Sarah E. Morin's Blog, page 9
October 16, 2015
Narnia, Sleeping Beauty, and Christian Takes on Fairy Tales
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Book signing with local author
Sarah E. Morin
Sat, Oct 17, 11a-2p
What if Sleeping Beauty refused to wake up?
Princess Brierly fell under a curse when she pricked her finger on a spindle. Now after a 100-year snooze, a prince is here to smooch her awake, but Brierly wants nothing to do with him. Why should she believe in him when the Prince she served abandoned her to a century of nightmares? What makes this “waking world” any better or truer than her dreams? Only by facing her deepest fears can she defeat the evil fairy and find the True Love who risked all to save her.
Special Talk Saturday, Oct 17, 1:00
Narnia, Sleeping Beauty, and Christian Takes on Fairy Tales
Is Christian Fairy Tale a contradiction in terms? C.S. Lewis didn’t think so when he created Narnia as a “supposal” to consider how God in the form a lion might save an imaginary realm. Can fictitious worlds of enchantment, fairies, dragons, and True Love point us to what J.R.R. Tolkien called “The One True Myth?” Author Sarah E. Morin explores how she used Sleeping Beauty as the basis for the Gospel message. Hear live readings from Waking Beauty and receive a pass to unlock Biblical study questions online.
17665 Cumberland Road, Noblesville
Store Hours: M-F 10a-7p, Sat 10a-5p
October 5, 2015
Music for Frankenstein – One Dark Day
Clip 2 from NICE (Noblesville Interdisciplinary Creativity Expo) features John Gilmore, owner of Logan Street Sanctuary, where we held the event.
Hanging brand new logo signs on Logan Street Sanctuary. Doesn’t it look NICE?
Little history of the venue: it started out as army barracks! It was moved to Logan Street near downtown Noblesville, IN, where it currently resides in a cozy historic neighborhood, like ET in that scene of stuffed animals. There the building served as a church. John bought it and turned it into a small performance venue. He features a lot of local musicians. There is still a bit of a churchy feel to the place. You sit on pews, for example. I won’t tell you what is hidden in the pulpit.
Interior of Logan Street Sanctuary as Alys and I wait for the artists to drop their pieces off. Wave, Alys!
Mainly it’s a great intimate venue for local gathering of artists. The walls are lined with works from local painters (including my good friend and co-founder of NICE, Alys Caviness-Gober). We filled the front with artwork local community members created, inspired by one of four passages of classic literature. After an open viewing, we had live performances, including this one from John. (Oh, did I mention in addition to being a really generous guy he’s a mean guitar player?)
John Gilmore
One Dark Day was an existing piece, but Alys thought it would fit our Frankenstein selection well.
The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.
Victor Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
Enjoy! Then tell me what music you think fits Frankenstein.
More videos like this on my YouTube channel or the NICE website and Facebook page.
October 4, 2015
Video Intro to NICE
Remember the little project my artist friend Alys Caviness-Gober and I started at the beginning of the summer? It’s called Noblesville Interdisciplinary Creativity Expo, or NICE. We picked that on purpose so people could remember it! And so we could make puns.
Well, this past Friday and Saturday was our inaugural weekend. It was a rousing success!
Vince Schrader read our four literary selections for us. Vince is a fellow Noble Poet, mentor, and a fine reader.
Around 30 artists created 47 works of art based on 4 passages from classic literature. Ages ranged from high school to 70s. We had painters, metalworkers, guitarists, singers, poets, and more! The idea was ANY artistic medium would go. We just wanted people to explore the classics in their own way, and to display their work in an encouraging environment.
I’ll be posting the videos from NICE over the next couple weeks. Enjoy the intro and reading of our selections.
October 1, 2015
Video Clip from Twisted Fairy Tale Writing Workshop
Here’s a short clip from the twisted fairy tale writing workshop I gave at Fishers Library (Putting a New Spin on Sleeping Beauty). The room echoed so turn on the subtitles if you like for clarity.
These young ladies were delightful! They were well-versed in folklore, Greek mythology, Disney, and Star Trek. I hope I was able to give them some useful advice in their writing pursuits. It was such a pleasant 90 minutes geeking out together over shared passions of fairy tales and writing.
If you’d like to join us for the fun and frivolity, there’s another FREE workshop coming up Oct 7, 6:30pm, at Noblesville Library. Ages 12 through adult welcome. Details here.
I will bring the chocolate. Chocolate makes you a better writer. It’s like a magic potion.
September 20, 2015
Free Writing Workshop in Fishers and Noblesville
Are you addicted to fairy tales, but want to tell them your way?
I did it, and I’ll show you how you can, too.
In this workshop for ages 12-adult, author Sarah E. Morin invites you to:
Uncover proof that people have been tweaking and twisting folktales for generations.
Chat about your favorite modern retellings (Narnia, Cinder, Disney, Into the Woods, and your favorites).
Enter her world of unruly fairy tales and poems, including Goldilock-picker and her new novel, Waking Beauty.
Spin a fairy tale as only YOU can. Come with your favorite fairy tale in mind. Pencil and paper will be provided, or bring a laptop for writing.
Signed copies of Waking Beauty will be available for the discounted price of $15.
What are people saying about the New Spin workshop?
It was a great program! Everybody loved it! I loved all the history on fairy tales and the teaching on how to twist a tale. Your enthusiastic manner and getting into character with your dress was excellent! Your presentation was very animated and funny. I found the worksheet you handed out most interesting. Broken down like you had it really helped me with the ideas of where to take my story. The drop spindle analogy was perfect! The candy kisses were a great touch.
