Riza Curtis's Blog

K.S. Trenten and Fairest

The third interview in my Once Upon a Rainbow series is with the lovely Kari Trenten aka K.S. Trenten, talking about her story Fairest.Fairest is an F/F hodgepodge of popular fairy tales Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, with a dash of Cinderella which Kari has given her own twist by making the witches former princesses. Fairest was originally released last year (2016) by the Prizm Young Adult line of Torquere Press, Inc. Rights were returned to Kari after a failure to fulfil the original contract by Torquere. Kari is delighted it has found a new home with Nine Star Press.Kari says, "I’ve made a lot of changes to polish up this edition of Fairest,plus I’ve given many of the previous characters, including the narrator names. I’ve done my best to do this without the disturbing the content original fans of Fairest loved."Fairest BlurbWhat will you change into?All of my life, I’ve been haunted by her dark eyes. At birth, she cursed me to prick my finger on a spindle and sleep for a century. She appears in my dreams, my reflections, shaping my desires. Who is she? My guardian has only revealed a few enigmatic words as to her identity, the fairest of them all. Follow me into the Forest of Tears where the dwarves dwell, walking where she once walked. Gaze into the depths of the magic mirror which reveals her secrets. For I refuse to be afraid of her, even if I should.And, here's the interview. I'm in blue and Kari is in italics. The big theme for this anthology is fairy tales, were you a fan as a child? Do you think that fairy tales have a special place in people’s hearts?Definitely. There’s something iconic about fairy tales. They remind me of tarot card imagery. One can infuse them with entirely new meaning and vitality with each generation, renewing them. I remember reading some of Tanith Lee’s own interpretations of fairy tales, marveling at the new spin she put on them. Storm Constantine did the same thing. It inspired me, made me want to reinvent them myself.You describe Fairest as a mixture of what are arguably some of the most popular fairy tales in the world, do you think that made it easier for you to write or harder? Are people more critical when you use components from their favourites?Definitely, but I’m hoping some readers will be intrigued and interested,as well as critical. The story came to me out of my own criticism as a reader of some fairy tales I found compelling, yet there were elements which bothered me. The magic mirror, the question “Who is the fairest of them all?” became more and more powerful for me over time. There was more to it all than simple vanity. This was one of the driving elements that led me to craft this story. The other was the prince feeling very much like an after thought, when the driving conflict was between the princess and the witch that curses her. This was true in both Snow White and Cinderella. One of my favorite Japanese anime,Revolutionary Girl Utena used the phrase ‘princesses who aren’t saved by a prince become witches’. These words haunted me, shaping elements of my story. Later, I realized I’d gotten the quote wrong. (laughs) Ah, well, inspiration came from my mistake. :)Fairy tales have a reputation for rehashing tropes and clichés; was that something you were consciously worried about? How did you avoid that and put your own spin on things?Actually, I wasn’t worried about that at all. I’m not sure if I was even aware of the reputation when I first wrote this. I followed my heart,allowing my character to follow her heart. I wanted to write a story about the cursed princess falling in love with the witch who cursed her. As a reader, I’d been frustrated by the fact that none of the writers I loved ever attempted this. I decided to it myself. I often write about the things I’ve always wanted to read about. :)What is your favourite fairy tale and why?Actually I wrote about two of my favorites, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. I’m fascinated by the sleeping curse. It’s always struck me as being quite vampiric. In fact, I wrote a very short story for creative writing class as a teenager, where Sleeping Beauty was a vampire, woke up, and ate the prince. My writing is a lot less dark than it used to be. :) I’m also very fond of Rumplestumplestiltskin and Rapunzel, the stories about faeries or witches. I often considered the potential story of the infant prince, if Rumplestumplestiltskin had taken him. Or Rapunzel being raised in isolation by the witch.If you could be in a fairy tale which one would you chose? Would you be a hero or a villain?Yikes! If you’ve read the original stories, this is a good way to get eaten! :) Hmm, I’d be a hero clever enough to survive and get rich, like Jack or Molly Whoopie. Or a villain too powerful to be ended by the hero, like Baba Yaga. :) I think I’d prefer to be the helpful guardian/assistant than the actual hero, though. The one who whispers the secret to the main character, pointing them in the right direction.And our final question; a quick sales pitch! Why should we read Fairest?It’s an aesthetically pleasing, entertaining read, well worth the money you’ll be paying. It’s a different spin on a classic tale with the kind of happy ending I’ve always dreamed of having, if I won and wooed a woman I loved.Thanks for taking the time to stop by Kari, I can’t wait to read the other books you write in future!Thank you very much for having me, Riza! I appreciate the interest…you won’t have to wait long for more of my stories. :) Seven Tricks, my Mouse Prince/Nutcracker holiday tale comes a week after Fairest. I’ve got another f/f fantasy fairy tale appearing in Once Upon a Rainbow 2 called At Her Service. This time, it’s all gender bending Cinderella. :)Kari can be found:Twitter: @rhodrylmavelyneFacebook: K.S. TrentenGoodreads: K.S. TrentenWebsite: https://rhodrymavelyne.tumblr.comPlease note that Riza Curtis cannot be held responsible for the contents of external sites.

