The Goldilocks Problem

So, I finally did it. I’ve joined Twitter. I resisted for a long time because deep down I don’t really enjoy social media. Oh, there are bright spots—those rare days when I get real comments from other bloggers and readers—but mostly, I consider it a chore. It’s something I do for my career, like peeling, cutting and cooking apples (painful tedium) and ending up with delicious homemade chunky applesauce.I decided on Twitter because, like a blog, it’s basically text-based. I don’t have to specially curate photos of impossibly beautiful food or tear-jerking sunsets or create videos of cats (that I don’t own). Now I have a Goldilocks problem.What is a Goldilocks problem, you ask? It’s deciding what’s just right. Not too much, not too little. When I started blogging, I thought it best to post only when I had something to say. I quickly learned that I have plenty to say, but little I want to share. Therefore, I had to create a schedule. Once a week was all I could muster. The thought of tacking on another commitment, set my teeth on edge. Am I alone?But now that I’m a published author (!) I know I must work on marketing in all forms. Also, this solitary profession makes one crave community. Twitter has become the Wild West and adds to my trepidation, but I’m hoping to find my own civil corner. And if the bears come home and scare me from my cozy bed, I’ll leave just as quickly as Goldilocks.In the meantime, feel free to say hello @ILCruzWrites.

Plans and Villainy

I'm a person who likes preparation. I've always said my superpower is research. It comes from my curiosity and imagination--two things essential for any person, but especially a writer.This past weekend I attended a writer's conference for fantasy and needless to say I was underwhelmed. I spent months preparing. I researched the speakers (where possible because the panels weren't announced until a week before), I printed out marketing material for my current book, A Smuggler's Path and for my upcoming novella, The Cemetery Circle (unrelated to my Path series), and ordered a box of my book to sell at the consignment table.The night before I packed and made sure everything was ready both for my conference and at home. And it was... well...I was a great student. I don't say that with any conceit, but it was something I was really good at because it was the culmination of my all my strengths--preparation, curiosity, and imagination. I knew that if I worked hard, I'd get good grades and inevitably praise from my teachers. Sadly, I've discovered that's not how writing works. All the plans in the world does not guarantee that I'll be either praised or noticed. Not an uplifting thought, but a true one.That got me thinking about villains. Have you noticed that they're the one's that make plans and prepare in fairy tales. The Evil Queen didn't just wing it and poison Snow White--that took planning! You think Rumpelstiltskin hadn't run that "straw into gold" scam on some other desperate waif? He was way too practiced for that. The angry fairy in Sleeping Beauty had weeks to seethe about not getting an invite. Girlfriend had a plan! It's why they end up monologuing--they need to share all that hard work with someone.Only heroes get to make it up as they go along. They're saved because of good looks or charm. They show up with skills, but no preparation.So where does that leave me? With twenty unsold books and wondering if plans are really the way to go. Or maybe it gives me a little insight into the mind of fairy tale villains. When so much planning goes into an idea, is it any wonder they go a little mad?

Triangles of Love, like fins on a mermaid

I just finished watching The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. A moving story to be sure. I have a soft spot for British period pieces during or about WWII, so it was an easy fit.Except that it wasn't because it had my least favorite trope. My qualm is the dreaded love triangle.I didn't warn of spoilers because even if you haven't read the book or watched the movie, the cover of the book gives away that love will be an issue.While I appreciate the plot device--it does ramp up the drama and add bittersweetness to a story--it's overdone. And always done to a woman. I'm not saying it's sexist, but when was the last time the story involved a man and two women (or a man and two men or a man and a man and a woman)? I searched the files in my brain and couldn't think of a single one.Then I remembered The Little Mermaid. One of my least favorite Disney princesses, but the original story had a love triangle, although the object of the triangle was blissfully unaware. Other than that, can you name any?Love is always a difficult prospect for a woman in stories. The Hallmark Channel has made it into big business, especially at the holidays. Young Adult Lit is littered with it. It's compelling until it's not. It's the stuff that soap operas are made of--that and evil twins back from the grave.As I said before, I don't hate love triangles, but there are times they feel manipulative. Hans Christian Andersen had the right idea about them, but that ended in death (or dissolution depending on your point of view).That felt selfless and brave.Most love triangles are petty and usually involve a woman toying with the affections of two people. And that just toys with the audience's emotions and not in a good way.Okay, end of rant.How about you? How do you feel about love triangles? And plot devices that make you go on a rant? 

