Marking Time with Tale Friends

The other day I was trying to conjure up my quarantine fantasy (not that being under quarantine should be anyone’s idea of a fantasy other than the whole stuck on a desert island with your dream lover, but that’s for another post). It included things like spending an entire day in bed with meals delivered up to my bedroom and reading an entire book, cover to cover, without interruptions. Actually, that last one figures in a lot of fantasies of mine!It got me thinking about what people do when they’re stuck at home and because this is a blog primarily about how I feel about fairy tales, it seemed only natural to consider what a quarantine would be like with one of them.First, I’d stress clean with Cinderella. I have a feeling even after the prince whisked her away from servitude, he’d find her scrubbing the throne room floor on particularly anxious days.The only sewing I do is the occasional button reattachment, so it might be nice to learn some handy crafts from the Valiant Tailor. Bonus: he knows how to brag and won’t mind if I crow about my meager accomplishments.After all that activity some peace and quiet might be in order and who better than to spend some moments of quiet contemplation with than The Little Mermaid (obviously pre-foaming). Shared meditation requires someone unobtrusive and she is it!Meditating makes me sleepy and I know Sleeping Beauty knows about napping through your troubles. It’s not the best way to deal with a problem, but it plays into my desire to spend an entire day in bed. She’d totally understand and never judge.Eventually I’d have to get up again and face the reality of all the people in my house who are quarantined with me. I love my family, but I love alone time too. To remind me of how lucky I am that I’m only sharing my home with two people and a dog, I’d switch with Snow White. Cooking, cleaning and sharing space with seven people—my nightmare!To clear my head after all that togetherness, I need to take a walk. Who better to invite along than Little Red Riding Hood and Grandma? They like the woods, despite the occasional double-talking wolf, and after you’ve survived being eaten, socially distant hiking should be a breeze.And lest your think I’d only hang out with the goody-goodies, I think some baking with the Old Woman in the gingerbread house, while risky, is worth learning how to make baked goods the size of building! And because I’d ask before nibbling on her frosted shingles, I think she’d forgo trying to make me into a pie.Lastly, Zoom cocktail hour with The Evil Queen because I am almost positive she can mix a mean drink!Who would you spend your quarantine with, if you could pull them out of your favorite stories?

Not all those who wander...

When I was about eight, I watched Alice in Wonderland over and over again. I loved the chatty and catty flower garden. I memorized all the Cheshire Cat's lines. I hated the ending. I didn't want Alice to back to her old life. I hoped she would learn to navigate the ins and outs of Wonderland. Later, I read Through the Looking Glass and learned that Alice became a queen--the first in my reading of fairy tales because most girls became princesses. But she still went back, discovering the whole episode was a dream.This morning, while searching my brain for a post topic, I thought about Alice and her adventures. And that led to other girls who attempt escapades and the outcomes.Firstly, they are never undertaken by choice. In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is conked on the head and awakens in Oz, all the time demanding to make it back home despite having wanted to run away with Toto before the tornado. Red Riding Hood was on an errand for her mother.Secondly, the girls always want to return home. Dorothy and Alice takes on unimaginable risks because they want to go home. No matter how much danger they face and overcome, they still want to get back to the worlds they knew.Lastly, and almost peripherally, they came from nice homes. These weren't the Cinderellas or the Snow Whites, who were mistreated. Maybe that's why they were in such a lather to get back home.Of course the comparison is when boys from fairy tales leave home and go on adventures. They seek fame, fortune and tend to get both and much more. They never return home and really don't want to return. Sometimes I'd watch Alice in Wonderland and wished she'd wandered a little longer.Until today, I didn't know who to attribute the "Not all those who wander are lost." I've learned it came from J.R.R. Tolkien and The Fellowship of the Ring. It got me thinking about the need to wander, if only for a change of scene. So maybe the saying could be, "Not all those who wander need return." 

Miss Plot?

