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Hello and welcome! You have been listening to me talk about Fairy Tale Fortnight for months now, and it is finally here!!

This post will be constantly updated throughout the event with links and new information. Every night at midnight EST, the post will be updated with a full schedule of the day's upcoming events. As the posts go live, I will be updating with links throughout the day so you don't miss a thing!

At the bottom of each post will be one of these three pictures: Clicking on one of these pictures will bring you back to this page, to view all the great new updates.

There is also a link-up in an additional post where you can link up your fairy tale related posts for others to read!

Also, Bonnie at A Backwards Story has some awesome stuff happening on her blog this week! When she learned about this event, she not only provided us with a guest post, she spoke with a few of her author contacts about interviews (which will be upcoming) and she is reviewing a new fairy tale on her blog every day of the event. You will definitely want to head over there to see what she's got happening.

I really hope everyone is just as excited for this as I am! Let the Fairy Tale goodness begin!

Sunday April 17:

~ Schedule and Additional Post Link-Up
~ Anahita's Woven Riddle Contest
~ Beauty review at The Book Rat
~ A Librarian Guest Post — Winter's Child at Basically Amazing Books
~ Interview with Jessica Day George and a giveaway!
~ Her Royal Orangeness Guest Post-Tam Lin at The Book Rat
~ Entwined reivew at Basically Amazing Books

Monday April 18:

~ Why Fairy Tales Are Magic ~ a guest post from Zoë Marriott
~ Bound review at The Book Rat
~ Japanese Fairy Tales by Danya at Basically Amazing Books
~ The Healer's Apprentice Giveaway + Fairy Tales in Bruges at The Book Rat
~ Memory Monday: Beauty at Basically Amazing Books
~ Zoë Marriott Prize Pack of Awesome
~ Hush review at The Book Rat
~ Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow review at Basically Amazing Books
~ FIll-in the Blanks with JG at The Book Rat

Tuesday April 19:

~ Jaclyn Dolamore Interview & bookplate giveaway
~ Curlypow's guest post: Beauties and Beasties at The Book Rat
~ TBR Tuesday at The Book Rat
~ Beastly review at Basically Amazing Books
~ Princess and the Hound review at The Book Rat
~ The Uses of Enchantment giveaway from Edie
~ Happily Ever After — Myth... BUSTED with Jennifer AND a giveaway at Basically Amazing Books
~ 'The Red Shoe's at The Book Rat
~ A Kiss in Time review at Basically Amazing Books

Wednesday April 20:

~ Easter Giveaway at The Book Rat!!
~ Prize Pack from The Introverted Reader at The Book Rat
~ Mini-review of Ash + a giveaway! at Basically Amazing Books
~ The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde Guest Post at Basically Amazing Books
~ Wishlist Wednesday at The Book Rat
~ Interview with Donna Jo Napoli
~ Tender Morsels and the dark side — Guest Post at The Book Rat
~ Review: The Swan Kingdom at Basically Amazing Books
~ Review: Rapunzel's Revenge and Princess Academy at The Book Rat

Thursday April 21:

~ Nancy Werlin Giveaway
~ Fractured Fairy Tales with Bonnie at Basically Amazing Books
~ Kiss part 1 at The Book Rat
~ Review: A True Princess at Basically Amazing Books
~ Interview with Alex Flinn
~ Reivew: I, Corinader at The Book Rat
~ Review: Calamity Jack at Basically Amazing Books
~ Midnyte Reader: The Horror of Fairy Tales at The Book Rat

Friday April 22:

~ Mette Ivie Harrison Guest Post and Giveaway
~ Review: Sirena at Basically Amazing Books
~ Review: Princess at the Midnight Ball at The Book Rat
~ Why I Always Forgive My Fairy Tales at Basically Amazing Books
~ Friday Face Off at The Book Rat
~ Interview with Heather Dixon
~ Enna Isilee: How Fairy Tales Changed My Life at The Book Rat
~ Review: Princess of Glass at The Book Rat
~ Review: Zel at Basically Amazing Books
~ Kiss, part 2 at The Book Rat

Saturday April 23:

~ Jessica Day George Prize Pack #2, courtesy of Sierra
~ Short Story Saturday pt. 1 at The Book Rat
~ Groovy Fairy Tales guest post by Jayme at Basically Amazing Books
~ Short Story Saturday pt. 2 at The Book Rat
~ Fables review and giveaway, guest post by Kristen at The Book Rat
~ Interview with Zoë Marriott
~ Kiss pt. 3 at The Book Rat
~ Short Story Saturday pt. 3 at The Book Rat
~ Review: Wildwood Dancing at Basically Amazing Books
~ Mini-reviews: Impossible and Extraordinary at The Book Rat

Sunday April 24:

~ My Unfair Godmother giveaway at Basically Amazing Books
~ Dark Literary Retellings + giveaway from Titania at The Book Rat
~ Kiss, the final part at The Book Rat
~ Series Review: Once Upon a Time at Basically Amazing Books
~ Poetry, Shmoetry at The Book Rat
~ Once Upon a Time Cover Discussion at Basically Amazing Books
~ Interview with Marissa Meyer
~ Book of 1000 Days from Miss Eliza at The Book Rat
~ Review: Princess of Glass guest post with Ems at Basically Amazing Books
~ The Twelve Dancing Princesses guest post with Ems at The Book Rat
~ Once Upon a Time Series Favorites at Basically Amazing Books

Monday April 25:

~ Interview with Diane Zahler + giveaway
~ Review: Cloaked at The Book Rat
~ Memory Monday: Deerskin at Basically Amazing Books
~ Interview with Cindy Pon
~ 10 Awesome FT characters guest post with CSI Librarian at The Book Rat
~ Review: Shadow Spinner at Basically Amazing Books
~ Interview with Elis O'Neal
~ A Kiss in Time: Guest post with Sierra at The Book Rat
~ My Favorite Fairy Tales guest post with Enna + giveaway!
~ Beastly Teaser at The Book Rat

Tuesday April 26:

~ Giveaway: Shadow Spinner
~ Titania's Favorite Movie Adaptations at Basically Amazing Books
~ Alanna: Acrostic Awesomeness + YA FT giveaway at The Book Rat
~ Alanna: Acrostic Awesomeness + Children's FT giveaway at Basically Amazing Books
~ TBR Tuesday at The Book Rat
~ Fairy Tales, Myths and World Building: Between the Sea and Sky
~ Review: The Princess Trio by Mette Ivie Harrison at Basically Amazing Books
~ Sleeping Beauty-Then and Now guest post by Tricia at The Book Rat
~ Fairy vs. Faeri: a guest post by Laura at Basically Amazing Books
~ A Fill-in Game with Elie at The Book Rat
~ Review: Juniper Berry at The Book Rat

Wednesday April 27:

~ Interview with Janette Rallison + giveaway!
~ Juniper Berry excerpt + giveaway! at The Book Rat
~ Guest Review: Rapunzel's Revenge with Kristen at Basically Amazing Books
~ Wishlist Wednesday — Unreleased titles at The Book Rat
~ Guest Review: Cloaked with Sierra at Basically Amazing Books
~ Sleeping Beauty: A DoublClik Editorial
~ From One Book to Another: East of the Sun, West of the Moon at The Book Rat
~ Interview with Victoria Schwab
~ Review: Keturah and Lord Death at Basically Amazing Books
~ Failed it or Nailed it: East of the Sun, West of the Moon comparison at The Book Rat

Thursday April 28:

~ Interview with Carolyn Turgeon + giveaway!
~ 2 Classic Irish Tales, from Mel U at The Book Rat
~ Guest Review: Enchantment from Cynthia at Basically Amazing Books
~ Interview with Mette Ivie Harrison
~ Review: Troll Bridge at The Book Rat
~ Video with Jessica Day George and announcement from The Giveaway Fairy
~ Interview with Sarah Porter
~ Review: Magic Under Glass at Basically Amazing Books
~ Fill-in-Game with Khadija at The Book Rat

Friday April 29:

~ Guest Post with Marissa Meyer: Not Your Average Retelling
~ Mini-reviews: Jon Scieszka at The Book Rat
~ Why Fairy Tales? at Basically Amazing Books
~ Friday Face Off at The Book Rat
~ Guest Review: Tithe by Ammy Belle at Basically Amazing Books
~ Interview with Tia Nevitt
~ Book Journey Guest Review of Cloaked at The Book Rat
~ Book Journey Giveaway at Basically Amazing Books
~ Review: The Mermaid's Mirror at Basically Amazing Books
~ Review: Castle Waiting at The Book Rat

Saturday April 30:

~ Interview with Elizabeth C. Bunce + giveaway
~ Opening lines for the Faery Reel at The Book Rat
~ Short Story Saturday 2 at The Book Rat
~ Fairy Tales I Can't Wait to Read at Basically Amazing Books
~ Review: Daughter of the Forest at The Book Rat
~ Fill-in Game with Maureen McGowan
~ Review: The Sister's Grimm at Basically Amazing Books
~ Silly interview with Misty
~ Silly interview with Ashley
~ Little Red Riding Hood Video Project
~ End credits/THANKS!

A few weeks ago, I reviewed Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang. (click the title for my review!) And today, she is here to talk to us! I really enjoyed the book, so I'm especially excited for this chance to interview her.

Also, before I get to the interview, I have to mention that Daughter of Xanadu hits the shelves today!!! Yay for book release days! (and how cool that I get to post my interview on the day the book comes out!?!) If your interested at all in Mongol culture, historical romance, or fierce heroines, I suggests you check it out! You can also view the book trailer here!