Dianne Hartsock and Little Match Girl

The second interview in my Once Upon a Rainbow series is with Dianne Hartsock.

Dianne’s story ‘Little Match Girl’ is a retelling of classic fairy tale ‘The Little Match Girl’ by Andersen. This story was one of my personal favourites from the anthology and had me rooting for Christian and Dani from the start.

Little Match Girl Blurb
Falling in love with the Little Match Girl was easy, but now Christian is determined to help Dani find his family, even if doing so means he might lose him forever.

Christian can’t help himself. He’s fallen in love with the sweet, sometimes effeminate guy who’s been coming into the sandwich shop for the past several months. But Dani is also the Little Match Girl, the ragged queer selling candles on the street corner Christian’s been avoiding all year, going so far as to cross the street to avoid walking by him. Ashamed, he wonders if Dani can ever forgive him.
Losing his mother to cancer, Dani has spent the last year in a haze of grief and loneliness, selling Mother’s candles like they always had, giving himself to any man who can pay, saving him from having to go home to his father’s brutality. Desperate for a place to belong, he sets out with Christian to find his mother’s family. Christian helps, wanting Dani to be happy, though the cost might be losing his sweet lover forever.

Anyway, here's the interview. I'm in bold and Dianne is in italics.

Hi! How's it going?
I’m doing great! Thanks for inviting me to your blog today, and thanks everyone for stopping in. I’m a floral designer by day, so the holidays are always a super busy time for me, where I can never get all the writing done that I’d like. But it’s always nice to take a break and chat with my friends about books, especially an anthology like this one full of so many terrific stories.

The big theme for this anthology is fairy tales, were you a fan as a child? Do you think that fairy tales have a special place in people’s hearts?
I grew up watching ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ on TV, so fairy tales were an integral part of my childhood. I loved the fantasy and magic and drama of each story. It was a way to escape for an hour or two into a world of beauty and vibrant color and song, where a happy ending was always guaranteed. I think fairy tales have a special place with people for this reason, especially adults, where we’re not always promised the happily ever after. And also, it’s the good memories associated with either watching or having someone read fairy tales to us as children that cause that warm spot in our hearts that make them important to us.

Just wanted to say great choice of fairy tale, certainly not one of the more common ones. What made you decide to base your story on this?
Hans Christian Andersen’s stories have always been favorites of mine. So much drama! I stumbled upon The Little Match Girl while looking for a fairy tale to make my own. I’d never read this one before. It’s heartbreaking. Beautifully written. Such pathos. I needed to try to capture that feeling in my own version, but of course add the happy ending. I can’t write a story without one. I decided to set my love story in the present, with my gender fluid hero raised in poverty, finding a lover able to see past that to his beautiful soul.