For those who don’t know, I love Star Trek. While I’m iffy on the original series, I’ve seen the original cast movies more times than I can count. I watched them after discovering my first love, Star Trek: The Next Generation. My love affair continued through Deep Space Nine, Voyager and even Enterprise (although don’t get me started on the last episode—as far as I’m concerned the penultimate episode was the finale we all deserved)!I love that all the shows were essentially a group of people we cared about and admired who tackled galaxy-changing problems every week (and let’s be honest, with all that’s happening in the world right now I could do with some problems that are addressed and solved in 45-90 minutes). The stories were what you called plot driven. It’s become a shunned phrase for some, but one I’ve never sneered at it.Fairy tales are an example. The story is the most important aspect. Sometimes the characters don’t even have names and yet we accept them. A story starts with a problem and within a few pages the problem is solved. Simple, yes, but effective.A funny thing happened on our way to create deeper stories—we ejected plot. Now T.V. shows, movies and books spend an inordinate about of time delving into a character’s psyche learning what drives them, what damaged them and if the two are the same. It does make for more nuanced storytelling, but it’s also exhausting.Don’t get me wrong, I love a good, meaty story with complex characters that are larger than the lives they lead. And yet, there are times when I crave something easier. I’m guessing this is the perfect time. Have your entertainment tastes been altered by quarantine?

Suspend belief

I spend a lot time on this blog criticizing fairy tales (as only someone who really loves them can), but there is one thing that I truly love about fairy tales--the ability for fairy tale characters to believe in the extraordinary.Cinderella just ran with it when her mother's grave started granting her wishes. The woodsman didn't question hearing voices coming from a wolf's stomach. And the miller's youngest son didn't ask Puss why he needed the boots, he just got them.Not that belief hasn't gotten fairy tale characters in trouble--The Emperor comes to mind, walking a parade route completely nude--but it rarely impedes the story. We're asked to suspend disbelief, but what of characters in modern stories.I've gotten through a lot of reading done during this strange time, and what's irked me in more than a few fantasy books are the main characters unwillingness to believe in the fantastical even in the face of so much proof. I finally figured out why (besides wanting to yank the MC out of the story and put myself in their place). No one should be so stubborn in their need for rationality and order that whimsy no longer has a place in their life. It makes me angry and sad at the same time. Why can't they suspend disbelief?And while I'm sure it would be an interest plot device to hear Cinderella's inner dialogue wondering why her mother's grave is so keen to help her win a prince at a ball instead of getting out of an abusive home, it would slow down the story. Whimsy and the fantastical open up possibilities--escapism at its best. 

Living a Fairy Tale Trope

It’s a familiar trope in fairy tales. Cinderella had her father’s estate. Snow White and Sleeping Beauty both had a cottage in the woods. Rapunzel had her tower with no doors. Belle had the Beast’s castle. In fairy tales, princesses tend to find themselves in isolation.It’s not unusual. These stories were written in a time when most women could measure their worlds in the square feet of their homes. Men worked outside—women, inside. But even modern fairy tales hold to the same truth. In the Disney movies Jasmine has to disguise herself to escape the palace and quickly has to return, while Elsa has been in seclusion for so long her sister Anna can’t even remember the last time the gates to the castle were opened.I’ve been thinking about these women a lot lately in light of recent developments. I hope Rapunzel had half the imagination of Anna or else she would have gone mad. Now, more so than at any other time I can think of, is when we rely on creatives to get over the sense of bewilderment. Maybe Snow White wouldn’t have let her stepmother in if she’d had Twitter to keep her company. Sleeping Beauty could have blogged about her weird kingdom without spinning wheels and started a Go Fund Me page for new clothes. And Rapunzel could have built a simple ladder from repurposed items in her room from a YouTube tutorial.

What I’m saying is, hang in there. Isolation isn’t as isolating as it has been in the past. There’s a lot of uncertainty, but there’s also a lot of creativity. And while I do want to thank all the brave women and men who are on the front lines of this pandemic, I also want to take the time to thank the women and men on the “homefront” playing music, writing stories, and doing the myriad other creative things that have made staying at home more bearable.And a shout out to delivery people—you’re doing amazing work! 

Simple Kindness is Golden

Ever get the feeling that rudeness in on the rise? I know it's not a new idea, but that doesn't mean it bears ignoring. Just like anything that requires correcting, it should be revisited.In fairy tales princesses and women who will be princesses are always praised for their quiet accommodation and politeness, which I have noted on more than a few occasions in the blog. However, I've been remiss. Civility isn't just a princess virtue.The story, The Golden Goose, by the Brothers Grimm tells the story of three brothers, the youngest of who is kind despite his family's scorn. Despite being given sour beer and a sooty biscuit, when he's approached by a stranger hoping to share, he does gladly. For his considerateness, he's given a golden goose. In the end, he wins the hand of an unhappy princess when he makes her laugh.It's rare when a gentle act from a man in fairy tales is rewarded. I'll admit that having to marry a man just because your father says the next man to make you laugh can have you is problematic at best, but it's one of the few instances I've found that has a male-centered story who doesn't have to kill or employ trickery to be rewarded. And he wasn't expecting a reward. He just wanted to help an old man in the forest. It's refreshing, in its way.I don't know if I have a conclusion for this post other than to state we should all try being a little kinder to each other. Happy Tuesday!