Dori has been writing for a while now. She's got a great website, and she included a quote from my review of Daughter on her website! How great is that?!:) Her website is www.dorijonesyang.com and I strongly recommend you head over there after you read the interview here!
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Ashley: Hello Dori and welcome! Thank you so much for being here with us today.
I was reading the bio on your website, and you have had a very interesting and varied life. You've lived all over the world and done a lot with journalism. You must have fascinating dinner conversations! You've been a journalist for a lot of years, but when, and how, did you decide you wanted to write books? And how did you decide to make the switch from non-fiction writing to fiction?
Dori: I have wanted to write books since I was a little kid, an avid reader like you! When I was 17, my dad popped my balloon by telling me that no one hires authors; he suggested I aim for a career in journalism. I did, and I loved it. As a journalist, I got to meet fascinating people, interview the experts and learn a lot with every article. My goal was to become a foreign correspondent in China, and I achieved that at age 28. But I never forgot that early dream. As a business reporter, I decided to write my first book about business. After that, though, I was eager to write fiction. What I did not expect was just how hard it would be to make the transition from just-the-facts journalism to how-did-she-feel? fiction.
Daughter of Xanadu had very beautiful and vivid descriptions, and contained a lot of information about the Mongol Culture and way of life. What kind of research did you have to do to create such an authentic story?
The research was fun! I read every book I could get my hands on about the Mongols, the Mongol Empire, and modern Mongolia. Then, I visited Mongolia. Wow! It’s so remote, and many people live nomadic life in yurts (gers), just like in the old days. That gave me a strong visual sense of their world. I used a lot of my Mongolia photos in the book trailer video for Daughter of Xanadu.
As I mentioned in my review, I loved the book, but was a little disappointed with the ending. It didn't quite seem to fit with the rest of the story. Have you seen this reaction in others? What are your responses to that/How have you responded to that?
I hate to disappoint my readers. But here’s one thing I discovered about endings: Most stories can have a happy ending, if you cut them off at the happy part. What happens after that ending is another story.
Are there any plans for a sequel to Daughter?
I’d love to publish a sequel if my readers are eager for one!
You've written fiction for children, YA and adults. Is it hard adjusting your writing style for different age groups? Do you find that you prefer one genre/age group over the others?
It is hard. But I’m guilty of genre-jumping because I love new challenges. One thing I find great about YA is that the genre is booming, with many talented new writers, a huge variety of styles, open-minded editors, and avid readers. I love that. It’s interesting that the music industry discovered the demand for youth-oriented music decades before the book industry truly discovered the demand for youth-oriented fiction.
What do you have planned next? Do you plan to write more for young adults?
Oh yes, I am working on a young adult novel now, almost finished, and am planning more for the future.
Which books and authors have inspired you? Both in writing and in life.
There are many! But one of them I especially admire is C.S. Lewis. He wrote many different types of books, for different audiences. He is most remembered for his Narnia children’s books, but he was quite a genre jumper, a Renaissance man with many skills and deep insights.
If you had to pick one favorite book (or author), a book that's a favorite just because it is, what would that be?
That’s a hard question. As a girl, I loved J.R.R. Tolkien so much that I learned to write in his elvish script and taught it to my friends; we used it to write secret notes in class. But today, I read many authors and books and can’t pick a favorite.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
In your review, you mentioned how Emmajin begins to view her culture from the eyes of an outsider. To me, this message is the heart of Daughter of Xanadu. Too many of us, in America and all over the world, don’t get to this point. Next time you meet someone who comes from a different country or culture, I hope you’ll spend some time trying to see how our culture looks from that person’s eyes. It is eye-opening.
Again, thank you so much for talking with us today! I really appreciate it!

Alright everyone, here it is!

My interview with Jennifer Echols, the wonderful author of Forget You! Click HERE to read my review!

Jennifer was kind enough to agree to an interview after I read and loved Forget You. She is also the author of several other books for teens, including Going to Far, another romantic drama, and several romantic comedies, including Major Crush, and The Ex Games.
You can learn more about Jennifer and her books at her website, found HERE.

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First, I would like to say a huge thank you to Jennifer for agreeing to take part in this interview. It's great to have this chance to talk with you.

Ashley, I really appreciate the interview. Thank you!

So, when did you first start writing stories?

I think I was working on my first novel in third grade or so. My mom was reading Watership Down, which is about rabbits. My novel was about squirrels.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I was interested in writing, art, and music, and I pursued all three into college. My first college major was music education and composition. I wanted to be a composer and a high school band director. I was so interested in music intellectually, but I just wasn’t good enough. Writing was a creative outlet I felt much more comfortable with. In fact, I wrote a short story about band for the college literary magazine, people seemed to like it much better than any music I’d ever written, and I never looked back.

Why do you write young adult novels? Was that a conscious choice, or something that just sort of happened?

I finished writing my first novel when I was 20 and still reading YA myself. After that I wrote YA and adult, back and forth, but I guess YA was a part of me when I got my start and I never left. I still think YA novels are some of the best books out there.

Do you have any plans or desire to switch over to the Adult side of the aisle?

Since selling my first YA novel, I have written three adult novels, but they haven’t sold. Every time this happens, it breaks my heart, but publishing is a hard business and I knew this going in.

You already have several published novels out. Both comedic and dramatic. Were there any unique challenges to writing Forget You that you hadn't come across before?

This book is probably the one that’s most personal to me. The characters and events are fictitious, but I have felt all Zoey’s pain before. I have been that good girl who makes bad decisions. So I’m finding it a little harder than usual to share this story and listen to what other people say about it and about her.

Which of your books was the most challenging for you to write?

Endless Summer, because it is a sequel, and everything had to match what I’d written in The Boys Next Door.

Do you ever just sit back and think, "Wow. I'm a writer!"

Yes I do. Every single day I make sure that I reflect on the long, hard road I traveled to get here, and I am thankful that I finally have the career I always wanted.

I love getting new book recommendations. So, I have to ask. What do you read? What are your favorites?

Kiss It by Erin Downing and The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting were absolutely wonderful. And I hope everybody will check out the amazing When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer, which is coming out in November. One of the coolest things about being an author is that you get to read other writers’ novels before they’re published!

Are there any books you can identify that have had the most impact on you as a person, and as a writer?

The best class I ever took was an American Moderns course at Auburn University. We read The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner, The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway, A Lost Lady by Willa Cather, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, and the collected poems of T. S. Eliot. Every one of these books made me see the possibilities of writing in a new way. The only book we read that wasn’t new to me was The Great Gatsby, and this wonderful professor made even that seem brand new. Have you ever taken a class like that?

Do you have a current work-in-progress? If yes, is there anything you can share with us about it now?

I’m finishing my next romantic drama for MTV Books. It will be published in July 2011, and it is called This Novel Has Such A Fabulous Title That I Can’t Even Tell You, or possibly OMG This Is The Best Novel Title Ever. My editor and I haven’t chosen which one yet but I will let you know.

Well, thank you so much Jennifer for answering all my questions!
My final question, just because I love them, what is your favorite pair of shoes?

In 2005 I ran my first 10K and the end of my middle toe kind of fell off. It was just a really bad blister. So I went to a local running store and said to the owner, “Please choose a pair of shoes for me that will not make my toe fall off,” and he did and I am on my fifth pair. They are Nike Equalons. This is probably not what you were asking, LOL!
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This was an awesome interview! Thanks again Jennifer for taking the time to talk to share with us! I'm looking forward to your new release, and to picking up some copies of your older books. And, if I ever decide to run a 10K, I'm definitely going to be looking for some Nike Equalons!

Today's interview is with Jessica Day George, author of the Dragon Slippers Trilogy, Princess at the Midnight Ball, Princess of Glass, and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. Jessica earned her BA in Humanities/Comparative Literature from Brigham Young University, where she enjoyed classes in Pottery and Old Norse, and dutifully forces herself to take Algebra and Biology. Originally from Idaho, she now resides in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, their young son and a five pound Maltese named Pippin.

The 'Serious' Questions:

I get the feeling that a lot of 'you’ goes into your fairy tales (Norway, the knitting, etc). How do these elements get infused into the stories? Is it a conscious choice (I’m goingto make Galen a knitter), or does it just happen (Oh, hey, I just made Galen a knitter!)?

Yes, and yes. And yes. SUN AND MOON came about because of my love of Norway, and the fairy tale EAST O' THE SUN, WEST O' THE MOON. I wanted to throw everything I love about them into that book: polar bears! wolves! snow! And it just all felt "right", so I didn't actually have to stop and think, Hmmm, good place for them to make lefse? Here? Or here? I don't honestly remember when I decided that Galen would be a knitter... sorry. But I do know that it must have seemed like a natural fit, because when my editor went, HE knits? I had to think, Um, is that weird or something?

Basically, my head is filled with "stuff": random facts, strange words, bric-a-brac. And when I'm writing, it's just all there, ready to filter down into the story where it needs to go. Once in a while I'll think, Y'know, I need something weird here, and then I'll root around (living gargoyle housekeeper) and put it into a story. So it's really a combination.

Any plans to do a more modern retelling, or does the magic lie in “long ago and far away” for you?

While I have enjoyed and admired many modern day retellings, for me when I write, "Long ago and far away" seems like a better fit for the story I want to tell.

What’s the process like for you? Do you start with the characters, the “spin” or do you work from a standard tale and expand out as you explore it?

It depends on the story. With SUN AND MOON, I wanted to tell that story, to expand. Who was this young girl? Why were her parents so eager to let her go away with the bear? Who was the bear? And so on. With MIDNIGHT BALL, I was intrigued by the idea of the story, but I also had an idea about Galen: a young man who only knows how to be a soldier, but the war is over. And Rose: what would it be like to be under a curse you didn't create, what would it be like to be the oldest of twelve girls with no mother? Would you want the responsibility, or would you fight it? So it all depends on what the story I wanted to tell, on whether I wanted to tell the story straight as with SUN AND MOON, or whether I wanted to play with the characters and the setting, and the story was just a background? (MIDNIGHT BALL, PRINCESS OF GLASS).

What’s your favorite scene you’ve ever written?

When the Lass encounters the first of the four winds in SUN AND MOON. Actually, all of the part with the four winds is possibly my finest writing, if I do say so myself.

I've made no secret of the fact that I think Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is one of the best fairy tale retellings I’ve ever read, and you’ve been open about the passion (obsession?) that went into it. Can you tell us a little bit about the research and the love that went into creating the lass and her world?

Well, let's see: I took four years of Norwegian. Two semesters of reading and analyzing fairy tales in the original Norwegian or German. Went to Norway on my honeymoon. Jotted down every idea I had that might work in the book for over ten years. Studied Old Norse for a semester. Looked at endless pictures of polar bears, the Arctic Circle, wolves, and read a rather dry book about reindeer herding.

Follow up: What are some bits of your studies in Norway that didn’t make it into the book, that you still cherish?

I'm not sure how much I cherish it, per se, but I can describe the reindeer cheese making process to you. Would you like to hear about it? (Sigh. No one ever does.)

Further follow up: any plans to set any future books in Norway?

Of course.

Can you tell us about anything you’re working on now?

I am finishing the edits of TUESDAYS AT THE CASTLE, which will release on October 11, 2011, and I am writing the rough draft for a third Princess book, based on a fairy tale about a girl who owns a red cape, if you catch my drift...

Why fairy tales? What is it that calls to you, personally,as a writer, and why do you think readers connect to them the way they do?

