Bill Willingham on the End of "Fables" and The Power of Folklore

By Nimit Malavia - front view of the wrap-around cover for the final issue of Fables

Note: Just for fun, the first image in this post is the cover for the upcoming, very last issue of Fables, while the last image is of the very first Fables cover. Throughout I've put 'in progress' sketches, some are the designs used and some are ones that were never published until the Special Edition hard covers.

Bill Willingham, creator of the long running comic series Fables, was just at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) a couple of weekends ago, and took some time to talk to The Mary Sue about a few things, including the status of the Fables movie (as far as he knows), how it feels to be at the end of Fables and, among other things, his opinion on the power of folklore. The Mary Sue posted their interview at the beginning of the week and...

I have to share!

So here's what Bill Willingham has to say on fairy tales, mythology and folklore, via The Mary Sue (emphasis in bold is mine):

TMS: I’m always curious why certain nursery rhymes or certain fairytales–stuff that isn’t mythology–

Willingham: Well it’s folklore, and folklore is mythology told by people who stopped being impressed with you. Mythology is “oh the Gods are this and that and mysterious and exciting,” and folklore is “well I’m going to tell you the tale of the Gods, but I’ve been their housekeepers for 600 years, and I know how he used to poop his diapeys. I am not impressed.” There’s a sense of wonder, there’s a sense of justice and absurdity, but not a sense of removal, you’re right in there. This is a story that doesn’t happen to important people far away, it happened to me or my aunt. So I like that, I like the immediacy.

When I was putting Fables together, I like this idea of a hidden community, and it was either going to be mythology characters or fairy tale characters, I liked both. The origin of my love for fairytales was when I discovered that they’re folklore. You know as a kid, fairytales, I liked them but I was not in love with or that impressed by them, it was just ‘these are the things that are available.’ But then, there’s this show Bullwinkle, and within this show there’s a cartoon called “Fractured Fairytales” wherein they take fairy tales and tell them in funny, mocking ways. As a kid I assumed there were rules for everything. So I’m watching this thing about the big bad wolf or something, and I knew this was not how it went, and I expressed my outrage. My mother was there and I said “how can they do this? Aren’t they going to get in trouble? This is not how it happens!” And without knowing the term public domain, she explained the whole thing. “These are folklore, they belong to the folk.”

Folklore–the thing I love about it–is it belongs to everyone, but not in a community. It’s not like we get together and decide what we’re going to do with our ownership of this, we individually own 100% of it. Every single human being who exists. We’re all born rich with this wonderful treasure.

             

Thank you Bill! I want to cheer in response to that last part in particular.

He goes on to talk about criticism, using the "a cat can look at a king" saying, which fits well on this theme. Here he's talking about how the internet has affected expression of ideas, feedback and how that's a good thing (the middle man and gatekeepers are often cut out) and a bad thing (the lack of manners and being able to converse civilly is being shown to be seriously lacking.)

Willingham: There’s an old saying I used to love, “a cat can look at a king.” Which is, there’s no person that’s so great that the great unwashed masses are physically unable to see them, the peasant and the king still share some commonality. And now with the Internet, that is the case. What we’re trying to do is figure out the rules of life now, because the Internet has changed everything. So we’ve come up with notions and spread wacky ideas. The notion that ‘I can dress this way but you shouldn’t be looking at me,’ in my mind that’s nonsense because a cat can look at a king. Anyone can look at anyone. And yet that’s a thing we’re wrestling with now, but we’re not really wrestling with that, we’re wrestling with ‘it’s a whole new world, and we’ve lost manners along the way and we’re beginning to perceive that we need them.’ But to call them manners and etiquette and things like that is kind of old fogey, so we’re coming up with new terms...

You can read the rest of his response and ideas about the internet, and how they affect creators in the interview - definitely worth it, if you're a writer, artist or working the public in any way.

You can read the whole article HERE, which isn't at all your standard interview at all. I also really like how he talked about his approach when beginning to work with the first, and very quickly the main or key artist, Mark Buckingham on Fables. Willingham's 'version' of the Hippocratic oath, "first, tell the story", which was the golden first pass editing rule for any script or idea. I love it.

