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.

“Write what you know” really means, learn. You want to write about an astronaut, learn about astrophysics. A medical thriller? Better find some info about medicine. What if you write fantasy or sci-fi?

Some writers of speculative fiction take the tack of answering any sticky questions by throwing magic at it and some do it well. Some don’t. I prefer (and I know this will sound counterintuitive) to make my magic as realistic as possible. Why? Because

1. I like to think we’re standing on the hairy edge of seeing all the magic, like stories about being whisked to Faery and as terrifying as that sounds, I’d like to make it happen

2. The realer it sounds, the more realistic the imaginary world will feel.

This, however, means I need to make some decisions about my story and “research the periphery.” What do I mean by that? Whatever surrounds your magic should sound as plausible as possible or at least have an explanation for the fantastical. For example, one of my projects involves a dragon shifter. This is not a new concept, but I’ve had issues with regular sized people suddenly growing to colossal proportions.

Photo by Luis Medina Diseu00f1o on Pexels.com

Where does all that mass come from? Where does it go?

I know plenty of people who are fine with this phenomenon and say, “It’s magic” but I don’t like that answer. It’s like an itch inside my brain.

Instead, I figured out how my character carries extra mass both sub-dermally and skeletally. It’s a small thing, but it made me feel better about the process of shifting. It may never make it into the story, but I know and sometimes, it’s enough.

How about you? Do you like your magic based in reality? Can you “go with the flow”?

When The Fairy Well Runs Dry

What’s a blogger to do when she writes a blog about fairy tales and she’s run out of fairy tales?

Photo by Filipe Delgado on Pexels.com

The obvious answer is—don’t be silly, there’s always more. Between “lost stories” of world cultures and the tons of retellings, I should have plenty to comment on.

The writerly answer is—well, you write your own. An excellent notion except I’m already working on three books at the moment and likely will be until the end of the year.

The tougher answer is—change the topic. Not an easy proposition when your blog is named Fairytale Feminista.

It’s time to cobble together a solution, which I’ve decided is to take some of the stress off my fairy tales and let my writer woes do some of the heavy lifting. In other words, I won't just post fairy tale posts, but also some of my writing journey now that I've started a whole new project.

I hope you’ll come along for this ride.

Old Book, New Offer

Hey readers!

As I’ve mentioned more than once lately, I’ve been working on the last book in my Enchanted Path series, A Mage’s Path. Ending a series is harder than I thought it would be. A part of me is relieved and proud that I’ve finished an entire series with characters and places that will stay with me forever. The other part is exhilarated to start the next chapter (pun intended) of my writing life. Not to give too much away, but I’m already working on my next project (I refuse to say series, but who are we kidding?) and I’m excited about it.

This also marks the part that I’ve always found challenging—the marketing. Because it’s the last book in a series, I felt it needed more pomp than usual. In honor of the series, I’m offering a giveaway on Goodreads for the book that started it all—A Smuggler’s Path.

Five signed copies are up for grabs from September 5^th through the 25^th. There will be other fun offerings related to the series that will run through to the holiday season!

And check the website soon for more about the last book in the Enchanted Path series, A Mage’s Path!

WWJAD

I think all authors have a similar dream. For me it was writing a book followed by a small but vocal readership that would result in a groundswell of readers. It would happen, and this is important, within my lifetime, and I would spend my days going from readings and signings between growing an impressive list. I might also indulge the fantasy that despite not writing mystery novels my life would be very much like Jessica Fletcher’s.

Note that nowhere in that dream do I include, tweeting, posting, snapping, or anything related to social media. I’ve railed about this before, while quietly conforming to the expectations of a 21^st century writer. I started a blog. Created a website. Joined Twitter (may it rest in pieces) and now I’ve joined Instagram. I’m sure some of you are thinking I’m a little late to that, but I believe in fashionable tardiness to most parties.

And yet, as I made the account, ilcruzwrites, I asked myself a question. WWJAD--What would Jane Austen do? Or the Grimm Brothers? Or Dickens? Or any well-known author who doesn’t have to worry about followers or likes.

Well, Austen’s fame grew after her death and the success she knew in her lifetime only came because she published anonymously and at her own risk (i.e. indie publishing).

