And the WINNER of the "The Wild Girl" Giveaway Is...

Many thanks to all our elves for sorting through the entries and verifying each individually (yes - they checked each one!). All the verified correct entries were entered into a (virtual) hat from which was pulled... 

Danzel at Silver Shoes and Rabbit Holes, with her Pinterest entry link! 

CONGRATULATIONS Danzel!

Please email me at fairytalenews AT gmail DOT com with your US mailing address, and we will have Kate Forsyth's US edition of The Wild Girl sent to you ASAP.

Note: You have till TUESDAY noon - August 4th - to claim your prize.
If unclaimed we will put all the entries back in the hat to draw another winner.

ONE DAY LEFT to Enter "The Wild Girl" Giveaway!

Our elves will start work at midnight their time on the dot FRIDAY NIGHT JULY 31st, (they live in California), to verify entries for inclusion in the giveaway!

You can click HERE to check the entry instructions,

if you don't know them already. 

Look below at how lovely this book is!

The lucky WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on SATURDAY NIGHT, August 1st.

And remember, YES! You may enter more than once!

(Just hurry!)

Syfy's Swan Song "Face Off" Finale

It's not surprising that fairy tales, or some version of them, crop up on a special effects make-up show but last night's finale on Syfy's Face Off was extra special.

The remaining three contestants had to design and create two characters from Swan Lake for two principal dancers of the Los Angeles Ballet: one was the maiden as she's being transformed into a swan and the other the evil sorcerer who made it happen (aka Von Rothbart for all the ballet people).

Excuse me a minute while I whoop and cheer here. I come from a ballet background and so all the ballet fairy tales are near and dear to my heart - especially when they include transformation. The iconic fairy tale ballet is, of course, Swan Lake. Indeed it's iconic for all ballet and for good reason. The light vs dark aspects and transformation of one being or creature to another is reflected in so much of life and, as the movie Black Swan showed, works as an excellent metaphor for a career in dance (and any lifestyle requiring intense commitment) as well.

For the Face Off contestants though, they were given an extra twist. Each of the contestants had to pick a different time period to incorporate into the design of their characters as well.

This meant, not only did they have two days to create two complete make-ups - one female and one male, have them be obviously different characters while from the same - unique - world, but also that they had to be performance-worthy for a live, theatrical show (ie those feathers had to stay on!) AND camera ready.

Tate chose the Industrial era,

 

 

... Roy chose the Ming Dynasty...

 

 

... and Laura chose Italian Renaissance.

 
The results from everyone - as you can see - were stunning!

Here's a teaser preview:

(Note: though I've done the research, heard the critiques, seen some behind-the-scenes and know the spoilery result, I have yet to see more than a fleeting glimpse here and there of the performances because I'm using every ounce of patience to wait to share it with my family tonight!)

SPOILERS AHEAD!!

✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ (click the "Read more" link below this line) ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ 

Cress: Cover Reveal, Excerpt, Interview w Marissa Myer, a Contest & a Movie Option To Boot

Big news for Marissa Meyer's sci-fi fairy tale series, The Lunar Chronicles, yesterday afternoon: The third installment of The Lunar Chronicles, Cress, got a cover reveal, we got another excerpt, USA Today had an interview with Ms. Meyer and there's now another chance to win an ARC via a Pinterest competition!

More on the book first. :)

Cress, if you weren't tipped off by the lovely cover, or the title, is based on Rapunzel, although this sci-fi Rapunzel's tower is out of reach in a different way - she's trapped in a satellite in orbit.

Here's an excerpt from the interview (in which Ms. Meyer teases a lot more about the plot and characters than I'm posting here, so be sure to go read the whole interview):

Q: Will Cress be more sci-fi than Scarlet or Cinder?

A: We are moving into more sci-fi elements. There is more time spent on the spaceship that we were introduced to in Book 2, and of course the satellite and the computer hacking. It still stays pretty focused on the characters and the different human things that they're facing as opposed to the technology.

Q: How is Cress similar to the Rapunzel we all know and love?

A: In the fairy tale, the prince finds Rapunzel because he hears her singing. I've taken that and given Cress this very overactive imagination that's a result of being stuck in this satellite solitary for so long. When she is in danger or in an uncomfortable situation, she goes into this imaginary world where she pretends she's an opera singer or an actress or a dancer. She has this fantasy life going on in her head that played off the original tale and how Rapunzel liked to sing.

