendly fairytale retelling in the vein of Gregory Maguire, with a dash of romance. Set in a pseudo-renaissance, corset-and-petticoats enchanted kingdom, The Cracked Slipper brings a magical twist to women’s fiction.
Fun Facts About The Cracked Slipper:
Stephanie Alexander got the idea for The Cracked Slipper while driving ballet carpool and listening to an audiobook of Cinderella. At the point of "happily ever after" she found myself thinking: "Yeah, right. She probably died in childbirth." The entire story flowed from that one thought.
Eleanor Brice has one blue eye and one brown eye. This could be a magical sign...or a curse from HighGod.
She's tall...probably about 5'10", and very thin. In this day and age that would be a bonus, but in a society that values a Botticelli figure over a Giselle Bundchen one, the supermodel look is NOT where it's at. She feels gawky and awkward...and wishes for a little more cleavage. :)
Eleanor is a scholar...a feminist historian in petticoats. She also has a lot of opinions and likes to share them...regardless of her audience...gets her into trouble at times. Well, most of the time.
Her best friends are a gossipy parrot and a philosophical unicorn.
Eleanor's stepmother cannot decide if she loves her or hates her.
When Eleanor gets nervous she starts to sweat.
Most people in her country cannot understand unicorn speech, but to Eleanor the language makes perfect sense.
Eleanor is the first female member of the royal family to see a dragon up close and personal.
Eleanor's country, Cartheigh, is known for its sophistication and great stores of academic knowledge...and the hedonistic court life at Eclatant Palace.
Eleanor keeps the cracked slipper in her mother's music box.
She has a habit of ignoring the obvious...from her husband's questionable temperament to her growing obsession with his best friend. Like most women...she just wants a happy ending.
The Cracked Slipper is intended to fill an unique niche...it's a book club friendly fantasy novel.
Fun Facts About Stephanie Alexander:
She has three kids...two girls and a boy. They are awesomely awesome.
She's an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the College of Charleston, SC.
When she was four years old her mother took her to the pediatrician. The reason? Little Stephy thought she was a horse. When people said hello to her she would neigh. Diagnosis: Wild imagination.
Stephanie plots out her stories while running or taking spinning classes.
She cannot stop biting her fingernails, but she has perfect teeth and has never had a cavity.
She is addicted to chocolate covered almonds and hates mayonnaise with a passion.
Her favorite writers are Stephen King, Jane Austen, and Frank McCourt.
She is a beach person. Mountains are nice...but water is necessary.
About the author:
Stephanie Alexander grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, the oldest of three children. Drawing, writing stories, and harassing her parents for a pony consumed much of her childhood. After graduating from high school in 1995 she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. She returned to Washington, DC, where she followed a long-time fascination with sociopolitical structures and women’s issues to a Master of Arts in Sociology from the American University. She spent several years as a Policy Associate at the International Center for Research on Women, a think-tank focused on women’s health and economic advancement. Stephanie has three children, and she's an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the College of Charleston, SC.
The Cracked Slipper is her debut novel.
You can find out more about Stephanie Alexander and how to connect with her on her
website.
