The Fairy Tale Feminista
Answering life’s questions one fairy tale at a time.
A Fairy Godmother's Inner Life
When I first saw the Disney version of Cinderella, I was more interested in the Fairy Godmother than the girl who called her.
Let me quickly say, I have nothing against Cinderella. I know there’s a strong campaign out there against fairy tales in general because the romances are problematic. I think of them as more allegorical instead of aspirational. It’s how I’ve been able to write a blog called Fairytale Feminista without feeling my feminism is in any way questionable.
Write What You'll Never Know
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Write what you know.” Few people interpret that correctly. Especially if what you write is speculative fiction. I’ve never moved through a realm using mirrors. I don’t have the ability to summon up spirits. And believe it or not, becoming a monarch of any kingdom, magical or otherwise, is beyond my lived experience. And yet, these are all things I’ve written about in my series and in short stories.
Fairy Tales for All
I came to an odd and slightly disturbing realization the other day. I haven’t read any books written by men in years. This was not intentionally done. But it did get me thinking about the type of books I read and whether it’s become something niche. I read fantasy—all kinds, historical fiction, and mystery when I need something quick and dirty (that has nothing to do with spice levels, BTW). And yet for more than a few years, none of those books were written by men.
Rebuilding Year
Let me start by saying I am, in no way, sporty. I did ballet as a kid, but that was quickly eclipsed by more sedentary pursuits like piano, reading, and the like. However, I know enough about sports to use the above phrase.
Advent Story Train
Welcome to the Advent Calendar Story Train, where you can read through 24 stories under this year's theme, Lost.
Blind Snow
He shuffled the deck of cards and pushed it across the table. A line of rime followed in its path sparkling in the low lamplight. His resemblance to the Claus was remarkable. Same twinkle in his eye, same flush of scarlet in his cheeks. The only difference was the chin. Where the Claus had a full beard of tumbling curls, his cousin, Frost, was clean-shaven. The cut of his jawline as sharp as his name.
Food & Fairy Tales
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I started to think about the relationship of food and fairy tales. Just a cursory look is a mixed bag. Food is a weapon, a threat, transportation, or an opportunity to change your life, just to name a few.
In Snow White, the evil queen’s last-ditch effort to rid herself of her stepdaughter is an apple. A poisoned apple. Hansel and Gretel is probably the scariest of the food references. After being abandoned by their father and mother, they come to a home made of candy and gingerbread only to be trapped by the witch inside who eats children!
New Project (Old Fairy Tale, New Tricks)
Sometimes I think about how it must have been to be Cinderella. Not the evil step-family and abuse part. Afterward. She met a prince. He married her and brought her back to his palace.
Then what?
It must have been an uncomfortable transition. She went from being a slave to a princess. Did she worry she wasn’t up for the challenge? Did she fall into familiar patterns and start mopping the floor or scouring pots with the scullery maid?
Reruns and other security blankets
I like reruns. I happily rewatch TV shows and movies all the time. I even use reruns as background noise when I work on my editing. I find them comforting and there’s something to be said for watching a thing, while not quite watching and knowing exactly where it’s going.
And yet, I feel bad when I reread books. I have a very long To Be Read pile waiting for me. I have editing (did I mention that?) that I should get done. I also have other responsibilities. Do I have time for stories I’ve already explored?
Summer Shorts #6: The Faery Door
Tales about fairies warn us not to walk through strange doors, but the protagonists do, either unwittingly or out of necessity. The doors are found deep in forests or hidden in caves and look intriguing. I love an interesting door as I’ve mentioned before and I wanted to put a few more I’ve come across this year.
Summer Short #5: Seeking Magic
In most fairy tales, the main character is never looking for magic. It tends to find them. The boy who gets the golden goose just wanted to bring wood back to his family. Cinderella didn’t call for a fairy godmother. Jack had to sell a cow. It’s something you stumble upon.
Well, that’s all well and good, but I’ve always been better at being proactive. This is what I think of as magic:
Summer Shorts #4: Humpty Dumpty is not an egg
Here’s a random thought: why do we think Humpty Dumpty is an egg man? If you just read the words, he could be anything or anyone that falls from a great height and then can’t be fixed. In fact, the identity of the unfortunate character has been discussed since it was first written. For some, it was posed as a riddle instead of a poem. Another possibility is that Humpty Dumpty was a drink of brandy boiled with ale. In which case, couldn’t Humpty Dumpty be a bottle of liquor?
Summer Short #3: The Pied Piper of Marketing
Marketing is something I find daunting and frankly a little boring. You spend time, effort, and sometimes money and then send it out into the world without knowing if it will make a dent. In order to get noticed you have to be either consistent or splashy. The part where I think it’s boring makes consistency tricky and being splashy is just as tricky when it tends to be outrageous.
Summer Short #2: Jump Back, Move Forward
Last night was the celebration of San Juan, and in Puerto Rico people head to the beach and jump backwards into the ocean at midnight (or any body of water) for good luck and to wash off any negativity. As a kid, I liked the idea because it meant staying up late when it usually wasn’t allowed. Now, I like the idea of being able to wash away the bad parts of the year and bring in the good. Sort of like a New Year’s do-over. It started out pagan then became Christian, but I think of it as cultural. I’d overlooked it for some years, but this year seemed like a great time to bring it back. I can’t trek to the ocean at midnight where I am, but I can get rid of the old and welcome some new. And another way to mark the middle of the year.
Summer Shorts #1: Mary, Mary Quite Contrary How do your Stories Grow
Late last year I finished my 4 book series and now I’ve been working on a new project ever since. Actually, I’m working on 3 projects at the same time. Because of that, I conceived of Summer Shorts—posts that are short and sweet (which is what I always hope summer will be, but in my area it tends to drag on).
To Write or Not to Write?
When I finally decided that I was a writer, I read every piece of writerly advice I could get my hands on. Overwhelmingly, writers, professional writers, advised writing every day. For hours. And while I wished that advice worked for me, I decided on a different approach.
Don’t write every day. Or if you do, don’t make it all about “The Project”.
The First Story
While we have no concrete evidence, it’s safe to assume that the first story told was a warning from one homo sapien to another.
“Hey, in a time before now, I went in that direction with a hunting party and something with teeth and claws ate half of them. Be careful.”
Modern Fairy Tale?
What makes a fairy tale modern? Does it have to be completely original? Is it a traditional story retold with modern sensibilities? Or is there a third option?
Original fairy tales are hard to come by, especially if you agree with the notion that only a set number of stories exist. There are days I believe that (like when I look at the movie landscape full of prequels, sequels and retellings). On good days I know there are new stories—or at least new to me. I haven’t read stories from all the cultures of the world and there are tons.
Does it Matter Where you Start?
Have you ever noticed that fairy tales don’t start with:
“Once upon a time a forlorn prince looked out his window and wondered if he’d ever find his true love…”
OR
“There was once a princess whose father decreed one day that her potential husband would be determined by a stranger’s ability to outwit a troublesome giant…”
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