Q: Does Cress borrow from the original fairy tale more or less than Cinder andScarlet did?

A: I'd say it's pretty comparable. As with all of the books, I've taken the iconic moments of the fairy tale and then gone off on my own after that. You still have the tower symbolism and this witch who's keeping her there. Rapunzel still has long, flowing locks of hair. Those iconic moments are still there, but then it does take on a life of its own in the world as she meets up with Cinder and Scarlet and the other characters.

You can read the rest of the (much longer!) interview HERE.

There is also a nicely-sized excerpt HERE as well (scroll down the page to read). One warning: if you read it, there's a very good chance it will make you even more impatient for the book!

But there is also a new chance to win an advance copy now and The Lunar Chronicles Pinterest Contest is the way to do it: "Create a Lunar Chronicles-inspired Pinterest Board for your chance to win a signed advance copy of CRESS." Full details and rules are on Marissa Meyer's post HERE. It's super easy and fun and open internationally!

The two books so far, Cinder & Scarlet, & their short story prequels, Glitches & The Queen's Army
(short stories published online at tor.com)

Cress is due for release on February 4th, 2014 so we've got a while yet to wait for the rest of the story BUT there MAY be movie news on the horizon as well! The Lunar Chronicles (yes, that means the series, not just the first book) has been optioned. (Congrats Marissa!)

Though optioning a book does not mean a movie is going into production, it means a company is seriously assessing whether or not they can do one. I have to wonder if the buzz around Jupiter Ascending (the sci-fi movie based on Snow White with Mila Kunis) will have any affect (hopefully good!) on the company's decisions...

Meyer will wrap up the series in early 2015 with Winter — her take on the Snow White legend — and already, her Lunar Chronicles novels have been optioned for a movie series. While the studio involved is still a secret, "I believe they're looking for a director at this point," says the author, who's halfway through the second draft of her final novel.

"I know what elements of the early books are foreshadowing bigger things to come, so I would assume that for them, having all the material in front of them could help them make decisions for the movies as well." (USA Today)

I really love seeing how Ms. Meyer has played with the themes, motifs and familiar tale elements for each fairy tale character so far and was so tickled just over the title, since the association with the plant has been quite lost since the "Tangle angle" ("The character is named after watercress — like rapunzel, it's a type of lettuce - quote from USA Today article).

I also love the fact that Rapunzel is traditionally up high in a tower (so the satellite in orbit is like the most remote tower possible) and that she's a spy - what a perfect vantage point a Rapunzel character - traditional or modern - would have from her 'prison' to view the world/s! It never occurred to me to have her be a secret onlooker before and I like the connection (seems obvious now, right?).

Review: "Beyond the Glass Slipper" & Writing Contest with Cash Prizes!

Lesser known fairy tales from The Olive Fairy Book by Kate Baylay

I just wrote a review on Amazon for Beyond the Glass Slipper: Ten Neglected Tales To Fall In Love With by Kate Wolford and wanted to share it for two reasons:

1) It's a wonderful book and I highly recommend it
2) There's a writing contest in celebration of the book's release with a $200 cash prize for 1st place and four runner-up prizes of $50 each! (NO FEE TO ENTER.)

You don't need to purchase the book - just be inspired by the tales within (you can easily find the texts online). You have just over a month till the deadline (August 15, 2013 at 11:59pm EST).

However:

I do recommend investing your $10 because this book will get the ideas bubbling very quickly and keep the creative juices flowing (not to mention keep you smiling with Kate's witty commentary and behind-the-tale insights!) and whether you win or not, you won't find this a bad purchase in any way.

To the review!

✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ (click the "Read more" link below this line) ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ 

Cress's 1st Chapter Released + Win an ARC (So You can Keep Reading!)

From Marissa Meyer's Facebook page today:

"IT'S HERE, CRESS'S FIRST CHAPTER IS HERE."

(That would be HERE.)

And she's also released the  "cover copy" (aka the back-of-the-book blurb):

Ready?

**BUT WAIT! IF YOU HAVEN'T YET READ "CINDER" & "SCARLET", HERE THERE BE SPOILERS!!**

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth.  

Rapunzel On the Tower by mairimart

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker – unfortunately, she’s being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she’s just received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
 When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she’d ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Marissa Meyers also announced THIS:

"Once you've had your fill of Cress's first chapter, be sure to head over to my blog for your FIRST CHANCE to win an advance copy of CRESS!" 

