New Look, Same Once Upon A Blog

No, your eyes are not deceiving you - you are still at Once Upon A Blog!

I just decided to do my own icon as I caved in and finally joined Facebook (site is HERE) to help spread the fairy tale news. Then I realized this blog could use a new header too - one that was smaller than the pic there before - so you can see posts as soon as you go to the page.

I tried this first - I mean, you think fairy tales you think fairies, right? (Even though not many fairy tales have ACTUAL fairies in them):But thought it looked a little generic.

Then I realized I had an old silhouette of a cat grinding coffee, from the tale "How Puss Learned to Talk", and thought the idea of a magic cat, grinding out fairy tale news (with a little dash of espresso) was just right for the blog. :)Here's the same header but with the URL added so people can find us.Please feel free to use any of the artwork above to spread the word about the blog and all the great stuff happening. The world needs fairy tales!

And just in case you miss the cute little creature reading up on fairy tale news, please find him still reading below. :)

The Science of Fairy Tales (Series) - Blowing Down Houses of Straw, Sticks & Bricks

Although we all know how powerful the wind can be in the form of cyclones, hurricanes and tornadoes it still seems a little ludicrous to contemplate houses being blown down by a wolf. But maybe we didn't have all the information on the wolf's circumstances.


Maybe he just put his gassy stomach and heartburn to good use!

Take a look at what a bad combination of gases can do when channeled through this snout, er, cannon:


Let's just hope Big Bad doesn't get 'wind' of this. I like my brick house just fine as it is, thank you!

To get Big Bad's side of the story I recommend : "The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs" (as told to Jon Scieszka)NOTE: The lovely 'Big Bad' drawing above is by artist Caroline Trevella. Click on the image or HERE to go to her website and see more enchanting illustrations.

3rd Podcast Episode of "CAGES: A Steampunk Retelling of Grimm's Jorinde & Joringel" is up

Part III of V of my steampunk fairy tale retelling is up at Supernatural Fairy Tales!

You can read the text and/or listen to the podcast
(me reading with a little music added)
HERE.

There is a small button labeled PLAY below the header for the audio.

Part I can be found HERE.
Part II can be found HERE.

If you'd like to read the fairy tale that inspired it, you can find it HERE, at the amazing fairy tale resource site of SurLaLune.

The next episode - IV - will drop on August 21st...

Thank you, once again, to Dorlana Vann for hosting this short story podcast series.

Enjoy!

"Ash and Ember" & "The Irrelevant Redemption" by Binary Winter Press

Writer/designer Sheatiel Sarao and illustrator Cody Vrosh combined forces to form Binary Winter Press and have just returned from ComiCon where they were spreading the word about their new illustrated book "Ash and Ember".From the website:

Futuristic fables and storybook dissent: Snow White leads a synesthestic revolution. A homicidal pyromaniac Goldilocks stalks the Three Bears. Rapunzel driven slowly mad by the isolation of space station life. Follow our tales out of the woods and into the fire.

They have another fairy tale based book too: "The Irrelevant Redemption: A Steampunk Fairytale". From their WEBSITE:

A cyborg, coming of age fable, a post-human Pinocchio meets Alice in an apocalyptic Wonderland story.

You can read an excerpts of their books on their WEBSITE and see more images in their galleries. There's a BLOG so you can keep up with their latest endeavors and you can check out their t-shirts in their ETSY shop too. There is a definite cyberpunk feel to this collection though you'll also see influences of art nouveau, steampunk and, very likely, robots.

The Science of Fairy Tales - New Series at Once Upon A Blog...

I thought I'd start a fun new series:

'The Science of Fairy Tales'.

(No, it's not based on the book above - I just like that there's a science program that teaches scientific method and exploration in a fairy tale setting. Click on the image above to learn more about it.)

I've collected quite a few pieces of information on scientific facts and theories that are relevant to fairy tales - enough that I have around 10 or so to start - so I thought I'd start a general series and add to it every so often as things appear in the news or are dug up out of my archives.