Fairy Justice

Imagine if you will Rapunzel still wandering the swamp with her twins in tow and the prince elsewhere, still blind and searching for his love.Imagine the maiden in Rumpelstiltskin handing over her baby to the fairy who demanded her as payment.Imagine the Woodsman never happened by Grannie’s house and Red Riding Hood still being digested in the stomach of the wolf.Fairy tales appeal to our very basic sense of justice. They’re so popular in childhood because for a child everything is concrete. There’s a bad person and a good person. The bad person is punished and the good one is given a new start.It isn’t until we’re older that we see the gray areas. The lack of agency. The casual brutality. The inequalities. And yet, we return to these stories or some modern derivative to feel a sense of vindication.Sadly, life rarely works out so neatly. Bad people continue to behave badly without correction or condemnation. Good people are overlooked It contributes to a sense of disillusionment that only the simply ordered world of storytelling can assuage.Sometimes fairy tales are the balm we need to ease the crazy that is modern life.

January with Thumbelina

January is a quiet, broody month. The end of the holiday season is as sudden as the beginning of it. The weather is unpredictable and rarely appreciated. And the new year has a sense of urgency to be different or at least better than the last. It’s all exhausting!I think about Thumbelina hiding out with the field mouse for the winter all cozy and grateful. Of course, the peace doesn’t last because the old field mouse because the next in a long line of creatures that think Thumbelina should marry. Thumbelina is forced to run away to avoid yet another arranged marriage. That’s what January feels like, a forced marriage between your expectations and other people’s—uneasy and slightly ominous.And yet, this is the month I’ve decided to release my new book. Crazy, huh? And yet…This post is a short one and I fear the next one will be, too. But routines are promises you make to yourself. So even a short post is a promise kept.Keep a lookout for A Noble's Path, book 2 in the Enchanted Path series.

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! :)

Formula: The Sequel or Comfort Mind Food

Last week I wrote about Hallmark Movies and their tendency to be formulaic. And I don’t think formula's are always a bad thing. But there was a time when my literary snobbery got in the way of a good time.As a teenager I flirted with a certain author’s romance stories that would be considered formulaic—perfect miniseries material. I knew the heroine inevitably lost her money, title, etc. and for three nights she’d be put through the wringer with at least three marriages, a manor house destroyed and end with one of her wayward children returning to the fold just in time to see her mother’s business venture take off.But I wouldn’t read the books. I considered them predictable and banal, but I didn’t mind them being made-for-tv catnip. Fifteen-year-old me would act above reading it, but thirty-eight-year-old me would paraphrase James Carville and yell, “It’s a story, stupid. Just embrace it.”All stories have a formula—its’ how we get comfortable with the insane amount of drama and danger we convince ourselves is okay to enjoy instead of worrying that we may be sociopaths. Except when we like the formula, we call is a writer’s “distinctive voice”. When we don’t like it, we say it’s predictable. I have a few authors that I read because I know exactly what to expect from their books. They’re my comfort food for the mind. #ComfortMindFoodDo you think the Grimm Brothers sat around worrying that the stories they’d collected had more than a few that sounded eerily similar? No and we still read and adapt those stories to this day. My point being today’s formulaic story could be tomorrow’s classic.

Hallmark Movie Drinking Game ©

The worst kept secret in fairy tales is that they conform to a formula. There’s something comforting in that, if a bit predictable. A modern-day equivalent is a Hallmark movie. They are predictable and comfortable, like worn-in shoes. Not great, not bad—just a pleasant way to spend an afternoon (or a holiday season). A bit of warmth when the world feels distinctly chilly. And this isn’t a dig. I have a strange and abiding love for Hallmark movies despite their slow, if well-intentioned, move to include diverse representation (a post for another day).But I think they could be even better, or better yet, interactive. Remember drinking games from college? What better way to pass the time (hopefully with friends and loved ones) than a nice day with soppy romances and a few shot glasses?For those who don’t do shots, sips of wine work just as well! And for those who don't imbibe, chocolate pieces are a nice alternative![gallery ids="805,806,807" type="rectangular"]Here’s my game:Part I. Challenge shots—this is where you make predictions based on the title and picture. If you win the prediction, you choose who takes a shot.Part II. Shots taken based on the action in the movie and are pretty self-explanatoryPart III. Edition Additions—for subset of movies like holidays or ones regarding royalty.