Fairy tales tantalize us because they ARE our daydreams: Cinderella, unappreciated, overworked, gets to wear a beautiful dress, go to a party, and is loved by a prince. The miller's youngest son inherits nothing but a cat, becomes fabulously wealthy, marries a princess. Beautiful stuff! And who hasn't felt like Cinderella? My mom used to make me dust the leaves of her ginormous houseplants! I wanted a fairy godmother to spirit me away SO BADLY! And as a writer, it's fun because you have the outline for your book right there, but there are endless ways to play with it. Half the time, the main character doesn't even have a name! You can describe them how you want, name them, put your personal stamp on them, and then see how that changes the story! It's a wonderful game for a writer! Sorry about all the exclamation points!

Quickfire, Silly and Random stuff:

Rapunzel is named after lettuce; what odd thing would you be named after if you were in fairy tale?

My dad has always called me Woozelina, because I was terrified of the Heffalumps and Woozles dream sequence in the Winnie the Pooh cartoon.

Using that name, give us a line from your life as a fairy tale:

Woozelina had been dusting houseplants all day, and she was very tired and smelled like potting soil.

Best fairy tale villain and why?

Maleficent from Disney's Sleeping Beauty: great fashion sense and she can turn into a freakin' dragon!

Favorite tale from childhood? East o' the Sun, West o' the Moon Favorite tale as an adult? East o' the Sun, West o' the Moon.

Least favorites? Hansel and Gretel. Also, I never really got into some of those more obscure ones, like Bluebeard.

If you could be any fairy tale character, or live through any fairy tale "happening," who/what would it be?

I wouldn't want to be a lot of them! Some of these people have some truly horrific things they go through first! But I could do East o' the Sun, or Beauty and the Beast.

Would you rather:
- — eat magic beans or golden eggs? Golden eggs!
- — style 50ft long hair or polish 100 pairs of glass slippers? I SO want the hair!
- — have a fairy godmother or a Prince Charming? Prince Charming!

Thank you for being with us Jessica!

Giveaway Details!! Jessica has generously offered up a prize pack for one luck winner! She has offered a prize pack containing an ARC of Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow and a PB of Princess at the Midnight Ball.
To win, fill out THIS FORM here AND you MUST leave a comment about the interview. Jessica gave an awesome interview, so let's leave her some love peeps! Please also be aware that this is the SAME form as found on The Book Rat and only enter ONCE. Comment on whichever blog you entered through. Contest is open to US Only Ends May 5th May 8th! +1 possible entry for spreading the word

Shortly after I finished reading One Child by Jeff Buick, I had the opportunity to interview the author. If you missed that (ridiculously long) review, you can read it HERE. It had to be a little long, because I talked about both the book, and the unique reading experience it offered. Because, Enthrill, the brand new publishing house that created it definitely brought changes to the way we view publishing.

Jeff Buick is not only an author, but he is also part of the Enthrill team. So, when I talked to him about his book, and the publishing method, I also got to talk to him about Enthrill and what will happen next. It's been a little while since that interview, (sorry about the posting delay... Life has been seriously crazy lately), but I'm finally getting it up! It was a pretty long phone call, and I can only write so fast, so much of what he said is slightly paraphrased (I warned him, and he's okay with that) but the point of each answer, what he's trying to convey is still there. It was a great conversation, and I'm really excited to see what Enthrill will be coming out with next!
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Jeff: Everything said by Jeff will look like this.
Me: Everything said by me will look like this. This is to avoid confusion, and so I don't have to keep specifying who is doing the talking.

We started off with the typical niceties:

It's really good to talk to you! Thanks so much for agreeing to this interview!

No problem. It's great to talk to you. Do you have giant potatoes in Idaho?
Yes.

(Anyway... Now to the actual stuff...)

Enthrill has been a great publishing experience. It's been a lot of work, but we are really looking forward to the response we've been getting from everyone. It's not easy to change the publishing model, so it's especially interesting to watch the reactions we've been getting, and they are pretty positive so far.
It's also interesting, because at Enthrill, we are picking social conscious thrillers to publish. It's not an accident. The issues in the books we're publishing, like the war in Afghanistan for One Child were picked specifically.
So, did you decide on the issues that you wanted to talk about before you wrote the book?

Somewhat. For this book, Wayne Logan, the CEO wanted to bring up Afghanistan specifically. This was the driving factor behind One Child. Then, we came up with high frequency trading, put that on the table and tossed that idea around for a while. It was definitely a collaborative effort. It is my book, but everyone put in some effort to get it where it is now.
So, where did this different publishing model come from? It's not anything I'd heard of before.

I currently have five books published in New York, which have done well in the US and Canada. The way that these publishers work is to put books on the shelves, and hope they sell. I've always been willing to put some of my own money down, for book signings and other marketing techniques to get my books out there.
I came up with a new business model to get more of my books out there, but it didn't work for my publisher and that likewise didn't work for me. So, we parted on amicable terms and I decided to try something on my own.
I have 13 books waiting to be published, and I feel like people started parachuting into my life.
Cameron is this business/sports and entertainment guy.
Kevin is the marketing guy. He's absolutely brilliant. He put the whole One Child marketing plan together, all the press releases, everything.
Celia is our project manager.
We all sat down together to talk about what we could do as a small publisher to stand out in the crowd. If you don't have something that sets you apart, these big houses will run right over you. So, we decided to do something drastically different. We'd publish a thriller dealing with issues that are facing us NOW. So, instead of a two minute news clip, or two pages in the newspaper, we devote 400 pages to this issue, which raises awareness and actually allows you to really understand the issues here.
Writing about a current topic does create some time constraints though. Instead of spending 18-24 months working on all stages of book development, we did everything in about 5 months, to keep all the information current and accurate. We ran into a few problems that way, it's hard to get ARCs out in advance when you only have 5 months to work on something like this. But, for every person that reads this book, it's one more that understands the war in Afghanistan.
We've already had three people come to us with an idea for a future book, and ask us if we could write about it, and they are all worthwhile ideas.
So, are you interested in getting other authors on board with this project?

Definitely! This is one of our big pushes, one of our biggest goals. We want to take authors who can really get into what we're doing and get them on board. It will have to be an author who can write fairly quickly, because we've got to keep the issues current, but we're definitely interested in new authors.
There is so much talent out there, that no one's really familiar with yet. I went to ThrillerFest and couldn't believe all the talent there that no one's heard about yet. So, we'd love to be able to take about 2 authors a year and get them out there.
One of the keys for them wanting to work with us, is that once we get them on board with us, we immediately start the marketing process. The average amount a publisher will put behind a book is about $2,000 but we are willing to put $500,000 to $1 million behind you, right up front.
So, do you have the next Enthrill project planned?

We have about three possibilities right now. We need to make a decision on them soon, so we can get started on them, but whichever idea we decide on, the end result will be pretty cool.
What type of research do you do for your books?

I do a lot of research for my books. If I had been able to find the time, I would have gone to Afghanistan myself to research what it's like over there for my books. I didn't have time, but I am lucky enough to be connected to people who were able to give me a lot of information.
I talked to a lot of military guys who had been on the ground over there, and people with higher ranks, colonels and the like. I talked to all of them about what it's really like over there and not just as soldiers on the bases, but also outside the safety of the wire and the real issues that are facing everyone involved in the conflict in Afghanistan. That's where a lot of the information Russel Matthews reports on came from. They talked about the corruption over there and the mistrust between the people, the government and the troops. I used a reporter and an american soldier to convey all of this to my readers, and get across the message that this war isn't really about religious ideology. The Taliban are really just drug lords and drug runners, and that's where the crux of all this conflict stems.
The scenes in New York were different. I never really felt connected to this portion of the story the way I did with the Afghanistan scenes.
I actually agree with you here. I felt more connected and concerned about the characters in Afghanistan that I did the New York characters.

Ya. But, I did do my research for this portion of the book as well. I think that high frequency trading is really dangerous, and it's something that needs to have more controls and regulations placed on it. What happened to the market in my book is a possibility. HFT is highly volatile and I think it's important to bring it up, to get us thinking about the future here and what could happen. It actually did happen back in May. It gets ugly.
Every time I go to New York, I see these guys in $1000 suits and they are never the ones hurting. They play with other people's money and it doesn't touch them. I wanted to lay some of that out.
The publishing model for One Child was incredibly unique. I've never heard about anything like it before. Obviously, this isn't going to be Enthrill's only project. Are you planning on publishing your future projects the same way, or do you have other ideas for future projects?

Our goal right now is to be a bit of a moving target. We've heard from some of the big publishing houses, and we know we are being watched by them now. We talked to them at BookExpo, and they are actually showing a lot of interest. But, I imagine that most of that interest is so that they can begin to incorporate this into their publishing model.
So, we know that we need to be always moving and advancing our own model. We've decided to be a moving target. We will never just stand still, we will be small, agile, fun and smart.
Is there anything else you'd like to share about Enthrill or One Child?
We've covered just about everything, but I would like to reiterate that I do think One Child is a worthwhile book. It has value to the story. I hope that anyone who reads it will pass it along. It's nice to make money, of course, but more than that, it's also nice for someone to read my book, and understand the issues better.
Switching gears now, when did you decide that you wanted to write and how did you settle on writing thrillers?

About 12 years ago, I sat down and decided that I wanted to write a book. I started by writing a Young Adult book for my youngest son, and I followed that with a second YA book. They were received well, but by that time, I had already moved on to writing thrillers for adults.
Then, about 6 years ago, Dorchester publishing happened. One week, there was nothing. I was just writing and hoping. And then they came and say Hey, we want to publish your book. It was my 8th book written. I hadn't published a word before, but I just kept going. I just kept writing and hoping.

I know that this is probably an impossible question, but do you have a favorite book that you've written?

No, not really. They are just each so different. I have this back log of books I want to publish, and each one has value. I know that there are going to be people who connect differently to each book. So, I can't really say that I have a favorite.

What is your favorite book or genre? What book or author has most influenced you and your writing?

Leon Uris. He had some real talent, some major writing skills, a skill level I would say is unmatched by most writers. He can present both sides of a conflict equally, allowing the reader to fully understand both sides of the issue. That really takes a lot of talent.
I generally read thrillers. I also read biographies, a lot of suspense and mystery but I also like the literary fiction, like Three Cups of Tea or The Kite Runner. I also like learning the story behind why books were written. Some of the stories you hear are pretty amazing.
There are all kinds of serendipitous things out there waiting for you. If you find one, don't push against the flow. Keep doing the best you can, and at some point things will break for you and start to work out.

That's so great. Thank you again for taking the time to talk to me today. I really appreciate your time and everything you've shared with me.
Not a problem. Thank you for the interview and the review of One Child.

Hey everyone, and welcome to my blog! I'm excited to have you here! I have a lot of great stuff happening right now, and would love to have you stick around and check it out! You can also follow me on Twitter! I only started tweeting last month, but already think it's fun and love chatting with bloggers over there! I'd love to see you!