The first one will appear in a couple of days, then a few more next week, just to get things rolling. If you have any tid-bits you'd like to add to this series, please feel free to email me (see the sidebar for the address) and I'll add it.

For today, I thought I'd show you something I found called, funnily enough, "ILLUSTRATED STUDIES IN SCIENCE AND FAIRYTALES" by Julia Y. (a.k.a. DumpsterDivinE on Etsy).

You can click on the images to get a closer look and read her text.
Here's the blurb about these drawings from her WEBSITE:

"Rana Regulus Demutatio" is the first installment in the series "Illustrated Studies in Science & Fairytales." The title is the latin term for "Frog Prince Transformation" and it is the first accurate documentation of the internal processes involved when a frog transforms into a handsome prince.

Are we grossed out yet? Completely - and completely fascinated too. More please!

While the new series on Once Upon A Blog... will actually scientifically based facts, theories and stories relating to fairy tales, I couldn't help pop in the "Rana Regulus Demutatio" for you. Somehow I have a feeling some (demented?) scientist, somewhere, is experimenting to see if frogs can transform/be transformed... (runs off to grab a pencil and start scribbling a new story)

And while we're on the subject of The Frog Prince (or, more correctly The Frog King or Iron Henry), here are two of my favorite retellings: "Fair Peril" by Nancy Springer and "Water Song" by Suzanne Weyn. Click on the book covers to be taken to more information about each.

NOTE: You can find the rest of the images from JuliaY's book HERE and see her awesome website HERE.

"Covered in Cinders" by Kotogawa Aya

Covered in Cinders

( Hai Kaburi )
by Kotogawa Aya
A beautifully drawn, but chilling account of the the classic story of Cinderella. (Shoujo Magic)

This comic has been out for a few years (since 2002) but, in case it hasn't crossed your radar I thought I'd add a post so you can check it out if you're interested.

Hailed as a 'dark version of Cinderella' this is really just the Grimm version, but it's interesting to see people's reactions on various forums and reviews from "way cool and gory" to "gross and unnecessary!"

And yes, the Grimm's version does have gore -as in, 'if the shoe doesn't fit, cut off a toe!'- so it's not surprising this comic is also getting tagged with 'horror'.Here's the synopsis from anime-planet:

A young girl's mother dies, leaving her with a kind sentiment: if she plants a hazel tree where her grave is, the girl can shake it when deeply worried and her mother will help her. Afterwards, a new woman arrives as her mother, along with two new daughters who will serve as sisters. However, the only one ‘serving' is the young girl, as her new family forces her to perform slave labor while covered in cinders. Soon her luck will change, for a grand ball is approaching, and the prince is rumored to be looking for a wife...

You can read the whole story online HERE for free (click the NEXT button underneath the image to go to the next page).

Fairytale Town's 50th Anniversary Celebration on August 29, 2009

Want to help a child love fairy tales for life? Take them to Fairytale Town.

While I didn't grow up in California I was still lucky enough to be taken to a local fairy tale park called FANTASY GLADES as a child and I remember the experience fondly still. In fact the souvenir tea towel my mother bought remains my favorite to this day though it was already threadbare before I left school and likely hasn't survived. Seeing life size cottages and models of fairy tale objects made the stories even clearer to me and somehow more personal. Sadly, this park closed in 2002, though there are rumors of plans to re-open it, with the bought attractions, in a different location. I hope they do.There are a few fairy tale themed parks left around the world (apart from Disneyland) and from what I've seen, most if not all have a very intimate sense of child and story about them. If you have or know a child you can take to such a place, do it. The benefits of the experience last a lifetime.If you're around Sacramento at the end of August this year, be sure to pop into Fairytale Town and join in the 50th Anniversary Celebrations.