Re the Fables movie - as far as he knows, it's still happening but has had issues with the script so there's a new writer on board now (I do't know if it's the same one that was announced not long ago, or if this has happened since). Most importantly, he has great respect for the writer and is happy to see them on board. But no other new details.

                     
The Guardian also had a nice and personal summary and tribute to the end of the Fables series and Willinghams' work, which you can find HERE. Here are some extracted highlights:

By the end of this month, after 13 years of stories, Bill Willingham’s multiple award-winning series, Fables, will reach its 150th and final issue. What a long, strange, sweet, weird, sad, rambunctious, irreverent, wistful and elating ride it has been.

Besides the series itself, there have the spin-offs: the 50 issues of Jack of Fables, two volumes of Cinderella adventures, 33 issues of Fairest, The Wolf Among Us and Werewolves of the Heartland and 1001 Nights of Snowfall and Peter and Max and The Last Castle.

...The idea was so brilliantly simple it was immediately complex. In Fables, there has been a coup d’état across the realms of the imagination, orchestrated by The Adversary. The huddled masses of familiar faces – Cinderella and Snow White, Little Boy Blue and Prince Charming, the Wicked Witch and Bluebeard – find sanctuary in our world. Made glamorous by their magic, they create a safe haven for themselves in New York and an upstate hideaway for the Three Little Pigs, Chicken Little, Reynard the Fox and Tom Thumb (who’s dating Thumbelina, OMG) and all the other Fables who wouldn’t quite manage to pass themselves off as “mundanes” if you met them in Central Park.

The genius of Fables was to be as expansive as the fairytales themselves. The first few issues were a gumshoe detective mystery, with Bigby Wolf, who used to be both big and bad, trying to solve the mystery of Rose Red’s death. Then it shifted to political thriller, to comedy, to romance, to caper, to horror, to metafictional gallimaufry, to tragedy, to farce, to elegy, to slapstick.

Its success has demonstrated the resilience of fairytales themselves – I can imagine editorial meetings where they might have said “Can we really stretch Cinderella into a covert Modesty Blaize figure without the sexism? Or the Frog Prince, can he be a bit like Dostoyevsky’s Prince Myshkin? And that crazy badger, Brock – OK to make him a religious fanatic?” They stretched it and stretched it and it did not break.

I want to include more, but you really should read it in context for yourself. There's enough of a summary for those familiar with most to be reminded and enough of the plot to catch you up if you missed some of the big stuff, but it still leaves plenty to be surprised by.

If you wondered what happened to the Fairest series, that wrapped with Issue #33, concentrating on the baddest bad girl in Willingham's universe: Goldilocks. There's a great interview about it HERE.

The Fables comic series finishes in JULY this year (currently scheduled for release July 22nd) with the giant 150th - aka FINAL - issue. Here's the official write-up:

Fables final issue #150: Written by Bill Willingham, art by Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Andrew Pepoy, Mark Schultz, Gene Ha, Neal Adams and others, wraparound cover by Nimit Malavia. 

Final issue. It's the final trade paperback volume of Fables! No, wait -- it's Fables #150, the grand finale of the best-selling, award-winning comic book series! And it's also an original graphic novel in the tradition of 1001 Nights of Snowfall! Yes, it's all this and more! Join us for 150 -- that's, right, 150! -- pages of new stories starring your favorite Fables, all from the mind of Bill Willingham. It all starts with an 80-page lead story illustrated by series regulars Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha, plus stories illustrated by Mark Schultz, Gene Ha, Neal Adams, Andrew Pepoy and many more! 

The final bows for Boy Blue, Stinky, Lake and more in this once-in-a-lifetime issue that also features a foldout cover by Nimit Malavia that opens into a four-panel mural! It's even got metallic ink! 

160 pages, $17.99, in stores on July 22. 

Note: Fables artists featured above are: Top of post - Nimit Malavia, Joao Ruas - winged monkey versions and the 100th issue versions, James Jean - all the rest.