If you are new to my blog, or if you aren't new, but want me to head over to your blog, leave me a comment and I promise that I will return the visit and check out your blogs. Although, my internet is going to be pretty spotty this weekend, so it will probably be my Monday project.:)

So, the most exciting thing I have going on my blog right now is an event that won't start until April. Misty from The Book Rat and I are hosting Fairy Tale Fortnight, which will run from April 17th through April 30th. What is it you ask? It is 14 days of nothing but fairy tale goodness! We will have reviews, guest bloggers, author interviews, giveaways, and some surprise content thrown in there as well. Basically, it's going to be AMAZING! If you have any interest in fairy tales at all you are not going to want to miss this!

So, other than reading the awesomeness that will be posted each day, what else can you do? Well, if you click this link RIGHT HERE, it will take you to my introductory post, where you can find buttons to include on your blog, and a google doc you can fill out with your favorite fairy tale information, and you can offer us a guest post, if that's something you think you would like to do, and really, we would love to have you! The more interaction the better!

As I mentioned, we also have authors who have agreed to answer some interview questions, among other things, and if you click THIS LINK HERE, it will take you to the initial author introduction page, which includes that authors that have already committed to an interview. If you have a question you would like to ask the authors in general or a specific author, leave us a comment, and we will get it answered for you! Again, the more participation the better!!

Then, as part of my Memory Monday guest feature, Alexa from Pages of Forbidden Love is hosting a giveaway of her Memory! in my blog for a chance to win Battle Dress by Amy Efaw.

There's more coming up soon, so I'd love to have you stay, take a look around, and check back in!:)

Jennifer @ Crazy for Books asked what books we'd like to see made into movies. My response — NONE! I do not do well with book to movie adaptations at all. Out of all the movies I've watched, I can only think of three adaptations I enjoyed if I had read the book first, Holes, because Louis Sachar wrote the screenplay, A Series of Unfortunate Events because I did not like those books, at all so the movie was an improvement and sort of cute, and To Kill a Mockingbird because it's hard not to love Gregory Peck. I kind of feel like a little piece of the book dies every time a movie is made from it. So, I vote for no more!

As to Parajnkee's question, I don't/haven't read a lot of Science Fiction, but I have quite a bit that I plan to read, to try and learn more about the genre. But, out of what I have read, I would say my favorite adult SF would be The Practice Effect by David Brin, and YA would probably be Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl. Both are great stories that I feel like I could read again and again.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George is a retelling of the old Nordic fairy tale, East of the Sun, West of the Moon. It is an adventurous fairy tale, full of epic quests, enchanted animals, trolls, and true love.

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I absolutely and utterly loved this book. Jessica Day George has written a fairy tale that stays true to the heart of the original but is completely her own. The rich and vivid details that she has added to her story — why the Lass does not have a name, why the polar bear chose her, why her family was willing to let her go — are captivating, stunning, and feel oh so very, very right. The details given and the story told in this book fit so completely and so well, I can't imagine the story any other way.

I have read or come across other retellings and versions of this story, and I do like them. But none of them fill me and awe me quite as this one did. This wasn't the first or the last retelling I came into contact with, but it is, by far, the one that I remember best and the one that made the most impact on me.

The Lass is strong character. She is confident in her abilities, and she is driven and motivated by her heart, and a strong desire to protect those that she loves. She was also a very real character to me. She is not always perfect. There are times when she is scared or angry or overly curious, and there are consequences for her mistakes that she must live with an accept. But rather than allowing these things to pull her down or stop her, she learns to work around them, through them, or with them and she refuses to give up.

The people that the Lass meets on her travels are also incredibly well fleshed out. It is clearly obvious that Jessica knew and understood her characters because all of them are individuals. I understand and can identify specific characteristics and traits in characters that are only seen for two or three pages. I find it impossible to talk about characters without also mentioned the Lass's brother, Hans Peter. He left home when the Lass was very small to seek his fortune and when he returned, he was a very different man. He refused to speak about his travels, but it is clear that they have damaged him. You can feel the depression and when the bear comes to take the Lass away, you can feel the despair and anguish Hans Peter feels at the idea of his youngest sister being carried off. The bear himself is another amazing character, one who is there often enough for you to get a sense of who he is, but still remains a mystery.

I believe that this book is writing at it's finest. When you read about the Lass walking across the frozen wasteland, or riding the arctic North wind, you shiver and cuddle up under a blanket because you can feel the intense chill and cold seeping from the pages. Your feet ache with hers as she trudges along, searching for her lost love, and you can sense the loss, longing and determination of the Lass as she marches on her way.

To hear more from Jessica herself about why she retold this fairy tale, and what it means to her, check out this guest post over at The Book Rat and this interview that went up yesterday as part of Fairy Tale Fortnight! Do yourself a favor. Pick this book up NOW! I'm even making it easy for you. The link to that interview also contains a giveaway, where you can win a copy of this book. So really... What are you waiting for?!

Like I promised, I'm back to offer you a chance to win Forget You by Jennifer Echols !! In case you missed my review, you can read it here.

I have been offered a copy of this new release to giveaway to TWO of my lucky readers! How great is that?!
The contest will run from today, July 22 until August 5 at 11:59pm. The winners will be announced that Sunday or Monday, depending on how quickly the winners respond to my email.


So, what do you have to do in order to win one of these great books? Not much. Just leave me a comment! Information on what that comment (or those comments) need to say/include is listed below.


So, to ENTER: Leave me a comment that says, YES! I would like to win! (Or some variation on that theme). Please, make sure that you leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! If I don't know how to contact you, I can't send you a book!

The winners will be selected from the entrants by a random method. I will send an email within 24 hours of the contest closing to the winners. I will give you 48 hours to respond, after which I will have to select a new name for the prize.


Nervous at only one chance to enter?! Alright, fine. I'll give you a few ways to stack your hand.


EXTRA ENTRIES:


*Be a follower of my blog. This is not a requirement, but I will give you extra entries for it. +2 for being an old follower (before 7/22) and +1 for being a new follower.


*Read and comment on my review of Forget You, found HERE. This MUST be a meaningful comment that shows me you actually read my review. 'Great review, sounds awesome' will not count. +1


*Spread the word! Leave me a link in the comments section, and I will give you +2 extra points for each link you provide, up to 8 extra. This includes blog posts, sidebars, tweets, facebook, etc. Just pass along the word.


*I also conducted an interview with Jennifer Echols. in my blog to read the interview. Leave a meaningful comment there as well for another +1 entry.


Alright, so what are you waiting for?! Leave me a comment letting me know how many entries you have! I'm pretty easy going with this, and don't care if you leave them all as one comment, post each individually, or a combination of the two. However, IF you are leaving multiple comments for your entry, you MUST include your name or other identifier in each comment so that I know all of them belong to you.


Also, ONLY U.S. entrants are eligible. Sorry guys, but the copies are coming from the publisher, and that is what they asked!

Cindy Pon is the author of two Asian-inspired high fantasy novels, Silver Phoenix and Fury of the Phoenix. While not based on a fairy tale, the books, especially Silver Phoenix, are full of original lore and mythical beings that could have stepped out of any traditional story. For a review of Pon’s work, please visit A Backwards Story .

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1) What were your favorite fairy tales growing up? What drew you to them?
I love the Hans Christian Anderson stories like The Little Match Girl and The Little Mermaid
and The Snow Queen. They were all magical but also all rather tragic. I think my father was the
one to buy me his anthology and I treasured those stories.

2) What Chinese folklore tales were your favorites? What did you like about them?
My favorite is The Cowherder and the Weaver. It is called the Chinese Valentine’s story and not only incorporates fantasy, but is very romantic. The weaver girl in the story was immortal and despite having children and living a happy human life, she was pulled back and separated from her family and husband to return to the heavens by her angry grandmother. So it is only on July 7th of each year that the lovers can meet in the heavens on a bridge across the Milky Way formed by magpies.

2) Did any traditional tales influence you when writing Silver Phoenix?
Not really. I'm influenced by everything I read in a way. But with Silver Phoenix, I simply knew I wanted to tell a heroine's journey and have a fantasy inspired by ancient China.

3) Was it hard coming up with your own lore when you began world-building, especially because, despite the Chinese influence, Xia isn't China? How did you bring everything together?
That wasn't the difficult part. The difficult part was allowing myself the freedom to make stuff up!
I had to realize and accept that I wasn't writing a historical or even a historical fantasy (which would
have to take place in a certain time or place in our history), but creating my own world inspired by China.
Once I gave myself that freedom, it was easy to just write Ai Ling's story the way I envisioned it. It is no
different than what Tolkien or Lewis or many fantasy authors did, use real culture and myth but also create your own for your fantasy world.

4) What are some of your favorite fairy tale inspired novels and/or authors?
I really enjoyed Entwined by Heather Dixon as well as Ash by Malinda Lo. White Cat by Holly Black is amazing (followed by Red Glove). These novels are loosely based on the White Cat fairy tale and is a favorite series of mine!

5) If you could live out any fairy tale, what would it be and why?
As tragic as it is, and as afraid as I am of being underneath the sea very deep, I'd have to say The Little Mermaid. I've always been fascinated by mermaids since reading the story.

6) Will you be writing any more novels that incorporate mythical beings? Can you tell us anything about your upcoming work?
I only sold two young adult novels so Ai Ling's story ends with Fury of the Phoenix. For my next project, I do hope to write and sell another Xia fantasy starring a shape-shifting snake demon (very popular in Chinese folklore) heroine and a wannabe monk. =)

8) What are some traditional Asian tales that should be more well-known in the Western Hemisphere?
Journey to the West (Monkey King) is the best known (but still not very well-known) story. I'm very excited, as Neil Gaiman has been asked to write the screen play and I hope to see an excellent film made for the US audience in the near future!

And now, in traditional Fairy Tale Fortnight fashion, the lightning round of crazy but fun questions!

~Best fairy tale villain and why? The stepmother from Snow White. She was just so conniving and scary

~Rapunzel is named after lettuce; what odd thing would you be named after if you were in a fairy tale? A pastry, like Pie or Cupcake.

~ Using that name, give us a line from your life as a fairy tale:
Cupcake wandered lost in the strange forest, surrounded by star-shaped donuts, singing apple pie slices, and dancing blueberry scones.

~Would you rather:
- — eat magic beans or golden eggs? Golden Eggs!

- — style 50ft long hair or polish 100 pairs of glass slippers? Polish glass slippers!

- — have a fairy godmother or a Prince Charming? A fairy godmother!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and answer some questions for us today Cindy! The interview was fascinating! And thanks Bonnie, for contacting Cindy and working with us on these interviews! You are both wonderful!