This park was built to “...depict classics in children's literature and be among the child's first contacts with life and human relations.” (as was printed in the park's very first brochure in 1959). The 2.5 acre outdoor park consists of miniature scale models and play areas on the themes of classic fairy tales, classic (magical) stories and nursery rhymes.A description from their site:

Over 25 bright and colorful play sets give young children a backdrop to act out their favorite stories, to encourage creative discovery, and to exercise their minds and bodies on child-friendly slides throughout the lush grounds.

Home to a friendly menagerie of animals from the pages of favorite children's stories, children can meet Peter Rabbit at Mr. McGregor's Garden and see the sheep that Mary brought to school one day. Small gardeners can help water seasonal vegetable beds and seek out a sprouting alphabet of exotic plants.

Small adventurers can join Robin Hood's band of Merry Men in Sherwood Forest's extensive new play fort. Children can go down Jack's Beanstalk, ride in Cinderella's carriage, and burn off extra energy walking on The Crooked Mile, a favorite play structure for many of our guests young and old.

King Arthur's Castle has been the place for unforgettable birthday parties for three generations.

The official celebration, complete with concert, takes place on August 29th, from 5 to 9pm. Although they hold an annual fundraiser, this year is special and they'll be decorating the park with 50's style decor for a little retro feel among their all new remodeling and upgrades.You can find more information about the park HERE, and buy tickets for their special celebration. You can see some more photos of the park HERE, along with a quick description of some of the highlights of the park.

I think I'm going to suggest they sell tea towels. :)

From the Imagination of Alexander Jansson

I love these pieces by Swedish artist, Alexander Jansson. You saw his work yesterday on the cover for 'Darkwood' by M.E. Breen and today I thought I'd show you a little more.

His work has a dreamy, story-telling quality with a definite sense of 'you never know what magic is just around the corner'. The mix of dark and whimsical makes it very fairy tale compatible I think.You can find a lot more if his work HERE on deviantART (under the handle 'enigma-astralis'), HERE at his website and HERE on his 'distortions and mysteries' blog.

Darkwood by M. E. Breen

Here's an interesting recent release (May 12, 2009) from Bloomsbury that uses fairy tale motifs.

"Darkwood" is by M.E. Breen and it's shelved YA, though from the description it's really for everybody.

Here's the Amazon blurb:

Darkness falls so quickly in Howland that the people there have no word for evening. One minute the sky is light, the next minute it is black. But darkness comes in other forms, too, and for thirteen-year-old Annie, the misery she endures in her Uncle’s household makes the black of night seem almost soothing. When Annie escapes, her route takes her first to a dangerous mine where a precious stone is being stolen by an enemy of the king, and later to the king’s own halls, where a figure from Annie’s past makes a startling appearance. All the while, reported sightings of kinderstalk— mysterious, wolf-like creatures that prowl Howland’s dark forests—grow more frequent. Eloquent, suspenseful, and imbued with fairy-tale motifs found in The Brothers Grimm, this is a riveting coming-of-age story of a girl who must learn to trust her instincts if she’s to lead the people she is destined to rule.

With a starred review from Kirkus, a favorable review from Booklist, phrases in reader reviews like 'don't miss' & 'a new classic', and words like kinderstalk and Darkblog (where Ms. Breen - pictured on the right - has her blog), I'm going to have to check it out. (You can read chapter 1 as a free PDF download HERE.)

From the blurb and the first chapter I have to hope this book inspires a few artists to get drawing/painting. Apothecaries, hidden pockets, the dark woods and, again, the kinderstalk.. need I say more?

There is, at least, a gorgeous cover to start us off.

It's by Swedish artist Alexander Jansson and clearly says 'fairy tale echoes inside'! In fact, I found the book through the fairy tale-like illustration so he's obviously done a great job of reflecting the content and catching the interest of people who like their fantasy with some fairy tale influence (i.e. me). I'll be profiling this amazing illustrator/artist tomorrow's post.

I've posted Jansson's cover work without the text below so you can get a closer look at some of his lovely painting and texturing (just click on the image). Enjoy!

