Fairy tales were mother’s milk to me. I’ve always loved them, and I love them still. No, that doesn’t mean I watch Once Upon A Time (no link provided). I started out watching it and loving it, then it turned from a fairy tale extravaganza into a Disney product placement extravaganza, and I was like, “Screw this for a game of soldiers.”
Fairy tales take a minute to set things up and then get right to the point: Once upon a time there was a princess who was as good as she was beautiful, but one day…. BOOM! The story!
King of the Fairy Tales
The prime fairy tale guy, for me, was Andrew Lang, collector of the Fairy Books of Many Colors. The best part about these stories (other than the gorgeous illustrations) is that they come from many cultures, not just the Western world. There are 12 of the books: blue, red, yellow, violet, crimson, orange, brown, lilac, pink, grey, green, and olive. I have seven of those, with five on my wish list to buy when I sell enough of my own fairy-tale-inspired fantasy, SAGE.
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Write a fairy tale about a princess who was as good as she was beautiful and who lived happily ever after. Or about a boy who was as stupid as he was lazy but who ALSO lived happily ever after. Or both.
MA
jean baldridge yates
April 7, 2014 at 7:29amLove this and you are the FIRST PERSON ever whom I have met who has heard of Andrew Lang! We has all his books, but the were written in Scottish dialect!
This challenge only make it better for us when we were little!
Your book looks awesome! Bet it is more than just once upon a time and BOOM!
π
jean xox
Marian Allen
April 7, 2014 at 8:07amI haven’t read any of the books he actually wrote, but I only hang out with people who know the Colored Fairy Books. lol!
Yes, SAGE is more than just once upon a time and BOOM — about 700 pages more. lol
Paul Kater
April 7, 2014 at 10:02amFairy tales are wonderful material. I love them, and I love the entire realm of fantasy that comes with it.
Enjoy your blogging!!
Marian Allen
April 7, 2014 at 10:16amI love the authority of fairy tales: They simply state that something is so, and proceed with the story. No explanations, no justifications, no arguments. Frogs can talk, brothers can be turned into swans, fairies can send a castle to sleep for 100 years. Period. I love it!
Paul Kater
April 7, 2014 at 10:22amGuess why I love writing my Hilda series. She wields magic with the same authority that frogs speak of golden balls. π
It’s a fabulous realm of possibilities, and the true brilliance comes when you can explain something inexplicable using the vocabulary of that particular world. π
Marian Allen
April 7, 2014 at 10:25amYeah, it’s so much fun when you do something that’s impossible in “real life” and the reader nods and goes, “Yeah, that makes sense.”
Paul Kater
April 7, 2014 at 10:31amLOL!! So true! My witch has a talking house and so far almost no one wondered where she got such a house. *grin*
And nice to meet you on the A-Z trails as well. π
Jane
April 7, 2014 at 11:59amI read a book once about that Happily Ever After part of the story. Can’t recall the author, though of course I should.
A blacksmith has made himself a sword and trained himself to use it. He is preparing to become a hero. He rescues the princess. She’s not interested in a blacksmith. But he won the challenge and they are married. What happens next?
Marian Allen
April 7, 2014 at 12:54pmUm, nothing good, I’m guessing. But then it wouldn’t be HAPPILY ever after, would it?
Sabrina A. Fish
April 7, 2014 at 9:56pmI love fairy tales and Greek myths. My favorite thing is to take one and ask, “What if?” It’s so much fun to see how I can twist them.
Marian Allen
April 7, 2014 at 10:40pmFresh takes on the classics are fun. My pal Katina French retells fairy tales as Steampunk.
Christopher James
April 17, 2014 at 11:31amI love the modern version of fairy tales.
Marian Allen
April 17, 2014 at 11:59amI prefer the old ones, but I like modern retellings, too. I’m reading Addy King’s GRIMM series now, where she has fun with them.