-Debbie Fox, Librarian, Elwood Public Library
One Library Plaza
Noblesville, IN 46060
317-773-1384
Fishers Library
Five Municipal Drive
Fishers, IN 46038
317-579-0300
More on the Hamilton East Public Library website.
September 16, 2015
Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Explained
Can a sci fi or fantasy story also be Christian? I used to wrestle with this question. My publisher, Steve Laube of Enclave Publishing, explains some of the key elements of why speculative fiction can be specially suited to grapple with issues Christians face.
September 14, 2015
From Susan B. Anthony to Sleeping Beauty
I was excited to be invited to speak about my book, Waking Beauty, as part of the new Pages at the Prop series. But I was more excited when I discovered the Indianapolis Propylaeum’s connection to Indiana women’s right leader, May Wright Sewall.
May Wright Sewall
The early suffragist hung out with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and my personal heroine, Susan B. Anthony. When I heard that, I just had to figure out a way to connect these two seemingly opposing topics in my talk that evening. So after lots of gleeful brainstorming, I decided on:
From Susan B. Anthony to Sleeping Beauty:
A Feminist Perspective on How Interpreting History is Like Writing Fantasy
Wednesday, Sept 23
6:30-9pm
Indianapolis Propylaeum
1410 North Delaware Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
The evening will include:
◾A Mix and Mingle evening with a presentation and book signing by author
◾Hors D’oeuvres, Sweet Treats, & Wine /Soft Drinks will be served by MBP Distinctive Catering.
◾Tickets are $20 and available through EventBrite: PagesattheProp.eventbrite.com or the Propylaeum Main Office 317.638.7881, option #5.
◾Pre-sale copies of Waking Beauty may be purchased for $15.00 at the Indianapolis Propylaeum Main Office at 1410 N. Delaware Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202.
Here’s my official blurb:
Sarah E. Morin lives two lives. By day she is the Youth Experience Manager at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, living in a world based in fact. By night she is the author of Waking Beauty and other unruly fairy tales, living in a world based in fiction. But are the two pursuits so different? And how did the high school girl who wrote a musical about suffragist Susan B. Anthony wind up years later writing a novel about Sleeping Beauty, the most passive fairy tale heroine of all? Is it possible to connect these diverse interests without betraying ideals? You decide!
To flesh this out, a lot of people think Sleeping Beauty is my favorite fairy tale because I wrote a book about it. It’s not! I wrote the book to FIX the fairy tale. Sleeping Beauty is in reality so dull a story it puts its own main character to sleep. I could never connect to her as a kid because she is so passive. In my high school years, I learned to admire bold and active leaders like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth. So one of the great challenges in attacking the story of Sleeping Beauty some years later was trying to identity with a passive character. What makes her so passive? Is she secretly a superhero in her dreams? And how by the end of the book can I turn her into the active, adventurous kind of heroine I prefer?
Find out when you come to Pages at the Prop!
September 12, 2015
What is Christian Speculative Fiction?
My publisher, the wonderful Steve Laube of Enclave Publishing, answers the question you’ve all been asking:
What is Christian Speculative Fiction?
September 10, 2015
NICE TV Interview
So I think my artist friend Alys and I picked the name NICE (Noblesville Interdisciplinary Creativity Expo) just because we like making puns. Whenever we work on this community project, we say things like, “That was a NICE update to the website.” “NICE job on the posters.”
Well yesterday we had a NICE interview on Hamilton County TV. We are still accepting submissions from writers and artists of ANY medium. You just need to be inspired by one of our four passages from classic literature: To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and Frankenstein.
The deadline has been extended to September 23.
You do not need to be from Noblesville to submit. You can live as far away as Thailand as long as you can get your piece to us to present on your behalf. However, we do hope to foster an encouraging artistic community here in Noblesville.
The interview was fun! Lasted about 10 minutes. Can you keep a secret? We are really in front of a green screen! When I think of green screens I think of Andy Serkis. But no, I didn’t have to go all Gollum, just sat and chatted.
Alys Caviness-Gober and the green screen! Green screens are cool! So is Alys!
I was impressed by how nice the staff was. Alys and I got a personal tour of the building (Wafford Theater). They show old classic movies in a room next door to the news studio. Look at these theater seats!
The 3 in front are the best!
I sank down in one of these bad boys and about never got up. Comfy! Meanwhile, I discovered Alys could name every oldey-timey movie star photo on the wall. Alys wins the quiz while I prop my feet up and relax!
Thank you to Hamilton County Television, Chris Owens, Hipstoric Noblesville Main Street, Jim Wafford, and the Wafford Theater for the interview opportunity! Alys Caviness-Gober and I are excited to share our vision for NICE, and we hope you ALL plan to attend the two-night event (Oct 2 &3) at Logan Street Sanctuary!!
September 7, 2015
Christian spec fic: 2 giveaways and 1 ebook free to all!
For readers of Christian spec fic: Free stuff from Enclave Publishing and their authors!
Knife by R. J. Anderson: enter the giveaway on Goodreads. THIS BOOK LOOKS AMAZING!
The Daughter of Light ebook is FREE FOR EVERYONE right now on Amazon! Morgan Busse is the awesome author I did my book launch with this past April. Hurry, hurry!
And don’t forget to enter the Enclave Publishing ebook giveaway. Just a few hours left!