• Challenge shot: if you can guess the setback for hour 1:40*
• Challenge shot: if protag is trying to live up to a deceased parent
• Challenge shot: one each for every MWD** sighting
• Challenge shot: guess if a piece of handiwork or a baked good brings the couple together

• 1 shot for the meet-cute
• 1 shot for the scene that shows a woman who is overworked and awaiting a much-deserved promotion (1 extra if someone else is undermining her; 1 extra shot if that person will be her love interest; 2 extras if both are shown in the same scene)
• 1 shot for Cleaning*** moment (challenge shot if you know who will clean whom; another challenge if you know what will be cleaned off)
• 1 shot for the almost kiss (challenge if you know what/who will interrupt it)
• 1 shot each time a Type A lets go because of love interest
• 1 shot each time the SBF**** reminds the protag she needs to get a man
• 1 shot each time the love interest tells the protag to relax, slow down, etc.
• 1 shot each time someone’s “city-ness” is commented on by love interest
• 1 shot for stock shots of major cities in which the characters are never found

 Holiday Edition Additions

• (HE) 1 shot for each product placement; 2 if it’s specifically for Christmas
• (HE) 1 shot for each Santa sighting
• (HE) 1 shot for Happy, the Hallmark rescue dog, is on screen

 Royal Edition Additions

• (RE) 1 shot for royal reveal
• (RE) 1 shot for royal “down to earth” stories
• (RE) 1 shot for each “American-ness” comments by disapproving parent

Wedding Edition Additions

• (WE) 1 shot for each wedding setback
• (WE) 1 shot if the main wedding spawns another wedding/engagement
• (WE) 1 shot each time a family member laments the single status of the protagonist

In the end, no matter how much may say otherwise, a Hallmark movie is all we really need for a good time. ¡Salud! *The incident that causes the last-minute wrench in the romance**Minority Window Dressing: visible, but voiceless; usually found in large scenes, like weddings, coffee shops, etc.*** The Cleaning moment is the first time the protag and love interest touch because someone has something on their face or in their hair. The two lock eyes and then turn away, embarrassed.****Sassy Best Friend 

Fairy Tale Ambitions

I’ve been thinking about ambition lately. Wishes, yearnings, desires. It all sounds very intimate. Ambition is all about what we want deep down inside and work toward. We all have them, don’t we?Here’s where Snow White lost me. After escaping a death sentence because the queen’s servant takes pity on her and finding shelter with the dwarves, she sits back and cleans house.Cinderella lost me when she discovered her mother’s grave granted wishes asks for a dresses to go to a ball.The Sleeping Beauty, Briar Rose, barely wakes up and sees her family before they marry her to the who, according to the story, just happened to kiss her when the curse was weakening anyway.What they all have in common is ambition, or the lack thereof. Princesses (or in the case of Cinderella, aspiring princesses) hardly ever want anything aside from the essential. But given the power they could wield, they choose instead to be martyrs.Snow White could have easily told her story to the dwarves and at the end asked them to help overthrow her evil stepmother (who, if had resorted to killing children to be called the most beautiful must have been engaging in other nefarious endeavors). Cinderella could have asked for an escape route, money to fend for herself or if you want to get truly dark, a potion to rid herself of the evil women in her house. Briar Rose should have walked away—a hundred years under a spell and I’m sure she wanted to see something of the world before being tied down.Shouldn’t princesses dream of being queens? Queens seek power, respect (and yes some go the fear route), and to be more than they are. That’s not a bad thing. Ambition is part of human nature. What does that mean for fairy tale princesses?

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. 

