Last month I had the pleasure of sitting down (virtually) with Kelly Jarvis and The Fairy Tale Magazine to chat about fairy tales and my novella, Curses, Diamonds, & Toads. This conversation was recorded and has become part of the launch of The Fairy Tale Magazine‘s new YouTube channel. Our conversation has become the first instalment of their series Author Talks. You can check it all out by clicking the link below.
While I’d like to think there is something extra special about me, I know lucky timing on my part was the reason I got to be part of the channel/series launch. Sometimes squeaking in a publication at the end of a year puts you in a really good place come January.
In our conversation I share how and why I find inspiration in fairy tales, particularly lesser-known fairy tales. While there are many (MANY!) reasons fairy tales are amazing, the big one for me is that they are a safe place to explore our values and how our values are circumstantial. I’ve found that getting curious about the reasons some fairy tales might be unpopular has helped me to tease out the comfort and hope I hope to realize in all of my fiction.
Kelly really did her homework prior to our chat and knew that the fairy tale “Diamonds and Toads”, which my novella retells, was relatively new to me. This is completely true. In our conversation, I share how I came across this fairy tale in Kate Wolford’s newsletter. Kate is the founder and former editor of The Fairy Tale Magazine and for years she has led the magazine’s membership club, The Fairy Godparents. The club has amazing (virtual) seasonal socials, frequent workshops for writers, and Kate sends out a newsletter that is a goldmine for fairy tale enthusiasts. You can learn more about the Fairy Godparents Club by clicking the link below. It really is one of the best reader/writer/nature-lover/bookish groups on the internet.
One of the best reader/writer/bookish groups around
Hopefully my discussion with Kelly about how my initial reaction to this new-to-me fairy tale informed my creative process is a fun behind the scenes perspective. If you haven’t read my novella and want to, you can do so for free by singing up for my newsletter. The link is below.
Our conversation also includes a little bit about why hidden identity is a theme I continue to explore in my stories. Fairy tales taught me from an early age that I can have multiple identities. I can wear the many hats that come from juggling all the responsibilities of modern life. I’ve found a lot of inspiration this year by asking if the villains or antagonists in fairy tales can in fact be the heroes. “Who do I get to be? Can I be a hero?” Are definitely questions that continue to spark my creativity.
We ended our conversation discussing how questions fuel my writing process. Why would someone be compelled to do something that I don’t understand? Could there be a really good reason? My exploration of these questions are an opportunity to realize compassion and empathy in addition to escapism, comfort and whimsy. My short story, “The Witch’s Table,” which was published by The Fairy Tale Magazine last May, came out of this process. You can find and read the short story on The Fairy Tale Magazine. Link below.
It was so much fun talking with Kelly, and I’m so thrilled I get to be a part of The Fairy Tale Magazine‘s YouTube channel. I cannot wait to see where the series goes. If you are a fairy tale fan or just love being part of a passionate community, consider joining me and everyone else at The Fairy Tale Magazine for another year of The Fairy Godparents Club. Being part of a group that celebrates fairy tales and recognizes how special they are has fed my soul and creative process in so many ways. It’s definitely worth investigating, particularly if you find content like my conversation with Kelly interesting.