What is your favourite fairy tale and why?
Grimm’s Beauty and the Beast. I had the story read to me before watching the Disney version. So romantic! I remember hurting for the beast’s loneliness and pain and kept hoping he’d find happiness. Even young as I was, I loved the tragic hero and the beautiful girl who fell in love with him, even though he was a beast. And of course having him transform into a handsome prince was the icing on the cake! I still love a good angsty romance!

If you could be in a fairy tale which one would you chose? Would you be a hero or a villain?
Cinderella! Not the evil step mother/sisters part, but having a fairy godmother, the beautiful gown and glittering party and having the prince fall in love and take me away to a blissful life. Pure fantasy, of course! I believe we each have to make our own happiness. But also, if we’re going to dream, why not make it the best fantasy we can create?

And our final question; a quick sales pitch! Why should we read Little Match Girl?
Because Dani is such a sweetheart! (Just adding that I totally agree!) I fell a little bit in love with him myself. Shy, effeminate, but with a core of strength that helps him survive on the streets when there’s no one in the whole world who cares whether he lives or dies. And Christian, his crush, who sees through his ragged appearance to his beautiful soul and falls in love with the pretty Little Match Girl. This story might make your heart ache at times, but will leave you with a smile and warm spot in your heart by the ending.

Dianne can be found:
Twitter: @diannehartsock
Facebook: Dianne Hartsock, Author
Goodreads: Dianne Hartsock
Website: https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/

Please note that Riza Curtis cannot be held responsible for the contents of external sites.

J.P. Jackson and Hood's Ride is Red

Since Gingerbread is part of an awesome anthology containing lots of great stories, I caught up with one of the other authors; J.P. Jackson for a chat. J.P.'s story 'Hood’s Ride is Red' is a retelling of classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. It was one of my favourites from the anthology, I really liked the set-up of the story (but I’ll shh because, spoilers)!Hood’s Ride is Red BlurbA red car, a werewolf, and a trip to grandpa’s house – this ain’t your usual Little Red Riding Hood.Harkin Ross, otherwise known as Hood, hasn’t exactly had a happy childhood. His mother died in childbirth and his older brother perished in an unusual accident on the family farm. Hood’s father hasn’t coped well over the years and he’s spiraled into a black hole of anger, alcoholism and abuse.But when Kenneth Lowell is hired as the family farm hand, Hood’s life vastly improves. Kenneth earns Hood’s trust, and friendship while teaching Hood some basic mechanics skills, helping Hood get his red Dodge Dart up and running.Kenneth however is hiding a violent and primal secret of his own. When Hood’s father discovers the Hired Hand is doing more than just yard work, the weekly trip to Grandpa’s house goes all to hell.Anyway, here's the interview. I'm in blue and J.P. is in italics. Hi! How's it going?Everything is AWESOME! (Are you singing the Lego theme song in your head now? He he he he…) Thanks for having me, I’m happy to be here.The big theme for this anthology is fairy tales, were you a fan as a child? Do you think that fairy tales have a special place in people’s hearts?Funny, you know, fairy tales were never a big staple in my house growing up. I mean, we knew them, but, I don’t specifically ever recall having books of them around. But I’m sure they were there because I read lots and lots of books from a very early age.Winnie-the-Pooh was a popular favourite, though.But, I think globally, fairy tales are well known because they are an avenue to teach children about morals, good manners, and general life expectations. Every culture has their own set of stories, and even though the tales vary quite a bit, in the end, I think they all teach us the same things. I find that ‘world view’ aspect quite fascinating. Doesn’t matter where you were born, what language you speak, or what your skin tone might be – all of our parents, grandparents, guardians, and relatives told us fairy tales.It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned about, and read some of the Grim Fairy Tales and realized how bloody, dark, and viscous they truly are! That’s probably when I fell in love with them as opposed to being a favourite in childhood.I’m warped that way.Hood’s Ride is Red is obviously based on one of the most famous fairy tales. Did you start with the fairy tale and then build a premise, or did you have a premise that worked with the fairy tale? Do you think that having a base made the story easier for you to write or harder?When the submission call went out for retold LGBTQA+ fairy tales, I thought about a few of the classics, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, and the Little Mermaid. But none of them spoke to me, and then after doing a Google search for Fairy Tales I came across this image:>Unfortunately, due to copyright issues I can't post the image directly on the blog but you can view it here.Then I remembered Little Red Riding Hood, and I was instantly hooked. Within a few short minutes, I had my story laid out in my head. Later, when I had time, I set out with my laptop and banged out the entire story. It didn’t take me long to write, maybe a couple of nights.What is your favourite fairy tale and why?Oh say, that’s a hard question.I’m going to go with Hansel and Gretel. Because, candy. Speaking of which, the candy that’s mentioned in Hood’s Red Ride – my favourite. If you want to bribe me, this is how to do it. No, I’m not going to tell you – you have to go read Hood’s story. If you could be in a fairy tale which one would you chose? Would you be a hero or a villain?Why the hard questions? Why?Hmmm.Think, think, think. Beauty and the Beast.Who would I be? Why, the person who falls in love with Beast! That’s who! Except I don’t really want Beast to turn back into a human. Can I have him as the Beast, please?And our final question; a quick sales pitch! Why should we read Hood’s Ride is Red?Why you ask such hard questions? No fair.Ugh, okay. Why should you read Hood’s Ride is Red? Because the main character is grumpy. Hood is ornery and that to me is realistic. He’s in prison! And he was turned into a werewolf. I think that’s enough to make anyone grumpy.But how’d all that happen? Well, I guess you’ll just have to read about it! ;o)Thanks for having me! It was fun to be here!J.P. can be found: Twitter: @canuckbear88Facebook: @jpjacksonwritesGoodreads: J.P. JacksonPlease note that Riza Curtis cannot be held responsible for the contents of external sites.