Also Starring...A Secondary Fairy Tale Character

Fairy tale retellings has become its own sub-genre. We want to keep fairy tales in our lives but understand that the stories are problematic from a modern standpoint. We want agency, depth and inclusivity—a tall order for something written centuries ago. But we do our best, giving heroines backstories and pluck in the hopes of correcting anachronisms.But what about the other characters? Aren’t they just victims of the same outmoded storytelling? How many times have I read that secondary characters should be just as interesting as the protagonist?My curiosity started when I read Gregory Maguire’s Confessions of An Ugly Stepsister. They did treat Cinderella abominably, but they took their cues from their mother. And there were two of them—maybe it was a welcome change from sibling rivalry to direct any animosity at a picked on step-sister. As far as I know, it’s the only time a secondary character from a fairy tale was the star of a fairy tale retelling.What if we knew more about Jack’s mother before he climbed that beanstalk? Who wouldn’t want to know more about the dwarves that housed Snow White? And what about the mother and grandmother in Red Riding Hood?These are the rabbit holes my mind tumbles down when given free reign. Speaking of, what about that white rabbit? I like to think he orchestrated a coup against the tyrannical Queen of Hearts. My rather rambling point is retellings have only scratched the surface of possibilities.Who’s your favorite secondary character from a fairy tale? Have you read any retellings that have done that character justice?

Evidence of things not seen...

I’m not one to quote the Bible, but it can’t be denied that no matter what your beliefs, it’s very quotable. I’ve always had a particular fondness for the sentiment of “things not seen” being primarily a fantasy writer. I like to think I see things that others don’t because my imagination allows me to do so.I’ve spent a lot of time musing about my love-distaste (I can’t really say hate) relationship with fairy tales and more so on the pitfalls and reservations I have about them. Today I’d rather consider what I do love about them. It is, as far as I can tell, the evidence of things not seen.Fairy tales focus on an ordinary person usually in extraordinarily bad circumstances when something magical happens. Fairy godmothers appear. Curses are lifted by true love’s kiss. Wooden marionettes become live boys. And it’s all accepted as though it happens all the time. I like a world where magic exists and short of that I want to read about them.Even if we don’t like the endings or the lack of agency, our first impulse as children is to want to be the main characters. No matter how bad things get for them, magic brings the possibility of joy and happiness to otherwise crushing lives. It’s a lesson we should all consider—looking for the magic in the everyday.On my walk this morning I was struck by the strength of the wind. Windy days are my favorite weather days. Something about the roar through the trees and the movement of the leaves. I especially love the little whirlwinds that form, which make me think of tiny portals for supernatural beings.Could be the start of a great story.

A Writer's Winter Fairy Tale Come True

Now that the Christmas season has come and gone, I can make a confession.I really don’t like “It’s A Wonderful Life.”I didn’t see it until I was in college and my roommate expressed horror at my lapse in film viewing. I explained that one Christmas I saw it listed in the TV Guide (does anyone remember those?) over twenty-seven times! Colorized, black and white, even dubbed en Español.The over exposure of it made it unpalatable, like a song that gets too much radio play. So, I studiously avoided it. Until that year at college. I sat and watched, ate popcorn and…I still didn’t like it. The premise was great—who doesn’t like a little magical realism? But it didn’t grab me. I’m more A Christmas Carol kind of girl—scared straight for the chronically unlovable. George Bailey was too self-pitying for me. Scrooge is angry. It’s more active. I prefer proactive characters.Then I learned the story behind the story.Did you know that It’s a Wonderful Life is based on a short story by Philip Van Doren Stern? He called it "The Greatest Gift". It was rejected by several publishers and then he printed up about 200 copies for friends and family with his Christmas cards. One made its way to Frank Capra, who shared it with Jimmy Stewart. The story was sold for $10,000 to RKO in 1944 (over $140K in today’s money) and the rest is history.Now that’s a Christmas story I would watch every year! Here’s hoping today’s overlooked story becomes tomorrow’s beloved classic.