"The Silver Witch" Virtual Book Tour - Interview with author Paula Brackston & Giveaway!

Today we have a double treat for you: author Paula Brackston has graciously agreed to stop by and answer some of our questions about her latest book, The Silver Witch, (see Tahlia's review yesterday HERE), and we also have a GIVEAWAY!

In case you missed it, here's the description for The Silver Witch:

A year after her husband’s sudden death, ceramic artist Tilda Fordwells finally moves into the secluded Welsh cottage that was to be their new home. She hopes that the tranquil surroundings will help ease her grief, and lessen her disturbing visions of Mat’s death. Instead, the lake in the valley below her cottage seems to spark something dormant in her – a sensitivity, and a power of some sort. Animals are drawn to her, electricity shorts out when she’s near, and strangest of all, she sees a new vision; a boatful of ancient people approaching her across the water. 

On this same lake in Celtic times lived Seren, a witch and shaman. She was respected but feared, kept separate from the community for her strange looks. When a vision came to her of the Prince amid a nest of vipers she warned of betrayal from one of his own. Prince Brynach both loved and revered her, but could not believe someone close to him wished him harm, even as the danger grew. 

In her own time, Tilda’s grief begins to fade beside her newfound powers and a fresh love. When she explores the lake’s ancient magic and her own she discovers Seren, the woman in her vision of the boat. Their two lives strangely mirror each others, suggesting a strong connection between the women. As Tilda comes under threat from a dark power, one reminiscent of Seren’s prophecy, she must rely on Seren and ancient magic if death and disaster are not to shatter her life once more.

And some info about our visiting author:

Paula Brackston (aka PJ Brackston) is the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch's Daughter, The Winter Witch, and The Midnight Witch(2014).  

Paula has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and is a Visiting Lecturer for the University of Wales, Newport. In 2007 Paula was short listed in the Creme de la Crime search for new writers. In 2010 her book 'Nutters' (writing as PJ Davy) was short listed for the Mind Book Award, and she was selected by the BBC under their New Welsh Writers scheme. 

Paula lives in Wales with her partner and their two children.

What better way to research your setting than to actually live there! Now that we've gotten you up to speed, it's time to welcome our guest.

Hi Paula, and welcome to Once Upon A Blog!

Congratulations on your new book! The Silver Witch has quite a bit for folklore lovers to delve into. Thank you for taking the time to drop by and answer some of our questions today. We are certainly intrigued...

Gypsy: To start with, what was your initial inspiration for The Silver Witch? How did you arrive at the dual/connected story?

Paula: The lake itself was my main inspiration. I live just over the hill from Llangors, and have always found it a wonderfully atmospheric place to visit. I knew I would want to set one of my stories there one day.

My second inspiration was the singular appearance of the characters (which I don't want to go into here for fear of spoiling), and that gave me the theme of visions. I knew then that one of my witches would be a shaman.

I wanted to use two main characters and two time settings so that I could highlight the timelessness of the lake and the surrounding area. Of course Tilda's life is very different from Seren's but the power of the lake, its mystical qualities, its secrets, remain hugely important in both their lives.

Gypsy: How did you go about researching the book? Were there any specific texts of legends you referred to?

Paula: I spent a fair amount of time walking by the lake or just sitting by it. One side has a campsite and boat house, but development has been kept to a minimum.  The greater part of it remains unchanged after hundreds of years. 

Also, the crannog, on which the prince had his palace built on top of the lake, is still there. I was lucky to be able to attend a lecture given on the construction of this little man-made island. It's such an ancient and unusual place, it can't help but fire a writer's imagination. 

The main text I drew upon was the Mabinogion, which is a book of Welsh folklore and legends known to every Welsh person or child schooled here. It is full of fabulous stories which clearly demonstrate the poetic nature of the Welsh soul. 

And the crannog and the prince are mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles! That was a wonderful primary source to have.

Gypsy: What's the significance of Tilda (the modern day woman) being a ceramic artist? Was there anything unusual about working with clay (or clay superstitions or stories) you discovered you weren't able to use in the book?