I'm ducking my head in shame as I say this but... I liked the movie more than the book. And the movie wasn't even all the great (although I did enjoy it). And they changed a lot. But, I know why I preferred the movie, and I'll include that in my review.

What story am I talking about you ask? The Invisible by Mats Wahl. I'll talk about the book first...

The story itself had a lot of potential. The book starts with Hilmer going to class. It doesn't take him long to realize that no one seems able to see him. Then, a police officer comes into the classroom to announce that Hilmer has disappeared, and anyone with information should come forward. Hilmer is confused and concerned. He decides to follow the officer to determine anything he can about what is going on. He panics as he realizes that he can't remember anything from the day he disappeared. After that, other than a few disjointed, awkward paragraphs, we are no longer listening to Hilmer, and are instead following the police officer, Detective Fors, and it's his thoughts we hear.

Once we switch narrators, the book loses whatever momentum and appeal it had. There is absolutely no sense of urgency to the story. Everything meanders calmly from one place to another. This tempo is fine in certain stories, and at times, it can actually enhance the reading experience. But no one wants to read a meandering story about a boy who has disappeared and it is assumed that someone made him disappear. Every interview was the same — You are looking for the boy? — Yes, do you know anything? — No, can't say that I do. — Let me know if you think of anything. — Ok. — (SHORT TIME LATER, same person) You knew about this--seriously important piece of information--before?! — Umm, Yes... — Why didn't you tell me?! — I didn't know if it was important, and I didn't want to bring it up... It could cause unnecessary trouble, ya know? Don't make a big deal about it... It could be nothing. Wouldn't want to cause concern now and make the tourists think we were a bad sort, ya know?

None of the townspeople seem to care about this missing boy. Other than Fors, none of the police officers seemed overly concerned about it either, which is shocking because they suspect that someone killed him. It took forever for them to get the dog out to track the scent, and they made a big deal about sending anyone else out there to help. It just seemed ridiculous and bla. No one wants to read how unconcerned a town is when a local boy shows up missing, especially when all the information they have makes it pretty clear that it is very unlikely he would have chosen to leave on his own.

The book was dull, unimaginative and mostly a waste of time. It was originally written in Swedish, and some of the pacing problems I noticed could have come from the translation, but I'll never know and it just wasn't a great read. It wasn't horrible, there just isn't much to recommend the book. It's a great idea, with great potential but the book did nothing with either. This is probably the only time I will say this, but do yourself a favor and just watch the movie instead... (Lightning is now going to strike me down in my hypocracy, but seriously... It's worth it this time...)

I know that this is going to make me sounds ethnocentric, but I liked the movie better because they made it more American, and more something that I could relate to. The movie also focuses more on the missing boy, and we follow him as he desperately tries to figure out what happened to him, where his body is, why no one can see him, and what he could possibly do to save himself. They changed the actual motivation behind the attack as well as the reaction of his assailant, and they fixed the pacing problems. We actually care about Nick as a person (they changed his name.) and not just as Detective Fors' current assignment. Nick still can't remember what happens and is really confused. At first, he thinks he is dead and it takes him a little while to realize that he is still alive, somewhere. The scene with the bird when Nick realizes his body is still alive is one of my most favorites.

The movie really is quite a bit different from the book, but I can't help but think that each change is an improvement. I know I just committed like, the cardinal sin of being a reader/book lover, but I had a really hard time relating and being drawn into the book, but the movie was quite good, rather suspenseful and definitely kept my attention the whole time.

Have any of you read the book or seen the movie? Or both? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! (And please, don't hate me! I always prefer the book to the movie. I'm allowed this one time, right?!)

We have with us today fairy tale writer extraordinaire, Donna Jo Napoli! Misty and Ashley would both like to give her a tremendous thanks! for helping us kick off Fairy Tale Fortnight in style with a giveaway of 15 books! (I know — incredible, right?!)
Her tales show painstaking research and originality, as well as a desire to push herself and her reader into new territory, and we're very proud to host her here during FTF!
So let's get down to business, shall we?

~ What made you decide to write retellings? Have you or would you consider writing a non-retelling?

My first retelling was The Prince of the Pond — the frog prince story, and I told it because when my children were little, we used to tell fairy stories from different points of view. It was simply fun. Then I got more and more into it — and found it a major challenge to try to get from one (bizarre — as they usually are) point in a classic fairy tale to the next (usually equally bizarre) point in a coherent way.
But I write lots of things that are not fairy tale retellings. Lots and lots.

~ It seems you always try to push readers beyond the “standard” fairy tale setting (somewhere vaguely western European, within the last few centuries): is this just more appealing to you as a writer, or is this a conscious decision on your part?
This is a conscious decision. The world is huge, yet, of course, global considerations are imperative today. Given the geographic isolation of North America, it's easy for children whose families don't travel outside to feel like the rest of the world is somewhat abstract. And even those children who have traveled often have seen other places only through the eyes of the tourist — which are, of course, heavily lidded. I try to bring my settings alive — I even think of them as characters, if you will — so that readers can feel invited into someplace they've perhaps never even heard of. They can walk the hills or fish the streams or help repair the mud huts, and they can feel more grounded in this other place so that it becomes much less "other."
~ A lot of the stories you've chosen to retell are the lesser known, or less popular fairy tales to retell. Many of your retellings are the only retellings for different fairy tales that I'm familiar with. Was this deliberate? How do you chose which fairy tales or stories you will retell?

I never read other people's retellings, so I don't know which tales have been done and which haven't. I write those that fascinate me — that make my guts twist because there's something in there that really hurts somehow.

~ Some of your fairy tales are distinctly darker than the traditional retellings on the market. What draws you in your writing to the darker side of things?

I work from the earliest versions of the stories I can find — and I generally match my tone to that version. So I guess what you're saying is that the oldest versions are dark — and, yup, I'd agree. Why do I like those dark stories? I love misery. Don't you?

~How do you go about choosing tales to retell? Do you have a list of sorts of tales that you want to tackle, or locations, etc? Or do you research various tales/places until something calls out to you?

I've done both plus other things. With The Magic Circle and The Prince of the Pond, my two earliest fairy tales, I loved the stories, so I set out to understand them and I came to believe they were, at heart, deeply rooted in the first country we find them in (Germany and England, respectively — or these were the first countries I found them in). With Ugly and Mogo the Third Warthog, two of my more recent fairy tales, I wanted to tell the tales but I also wanted to give the reader new kinds of experiences. Since I had spent two summers in Australia and seen the magnificent Australian swan, setting Ugly in Tasmania was a natural. With Mogo, I had worked briefly in South Africa and seen warthogs in the wild — but I chose Kenya (where I've never been) because I had been doing a lot of reading about trees in Kenya for a picture book (which came out in 2010 — Mama Miti) and I felt very attached to the country, even though I've never had the opportunity to visit. With Bound, I spent the summer of 1997 in Beijing and went crazy for China. For the next six years I always had a book about China open beside me. Then I decided I wanted to set a story there — and, miracle of miracles, i found out that our oldest version of Cinderella is Chinese. Utter luck.

I have a fairy tale I want to work on next — and what draws me to this one is the psychology of the characters. Where it will be set, I have no idea yet. I haven't begun to research it, so I don't know which were the oldest versions of it. I don't even know what time period to set it in. A ton of my decisions get made through the research.

~ You have retold so many stories. Are there any that you are especially proud of, or partial to?

I felt like I had descended into hell when I was writing The Magic Circle and I still think it's my most disturbing fairy tale.
*Misty perks up at this... *

~ Are there any of your retellings that were especially hard for you to write? Any that came easier than others?

Breath was very hard to write because it's a medical mystery of sorts and I had to keep myself from letting modern ways of investigating interfere with how someone would have seen things in the 1280s. It really drove me nuts not to be able to allow my main character to actually figure out what was wrong.
And I find writing fairytales with animal characters the easiest — although they aren't easy — just easier than the others. So Mogo, the Third Warthog, for example, was just plain fun to write. I love learning about animal habits.

Silly/fun/general questions:

~Rapunzel is named after lettuce; what odd thing would you be named after if you were in a fairy tale?
~ Using that name, give us a line from your life as a fairy tale:
Oh my. I think I'd probably be some kind of bitter herb that makes people see in weird colors. Maybe something psychedelic. Let's call it "Batso"
Okay — a line
"I don't know why he keeps stringing up squirrel tails in the garage; maybe he's trying to send me a message."

~Best fairy tale villain and why?
For sure the witch in Hansel and Gretel — because she eats babies (what could be more villainous?)

~Favorite tale from childhood? Favorite tale as an adult? Least favorites?
From childhood, maybe Peter Pan.
As an adult, maybe Hansel and Gretel.
Least favorite — as a kid, The Three Pigs (but writing Mogo the Third Warthog helped me come to terms with that tale)

~If you could be any fairy tale character, or live through any fairy tale "happening," who/what would it be?
I'm not sure. Maybe I'd like to meet those seven dwarfs.

~Would you rather:
- — eat magic beans or golden eggs?
Probably even magic beans give you gas, no?
I'll take the eggs.
- — style 50ft long hair or polish 100 pairs of glass slippers?
I'd go for polishing the slippers. I am into meditation and this sounds like a pretty good one.
- — have a fairy godmother or a Prince Charming?
Fairy godmother, for sure.

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Thanks so much for stopping by, Donna Jo!
Everybody, make sure to leave Donna Jo some comment love below! And check out all of our DJN features during Fairy Tale Fortnight:
Bound | Hush | Sirena (coming soon) | Zel (coming soon)

Today's interview is with Zoë Marriott, author of The Swan Kingdom (read Ashley's review) , Daughter of the Flames (which Ashley also loved) and the upcoming Shadows on the Moon (which both Misty and Ashley are eagerly awaiting). Zoë has known that she wanted to be a writer since she was finished reading her first book; The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. She thinks she was about eight, but she decided on being a writer and hasn't changed her mind since then. And boy, are we glad that she didn't! Help us welcome Zoë to the blog today!!

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The Swan Kingdom is my favorite retelling of The Six Swans/The Wild Swans that I have come across. You talk about what inspired you to write this one down in your guest post. I loved what you did with the story to make it your own, but your interpretation of the ending to this story is largely responsible for how much I love this book. Without spoiling anything, can you talk about that? Can you share where or how that idea came to you?