Breadcrumbs and the Dark Woods, the "What If" Game with Hansel & Gretel

I like playing the "What If" game. If you don't know it (see what I did there?) it's the game you play with yourself (or others, rules are optional) wondering what can or did happen. It's especially gratifying with fairy tales. For me, happily ever after isn't enough of a denouement to satisfy.One of my favorite to play the game with is Hansel and Gretel. Spoilers ahead! I usually forget the ending where they return to the parents who essentially left their starving children in the forest to be eaten by roving carnivorous animals. I think when you're a kid the idea of some old woman in the woods eating small children makes it pale in comparison. But as a parent, the ending horrifies me. The pictures we take away are of the gingerbread house and the crone luring them in, but it should be the picture above--Hansel and Gretel alone in the darkened woods left by their parents.But they do go back, with no idea what kind of reception they'll receive. They fill their pockets with jewels and money and return to their home, hoping that the windfall will gain the access to their beds. Tragic, right? So, I like to play the game. Imagine trying to ask them to do anything after that, like, "No, I didn't take out the trash because I thought the door would be locked when I got back." Or, "Remember when you left me and my brother in the woods? Yea, not going to collect firewood for you." Snarky, I know, but wouldn't you be if you'd live through abandonment and near cannibalism?But maybe Hansel and Gretel can teach us something. Resilience, ingenuity and even forgiveness. They went back not knowing what to expect. Hansel and Gretel could be a tragedy, but what if it's more about courage?What if 2019 is the year we look at things differently? By the way, visit my sister site, Books By I.L. Cruz to read this month's MAIAM guest, Azaaa Davis!

The Emperor's New?

I have a question for you at the end of my story.Once there was an emperor who ruled an empire. Except he didn't. He spent most of his time throwing parties and surrounded himself with men and women who flattered his vanity. But he saved his greatest passion for clothes--of all shades and for all seasons. Satins, silks, brocade and every costly fabric adorned his body at all times with multiple changes daily.One day a pair of con men arrived in the capital. They'd learned of the vain emperor and his penchant for clothes. They made it known that they were renowned tailors who only designed for the most fashionable and important. The emperor had his advisors bring the men to court and asked for samples of their work.The men were clever. They explained to the advisors that not only was their material the finest in the world, it was also magical. They claimed that only the most worthy could see it. They showed them pictures of nothing, but the advisors feared being called unworthy and instead praised the beautiful creations (and they were accustomed to praising inaction). The men were escorted into the throne room and gave the same account of their enchanted fabric. The emperor was just as reluctant as his advisors to admit he saw nothing. He promised bags of gold and jewels for a complete wardrobe.Weeks passed and the men appeared to work diligently, often into the night until the day of the unveiling. The emperor was overjoyed to hear they had completed the task and announced a parade to present his subjects with his new clothes. The "tailors" promised an opulent suit of clothes and the emperor dutifully oohed and aahed over clothes he couldn't see.The parade began and the emperor's subjects were perplexed by the emperor's appearance. He walked up and down streets with his head high, posing and twirling for the crowds. Finally he turned a corner and a young child seated on the shoulder's of her father and yelled, "The emperor isn't wearing any clothes!" The crowd was silent for a moment and then erupted in laughter. The emperor realized it was true, but for his pride, continued his procession.But the spell was broken. His advisors knew the truth and so did the people.In all the versions I've seen (and there are several from various countries), no one says what happens to the emperor. I like to think he realized the error of his ways and became a more worthy ruler.So here's my question. Do you ever hope that we're just two con men and a naked parade away from better leaders?Just wondering...

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? 

Doubt and a Dancing Centipede

When I first started writing, my schedule was lax. I didn’t worry about how much or how little I was writing because it wasn’t something I intended to pursue in a professional way. It was a hobby and only for me.

The change happened over time and soon I knew I wanted to make writing my career. I started reading up on other people’s writing habits, learning all I could about world-building and character arcs. I attended conferences, workshops and participated in more than one webinar. With each new lesson learned, I improved my craft.

But each improvement brought a kernel of doubt.

How many times did I read about people juggling multiple responsibilities, marketing, and still finding time to write a bestseller? I can fill pages with the names of writers who claimed to write everyday, no matter what! Not to mention the notorious show, don’t tell.

Is this something I can do? That was never a question. The real question was how did I write a book before I knew all that? Did I need to analyze my writing techniques that much?

I keep thinking of this story I read in Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder (one of my all-time favorite books)about the Dancing Centipede and the Jealous Tortoise. If you want the complete story and haven’t read Sophie’s World (which I highly recommend you do) the blog, Just Alchemy does an excellent job.

Essentially, the centipede, Ghawazhee, questioned her methods, methods that had won her acclaim, because she was asked how she danced so well. It paralyzed her and she never wrote again. Tragic!

The point to my rather rambling post is to encourage anyone (including myself) to remember is that sometimes it's okay to block out all the lessons and doubts and just write. In my opinion, writers are inspired more often than they like to admit. Discipline may have helped me publish a book, but imagination made the book possible.