The Grimm Brothers also toiled in obscurity for a time and only gained traction with each subsequent edition that was tweaked each time to appeal to children (i.e. rewrites based on reader notes).

Dickens was famous for holding readings in Europe and North America to widen his audience (the social media of its day).

By Charles A. Barry

And so I continue, indie publishing, getting beta readers, and trying to use social media to market and find that small but dedicated readership that will make my dreams come true.

Now I just have to learn how to use Instagram. Any thoughts?

Happy Blogoversary

A blogger I follow once wrote about the importance of celebrating writing milestones and I have a big one today. My blog!

There are days when I wonder why I latched on to fairy tales as my theme for a blog. I knew I didn’t want to add another how-to write blog to the world, mostly because I didn’t feel qualified to add my two cents. In truth I still don’t, but for different reasons—namely my way of writing works for me, but not necessarily anyone else.

I revisited my first post, Welcome to My Corner, and it brought back a lot of memories. I had finished my first book (or so I thought it was finished, but it was really just the start of my journey into editing—a story for another time) and had been told I needed to have an online presence if I was serious about becoming a published author. My daughter was still young enough to be read to and I was reading her classic fairy tales, which I found intriguing and disturbing.

It's been ten years since I started this blog and I’m still writing about fairy tales. I’m just shy of 250 followers, which I know doesn’t sound like a lot, but to me is amazing. I’ve written four books and published three (more details on book four soon). These numbers all seem small at a time when only people who have hundreds of thousands of followers and churn out books every six months, but I’m really proud of my accomplishments.

So, readers, Happy Blogoversary! Thanks for reading and keeping up with my corner of the world.

Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay

Do you have any writing anniversaries you’re celebrating?

Finding A Name

One of my favorite fairy tales is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its subsequent Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. When I was a girl, I read the book and watched almost every version on TV and in the movies. I didn’t realize it then, but Alice’s escapades began my own quest to find stories of female adventure. Considering they were written in 1865 and 1871, respectively, I’d consider them some of the earliest forms of feminist fairy tales.

I would definitely walk through a tiny door behind a curtain

Then again, there is her red-caped sister in adventuring, Red Riding Hood. My feelings about Red have run the gamut. Sometimes I think of her as a neglected child—who sends their little girl into a wolf-infested forest to bring food to an elderly woman? Maybe it’s the Latina in me, but shouldn’t Abuela have moved in with the family already? Other times I think of Red as a hapless girl talking to strangers and too ignorant to recognize that her granny has been replaced by a furry predator.

But in my quiet moments I wonder if she isn’t a bit of a rebel. She’s sent to the woods and wanders from the path. She converses with a dangerous stranger. And when confronted with an obvious fake grandmother, it almost seems like she’s flirting with her ridiculous questions. If Little Red Riding Hood had been written today, she’d be a badass! Maybe being eaten was a calculated risk in order to find her grandmother. I’d read that story.

Image by ImaArtist from Pixabay

My point is, we (myself included) spend a lot of time talking about fairy tales that feature women and girls who seem to lack agency, but there are plenty of interesting fairy tale characters who also fueled my love of women adventurers. It was what gave my blog its name.

Writing while...

As a writer in the 21^st century, you’re often asked to share more of yourself than you’re comfortable with in order to gain readership of your intended work, be it blog posts or novels. The field is so crowded with talent that something has to help you stand out.When I started my writing journey, I promised myself that privacy was an important aspect of my life and as such there were topics I would never discuss. And yet, there are times I feel compelled to share a little more about me than I have in the past.I’ve always made plain that I am a woman who writes with a feminist bent and also in the hopes of making room for Latina protagonists. What I rarely discuss is the Afro-Latina experience. My family originates from Puerto Rico, which has a rich history that includes Spanish, African and Taíno ancestry. I comprise all three (according to Ancestry.com) and my appearance often confuses people perhaps due to the combination—especially in the summer when I ditch my “soup can” rollers and opt to let my curly hair “do what it do”.