Vacations Hangovers or the Rip Van Winkle Effect

I just spent the last two weeks on vacation. After getting my book published and fixing all the little glitches that kept it all from running smoothly, I probably could have used a whole month of rest. Nevertheless, I’m grateful for the time I did have to unwind and unplug. I was even diligent enough to write a couple of posts in advance and have them publish while I was gone.I spent my vacation days sleeping in, ate when I wanted to (instead of by my walking-talking kid clock that knows exactly when meals should be ready), and generally slowed down. It was wonderful!But coming back is always an adjustment. Waking up is regulated by my regimented dog (who thinks humans sleeping past sunrise is self-indulgent) and I’ve already mentioned my organic food clock, but finding my footing again takes a little more. Getting back to work feels like pedaling a rusty bike—it moves, but it requires so much more effort. In regard to my blog, I had to figure out what fairy tale or folk story could possibly relate to the disorientation of being away and then returning. Lucky for me I was on a road trip and it took me through the Catskill Mountains.Rip Van Winkle was a story written by Washington Irving about a man who goes on a walk and comes across a man in outdated clothes needing help with a barrel of ale. He helps the man up the mountain despite the thunderous noises coming from their destination and discover a group of little men playing a version of bowling. The barrel is opened, Rip can never refuse a free drink, and he falls asleep. When he wakes up, twenty years have passed, and he recognizes no one. In Irving’s story, Rip slept through the American Revolution which leads to some awkward conversations! In the end, his grown daughter takes him in and he spends the rest of his days regaling anyone who’ll listen about his time with the fairies.Two weeks off doesn’t have the same magnitude of twenty years. As far as I know I remained in this realm of existence. Even so, returning to the daily grind feels like coming back from fairy land.

Cinderella, a more genteel Hunger Games

This idea got stuck in my head after a confluence of events. Last week I posted about Diamonds and Toads, aka The Fairy, and drew comparisons to Cinderella. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was part of the same fairy tale canon (Charles Perrault) and that even the author made changes to the story to make sure The Fairy didn’t resemble Cinderella too closely. At the same time, I was thinking about a blog I recently started following and she posted about reading The Hunger Games. The two ideas rolled around in my brain like billiard balls on a pool table. Then the two smacked together. The Hunger Games (if you haven’t read it) is about a girl who lives in a world that has been ravaged by a war. The people in charge coordinate a gladiator type game to the death made up of children every year and the winner gets essentially a better life. Cinderella is about a girl who lives in a world that has been turned upside down by the arrival of her father’s new wife and mean daughters. Because she’s good, a fairy godmother grants her the wish of going to the ball. She dazzles the prince for two nights and because she beat all the other pretty girls, she gets a better life. Granted if Katniss had been Cinderella, she likely would have run away from home, shot arrows through the overfed guests and brought all the food back to the less fortunate, ala Robin Hood, but I think the idea has merit. Balls designed to pit one woman against another in order to win the heart of a prince they don’t know, for a life they dream about but don’t understand sounds like a more refined (and less deadly) version of the Hunger Games. Call it Hunger Games, 17^th century edition. Just a thought.

Book Release Day and Mother Goose

DREAMSFriday night’s dream, on Saturday told,Is sure to come true, be it never so old.   -Mother Goose Nursery RhymeMy Friday night dream for some time now has been to be a published author. Today that became a reality. By the end of the day my book, A Smuggler's Path, will be available on digital copy on Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, Scribd, tolino, and 24symbols! The paperback release date in TBA, but likely sometime in August.I used the Mother Goose quote because a long time ago when I started this adventure nursery rhymes inspired me to write a story about all the characters I remembered. Originally my book was called Mother Goose Mysteries and that evolved into the book currently on all those platforms and patiently (okay, maybe not that patiently) awaiting paperback release.Thanks to all those people who have supported my Friday night dream and to those who have recently signed up for my blog.Check out my author website to learn more about my book, A Smuggler's Path.And a special thanks to those who participated in the Fairy Tale Book Club/A Smuggler's Path contest! Here are the winners:To those of you who prefer a paperback, I apologize in advance that your prize will be late. Thanks again!