Paula: I wanted a visual art for Tilda, and the ceramics also gave her creations that nice grounding, being, as you say, made from clay. I toyed with the idea of having her use clay from the lake shore to work with, but the soil is not really the right type, and it was winter, which would have made it difficult. I also felt that clay pots are something Seren would have had, and that the Celtic art used to decorate them could be incorporated meaningfully into Tilda's designs.

Gypsy: The Welsh people I've met have a great awareness of "mythic touchstones" in their day to day. Sometimes it manifests as superstitions, other times it appears in daily folklore rituals and habits. The synopsis mentions Tilda discovering certain powers after her move to the lake but was she one those types of people before then (did she show signs of latent abilities we should watch for)? How does the Welsh mentality show in Tilda's modern day to day before and after her move?

Paula: Tilda's new senses and powers only properly reveal themselves once she comes to live by the lake. Don't forget, she isn't actually Welsh.

Gypsy: I see you have an Afanc in the book. That's a fairly obscure Welsh mythological creature and only the second use I'm aware of in a novel! (*Seanan McGuire's October Daye series has one too - though her creature is quite different of course). Can you tell us more about this creature? What drew you to it in particular? 

Paula: Who doesn't love a water-horse?! There is a well-established legend regarding this mythical beast, which predates written stories, and so relied on the tradition of storytelling to be handed down orally through the generations. It is now affectionally known as Gorsie (in the way that the Loch Ness 'monster' is known as Nessie). In most versions of its story it was tamed by a brave maiden who lived by the lake. She variously sang to it, or spoke softly to it as it slumbered with its great head in her lap.

Scientists tend to scoff at the notion that there might be a real creature like this in the lake. There are some frighteningly large pike in there, and lots of eels, but nothing has been found to suggest anything more 'dinosaur' like. Of course, mythical beasts are famous for being able to evade scientific detection.

Gypsy: Between the facts that Seren (the historical woman) is a shaman, Tilda (the modern woman) discovers powers that connect her with animals and dreams that contain symbolic creatures such as vipers, the manifestation of animals seems to play an important role in the book. Should we be taking a closer look at the types of animals that appear for clues about these women and their states of mind or where they are in their journeys?

Paula: The animals in the book are certainly significant. In Celtic stories, witches are often represented by hares, or sometimes dogs. They were believed to be able to shapeshift into these creatures. And of course snakes were seen as possessing strong powers, whether for good or evil. It is significant that the vipers in this story are always bad, as they were also linked to fertility, and this is an issue that leads to some of the most important conflicts in the story.

Gypsy: In mythology the Afanc is connected with King Arthur (or at least Merlin and Percival, one of the Knight of the Round Table). Are the Arthur, Merlin and Round Table legends important to this book? Are the legends referenced in other ways as well that readers should look for?

Paula: The setting of my story, and the sources I have drawn on, pre-date the main versions of the Arthurian legends. Whether or not the actual king on which they were supposedly based existed, or if he did would have been known to all the Cymru in the early tenth century is debatable. 

I do use the character of Merlin in my book Lamp Black, Wolf Gray, which is out in August. The setting for this story is the thirteenth century.

Gypsy: Is there anything else people who love fairy tales and folklore should keep an eye out for in The Silver Witch?

Paula: I hope the book will appeal both to folklore buffs and those who take the story on without any prior in-depth knowledge. If readers would like to know more about the legends and myths that have inspired me, I recommend taking a look at the gorgeous stories in the Mabinigion.

Gypsy: Thank you so much for answering our questions today! We wish you every success with the book and look forward to seeing more mythology and obscure folklore brought to life in the future.

Paula: Thank your for your interesting questions!

Ladies and gentlemen, Paula Brackston! *much cheering and applause*

Note: All photos were taken by Paula Brackston near Llangors Lake & Brecon Beach in Wales, except for the last photo, which is also of Llangors Lake (the setting of The Silver Witch) at sunset, taken by Karen James.

