


This small, slender, imaginative, hilarious, and all-to-true 30-page collection of poetry by Lawrence Schimel wonderfully and artfully reflects the almost archetypal hopes, ambitions, frustrations, passions, and processes of writing for publication. Here in a kind of poetic folklore format are 'the new writer who encounters a wolf along the path to publication'; the writing workshop member who must always be 'the fairest of them all'; the writer who for the sake of love gives up her own special voice; the shy, anonymous author who slips away before the end of the reading only to be remorselessly tracked down by the editor wanting to publisher her work. Everyone who has ever put pen to paper, and the tried to submit that paper to a publisher, will recognize the poetically expressed truths in Lawrence Schimel's superb little book, "Fairy Tales For Writers". As the last line on the last page of this marvelous little gem has it: "Sometimes there is a happy ending, even in publishing."You can read a SF Site review HERE. Click HERE to see more details and order.
Conference topics include the cultural and material history of fairy tales and the oral adaptation of stories and folklore across cultures. Internationally renowned faculty will present from a variety of fields on a wide range of subjects, such as literature, print culture and anthropology. Events will include a workshop on how to teach a fairy tale, a reception at the Saenger Theatre and presentations by fairy tale scholars from around the world.
I don't see Dr. Tehrani, who recently announced the results of his studies into the origins of fairy tales, on the speakers list but hopefully he makes an appearance.
And here are a couple of other highlights:
Ellen Ruffin, curator of the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at Southern Miss, has developed an exhibit of fairy tale artwork titled "The Alphabet of Fairy Tales" for viewing during the reception, which Hillard said will be a "feast for the senses."
Keynote speaker Dr. Jennifer Schacker, author of National Dreams: The Remaking of Fairy Tales in Nineteenth Century England, will deliver a highly visual presentation about Victorian fairy tale pantomime theatre. Schacker is an associate professor and director of undergraduate studies at the University of Guelph in Ontario.
Yay! I'm so please when a visual element is presented with fairy tales as I don't think anyone who grew up with a fairy tale book can completely divorce them from images of one kind or another. Illustrations are part of what makes fairy tales so impacting and resonant with people (I think) for so many reason (I'm sure someone's done a thesis on this topic somewhere!).
The first Panto production of Cinderella was at Drury Lane in 1804.
And you can find out more about fairy tales and pantomime HERE (complete with old posters, movie clips and historical tidbits).
You can read the rest of the details for the conference, including a program, HERE.
The best part about this conference? Anyone can attend - for free! Now if only I were in Mississippi at the beginning of October...
What makes fairy tales particularly suitable in fact as a basis for modern fantasy is that in themselves they mix both enchantment and pragmatism, the world of the everyday and a realm of pure magic. And it’s all done in such a matter of fact yet also profound way. You can never get to the end of the meanings of fairytale; and the fairytales of a people reveal their essence, their soul, if you like, in a moving yet also funny and beautiful way. They reveal our similarities and our differences...
The idea behind this wonderful fairy-tale is fabulous, as H.C. Andersen anticipates the "flying age" that we live in today. When he wrote the fairy-tale in 1839 nobody would have imagined, that the "flying age" would become a reality some centuries later... I did not change the motif that much when I modernized it. I turned the trunk into a car turned upsite down. I didn't want to turn the trunk into an airplane, as I wanted to express the preposterous idea that things can have other functions than they were meant to have.* I thought illustrations from The Flying Trunk to be appropriate as the main character in the tale, after losing his enchanted means of seeing a Sultan's Daughter (by way of the flying trunk of the title) ends up wandering the world telling stories. See more about the HCA tale (which draws from many older tales around the world) HERE.
Fairy Tale Art offers a magic journey to a timeless, enchanted, dream-like world. The exhibit will feature 59 original illustrations from well-loved classic fairy tales as well as modern variations on traditional tales such as “The Firebird,” “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” The exhibition will also feature modern versions such as “Cinderella’s Dress,” “Child of the Faerie: Child of the Earth” and “The Hungry Coat.”
The artworks reflect a variety of mediums such as watercolor, acrylic, colored pencil and mixed media. The magical settings for the stories are created by award winning artists including Kinuko Y. Craft, DEMI, Jane Dyer, Marilee Heyer, Trina Schart Hyman, Jim LaMarche, Barry Moser and Susan Paradis.