I rarely make a big deal about the Afro part of my Afro-Latinaness, but it’s nonetheless jarring when I’m having a conversation with someone, also of Latinx background, and they are surprised when I say something in Spanish. It’s understandable, if irksome, when I have to explain myself (a task I’ve had to undertake since I was a small child) to non-Latinx people, but when I have to do it with those who should know better, it stings. It something most Afro-Latinx people contend with on a regular basis.In the fantasy worlds I create, it’s never a question. My protagonists have to deal with so many other problems—illegal magic, talking to the dead—that I prefer to have the matter of their race/ethnicity as merely fait accompli and get on with whatever mythic mayhem is in store. But real life, though free of magical duels and vengeful spirits, has its own complications.The job of a good writer is to entertain first and if the writer is lucky, they also find a way to educate. Sometimes it’s the job of the writer to educate first and hope it’s enough to make sharing something personal worth forgoing a little entertainment.Are you a writer? Is there something you take for granted when you write that might benefit others? Are you a reader? Is there something you wish you saw more of?On a lighter note, my novella, The Cemetery Circle, is finally available in paperback! Support indie authors!

Believing your own hype--like a tailor

Being a writer is hard.I know everyone says that, but it's like parenting--you don't know how hard it's going to be until you're in the trenches, slogging through it all.It turns out writing and rewriting (and rewriting, and rewriting...) is actually the easy part. Especially if you hold to the rule that you should write something you'd want to read. That's freeing, empowering. But it doesn't end there, does it? Not if you want to get your work out there. Now you have to be brave and send it out to PEOPLE! You know, the kind that can take your precious baby and declare that it's ugly.Or they could love it, wouldn't that be a kick in the head?But the trick is, you don't know until you put yourself out there and say, "Here's my work" or "Have at it". Either way you're opening yourself up to possibilities, good or bad, and that kind of vulnerability is scary.So, dear readers, dare I ask it? Is there something to glean from fairy tales? Yes, I was skeptical too, but go with me here...There's a story called The Brave Little Tailor who, on the strength of killing seven flies who dared to buzz about his breakfast, decides he can slay giants, catch unicorns, fell wild boars, and become a king. And he does it! Okay, he doesn't actually do any of it, but he's clever and lucky.  Just like that, he believes in his own hype and rises to every occasion despite being just a little tailor. He was brave. He was a boss.That's what I love and hate about blogging. There's no rewriting, no second-guessing (okay, maybe a little...) just writing and sending it out into the world. But then there's the waiting and wondering if you've reached anyone.Until you do, you have to just believe in your own hype. I AM A WRITER! :)

Author-versary

Last week a fellow writer and blogger celebrated her first year as a published author. I thought it was an amazing idea and wrote in her comments how much I lamented not having done the same. Not the post, but the celebrating. When you’re an indie author, work can be a bit of a slog. Everyday is an opportunity for a hundred and one things that will get your books noticed. Writing book two, getting book bloggers interested in reviews, posting news about your journey, fostering community with other indie writers. The list goes on and on and it never feels like you’re doing enough.Except we do.Do you know how many people tell me how amazing it is I’ve written books and published them, and I just shrug it off? About as many people who say they want to write a book too and never get around to it. And yet, I’m always reluctant to trumpet the successes. It’s a pity.So, I want to thank Azaaa Davis, author of the Demon Hunter book series for reminding me to celebrate. And now I’m going to remember to mark my author-versay (I really hope I make that catch on) from now on.Are you celebrating any writing milestones? #Authorversary

Deadlines in the World of Make Believe

Fairy tales love deadlines. Midnight curfews. Seasonal mandates. Royal decrees with an expiration date. It ramps up the drama to know that not only does a protag have an obstacle to overcome, but there’s also a clock on when it must be completed. Readers love that.You know who doesn’t love it? Writers. We put our characters through the ringer, but nothing compares to the rollercoaster of meeting a deadline—especially when you’re an indie pub author. Deadlines are yours to control and without external forces demanding you meet them; they can become ephemeral. Empty. Pointless. It takes an extraordinary amount of discipline to keep to a self-imposed deadline. And sometimes we fall short.I know I did. I expected to return to my blogging within a month. Three months later I’m finally climbing out of my book edits. And I’m not done, but I realized that being a part of this community was something I missed. Not the deadlines for posting! I did, however, miss interacting with fellow writers and bloggers. But to avoid ramping up the drama in my life, I’ll be kinder to myself with deadlines and post every other week—at least until I finish edits for book two in my Enchanted Path series, A Noble’s Path.And thanks to those of you who kept reading even when I wasn’t writing.