(And that would be HERE.)

But how on earth (Ha! Punny*) do we wait until next February 4th 2014 for the rest??

(Answer: Go try to win an advanced reader copy!)

And the Winner of "The Pursuit of Happiness" Giveaway Is...

... (drum roll please)....

Aubrey Z.!!!

Congratulations Aubrey!
Your prize is being prepped for shipping as I type.
A sincere thank you to London Particulars for making this giveaway possible.
NOTE: Although Aubrey's name is cannily similar (ok, the same) as The Professor's, Aubrey swears she is no relation (that she knows of) to the aforementioned character - nor to his cat Happiness, though she does admit to having happiness of her own as a result of winning this contest. Aubrey's winning email entry was chosen by random.org and had nothing to do with her name. We can only put it down to 'destiny' (which may be the name of Aubrey's future cat - or not)... :)

Last Day To Enter the "Pursuit of Happiness" Contest!

(Made possible by the generous and awesome folks at London Particulars)

Today is the last day you can enter before the deadline!
You have till midnight Pacific time December 20th, 2009 in the US.

The (very easy) contest details are HERE.

The prize preview is HERE.

Good luck!

12 Days: Lots of Different Fairy Tale Books

My apologies for the lateness of this post today.

I've been having connection difficulties.

Books are the obvious fairy tale gift to my way of thinking, which is why I tried to find non-book ideas these past two weeks. But I can't help recommending a few, so I saved a bunch for this last post in the series. :) Here are some different types of fairy tale books that you may not have heard of. Some are new, some are not and you can find more information by clicking on the titles below the cover images:

Magic Hoofbeats (with CD)
by Josepha Sherman

Availability: Released September 2007 - still available.
Description: Multicultural fairy tale and folktale collection on a horse theme. An unusual collection of tales not often printed with the added bonus of horse facts scattered throughout. Scholarly yet accessible to kids. Includes a CD of the stories being read, lovely watercolor illustrations and a brief list of sources.

There Was An Old Lady
by Jeremy Holmes

Availability: New August 2009
Description: Hardcover - the book is like a piece of art. Unusually shaped, comical, whimsical and the eyes close at the end via a clever little paper tab.

The Diary of Hansel and Gretel
by Kees Moerbeek

Availability: Out of print but still readily available.
Description: At last, here is the true story of what really happened to Hansel and Gretel, in the words of Gretel herself. This book is a faithful reproduction of Gretel's original diary, complete with all of her drawings -- as well as the very first newspaper article by the Brothers Grimm. (Pop-ups, inserted notes and artifacts, interactive.)

Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand
by Louise Hawes

Availability: Released May 2008 - still available
Description: Seven edgy/dark retellings of fairy tales (and one legend). Beautifully written in a fairy tale style with lovely pencil drawings throughout. The twists sneak up on you and you should beware of the sexual content if you're giving it to younger teens. As a hint to the twists, the cover is actually a picture of Cinderella herself.

Pretty Monsters: Stories
by Kelly Link

Availability: Released October 2008 - still available
Description: YA collection of fairytale style stories. This book has been getting rave reviews and comparisons to Neil Gaiman's storytelling. The hardcover has black edged pages and illustrations by award winning artist Shaun Tan.

Sisters Red
by Jackson Pearce

Availability: Not yet! Coming June 2010 (you can pre-order a surprise for someone!)
Description: The story of Red Riding Hood and her younger sister after the death of their grandmother... of and some werewolves. Jackson Pearce talks a lot about fairy tales in her interviews so this is one to watch for at the very least.

Twisted Tales: Fairy Tale Anthology
by Isabelle Rose

Availability: New November 2009 for Kindle (hard copies available HERE)

Description: Anthology of short stories and poems for Kindle. Dark retellings of classic fairy tales by newer authors. I haven't read any excerpts but the folks involved love fairy tales. Contest for a free copy through December HERE.

The SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series
by Heidi Anne Heiner

Availability: New August and September 2009 for Kindle (PDFs coming)
Description: Excellent collections of hard-to-find fairy tales, with new translations. By the mastermind behind the SurLaLune website. Three titles so far: "The Frog Prince and Other Frog Tales From Around the World", "The Fairy Tale Fiction of Anne Isabella Thackery Ritchie" and "Rapunzel and Other Maiden in the Tower Tales From Around the World".

