Fairy tale

Apr 11

I recently read an article that said one of the best things you can do to help yourself get published is, well, to get published. Writing contests are a great way to get short stories out there which helps build a name for yourself and makes publishers feel a bit more comfortable about investing in your full book. Plus, stretching yourself to write a short story is a really good writing exercise. And for those of us who focus on full-length novels, a short story is a stretch, believe me.

I found a wonderful writing contest and am punching away at the keyboard to try to finish my submission before the April 15 deadline. This contest does not lead to any financial payout. And, if selected, your name will not be included on the published piece. But, the contest is for charity. And if I win, I can still list it as a publishing credit, even if my name is not on the published piece.

Kindle for Kids

The contest is to write a short story fairy tale to populate kindles that are going to be donated to a children’s hospital. Now, I don’t know if you’ve spent any time in a hospital, but I have. And boring doesn’t even begin to describe what a dull place hospitals can be. Now imagine being in a hospital as a child. Or imagine being that child’s parent, struggling to entertain your child while also trying to conquer your fear so your child doesn’t pick up on it. And in steps Kindles for Kids. By supplying Kindles to hospitals, children can have books to read or have their parents read to them while they wait for countless hours for all those scary hospital things. Who wouldn’t want to support this, right?

I’ll keep you posted on how the contest goes. And in case you were wondering about the title of this post, my short story is called Once Upon a Cupcake. I do love my cupcakes.

Apr 29

The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale

Rating: 4 out of 5

Ani, the crown princess, can whisper to horses and birds, but when it comes to speaking to her future subjects and living up to her mother’s expectations, she may as well be mute. Convinced that Ani could never rule her people, her mother ships her off to a neighboring kingdom as a bride, only Ani’s guard’s mount a mutiny led by her lady-in-waiting, Selia, to replace Ani with Selia. Barely escaping, Ani disguises herself as a goose girl, finds a position in the palace, and strives to overcome her insecurities and learn how to lead her people. But will it be enough to earn back her rightful place as princess?

The Goose Girl weaves together a wonderful fairy tale in a style reminiscent of Diana Wynne Jones. Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale by the same title, Hale reinvents this classic and adds an almost believable spin on this fantasy story. Ani, the princess who’s identity is stolen by Selia, her lady-in-waiting, is likable. You want her to succeed.The plot is intricate without become overwhelming in it’s complexity and there are enough twists and turns to keep you interested. If you are looking for a fun fantasy tale to get lost in for a couple days, the Goose Girl is a great option.

My one complaint is that the villains are a bit more two-dimensional than some other books I’ve read recently. Of course, this does keep with the style of an old-school fairy tale and the book is meant for a middle-grade audience. Middle-grade villains are often missing the complex motivation you are more like to find in young adult books. That being said, Selia is dealing with issues of wanting more from her lot in life and feelings of entitlement, very real feelings and realistic motivation for her actions beyond the standard villains are evil. When you couple this with Ani’s failings and her attempts to find her strengths and use them to her advantage, you find engaging characters with issues that are sure to speak to most readers.

The Goose Girl ends as any stand-alone book should, with a satisfying conclusion, only this isn’t the end of Ani and her friends’ adventures because the book is actually part of a series called The Books of Bayern. I think this is another one of the book’s strengths. You can feel satisfied if you only have time to read the first book, but if you find yourself thinking about it days or weeks later, you can find more of the wonderful world Hale has created by moving on to the second book, Enna Burning.

Cupcakes and Faires and Writing Contests, Oh My

Kindle for Kids

Book Review Friday – The Goose Girl