If you want to hear more about The Silver Witch and Paula's writing and research process, along with her many inspirations, you can follow along on her Virtual Blog Tour. Details are listed below.

The Silver Witch will be available for purchase on April 21, 2015, and is available for pre-order now. You can also purchase other 'witchy' books she's written (all are stand-alones).

And now for the GIVEAWAY we promised!

To be entered into the drawing for a lovely hardback copy of The Silver Witch,

you can do one of two things - or do more than one and get multiple entries!

Note: We have confirmed we can open the giveaway to all countries! However, due to shipping issues, hard copies can only be mailed to US, UK & Canadian readers. E-books will be sent to winners living anywhere else.

1) You can link to this interview here at Once Upon A Blog via a Tweet, Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook or use any other social media (make it public so we can see please) and put the link in the comments either below OR in the comments of the 'pinned' GIVEAWAY post that will (hopefully) remain at the head of the blog for the week. Our elves will check each link - and each verified one = one entry (yes - that means you could eg. Tweet and Facebook and get 2 entries!). One link only per comment please! (No limit on comments. Duplicates of your own links don't count.)

2) You may instead (or also) put the title of any UK fairy or folk tale in the comments below or in the 'pinned' GIVEAWAY post (that includes English, Scottish, Welsh AND Irish fairy & folk tales for this purpose!). Each verified UK tale = one entry. One title per comment please! (No limit on comments. Duplicates of your own tale titles don't count.)

The giveaway will run until a week from today, finishing on Tuesday April 21st, 2015, at Midnight (PT), with the winner being announced on Wednesday, April 22nd, (after our elves do their number-crunching and calculating...)

Pob lwc!

(That's "good luck" in Welsh)

A Thank You To "Tales Of Faerie"

A little note sent via bluebird direct to TOF earlier this evening after our enchanting visit

If you missed any of the stops on the special five year anniversary of Tale Of Faerie Tour, you can find them linked below in order, starting with Kristin's interview here (very) early this morning.




[1] Interview at OUABlog  - An Invitation to TOF

[2] The Parlor

[3] The Grounds

[4] The Library

[5] A Letter (link to be added when the TOF post goes live)

Interview: A Visit From "Tales Of Faerie" [1]

"Pardon me, noble sir. I'm truly grateful to you for your hospitality, which was so magnificent that I couldn't imagine that you would be offended by my taking such a little thing as a rose."
(Madame de Villeneuve)

Today I have a treat for you. Knowing that fellow fairy tale blogger, Kristin, of the lovely, thought provoking, Tales Of Faerie, was fast approaching her fifth anniversary since beginning her blog, I asked her a couple of weeks ago if she would mind being interviewed so we could get a little of a behind-the-scenes view of Tales Of Faerie. She graciously said yes, so, knowing her favorite tale is Beauty and the Beast and in anticipation for her visit I've decorated today's space with a few things I hope will make her feel at home on her special day: February 19, 2015. Today!

*hears knock at the door*

I think that's her now...

FTNH: *opens door* Welcome Kristin! And a very Happy Fifth Blog-a-versary to you! *grabs a little potted rosebush, hands it to Kristin* These are for you, for your garden. 

K: Why, thank you! I know it's a little cliche, but roses are indeed my favorite flower, and it's all because of Beauty and the Beast I'm sure...

FTNH:  *ushers her in toward a table for two spread with freshly-made coffee, a fruit platter with clawed feet and mini breakfast cupcakes, topped with little sugar roses* Thank you for the visit - especially on today of all days.

K: This looks amazing! I'm happy to stop by. Tales of Faerie wouldn't be anything like what it is today if it weren't for you and the other fabulous fairy tale bloggers and readers who take the time to share their thoughts!