'Steamy' Fairy Tale Costume Prep & Meet-up (for DragonCon '09)

And by 'steamy' I mean steampunk, of course (well, this time I do anyway! :D ).

There's a group encouraging people who do 'cosplay' (short for costume roleplay) to try a new theme - fairy tales.

If you're not familiar with cosplay this is no dress-up thrown together in a few minutes so you can accompany your kid on the annual Halloween candy hunt. It's actually a form of performance art and these people take their costuming seriously (having a lot of fun in the process). The participant entries tend to range from well put together costumes to incredibly detailed (and mechanically enhanced) outfits that would rival any professional costumer's work.

Here's one of the organizers of this event's costume plan for The Swan MaidenI'm including the post details below so anyone interested can get involved but even if you're not, take a look at some of the ideas that are being put forth for presenting fairy tale characters. It may make you think about your favorite fairy tales a different way and perhaps prompt some creativity of your own...(you listening artists and writers?)Here are some ideas put forward to get people going (I'm quoting from this post HERE with tiny edits for readability). People get to 'claim' the character or choose one of their own. Quite a few are already spoken for (you can find the claimed list HERE):

• The Big Bad Wolf - Dresses like a gentleman, but that's offset by pointed ears, fangs, and a wicked claw device on one hand. Also, wicked mutton chops.
• Swan Maiden - A white feather robe on one side, a clockwork wing on the other.
• Little Red Riding Hood - I need a companion for my Big Bad Wolf, but other than the red cloak/cape it's free reign. In my head, she seems like she could have more of an 'early aviator' style, with flight cap and goggles, and probably oil stains on her cloak. A hatchet or raygun would probably look pretty awesome too.
• Puss in Boots - Cat ears and tail. Very noticable boots. (Sword?) -Plenty of Swashbuckley potential. Steampunk-ing the boots would make them more noticeable, especially if you limit the amount of brass on the rest of the outfit.
• The Girl Without Hands - Free design. Clockwork/mechanical silver hands.
• Aladdin - Arabian inspired outfit. Carry a lamp. (Conversely, could do a steampunk rendition on a genie.)
• The Genie- Could be awesome as some kind of robot. He'll perform any 3 tasks you wish, but then you have to use the lamp to recharge him!
• Peter Pan- Green suit and a jetpack, probably a good candidate for flight goggles and an aviator cap. Dagger/small weapon at the belt maybe?
• The Firebird -Reds yellows and oranges. Clock work wings in the same color scheme.
• 12 Dancing Princesses - bustle the skirt to ensure the "dancing shoes" are visible and find a way to make the shoes look worn and steampunked up a bit. A princess crown and carrying a branch from a "gold", "silver" or "diamond" tree would finish the set out nicely.

You can find even more ideas HERE and HERE.

Steampunking fairy tale characters is becoming more and more popular and I've noticed a few photoshoots happening around the web just this year. Below is Red Riding Hood from a shoot in April in Brooklyn:And HERE is a blog entry about it with more fun pics.

Doesn't it look like fun?

Here are the details of what's happening for the DragonCon '09 Steampunked Fairy Tales Group and where (they'll be having a meet-up and photoshoot) from the cosplay.com post (which you can read all of HERE):

Okay folks, it's time to prepare for Dragon*Con 2009, and my friend Pyro_Ike has started organizing a fun idea for a costume group. The theme is Steampunk Fairy Tales. It just seems to fit together, because they're the kind of stories that would likely still be around in a Neo-Victorian society.

Meet-Up Time & Location
Date: Sunday, September 6th (tentative)
Time: 5:00pm (tentative)
Location: Marriott Atrium Lobby Level, carpeted space next to Atrium Ballroom - across from Pulse (sailboat) Bar (May move elsewhere after gathering to get good photos.)

I'm looking forward to seeing the results!

NOTE: You can see where each of the images are from by clicking on them - you'll be taken to the owner's websites where you can find lots more fun stuff. :)