The Book of Lost Things (Unabridged Audiobook CD)
by John Connolley

Availability: Released October 2006 - still available
Description: A fairy tale for adults - a boy mourns the death of his mother and reality and fantasy worlds start to blur together. On his journey back to the real world he meets many fairy tale characters. By turns funny, poignant, surprising. A book about hope and the power of stories. While the paper book is available the audiobook highly recommended to take you through the journey.

The Beastly Bride: Tales of the Animal People
by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

Availability: Not yet! Coming April 2010 (you can pre-order a surprise for someone!)
Description: The newest collection of retold fairy and folktales on a shape-changer theme from the best authors and editors in the business. Gorgeous illustrations throughout by Charles Vess (I've seen a couple of previews!). The pre-order price on this one is excellent - you will still save even with shipping.

Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic

Availability: New October 2009 for Kindle (Hardcover available February 2010)
Description: Part of The Myths series. From the website: Dubravka Ugrešić takes the story of Baba Yaga and weaves it into something completely fresh. The result is an extraordinary meditation on femininity, ageing, identity, secrets, storytelling and love.

The Seeing Stick
by Jane Yolen
(new illustrations by Daniela Terrazzini)

Availability: New September 2009
Description: A newly illustrated version of Jane Yolen's original fairy tale about a blind emperor's daughter (originally published 1977). This is a stunning book with gorgeous specialty printing and embossed pages - which underlines the story perfectly.

Once Upon a Tutu: Five Ballet Fairy Tales Starring the Ballet Friends:
Including The Princess and the Prima, Ballerella,
Snow Tights and the Seven Dancers,
... the Three Barres, and The Klutzy Duckling
by Kitty Michaels

Availability: Released November 2008 - still available
Description: Retold fairy tales in ballet settings (with a whole lot of humor!) based on the classic tales. From the Ballet Friends series but it can definitely stand alone.

The World Before This One: A Novel Told in Legend
by Rafe Martin

Availability: Released August 2005 - still available in paperback but I recommend hunting down a hardcover
Description: Folktales (Seneca tales) retold in novel format in a wonderful storytelling fashion. The book is worth getting for the incredible papercuts alone that illustrate the stories, but the writing is beautiful as well. A good gift for scholars and older children who love tales alike.

The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales
by Neil Philip & Illustrated by Nilesh Mistry

Availability: Released March 1998 - out of print but still easy to find
Description: This remains a favorite fairy tale collection of mine because it's multicultural and contains facts along the way (scattered in the sidebars of the pages) and points to similar tales across cultures. Many of the tales are not the usual version you might expect, though the familiar ones are referenced. The illustrations are unusual in that they span the pages of the book and flow from one scene of the story in to the other (see the Beauty & the Beast example above). An excellent way to be introduced to tales from other cultures and lesser known variants without losing that 'fairy tale feel' those of us who grew up with European tales love.

1001 Nights: Illustrated Fairy Tales from One Thousand And One Nights
Edited by Robert Klanten & Hendrik Hellige

Availability: Released November 2005 - still available
Description: Contemporary illustrations by a number of different illustrators of traditional 1001 tales - some well known, other less so. A good way to become familiar with the tales. More suitable for adults.

Today is the last day I'll be specifically posting gift ideas for Christmas/Yule/Kwanzaa/Hannukah/etc on a fairy tale theme but ideas are everywhere!

Heidi Anne Heiner, of SurLaLune, has a knack for finding the most gorgeous games and toys, not to mention is the best source of fairy tale books around so be sure to browse her blog. The link is HERE.

Also Elva Undine of Folk and Fairy (Folklore and Fairy: Clever finds for the faerie inclined) finds some of the loveliest things including things you can purchase as gifts. Her blog is HERE.

NOTE: As usual, please note I am not affiliated with any of these stores or products. I do not receive any commission from any visit to the site or any purchase. These are just items I thought may interest people as fairy tale themed gifts for the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Yuletide/Holiday Season. :)

Don't forget the "Pursuit of Happiness" Giveaway!

This is the last of the "12 Days" posts but you still have TWO DAYS to enter before the deadline on December 20th, so be sure to email me before then.

(Check out one of the prize options in the preview above! Click for a larger view...)

Details for the giveaway are HERE and the wonderful London Particulars (who are making this giveaway possible through their generosity) can be found HERE.