FTNH:   I know it's early, so let's grab some coffee while we chat. *pours coffee into two demitasse coffee cups * I know you've written a little here and there about TOF but going waaaay back, do you remember the initial inspiration that started you blogging about fairy tales and their study? *adds plate with cupcake on it, next to Kristin's coffee*

K: Well, it all started when Disney's Beauty and the Beast came out. I was pretty young still but I think I was just at the right stage to hook on to a Disney Princess as "my favorite." For years I was obsessed with Belle and it really became part of my identity. As I grew older and started to think about it more I was still proud of the message of the movie overall-from having a Princess who loves to read and spurns unwanted suitors, to the whole aspect of loving someone for who they are on the inside. Eventually I became curious as to the history of the story and did a little digging online, which eventually led me to the SurLaLune site. The more I read the more I wanted to find out!

FTNH: Ah! Another research addict. *raises coffee cup in toast* Do you remember what it was that transitioned you from enjoying fairy tales to dabbling in scholarship?

K: First of all, discovering that there is actually a whole section of the library dedicated to fairy tales and their history was huge for me! I always thought of the nonfiction section as a place you only went to when you had to do research for school, and never something I would do for fun! Once I started reading more about the history of Beauty and the Beast, both in books and online, I discovered the existence of an older tale, by Madame de Villeneuve. I tried getting my hands on it, or at least finding a decent summary, but at the time it was really hard to find details on it. The few people that wrote about it seemed to have contradictory opinions on it. The curiosity to find out more about the elusive Villeneuve version really prompted me to research more. And my search into Beauty and the Beast naturally dovetailed into learning about other fairy tales, which I had always liked, if not quite as obsessively :)

FTNH:  Ah - curiosity! Always takes you down paths you could never have imagined..! I totally approve. *grins* It's one of the reasons I love Tales Of Faerie: you're not only asking questions but always looking to find out more. *serves Kristin another cupcake* Do you have a process for blogging, or studying then blogging?

K: If I have no specific topic or idea in mind, I might just go over to my bookshelf and pull down a book and start flipping through! Usually, though, through following other fairy tale blogs, or through reading I'm already doing, I'll find something that interests me and I think would interest readers. Although at times when I can't seem to think of anything to post about, I've been known to type things into google like "what should I blog about?" Inspiration can come in waves, there are days I just don't want to stop blogging and am so excited about what I learn, and other days when I just want to put more energy into other aspects of my life.

FTNH:  I'm all too familiar with those "wish I could clone myself" days when there seems to be a thousand things to report or write about. I'm just so glad you write as often as you do. As much as I believe in the importance of reporting on news with regard to fairy tales, I do wish I had more time to ponder and discuss ideas I have while I'm information gathering! Tales Of Faerie, gives me the chance to do that - and often! - so I really appreciate your posts giving me that outlet, more than you know as a result (though you may have figured I don't get to discuss the things on my mind too often from often lengthy comments I'll leave every now and then! Sorry about that...) *winces, notices angle of sun* Oh my goodness, the morning is already waning and I'm sure your Beast, er, Prince is missing you. Thank you so much for your visit. I wish we had longer to chat! There are so many things I'd love to ask you...

K: Of course! I'll show you around and we can chat some more. Why don't we meet over at Tales of Faerie at 11 for a tour? We can start with The Parlor Room.

FTNH: Oh my goodness! I'd be honored! Will we be able to see the grounds?  Could I bring some friends too? *to self* What should I wear?

K: Of course! I'll show you around and we can chat some more.

FTNH:  Wonderful! I'll see you at your blog at 11am today!

K:  I should go get things ready then! See you in a bit!

*waves goodbye to Kristin as she gallops off on her horse and goes back inside*

An invitation to Tales Of Faerie! I have to get ready...

If you'd like to join us on this special tour of TOF today, meet us over at Kristin's enchanted blog at 11am today. I'll bring this banner so you can easily follow along:

See you there! *exits in a rush to rifle through closet*

Note: All illustrations used, unless otherwise indicated, are from Kristin's favorite picture book version of Beauty and the Beast, written by Max Eilenberg, Illustrated by the amazing Angela Barrett (2006).

_________________________________________________________________________________

Next stop: TALES OF FAERIE: Parlor Room (Click -Parlor Room- to go straight there...)