A Brief Return

First things first: I'm not done with the manuscript of A Noble's Path: Book 2 in my Enchanted Path series. I am about 2/3 of the way done and would likely move faster if it wasn't turning into some Choose Your Own Adventure, where I write a chapter followed by two versions of what would happen next. Needless to say editing will be "fun".I'm also here to let you know that I do intend to come back to both my blogging and tweeting, but not before I finish my draft. I can almost deal with having to do non-writer things (like feed myself, raise my daughter, walk the dog and spend time with my husband) and writing my book at the same time. However, trying to write a draft while also meeting blogging deadlines, participating in Twitter and the like is just to many streams and not enough boats. I have high hopes for a return by the end of the month.In the meantime, I had a wonderful surprise awaiting me. My first book, A Smuggler's Path, has been given a B.R.A.G. Medallion by indieBRAG. I know indie publication is a slow slog through the desert, but it's nice when there's an oasis in sight. Check out their website and to my fellow indie authors, consider submitting your work for a medallion!

Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rip Van Winkle and Me

Fairy tales and folklore have a tradition of putting protagonists in comas. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Rip Van Winkle are only a few examples of letting things cool down while the main character takes a prolonged nap. Evil queens are dispatched. Curses are lifted and generally life goes on. It changes the trajectory of the story, like painting oneself out of a corner.Snow White and the Evil Queen could have gone on like that indefinitely.How long could Sleeping Beauty avoid new clothes and spinning wheels?And Rip's laziness wasn't going to make much of a story if it didn't lead to something.Writers do the same thing. When I get stuck on a story, I work on another story until I feel refreshed enough to get back to the old story. I know other writers who go on retreats or put their work away for a prolonged period of time, hoping distance will give them a fresh look.Well, I'm currently stuck in a marketing spiral. I've written about this before, but I've decided to take drastic measures. With book 2 in my Enchanted Path series due before the end of the year, I need to concentrate on it exclusively for the next month. I'm proud that I've been able to post every Tuesday for almost a year and intend to continue.But for now, I need to unplug from social media and blogging. I'm taking a month and a half off to get a better handle on my new draft of A Noble's Path.I'll return in time for the anniversary of my return to the blogosphere with all new insights about fairy tales. 

The Little Blogger that Could

A lot of ink (and RAM space) has been spent on writer’s block of some sort or another. There are also plenty of techniques people swear by, from writing prompts to mindful walking. Each writer has to figure out what works best. But I’ve yet to see anything about what to do about blogger’s block. Bloggers are told time and again that besides finding a topic to write about, consistency is the key to creating a meaningful social network presence. If you post every day, then (kudos to you for having that kind of stamina) for better or worse you have to keep that up. That’s a rather demanding demand, doubly so if you’re also working on other writing and a day job. When I waded into the blogging waters, I knew every day was too much to ask. I only started, reluctantly, because I learned it was the best way to reach potential readers for my fiction work. So, I limited myself to once a week. Slowly (sometimes painfully) I built up a modest following. Yet even with that small ask, there are days I draw a blank. I focus on fairy tales, but sometimes there isn’t anything I want to say about it. Blogger burnout is a very real thing and there’s no proscribed fix for it. But I’ve found my own fix. Posts like this one. Readers do like consistency and a topic to follow, but I find that they also like honesty. The occasional post that veers from a topic will be forgiven if you share something honest about your posting—things you enjoy, struggles with your writing, and even current affairs if you can do so authentically. I won’t lie. It doesn’t always work and then you may have to try plan C—revisit a topic with a fresh perspective. Or even asking someone else to write it for you—there’s no fresher perspective than someone else’s point of view! For now, I have another week’s reprieve. And there’s another post done 😊

