I grew up with fairy tales and loved them, even though now as a grownup I’ve realised how badly the heroines of our stories were treated. Also, have you noticed how they relied on men to rescue them? I came across this from the Instagram of author Julia Blake and it made me laugh. It’s true, isn’t it?
Putting all that aside, I still love fairy tales and I enjoy the re-telling of them, too. It is part of our childhood for most of us. It was a time when I looked at life through rose-coloured glasses, a time when innocence was all I knew. We are so worldly wise these days, with all the responsibilities that life offers.
Being a writer, I dipped my toes into the fairy tale world and one day I would love to retell one of the stories. For now, I wrote a brand new one, about a lost prince and a mother’s lament. This is a wholesome, happy ever novelette, just as fairy tales should be.
My favourite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast. What is yours?
A devastated king and queen must end the search for their lost child. From his turreted castle on a high hill, the king copes by playing his lament for the whole village to hear. People come from far and wide to witness his emotional performances on the pianoforte.
Though the sound is profound for everyone, it’s magical for one young pauper. Jorge doesn’t just hear it, he sees the crochet, clefts, and minions as they fall from the sky. As he grows, so does the lure of the mystical music, which buries itself deep in his soul.
Unable to resist any longer, Jorge and his betrothed make a trip to the palace to watch the king play. What he discovers there will change his life forever.
This is a fairy tale to delight modern readers.
Black Ice by Julia Blake has written a retelling of Snow White. I’m a big fan of her writing, as her stories are so varied.
The path to the throne is a dangerous one
All her life, Princess Snow of House White has had to tread carefully. The powerful Contratulum plans to use her as its puppet. Her aunt wishes her dead. And as for her stepfather – well, Snow has no illusions about what he desires from her.
Escaping an assassination attempt, Snow finds sanctuary with the mysterious Ronin – the Captain of a band of outlaws living deep within the Great Forest. These seven are all that is left of the Dwarvians, a once proud and powerful people driven to the brink of extinction by the Contratulum.
When the seven Dwarvians pledge to help Snow claim her throne, the race is on to enlist allies using forbidden airship technology. But the clock is ticking …
With only two weeks to go before her coronation, and facing almost insurmountable odds, Snow and her friends must push themselves to the limits of their endurance – and beyond.
Think you know the Snow White story? Think again!