Sandra: The Fairytale Detective is... about a little girl, Sandra, who is the lone descendent from a line of fairytale detectives -- a perilous but necessary occupation. Although very few, if any people are aware of The Land of Once Upon a Time (where all of the fairytale characters live), even fewer are aware of the fairytale detective (who solves all sorts of mysteries therein). Roughly targeted toward children aged four through eight-years-old, Sandra: The Fairytale Detective uses a clever and inspiring color palette combined with a klutzy sense of humor to bring young viewers into the familiar realm of fantasy, but with a detective twist.You can read the rest of the article HERE.
Like many kids her age, Sandra gets into arguments with her classmates, doesn't clean her room very often, and enjoys taking on a good challenge. But when her assistant and friend Fo, a 500-year-old elf with the guise and spirit of a child, arrives to say that there's a problem over in The Land of Once Upon a Time, the girl dons her overcoat and jumps into action. Maybe the adorable puppet-boy Pinocchio is kidnapped, or maybe Cinderella loses her glass slipper… for real, or maybe Snow White's evil stepmother's mirror mysteriously goes missing. Sandra is on the case; the kid detective lives for the challenge of the mystery, often using some convenient and humorous blend of magic and deductive reasoning to solve each riddle.
Apparently this 18 minute short film won awards on the film festivals circuit! And don't let the funny animal costumes put you off - it's not really for kids.
From the YouTube description:
In a dark and morally corrupt fairy tale world, Detective Jack Milton and his trusty sidekick, Tom Thumb, strive to solve the murders of the world's most famous storybook characters.
Filmaker Tod Norwood created the film a few years ago in collaboration with 7 Fluid Oz. Productions. Says Todd (from his BLOG):
It was a fun film to shoot and it was a blast to travel the festival circuit with it. The cast is great in this and I met many long time collaborators who I’ve worked with many times later..
I sometimes get asked if there are any continuing adventures of Detective Milton and Tom Thumb. And the immediate answer is “yes.” I wrote a feature script about them. It follows our two intrepid heroes as they join forces with his estranged girlfriend, Snow White, and a new character, Freddy the Frog, (really the Frog Prince) as they uncover a worldwide conspiracy affecting all of Fairy Tale land.The script uses select scenes from the short and spins it off into new directions. It’s very much a mystery/road trip flick, and introduces a lot of other famous characters in strange situations.
The film looks like a lot of fun so I'm really interested to see what a feature film would be like. In the meantime, hopefully Todd will release this little one on DVD.
He uploaded the short film to YouTube in July so everyone could see it but had to break it into four chapters to fit (which he says was an interesting experience - tends to give one a case of itchy-editors-fingers!) but he promises he didn't 'pull a Star Wars" and has kept the film intact (he did hint there may be an extra digital sheep or two in there though!)
Here are the four chapters for you to enjoy:
German storytellers who are special guests of the Quebec Intercultural Storytelling Festival will enchant your ears with traditional German folk and fairy tales for adults. Come discover the metaphors, Freudian slips, violence, beauty and poetry of these stories, which have crossed the ages and still speak to our hearts and imagination today.You can find more information about the presentation HERE.
You can see the other events planned and look at the amazing number and range of talented storytellers coming to town for this event HERE.The 10th edition of the Québec Intercultural Storytelling Festival will take place from October the 16th to the 25th, in concert venues, libraries, and theatres around Montréal, Québec City and the Eastern Townships. More than 130 events will be presented, in French and in English, by no less than 120 storytellers. This year, the Festival's English Section is featuring artists from Germany, Israel, England, the Yukon, Ontario and Québec.
My favorite storyteller is still Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes, whom I discovered about ten years ago. A multi-award winning author and Jungian-analyst, who uses her storytelling to look at the human condition as well as for healing and therapy, she weaves fairy tales, folktales, myths and legends effortlessly into her presentations. I highly recommend her audiobooks:
It's worth tracking down the out-of-print titles. I especially enjoy how she uses a mix of well known tales and lesser known ones from all over the world. The result, at least for me, is that it makes it clear how tales can transcend boundaries of race and culture because the human experience is same the world over, albeit in different forms. It's good to be reminded of that from time to time.
I want some! Only thing is, I'd end up tripping, falling, and end up with awful bloody feet with a doctor picking the glass out of my foot.
... these shoes of course are a blister's best friend...
I have a horrible image in my mind of someone trying to wear these and the glass heel going straight into their foot.
... (all that money)... and then you kick something...
I think you would need some hot toes/feet to pull off glass slippers. Cinderella didn't have bunions, yo.Available at Maison Martin Margiela* stores in Hong Kong (possibly elsewhere, too). HK$9,899 each.