100 Word Challenge

Once upon a time (almost seven years ago) there was a woman who wanted to see her name on the spine of a book. A secret smile appeared on her face anytime she walked the aisles of a bookstore knowing one day she would see her book on the shelves.But her road to publication wasn’t an easy one. She thought writing the book was hard, but it was nothing compared with trying to get it out in the world. The first bit of advice she received was to create an online presence and so she started a blog. This blog...It’s been a long time with lots of starts and stops (most notably when I ended the blog in 2015 and then brought it back like some celeb who retires too early), but I’m writing my 100^th post. I wondered what to write about. Something about consistency or how to deal with rejection through fairy tales, but nothing yielded more than a paragraph or two. Instead I gave myself a challenge. Write a story of 100 words. StoriedThe statue was erected in the village square. It was done under the cover of darkness and the sculptor remained as mysterious as the subject.The villagers spoke among themselves and speculated. What did it mean? Who had created it? It could have come from anyone, but who was less important. Wondering what became a pastime. Before long the statue and the stories became part of their way of life.One day a scream tore through the town. The statue was gone without a clue as to how or why it had disappeared. All that was left were the stories. Have you ever written a 100 word story? Try one today and thanks for reading! 

Choose Your Own Adventure?

Do you ever wonder why you write? A recent comment left on a previous post reminded me that most writers (mind you I haven't taken a poll) write because they looked for a particular story and didn't find it. The lack became so irksome that they decide to fill the void themselves with a story of their own making.It was the same with me. As much as fairy tales can leave me feeling unsettled, it's nothing to some of the modern stories I find about women. More often than not, women (or girls) don't go on adventures willingly. They're dragged along because they're the smartest one in the room or they're trailing some boy. And they're never Latina.I'll be honest, I say that last line with reluctance. It can be tiring banging the drum for an entire people because then you become the drag in the room reminding everyone to acknowledge your existence. Exhausting, isn't it? But I'd be a terrible protagonist in my own life if I didn't tackle the hard topics.It made me think about one of my favorite book series, Choose Your Own Adventure. At times it was like playing The Oregon Trail--all paths led to death (or dysentery). Nevertheless, it was so much fun to go back and pick a way to finish the story. Were you feeling dangerous? Cautious? Curious? You were the protagonist and so you chose what happened next.All those early female protagonists bothered me so much because they never chose their own adventures. They went from one situation to another because they were chosen. That's why I enjoy the new princesses (Hurray for Ralph Breaks the Internet!) so much--agency. Isn't that a great writer word? Becoming instrumental in the story of your own life. Worthy of the Logophile. Agency is the most important thing to a writer, especially if you were driven to write because you wanted to take control of a story and then share it. It's even more profound when you're a indie author.Anyone else choosing their own adventures in writing? Or any other creative endeavor? 

Writer's Tag and I'm it!