October Update

Just a quick update post again :)

- 'Callum and the Cupids' has just been released and is now live on Amazon! Eeek!

- 'Gingerbread' has had its copy editing and proof reading done. It's out mid-November (I can't remember the exact date, oopsie!)

-'The Cupids Do Christmas' is with my editor and she's working her amazing magic at the moment. This is due for release around Thanksgiving.

- I'm currently working on a spin-off within the Gingerbread universe, following a different Supernatural Investigation team who are looking into a police officer suspected of multiple murders. I'll try and get a blurb up for this one soon.

Have a lovely month! Riza x

August Update

Just a quick update post this week, as I'm super busy, but things are happening people! :D

- 'Callum and the Cupids' is currently with the editor. Publication is slated for late September/early October!

- I now have some gorgeous cover art for 'Callum and the Cupids'. This means an exciting cover reveal soon!

- 'Gingerbread' which is part of Ninestar Press's 'Once Upon A Rainbow' anthology is currently with the copy editor. Publication is slated for release in mid-November!

- I'm currently working on a Christmas story, a sequel to 'Callum and the Cupids' which is tentatively titled 'The Cupids Do Christmas'.

Being British in an American World

It's a short post this week mostly written to justify my choice to publish Callum and the Cupids in British English. By the way, C&TC is going off to my second set of betas and then on to be edited this week (I'm so excited)! It turns out that there are a s̶u̶r̶p̶r̶i̶z̶i̶n̶g̶ surprising number of pitfalls awaiting Brits who try to edit their writing into US English...1. You can't just use 'Find and Replace' to change every '-se' and '-sing' suffix to '-ze' and '-zing'.2. It's not as easy of getting rid of every 'u' in words with an '-our' suffix either (thanks 'glamour').3. Even names can be pronounced differently- I'm looking at you Craig/Cregg. 4. American's don't snog, wank or queue. Nothing gets done sharpish. They also use weird crutches. Go figure. As an inherently lazy individual it only makes sense to capitalise on my 'quaint Britishness' and publish my writing as it was written! :D