So hard not to spoil!! Argh! Okay... well... basically, in the original version of the story, I didn't think the heroine really got a very happy ending. Or enough credit! She's clearly an extraordinarily brave and strong young woman, loyal the her brothers to the end despite all the suffering she's gone through — but she gets stuck with this prince who pretty much *kidnapped* her, and then was going to burn her because he thought she was a witch? That's true love for you, right? And she never gets justice for the wrong done to her family by her stepmother, or any closure, or even to see the land of her birth again! I suppose a few hundred years ago women weren't supposed to care about thing like that, but I was sure that for someone like her, the fate of the people she had left behind much have weighed on her mind very heavily. And then, it also made sense to me that in order to reverse such a powerful curse on her brothers through almost nothing but willpower and knitting, she must have had some fairly strong magical power of her own! So I wanted to try and bring those elements into the resolution of the story and bring everything full circle.

Did you have the changes you brought to the story in mind before you started writing, or were these things that came to you after?

Wow, that's a good question! I think some of them were always there, because they grew from the questions I had about the story — the questions that made me want to retell it. I mean, for example: just who was the mother of these royal children? In fairytales the real mother nearly always gets erased in the first line and replaced by a wicked plot-point. But it seemed to me that, particularly in The Wild Swans, where the father is pretty much a non-entity and yet the children are remarkable, that the mysterious, dead mother must have been remarkable too. So I always new that in my version the mother and particularly her death would be significant and happen 'on-screen' as it were.
In other cases, the changes to the story were due to things that happened to be marinading in my brain at the time. When I was working on the first draft of the story I was watching a BBC documentary series about British pre-history in which there was a lot of information about the hunter-gatherers who built all our long barrows and stone circles. The experts talked about ancestor worship, and about the way that cave art seemed to show animal and human spirts all together, as part of nature. But then as people started to farm and develop agriculture and a more sedentary life, the idea of ownership and kingdoms appeared, and there was a massive shift in the way people lived. Did the hunter-gatherers disappear? Or were they absorbed into the farmer population? So those ideas worked their way into the book, and gave me an interesting and, I think, unique magical system and backstory for the Kingdom.
Is there a fairy tale that you just need to retell, but are waiting to retell, or holding off for now? What are some of the other fairy tales you've considered retelling? Are there any fairy tales that you absolutely do not want to retell?
Sooo many! I've always wanted to retell Beauty and the Beast, but I'm horribly intimidated by Robin McKinley's legacy. I mean, how is anyone supposed to live up to THAT? And there are a lot of less famous stories, for example, from Japanese mythology, that I have ideas about. The one I've never really been interested in is Sleeping Beauty — there's so little for the princess to do, and the idea of falling conveniently in love with your saviour bugs me. But I'd never say never. I always hated Cinderella too, until she started whacking me on the back of the head with a pick-axe demanding I tell her story properly!
You've also written a non-fairy tale story, Daughter of the Flames. How does the writing and the research differ between the two genres? Which do you prefer writing? Do you prefer creating a completely new story and creating the world to fit the story, or taking an existing story at making it your own?

This isn't a very interesting answer, but I can't really put my finger on any significant differences in the process between writing an original fantasy and a fairytale relling. Possibly because I don't stick very closely to the specific events of my fairytale frameworks (as you may have noticed!) which means I still need to come up with my own plot, my own characters, my own emotional conflicts and arcs. Probably more importantly, I don't really think that writing a fairytale retelling is a get-out-of-jail card when it comes to setting. It's easy to slip into that non-specific, Eurocentric, Tolkien-esque world we all know so well. But that is a thin, bland sort place where I don't have much fun as a writer. Creating the world of Shadows on the Moon, for instance, required as much (actually, far more!) thought and research than the world of Daughter of the Flames.
Your most recent book, Shadows on the Moon comes out this July, and I'm crazy excited for it. It's a Cinderella story, but she is most assuredly not your typical Cinderella. You mention why you wrote her this way in your guest post, and I am dying to read about it. There are many fairy tales with rather weak heroines. Are there any other stories that you would like to retell to give the heroines a chance to be strong?
Actually, I think the female characters in fairytales tend to get a bit of a bad rep, overall. In a lot of original folk stories, young woman are cunning, resourceful, brave and loyal. Often men are the weak ones who need to be rescued. Look at Janet in Tam Lin, Kai and Gerda in the Snow Queen, the heroine of East of the Sun and West of the Moon, all those clever young witches and woodcutter's daughters! And the powerful, fearsome baddies are often women too. The problem, I think, is that the Victorians didn't approve of all these bold, adventuring women, and they cut their parts down and sometimes out entirely, in order to make fairytales 'fit' for their children. Not many years later, Disney carried on this process by producing a great many films in which being sweet, obedient and passive (and supernaturally attractive to forest animals) were the heroine's only traits. Later films, like Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, did allow the heroines to have SOME personality — but their number one desire was nearly always to escape from their fathers so they could find true love, and their princes were the ones with the claws/swords.
It's really only very lately that we're seeing books and films that give women back their original, strong roles (Tangled, for example!) and I'm very happy to be a part of that process.
Silly/Random Questions:
~Rapunzel is named after lettuce; what odd thing would you be named after if you were in a fairy tale?

Pencils, probably. I always have one on me somewhere! Princess Pen... now, why does that sound familiar?:)
~ Using that name, give us a line from your life as a fairy tale: "Princess Pen cracked open her stepmother's ribcage and cut out the woman's horribly blackened, twisted, yet still-beating heart; she then replaced it with an artificial one which she had grown within a local farmer's pig, and closed up the incision."
[Misty likes Princess Pen already... ]
~Best fairy tale villain and why? The wicked fairy from Sleeping Beauty's christening. She's really the only interesting character in the thing!
~Favorite tale from childhood? Favorite tale as an adult? Least favorites? Childhood favourite was definitely The Wild Swans, and I have to be boring and say it STILL is. Least favourite used to be Cinderella — now Sleeping Beauty.
~If you could be any fairy tale character, or live through any fairy tale "happening," who/what would it be? I wouldn't. Are you crazy? Those stories are full of utter loonies, and even Princess Pen isn't mightier than the sword.
~Would you rather: - — eat magic beans or golden eggs? Golden eggs. With a little smoked salmon, on toast points. Maybe they would finally allow me to get a tan. - — style 50ft long hair or polish 100 pairs of glass slippers? My hair is actually waist-length right now, and I'm about to have it cut off from sheer annoyance, so I'd have to go with the slippers! - — have a fairy godmother or a Prince Charming? Fairy godmother — and once you've read Shadows on the Moon, you will know why! [Ashley says — SO mean to tease us this way when you already know how badly I want to read it! :) ] Fill-in-the-Gaps, story 1: Three Wishes
The strange little man had offered Princess Pen three wishes. But what to wish for? The obvious answer was world peace , but that would never do, for obvious reasons. Princess Pen wasn't naive enough to think that people would ever stop fighting for long. And unlimited money for stem cell research was out of the question, since Princess Pen's wicked stepmother had outlawed it.

The Princess squandered the first two wishes on aiding earthquakes sufferers and cooling down some nuclear reactors, and really needed to make the 3rd one count. There was only one thing to do: he/she would ask her genetically enhanced pig, Francis.

So early in the morning, the Princess set off for her lab where the porcine Francine lived. It was no easy task getting there; Princess Pen went through three security searches and a full body CT scan, and nearly lost hope of ever reaching Francis and making her final wish before she had to go off and do her rounds at Mount Eraser Hospital. Her stepmother's security measures were really getting out of hand.

But in all good time, Princess Pen reached the door of the one person who could help. With great trepidation, (for Francis could be somewhat cranky in the mornings if he hadn't had his coffee) Pen knocked and waited. Finallly, Francis opened the door with one handsomely trimmed trotter and peered out. “Yes?” he said.

Pen launched into the story of the little old man and his three wishes, but Francis merely held up a hand and said “It’s simple, really. I’m surprised you wasted your time coming all the way out here — you must wish for your wicked stepmother to agree to heart surgery so you can change her blackened, wizened heart for one which is generous and free of bigotry and unreasoning fear.”

Pen was baffled. Wish for something so simple? Not magic League-Boots to travel the world, or a wheel to spin flax into gold so that she could set up an inoculation project in the slums? However, it wasn't long before Pen realized that if her government was run by someone who actually had a working heart all the other things might one day be possible. So the Princess did the only thing she could, and wished for her stepmother to finally heed her pleas to accept a new heart.

Whether it was the right choice, the world will never know, but for Princess Pen it meant freedom from a great deal of unnecessary red tape in the long run, and the increased well being of everyone within the kingdom. And with all of the wishes gone, Pen lived busily ever after.
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Thanks for stopping by Zoë!! We're so glad to have you!
Hope you guys liked the guest post. If you want to fill in one of the stories for yourself, see this post.
And make sure to head over to our awesome guest post from Zoë, and enter to win our prize pack of Zoë's books!

Is everyone else as excited for Fairy Tale Fortnight as I am?! It's going to be EPIC! And to prove it to you, to get you even more excited and to just share the general awesomeness, Misty and I are opening up a giveaway today!

Donna Jo Napoli agreed to be a part of Fairy Tale Fortnight and has been absolutely wonderful to work with. She agreed to an interview (which is awesome and will go up next week) and she also agreed to a very generous giveaway.

So — What can you win? We have 5 signed and personalized hardcovers of Crazy Jack to giveaway, which is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk and 10 signed and personalized paperbacks of The Great God Pan , which is a retelling of a Greek Myth. Yup. You read that right. 15 books to giveaway, which means 15 chances for you to take home an awesome signed and personalized book!!

In order to enter this giveaway, Donna has asked that you tell her your favorite NON-European Fairy Tale. Just fill out the form below to enter! This is the same form that is found on Misty's blog so please only enter once.

Although there is a place in the form for your favorite Non-European tale, we ask that you also leave your answer in the comments section. This will give you one additional entry, and is the only extra entry available.

Donna did ask us to open and close the giveaway early, because she will be leaving the country in the middle of the event and wanted to be sure she was able to get everyone their books before she leaves. Because of this, it will be mandatory that you leave your mailing address in the form below. Your address will be shared with no one, other than Donna if you win. But, there will not be time to email all 15 winners and wait 48 hours for a response because Donna will be leaving. If you don't include your address, your entry will be deleted.

Also, this giveaway is International! Open worldwide! Just make sure, that if you are international, you give us all necessary mailing information in the form!

The giveaway will be open from now until April 18th at 11:59 PM MST. I will draw the winners on April 19th. I will send an email to each winner, letting them know they won, as well as an email to Donna Jo containing all the winner's information.

Hey everyone and thanks for reading! I've got some really exciting things planned for the blog over the next little while.