There's still four weeks for anyone to participate in OOO October's Outta the Drawer Originals and I really hope you guys will help it catch on!This week I have a double post because I was lucky enough to be tagged by Ari Meghlen for a Writer's Tag, created by Ari and Lorraine Ambers. Thanks Ari! If you haven't checked out her blog and you're a writer, do so immediately and thank me later. Her blog is chuck-full of useful information about the art and business of being a writer. Now, here we go:Name one novel that inspired you to write.I can’t say that a novel ever inspired me to write. An emotion did—frustration. I had an enormous crush on a boy and the only way I could work it out was to write a story with me as the protagonist and with him as my love interest. Spoiler alert: He professed his love to me...in the story. What’s your favorite genre to write and read?I mostly write fantasy, sci-fi and paranormal stories, but I also write mysteries and historical fiction. My reading reflects that, too. Do you prefer to write stand-alone or series?I have a soft spot for sagas, so I tend to write characters that have LONG arcs. I haven’t written anything about generations yet, but it is an ambition. I guess that means series. Use 3 words to describe yourselfFocused, messy and impatient. Reveal your WIP aesthetics or an image that represents your MC or setting.This is Inez Garza by day as the duchess's daughter and by night as a smuggler of magical contraband in my recently released book, A Smuggler's Path.[gallery ids="652,653" type="rectangular"] How long did your first MS take to draft?The first draft took maybe a month, but the project took years! Why doesn’t anyone tell you that when you tell them you’re going to be a writer? Who is your author idol?Diana Gabaldon. Her works have history, fantasy, romance and just excellent writing. And she writes tomes, not books, that grab you from beginning to end. I’ve reread most of her books two or three times. Her research is meticulous and I hope to write like her someday. Share a writing memory that made you determined to carry on.I have an uncommon first name and a friend in middle school once said that with a name like mine I should be famous (which is belied by the abundance of actors named Chris in the Marvel Universe--all famous, boring names). I didn’t become a writer to become famous, but it’s a thought that follows me. Tell us something surprising or unique about yourself.I recently learned that my strange idea that numbers and letters (and months of the year and days of the week) have personalities and assigned sex has a name—Ordinal Linguistic Personification. I really thought I was the only one until I looked it up. Anyone else? Share the hardest part about being a writer and how you overcame it.Knowing when I’m done. It took forever to release my book even after I finished rewrites because I kept thinking I needed another opinion, another reader. Then I realized I was chasing perfection, which is impossible (even my favorite stories have flaws). I had to look at this as a career that will (hopefully) span decades and a less than perfect first offering won’t keep me from writing another book and another. I had to remember to celebrate that I’d done something most people talk about but never do. What’s your favorite social media and why? Share your link.The only thing I participate in is blogging. I’m weird because my generation is the one that uses Facebook, twitter and dating apps. I still use my cellphone for calls! Share some uplifting wisdom in six words or less.Wisdom usually starts after six words. ;) And here are my nominees:Catherine Green (SpookyMrsGreen)Rachel FarrimondSuzanne Rogerson, fantasy authorBrenda Davis HarshamAmber's Angle BlogConnie J Jasperson ...And the questions:

• Name one novel that inspired you to write.
• What’s your favourite genre to write and read?
• Do you prefer to write stand-alone or series?
• Use 3 words to describe yourself
• Reveal your WIP aesthetics or an image that represents your MC or setting.
• How long did your first MS take to draft?
• Who is your author idol?
• Share a writing memory that made you determined to carry on.
• Tell us something surprising or unique about yourself.
• Share the hardest part about being a writer and how you overcame it.
• What’s your favourite social media and why? Share your link.
• Share some uplifting wisdom in six words or less.
• Nominate six bloggers!

Hope you enjoyed!  

Mystery Blogger Award

 First, I would like to thank The Cozied Reader, for nominating me (and saving me from a blank page this week!) Check out her blog, a great place for readers, writers and everyone in between who like their reviews frank and funny. Thanks again! Here we go:This award was created by Okoto Enigma. The explanation included on her blog is:

The “Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.– Okoto Enigma

 RULES 

1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
2. List the rules.
3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
9. Share a link to your best post(s)

 Three things about me…

1. I'm an indie writer of speculative fiction and just published my first book (YAY!)
2. Despite loving historical fantasy, I’ve come to Game of Thrones very late (as in right now!). Please, no spoilers…😉
3. Besides my family and my writing, travel is my greatest passion. And there’s nothing like a long plane ride and a “stack” of books on my Kindle!

 Questions from The Cozied Reader:

1. Who was the first character you developed a bookish crush on? I can’t remember the first, but the most lasting has been Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Smart, funny, strong, and not threatened by a strong woman. And the Scottish accent (that I imagined and then got to hear on the Starz series) is just a bonus!
2. Who is your favorite villain? I don’t know that I have one. But I do have a soft spot for charming rogues who mean well but do it all wrong.
3. What’s your dream vacation? A self-guided tour of the British Isles for a month. I can only ever get away for ten days at most.
4. What’s a book you hated that everyone else seemed to love? I have an issue with Gone, Girl by Gillian Flynn because I’m not a fan of stories with character who have no redeemable qualities.
5. What dystopian novel/reality (Ex: 1984, Brave New World, Unwind) do you think the world is getting closer to becoming like? The Hunger Games. All our love of reality TV where people are treated badly, or people are willing to do anything to be famous. That kind of thinking leads to gladiator games.