Callum and the Cupids and Archery

If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen a few quotes from my Camp NaNoWriMo story Callum and the Cupids. The story follows the adventures of recent university graduate Callum in his new job as a cupid. Throughout the story archery plays a big role for the cupids. Well I most definitely did not have the first clue about archery and I wanted to get it right so a lot of my research was supported by my lovely friend Feowyn (who is an epic archer) but then my local archery club advertised a beginners course and I decided that really it was my duty as an author to have a go myself.

Let me paint the scene for you. I'm in the middle of England. The sun is desperately trying to shine from behind some suspicious-looking clouds but it manages to hold out for the whole afternoon. The shoot is in the middle of a field... somewhere. It looks easy enough to find on the website but that doesn't translate well when I'm stood in the middle of some poor farmers crops thinking 'this doesn't seem right'.... After a frantic phone call and some luck I find the place. Ah well, I'm only 5 minutes late.

I have the misfortune of being right handed with a left-dominant eye; this means I get the joy of shooting as a leftie. Bring it on.

I'm handed a bow. I had never realised quite how large recurve bows are, standing up it was almost as tall as me, easily reaching my eyes (although I am only 5'1"). This was quite intimidating. Then there are a lot of things to remember; hand positions and bent elbows and feet and chins and..!

Well anyway, off we go to shoot. I awkwardly manage to place the shaft on the rest and fit the arrow to the string (ambidextrous I am not) and raise the bow when the arrow promptly flies sideways with the wind. Ah, I don't think it's meant to do that. We replace the rest on my bow and off I go to try again, shooting the target and the field (I'm not discriminatory) hurray!

The only problem was that shooting was painful. Like really painful. This was not included in any of my research...


I managed to:
A) Miss the bracer and hit my arm with the string (twice)
B) Hit my shoulder (I don't even know how I managed that?)
C) Get the string between the bracer and my arm (also how?)

Edit: check out this beauty of a bruise that appeared overnight!


Anyway despite all the whinging it was quite fun and I enjoyed myself really. I definitely improved after the end of the three hours. Oh yes and I have two more weeks of this if anyone wants an update.

Check out my final lot (mine are the ones with pink fletching), they're all on the target and one even sneaked into the yellow! ;D

Music and Writing

I am someone that constantly has music on my brain. It runs through my head all the time, I play it in the background and I love attending gigs. I sing along to anything and everything (driving everyone around me nuts) and I can recite song lyrics far better than my times tables!

In light of this I thought I'd share one of my writing playlists with you. It's a generic one that I enjoy working to, rather than music for a specific story so there are no themes going on and I will just warn you that some of the songs have explicit lyrics so listen at your own risk!!

I'm particularly lucky to have seen a number of the artists on the playlist live (I just counted and I've seen 11 of them :D) anyway, if you get the chance, I would definitely recommend going to see music live, it's always a great experience!

I hope you enjoy!

Spotify Playlist

Hello from Pride!

It seems rather apt that my first blog post be on Pride as both an author that writes LGBT+ stories and a member of the community.Pride is always a phenomenal event to attend, the energy and atmosphere never fails to astound me. When you march alongside thousands of people like yourself it's impossible to feel alone, even if you don't know anyone. It is an event that brings many complex emotions to the surface for a lot of people. Great strides have been made for the community but you only have to turn on the news to see that we still have so very far to go. If you asked 100 people what Pride means to them you would get 100 different answers. To me, Pride is a protest against the injustices carried out against our people but it's also a celebration, both for the movement as a whole and as individuals in our own journeys.I hope that one day we won't need to march and tell the world that we're here, we exist and that we matter, but until then I will march with pride alongside my brothers and sisters and comrades.Happy Pride!