Angelina Jolie on Maleficent vs Sleeping Beauty, Fairy Tales & the Tashi Stories

The press events for the launch of Maleficent are heating up and Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning are currently in the UK promoting their film. Among the new fairy tale fashion statements (I adore Ms. Jolie's birds on branches dress here and check those character-themed shoes below from the French tour!) are a whole lot of Q&A's which, I have to say, they're really brave to do. (I feel for poor Elle getting random questions thrown at her about everything from being a role model to what she thinks of illegal downloading and piracy! Poor kid.)

Today (Friday) they held a large press conference in London to spontaneously (and bravely) answer questions from the press, and it was a delight to hear people asking about real fairy tales and have Ms. Jolie in particular, talk, not only about the film and Sleeping Beauty, but also about fairy tales and the stories she tells her children.
                               
I took a 6(ish) minute video clip from beginning of the full press conference video (which is about half an hour long), since that's the part fairy tale people will be most interested in, but you can find the full interview HERE.

Here's the fairy tale relevant portion of the interviews:

One question asked of Ms. Jolie was what fairy tales or stories she reads to her children and although I wasn't very surprised to hear she likes to make up her own tales, she did say she reads the Tashi stories,  of which there are many volumes and that she loves. (Basically, she's recommending them to parents everywhere.)

The Tashi stories (16 books so far with 2 Tashi adventures in each) are written by Australian authors Anna Fienberg with and her mother Barbara Fienberg, and illustrated by award winning artist Kim Gamble. While these books aren't traditional fairy tales, they are definitely drawn from and inspired by fairy tales from all over the world, centering on a character named Tashi, who comes "from a place far away", and goes on many, many adventures. Tashi is a Tibetan name meaning 'good fortune' or 'auspiciousness'.)

Here's an introduction to Tashi and his world of stories:

A boy named Jack describes his new friend, Tashi, who arrives one day on the back of a swan from a magical country populated with giants, dragons, ghosts and all sorts of other things that go bump in the night. Tashi mesmerizes Jack (and Jack mesmerizes his parents) with tales of his exploits about outwitting a succession of deliciously horrible villains ("I'll pluck out your nose hairs, one by one," a bandit threatens Tashi). Sometimes Tashi tells a story, to Jack; sometimes Jack recounts a Tashi adventure to his parents. In an amusing role reversal, Jack's parents hang breathlessly on their son's every word ("So tell us," Jack's father says. "After Tashi tricked those giants and teased the bandits, how did he meet these ghosts?"), and the dialogue between the storyteller and his audience invisibly tightens the narrative tension. Teasers end each tale ("`So that's the end of the story,' said Jack sadly. `And everyone was safe and happy again.' `Yes,' said Tashi, `that is, until the bandits arrived'.."). (Description from Publishers Weekly) 

   

Tashi began as a conversation with my mother. She was telling me how, when she was a child, she used to tell whoppers. Creative fibs. Tall stories. And the kids would crowd around, dying to hear the latest tale. We began talking about a character like her - a character who told fantastic stories - and over many cups of tea we cooked up Tashi’ - Anna Fienberg 

 

(Tashi) had so many appealing qualities: a rich friendship between boy and friend (or alter ego); a teasing relationship between boy and father; a fresh take on the 'tall tale'; a fearless blend of European and Asian folk story traditions; larger-than-life villains; an irrepressible hero living by his wits (brain not brawn always triumphs); action aplenty; exotic landscapes; and scope for cinematic pictures… (from the Alien Onion children's book editors blog)

Although I haven't read them all (I will soon fix that problem!) the ones I've seen are enchanting, both in the story telling and the illustrations and it's delightful to find characters we're familiar with along the way, whether they be giants that sound familiar or Baba Yaga or even Bluebeard (yes, there's a children's story with Bluebeard in the collection! But don't be concerned. You, and any kids you read to, are in good hands with these authors.)

The official website for the many Tashi books is HERE and you can get them pretty much anywhere in the world (and Amazon is a good place to start as the collection is currently 29% off).

One of Brad Pitt's personal portraits of Angelina Jolie: "wife & mother"