Nominees:Participation is not required, but it is fun.Friendly fairy tales, Spooky Mrs. Green, Ari Meghlen, Rachel Farrimond, Psychologistmimi, journalistgeocultures.com, Life in the Realm of Fantasy, Worst Selling Author, Ian Gregoire, The World According to Dina, Streets of Salem, Questions for the Nominees:

1. What book can you read again and again?
2. Stand alone? Duology? Trilogy? Series? Which do you prefer?
3. What book made you into a reader?
4. Create the craziest cross genre mash-up and give your story a title.
5. Name a book you would love to see on TV. Cast the leads.

...And here is a link to my best post! An oldie, but a goodie.Thanks for reading my blog :)     

My Guest Post on The Once and Future Podcast!

Hello Readers!I'm excited to write that I was given the opportunity to participate in a guest post in anticipation of my fantasy novel, A Smuggler's Path, being released later this summer!Please take a moment to visit the website, The Once and Future Podcast, and then check out my post on their blog and read about the need for more heroic mothers in speculative fiction.Thanks for the support!

The Return of the Feminista

After taking some time to concentrate on my book, I've decided to revive my Fairytale Feminista blog. Come back soon to read new posts and find updates about my new book, A Smuggler's Path--coming this summer!

Community in the Wilderness: Searching for a Writer’s Group in the Wilds of the Web

“Why did you start a blog?”It’s a question I get asked periodically by people who don’t write blogs. The honest answer is “platform”. It’s one of those buzzwords you can’t escape if you go to conferences, subscribe to newsletters, and generally stay abreast of the latest in writing and publishing. You hear it often enough that you begin to feel inadequate or inauthentic as a writer if you don’t have one. So, kicking and screaming I began a blog that focuses on fairy tales. It made the best sense because the YA series I’m working on is based on nursery rhymes and fairy tales.At first, it was a chore. I agonized over the About Me section, trying to sounds both informative and pithy enough that other people would want to read it. I tried to look at it as my “trial by fire” because whatever I wrote would immediately be critiqued. At least that’s what I thought until I realized how hard it is to make your lone voice heard in the cacophony that is the blogosphere. But even when I wasn’t read, I felt as though each posting was a courageous effort to put myself out there--proof I was a writer each time I clicked Publish.My best day was when, out of nowhere, a random person started following by blog. My initial reaction was, “Why are you following me?” But soon that gave way to real happiness and a renewed optimism in this process. Maybe blogging could be rewarding. Maybe I could grow to love it. Well, I was happy that I could at least find times to like it.I kept writing. I also kept blogging and reveled in every new follower. I would post and click (too often) on the Stats page to see if my post was being viewed. Often I would be disappointed by the turnout. Sometimes I was surprised by what really got people’s attention. Nevertheless, I continued hoping to find the magic recipe of topic and writing that would make readers want another helping. Then I fell into what all bloggers can attest to.Call it Blogger’s Blahs or Poster’s Paralysis, but I felt discouraged by the lack of interest and my lack of ideas. It came in waves, and then the Blahs ebbed because a new reader joined or a new comment would buoy me. The realization was almost anti-climactic. What I really wanted was not readership, I wanted community.Blogs about how to find a writer’s group or a critique circle are endless. They have stories of writer’s being bestowed with the friendship of like-minded writers like the Commandments. It all sounds so warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the solitary clicking of cold computer keys. You’re encouraged to branch out, make connections, join clubs and all will fall into place. Well, after a few hits and misses and, just like the querying process, you’ll find the perfect match for you. It’s like blind group dating or “Naked and Afraid” writer’s edition.My attempts to find my tribe have been mixed. I have one writer friend who is very dedicated to helping me with my writing and we’ve forged a friendship of respect and reciprocity that makes me believe in serendipity. But you learn early on that you need lots of eyes on your work.The rest of my circle (non-writers all) have fallen away, unable to keep up with the back and forth of rewrites. For once I could say without fear of sounding clichéd—It’s a writer thing, you wouldn’t understand. So, my search continues. Blogs exist to create a virtual community, but eventually virtual isn’t enough.Why did I start a blog? The short answer is to find more readers, but now I know it’s really to find more writers.Why did you start a blog? Is it the same reason you keep blogging?