The most exciting update — Michael Clifford, author of The Book has agreed to write a unique guest post just for us! I never seem able to come up with interesting interview questions. All my questions either ask things that are pretty easy to find on the internet, or would totally spoil the ending of the book, not to mention giving away a writer's carefully hidden secrets. So, I asked Michael Clifford to write up a post for us, because it's more unique, more personal, and probably more interesting. And he said yes! So, keep checking back! Depending on his schedule, it should probably be up sometime late this week.

Also, I've started a Word of the Day. I'm hoping to update it once a day. I want to do more with it, but haven't drawn all the details together yet. It should end up being lots of fun though. I'll use it to instigate formal and informal contests and giveaways and a bunch of other fun stuff.

If you have any fun words you'd like to see featured as a word of the day, let me know! Leave me comments or send an email!

Up for grabs today is a whole lot of awesome! Feast your eyes on these beauties:

Misty says: I'm not going to lie (and it wouldn't do any good, because everyone already knows) I am a sucker for a good cover. These are two that I want to just display prominently and treat like art. So beautiful! Both have been featured on The Book Rat before:
Friday Face Off | TBR Tuesday | First Pages: Extraordinary
You can check out our reviews, too:
Misty: Impossible | Ashley: Extraordinary | Misty: Extraordinary (coming soon!)

Want to win one of these delicious lovelies for yourself? We have 3 prizes to offer up, which break down like this:

• 1 person will win a paperback of Impossible!
• 1 person will win an ARC of Extraordinary!
• 1 person will win a prize pack of both books!

• Must answer at least 1 question in detail* to enter (at least 2 to enter for the prize pack); each additional question earns you another entry *ie no 1 word answers
• Make sure we have a way to contact you
• If you have a preference on which book you win, leave it with your answer
• +1 for tweeting
• US only
• Ends May 5th May 8th!
• HAVE FUN!

Eilis O’Neal’s debut novel, The False Princess, isn’t directly based on a fairy tale, but has that “feel” to it as you read. It’s about a princess who finds out that for the past sixteen years, she was a decoy for the real princess, who had been cursed at birth. It’s the complete reversal of tales where young maidens discover that they are princesses. Full of its own magic and lore, this novel has already been nominated by The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) for its annual Teens’ Top Ten Award. For a review of The False Princess, please visit A Backwards Story or Books From Bleh to Basically Amazing

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1) What were your favorite fairy tales growing up? What drew you to them?
I loved Beauty and the Beast and The Snow Queen. The first because I liked the fact that Beauty saw through the Beast’s exterior to his inner self, and the second for its atmosphere. And, though I wouldn’t call it one of my favorites, I had a very strong reaction to Bluebeard. We had a book of one-hundred fairy tales, which my mother would read to me from, one a night, and I don’t think I slept for two nights after hearing Bluebeard for the first time. I can still recall the picture that went with it of the wife opening the door, and it still makes me shiver. It frightened me and creeped me out, and I would read it whenever I wanted a good scare.

2) Did any fairy tales influence you when writing THE FALSE PRINCESS?
In a way, you could say that all the fairy tales in which common girls either become princesses or in which princess are raised in obscurity as common girls influenced The False Princess. Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are probably the two most famous of these types of fairy tale, though they certainly aren’t alone. Having grown up with their stories and having had them in my imagination for so long is part of what made me ask the question that lead to The False Princess: What if you grew up thinking you were a princess and then found out you weren’t? I wouldn’t have gotten to this reversal without first having read it the other way around.

3) Was it hard coming up with your own lore when you began world-building for TFP? How did you bring everything together?
It’s always such a balance when you’re world-building. With The False Princess, there are quite a few elements of the world—the oracle of the Nameless God, the way magic works, the tension between commoners and nobles—that are essential to the plot. The reader needs to understand them and how they work to really get into the book. But TFP also has heavy doses of mystery, adventure, and romance, and so the pacing has to move along at a pretty good clip. So it was sometimes a challenge to balance fleshing out the world and its rules and keeping the book moving. I want the information to be there, but in a way that feels natural and keeps the book going, rather than a ten page diatribe on exactly how magic functions in Thorvaldor. So that was what I tried to concentrate on: getting the needed information into the book in a natural way.

4) What are some of your favorite fairy tale inspired novels and/or authors?
I love Robin McKinley’s Beauty—I’m still so jealous of the Beast’s library in that book, which contains books that haven’t been written in Beauty’s time. Edith Pattou’s East, which retells East of the Sun, West of the Moon, has a prime place on my fairy tale shelf. Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow’s anthologies of fairy tale retellings (the first one is Snow White, Blood Red) are must-reads. Shannon Hale’s The Goose Girl is a favorite, and recently, I’ve gotten really attached to Malinda Lo’s ASH, which is a very powerful and wonderfully written twist on Cinderella.

5) If you could live out any fairy tale, what would it be and why?
Probably Beauty and the Beast. It has so many elements that appeal to me: the enchanted castle, the mysterious curse, the slow building of trust and love between two people. And, of course, in many modern retellings, a girl who loves books!

6) Will you be writing any more novels that read like something out of a fairy tale? Can you tell us anything about your upcoming work?
I think so. It’s a feeling that I love in other books, and one that I like to cultivate in my own work. I’d like to do an actual fairy tale retelling myself someday—I just have to figure out which fairy tale I want to do most!

As for what I’m working on now, it has a bit of a more modern feel than TFP or many fairy tales, though by “modern,” I mean Regency England. Still, there are some definite fairy tale tropes in it. I’m going to be coy and not say much more than that, as these are still early days, and I tend to lose momentum if I talk about works in progress too much.

7) What's your favorite Disney rendition of a fairy tale? What makes it so special?
I feel a little like a broken record, but I would have to say Beauty and the Beast. It came out when I was in 6th grade and having a really hard time socially. I felt very alienated from kids my own age, and I spent a lot of time alone with my books. So to see a girl who loved to read and who was considered odd by the people around her be strong, fall in love, and have someone fall in love with her meant a lot to me.

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We want to thank Bonnie for sending this interview our way for FTF, and thank Eilis for stopping by and chatting! Make sure to leave them some comment love!

About a month ago, I wrote up a post discussing the upcoming Fairy Tale Fortnight event that Misty from The Book Rat and I are hosting. I've been really excited for this event since I signed on with Misty to co-host. But, if you follow me on Twitter, you know that I've been talking about almost nothing else... Why is that you say? Because it seems like every single time I open my email or check my Twitter feed, some new fairy tale awesomeness awaits me!

So, this post has two purposes — to give you a teasingly small glimpse into the greatness that is headed your way in April, so you can experience so of this excitement that has me squealing most unattractively at odd moments and doing strange dance moves up and down the stairs... But, it's also to get YOU involved. If you click on the pretty button, or anytime Fairy Tale Fortnight appears in this post, you will be directed to the initial introductory post, where there is a place to mention your favorite fairy tale, both original and retold, as well as volunteer to guest post. (You know you want to!) We would LOVE to have you involved.

We know that's more than some people can contribute, but we have something else for you!! Below you will find a list of the current authors who have committed to an interview as part of Fairy Tale Fortnight. Misty and I want YOU to tell us what you would most like to hear from these wonderful authors, and we can tailor their interviews to you! Your questions can be general questions directed at each or several of the authors, or you can ask a specific author a specific question.

So, who will be stopping by?! Well, let me tell you!

Elizabeth C. Bunce, author of A Curse Dark as Gold and Starcrossed.

Jessica Day George, author of Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, Princess of the Midnight Ball, Princess of Glass, and etc.

Donna Jo Napoli, author of many retellings, including Zel, Crazy Jack, Sirena, Spinners, Breath and etc.

Janette Rallison, author of My Fair Godmother, My Unfair Godmother, Just One Wish, etc.

Mette Ivie Harrison, author of Mira, Mirror, and and Princess and the... trilogy, including The Princess and the Hound, The Princess and the Bear, and The Princess and the Snowbird.

Diane Zahler, author of The Thirteenth Princess and A True Princess .

Jaclyn Dolamore, author of Magic Under Glass and Between the Sea and Sky.

So, now that you are just as excited as we are, maybe doing a happy dance of your own, start asking questions!!

Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for more updates! Misty and I are pretty sure there is going to be an Ask the Author 2 sometime soon, because we just can't stop the awesome!:)

Today's guest post comes from author Jaclyn Dolamore (Magic Under Glass, Between the Sea and Sky). When I (Misty speaking, here) contacted her about being involved in FTF and possibly doing a pos
t on the behind the scenes stuff for Between the Sea and Sky (research loving dork that I am), I was understandably geeked when she agreed. And then she hit me with this awesomeness. Hope you love it as much as I do; if you do, make sure to leave her some comment love! And when you're done with this one, make sure to check out our interview and swagness! :)

My first novel, Magic Under Glass, involves fairies, but in many ways they are closer to a view of elves than fairies--forest-dwelling people with a connection to the earth. After all, there were already so many YA novels that involve fairy lore and do it better than I ever could. However, when I began my next novel, Between the Sea and Sky, and I knew it would be about a mermaid--Esmerine--and a winged boy--Alan, I had to consider, once again, how much I wanted to draw from myths and fairy tales. There aren't nearly as many mermaid stories (especially when I started writing it... little did I know that 2011 would be the year of the mermaid!) so I wanted to adhere closer to traditional tales in shaping my world.

One of the most common elements of mermaid (and selkie) tales is the idea of an object that can be stolen to entrap the mermaid. Selkies usually shed their pelt, but mermaids carry caps, belts, capes, combs... A human man can steal them and the mermaid will have to come home with him and marry him. Usually they have children, but one day the man leaves the object somewhere where the mermaid can get at it and she steals it back and leaves him and her children forever.

Fairy tales, when turned into actual novels with messy human emotions and details and explanations, tend to beg some questions. My first question was, how on earth did these mermaids end up with this enchanted object a man could use to enslave them? Were they BORN with a magical object? Not likely, right? They must have created it at some point, but why would you create something that, in essence, held your freedom? And why were these mermaids always hanging out where men could steal their stuff, then?

This led me to the idea that the mermaid's belt (in my story, it's a belt) is an object of great magic, and the reason why is that a mermaid sings magical songs to fill it with power that lingers even after she has died. I figured that not ALL mermaids would have these belts. It didn't seem logical for a sustainable society! Only certain mermaids--the sirens, whose songs lure human men. And the reason their songs lure human men is because the sirens are, themselves, lured to the land and its people. After all, mermaids are half-human, so it makes sense they would be not entirely creatures of the sea. Interesting tidbit: the original mythological sirens actually had wings, and somewhere along the line mermaids took up the job, mythologically speaking. I bet there could be a story in that, too...