Waiting with the Fairies

Most fairy tales have a common event. The wait. It's when everything has already happened, but the ending has yet to arrive. It's that period before the resolution. The shoe fits. The poisoned apple is dislodged. A kiss awakens a long-sleeping princess. The woodcutter splits open the wolf's stomach.But before that, it's the wait. Cinderella has to watch both her step-sisters try on the shoe that is rightfully hers. Snow White has to lay in state until hoping someone will give her the Heimlich. The Sleeping Beauty...sleeps. Little Red Riding Hood is cramped into a stomach with her grandmother.That's how I feel right now. I'm in the waiting room wondering if my story will have a satisfying end. Or beginning. I know this is only the start of my public writing life, even though I've been working on this moment for years. But I'm no shrinking princess or little girl lost. My wait is more pregnant pause than intermission.So, tomorrow, July 24, 2018, A Smuggler's Path goes live digitally and the paperback will be my happily ever after. Or more like cliffhanger before then next installment. If fairy tales teach us anything, it's good things come to those who wait!And speaking of wait, the wait is almost over the free copy of A Smuggler's Path contest. I've also decided to allow any comments from the start of the contest to any post since the Fairy Tale Book Club to be valid as entrance into the contest. So if you comment on this post or any from this month, you're automatically included in the giveaway! Good Luck!

Diamonds or Toads?

I'm a bit of a news junkie. I get most of my news from newspapers both at home and abroad. But, I will admit that lately I've had to take news breaks because it's become frustrating and ugly.This is not a post about the news. I won't write about politics, nor will I push any agendas. No, what I wanted to write about is how our level of discourse has coarsened. We think attacks are funny or honest. Hateful speech tries to masquerade as free speech. And we're the lesser for it. What's worse, we've become inured to it and therefore can't tell anymore if we're hearing or participating in honest debate or mean-spirited jibes.Wouldn't it be great if there was a simple way to know the difference? Or better yet, a fairy tale way?Charles Perrault was a writer of French fairy tales based on his study of early folk tales. One of my favorite stories was called Les Fées, or The Fairies. Later it was called Diamonds and Toads in the English versions. Simply, the story is about two girls and a mother who favored one over the other. Of course she preferred the nasty daughter and the nice one was treated terribly. The younger one was sent to fetch water and was met by an old beggar woman who asked for a drink. The younger, good daughter was more than happy to help and was rewarded by the beggar (who was a fairy) with the gift of jewels and flowers falling from her mouth when she spoke. The mother sent her favored daughter to do the same, but her ill-tempered responses earned her a curse--to speak and have toads and vipers fall out of her mouth.I won't ruin the ending (mostly because the happily ever after for the good daughter is questionable from a feminist POV), but I think you understand what I'm advocating. Whenever we want to reach for a ugly comment imagine a toad oozing its way out of your mouth or a viper spitting venom at the person you're addressing. And when you instead reach for a kind remark or a engage in an honestly civil debate, jewels and flowers will fall at your feet.In other words, will you choose diamonds or toads?P.S. Remember to take a chance at winning a free copy of A Smuggler's Path. Contest closes July 23, 2018 at 11:59pm ET

In search of other stories--part one

As you know, dear readers, I have a complicated relationship with fairy tales. On the one hand, they're a great source of historical values and entertainment. But on the other, the anachronisms are hard to stomach sometimes. Especially as a woman.Even with my serious case of doublethink, I seek the stories out to better understand them, and to understand where we came from. Not only do I read fairy tales and folklore, but I also love mythology. I read Greek myths as a child and thought they were the perfect mix between fantasy and history, just like a fairy tale. And their purpose was to explain the unexplained. That led me to Norse mythology, Celtic folklore, and then it hit me. What about the other stories?I know I've beat this drum before--diversity and inclusion is something I'm passionate about--but I'm not talking about that exactly. The other stories I'm talking about are related to other cultures. I think I remember learning about a trickster storyteller from an African culture and one or two stories about Hindu gods, but very little else. As a Latina and specifically a Puerto Rican, I learned nothing about Taino mythology. Why is that? Honestly, the only answer I have for that is if they're not looked for, they can't be found.Indigenous peoples all over the world have myths and legends that are strikingly similar and vastly different than the ones from northern Europe. Stories about fairies, little people, monstrous creatures, gods and goddesses. These are stories that should be available and told again and again.In the coming weeks I hope to do my part, small as it may be, to help shed light on other stories and show how similar, and how different they are from the stories we all know. I hope you'll share stories, too.