But back to mermaid fairy tales. The most famous one is still The Little Mermaid, and the original Hans Christian Andersen tale, like nearly ALL Hans Christian Andersen tales, is quite sad. The Little Mermaid is able to take on a human form, but only by giving up her voice and having every step feel like knives. I liked the idea of my mermaids having to sacrifice something to take on a human form, so I paid a little homage to this story too. The mermaids in my story can only walk with great pain, unless they give up their belt. Otherwise, their world is not nearly so depressing, I'll say that!

I was beginning to see my underwater society take shape from thinking about mythology, but the winged folk were really open for interpretation. Besides angels, which these people are not, there isn't much precedent for mythological winged folk. I wanted Alan's wings to work as logically as possible, so I didn't want him to look angelic--instead, his structure is more bat-like, with wings instead of, rather than in addition to, arms. He still couldn't really fly without a little magical help, but at least he could glide. But it also means the winged folk kind of have to sacrifice hands for wings. They do have a thumb and index finger and longer toes capable of grasping things, but I imagined these delicate flying people would have to make more use of tools and machines to be able to do various types of manual labor as effectively as humans.

In astrology, coincidentally, the air element represents the mind and intellect. I had written about a winged race some years before and they were very primitive and lived in mountain caves, but I wondered if maybe I should take these winged folk in the opposite direction--they pride themselves on scholarly attributes. And it makes sense, because they would be able to move and share ideas faster between cities and countries than any other people. Their world is about the equivalent of our 1800 and the more I thought about it the more wondrous it seemed to have wings back then, when even the train wasn't invented and roads were often terrible.

Now, I hope my readers will enjoy reading about these cultures as much as I enjoyed figuring them out!

Jaclyn Dolamore is the author of Magic Under Glass, and the upcoming companion, Between the Sea and Sky. You can find her online here:

Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Website

This awesome interview comes to us courtesy of Bonnie from A Backwards Story. We've already mentioned Bonnie and the sphere of awesome she inhabits — she's really gotten on board with Fairy Tale Fortnight, and on top of posting scads of awesome reviews on her blog during the event, she's also sending some pretty terrific content our way, to share with you.
For today's post, Bonnie sat down to talk with Heather Dixon, author of the debut fairy tale Entwined, based on Misty's childhood favorite, The 12 Dancing Princesses.
(Yay!)

Heather Dixon’s debut novel, Entwined, is a re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. The novel is lush and fleshes out the classic tale in a beautiful, descriptive fashion. For a review of Entwined, please visit A Backwards Story or Books From Bleh to Basically Amazing

Heather was kind enough to not only sit down and take the time to answer some questions, but scrounge up some awesome Disney trivia for everyone! Thanks so much, Heather!

1) What were your favorite fairy tales growing up? What drew you to them?
I really loved Disney’s Cinderella, and, of course, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, for the same reason: the visual aspect! I loved watching Cinderella’s rags transform into a beautiful dress, and I loved going through The Twelve Dancing Princesses picture books and seeing all of their dresses, and the sparkling forests. Call me shallow…I like pictures.

2) Was it hard coming up with your own spin on The Twelve Dancing Princesses when you began world-building for Entwined? How did you bring everything together?
The early-early drafts of Entwined were horrendous. It was much closer to the original Grimm fairy tale, took place in the medieval time period, and there was a lot to do with witches and blood magic. But it was so dark; I didn’t enjoy how I felt when I worked on it. It wasn’t until I established the theme of the story—forgiveness between the princesses and their father—that it started to take off. The Victorian time period, with its rules and mourning, was the perfect backdrop. Not to mention the dancing with waltzes and balls, and the courtships! Like magic, everything unfolded after that.

3) What are some of your favorite fairy tale inspired novels and/or authors?
I like all of them, from Ella Enchanted to Beauty! My favorite though is Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt. It is a beautiful story with so much depth.

4) If you could live out any fairy tale, what would it be and why?
Yikes, I don’t know if I’d want to live one out. They’re all kind of Grimm. (Ber-dum ching!) I wouldn’t say no to Sleeping Beauty. She has a pretty cushy life and gets to sleep for 100 years. I could handle that.

5) Will you be writing any more fairy tale novels? Can you tell us anything about your upcoming work?
Right now I don’t have any fairy tales in the novel pipeline, but I can see myself doing a princess comic or picture book, or a long rhyming fairy tale. (A fun one: a retelling of Undine, but with the princess trapped in reflections rather than water.) I’d also love to do a novel of The Nutcracker or Candyland.

6) What’s your favorite Disney rendition of a fairy tale? What makes it so special?
I love all the Disney fairy tales. They do a tremendous job with their adaptations. I feel a real kinship with Disney’s Sleeping Beauty though because of the spectacular art. The beautiful Eyvind Earle backgrounds/art direction and the Tom Oreb character designs are so inspiring. I find it very touching.

And, because I'm a sucker for animation, here are a couple of tasties about Disney's fairy tales:

-Disney's Cinderella is based off of the Charles Perrault version, not the Brother's Grimm (Nearly all the versions of Cinderella I know of have been based off of Perrault's).
[Misty says: That's because Perrault is awesomesauce. Hands down fave.]

-The backgrounds in Disney's Snow White are muted and soft because the artists were unsure people could handle brighter colors in a feature-length film.

-Disney's new movie, Tangled, was originally meant to have a rococo look, but when the project switched direction, the makers chose Disney's Cinderella and Disneyland's Fantasyland (!) as inspiration for their new look.

-Some little-known fairy-tale adaptations Disney has done: The Tin Soldier (from Fantasia 2000) and The Little Match Girl (a short at the beginning of The Little Mermais’s re-release). They've also been working (off and on) with Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen.

-The tall, vertical trees and square bushes in Disney's Sleeping Beauty were based off of medieval tapestries.

-Right now Pixar is working on Brave, a fairy-tale story about a girl archer.

-Disney's Cinderella takes place in the late Victorian era.

I recently read and reviewed Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure and it's sequel, Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country. (If you missed that, you can find my review HERE.)

I recently conducted an interview with the author, Allan Richard Schickman about his novels and am delighted to share his responses with you! You can also find out more about Allan and his books on this website. (in my blog.)
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First, I would like to thank Allan Shickman for being willing to answer some questions. I really enjoyed reading his novels and am excited to have this chance to talk with him. The pleasure is all mine. I find to my surprise that I just love to talk about myself and my work.
So, have you always known you wanted to be a writer? Or is it something that just kind of happened? You have it exactly right. It just sort of happened. As a student I liked to write, and tried my hand at it from time to time. As a professor I wrote scholarly articles, and most of those journals have very high standards. It was an honor to be published in any one of them. Only upon retirement did I attempt a fictional book. Once I wrote that first chapter I was hooked.
Because I am a reader and I love getting great book recommendations, especially from authors I enjoyed, what are some of your most favorite books? I have always been a lover and student of the classics. Once I find a book I like, I am apt to read it several times over a period of years. Dostoyevsky is my favorite. I read Crime and Punishment when I was sixteen, and I still reread it from time to time. Later in life I discovered Thomas Hardy. I love The Mayor of Casterbridge. Twain’s Huckleberry Finn was one book when I was young, and quite another, richer, book now that I’m older. One never really knows a book until he has read it three times. In that, it’s like a symphony or an opera.
What would you say has been the most influential book or literary experience for you and your writing? Hard question. The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky taught me how complex, contradictory, and downright funny human beings can be. Shakespeare and Milton taught me that language can roar and thunder, and stir the imagination.
Your bio mentions that you were an Art History Professor for years. How did you end up writing a historical fiction novel about the Prehistoric era? That seems like quite the jump. It is not really such a jump. Prehistoric people produced art. I studied it and their possible reasons for producing it. Some of that was in the back of my mind when I wrote the Zan-Gah novels. But there is a lot nobody knows. For all we know, women, not men, did those famous cave paintings. So I mixed knowledge with imagination.
How much research went into writing these two novels? Some. I already knew a little about prehistoric art and life. I needed to learn about slings, and about fishing by hand. I researched twins in primitive societies, and discovered that such societies were sometimes terribly frightened by the birth of twins. They would kill them and their mother (never their father). I used that fear in my books. I also went to a marvelous cavern, Onondaga, in my own cave-rich state of Missouri. I was the only guy in the whole cave who was taking notes. Eyeless salamanders! Cool.
We met a lot of interesting tribes with very complex and different ways of life. Were each of these tribes something out of your imagination, or were they based on actual tribes from history? Mostly imagination. There were no wasp people that I know of, but I did not make up totemism—the belief that a clan is related to an animal and shares some of its qualities. Why not have a people that models itself after stinging wasps?
What sort of evidence and artifacts (if any) do we really have about this era? We have a lot. Whole volumes are written about cave paintings, petroglyphs, sculpture, etc. We have very fat, bulbous steatopygous figures assumed to be models of fertility. I hinted that Siraka-Finaka might have been shaped like the Venus of Willendorf (aw, go ahead and google it), but I didn’t push the idea very hard.
There were some amazing characters in these novels—really strong and well-defined. It made me really glad there was a sequel, because it meant I was able to read more about them. However, the first book does end in a pretty comfortable spot. Was it always your intention to write a sequel to Zan-Gah, or is that a decision that came later. Thanks for “amazing.” I like “amazing.” However, I never intended to write a sequel, but some of my teen friends and relatives encouraged me to do so. The thing is, you can’t write anything until you get an idea. Then you slowly develop it, and put leaves on the tree, so to speak. The second book gave me a chance to develop characters introduced in the first, and work on new ones too. It gives me great satisfaction to think that my readers take an interest in my fictional characters, and want to read more about them.
Any plans for a third Zan-Gah adventure? Yup.
Speaking of future plans, do you have a current work-in-progress? If so, are there any details you can share about it with us? I am working on a third Zan-Gah book, but I am reluctant to talk too much about it. The story continues with Dael's self-imposed exile, as he seeks some sort of redemption or resolution of his life. He will go to live with the crimson people (introduced already in Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country). I think I will call it Dael and the Painted People. But first I have to write it.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with us today? I ask what an author has no right to insist on, that folks read the Zan-Gah books with a little care. It isn’t a race. If you don’t feel the books, you haven’t read them.
Thank you again for answering my questions today. I really appreciate it. Just one last question before we go (because I know which I prefer and it's always an interesting question) Do you prefer wearing shoes or going barefoot? I always shower, swim, and go to bed barefoot. Any other time, I am shod.
Thank you too. ____________________________________________________
How wonderful! I'm definitely excited for this third Zan-Gah novel. And, I totally googled that statue.:) Also, I am going to be offering a signed copy of each of these books to one lucky reader in the next few days so stayed tuned! Be sure to comment and let me know what you think!