Heidi Anne Heiner's Blog, page 118

Bargain Book: By These Ten Bones by Clare B. Dunkle

By These Ten Bones by Clare B. Dunkle is bargain priced in paperback for $4.00.

Book description:

There’s hidden places all over this land-old, old places. Places with a chain for them to chain up the wolf when it’s time.

A mysterious young man has come to a small Highland town. His talent for wood carving soon wins the admiration of the weaver’s daughter, Maddie. Fascinated by the silent carver, she sets out to gain his trust, only to find herself drawn into a terrifying secret that threatens everything she loves.

There is an evil presence in the carver’s life that cannot be controlled, and Maddie watches her town fall under a shadow. One by one, people begin to die. Caught in the middle, Maddie must decide what matters most to her-and what price she is willing to pay to keep it.

Bargain Ebook: The Hum and the Shiver (Tufa Novels) by Alex Bledsoe

The Hum and the Shiver (Tufa Novels) by Alex Bledsoe is bargain priced at $2.99 in ebook format. As usual, this discount is anticipation of the sequel/companion book release in June, Wisp of a Thing (Tufa).

The book was well-reviewed by several sources and has been on my list since its release. And it is set in Tennessee which, of course, makes it appealing to me. No fairy tales here, but definite folklore influences.

Book description:

Named one of the Best Fiction Books of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews, The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe is an enchanting tale of music and magic older than the hills. . . .

No one knows where the Tufa came from, or how they ended up in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Enigmatic and suspicious of outsiders, the Tufa live quiet lives in the hills and valleys of Cloud County. While their origins may be a mystery, there are hints of their true nature buried in the songs they have passed down for generations.

Bronwyn Hyatt, a pure-blood Tufa, has always insisting on doing things her own way, regardless of the consequences. Even though Tufa rarely leave Cloud County, she enlisted in the Army to escape the pressures of Tufa life—her family, her obligations as a First Daughter, and her dangerous ex-boyfriend. But after barely surviving a devastating ambush that killed most of her fellow soldiers, Private Hyatt returns to Cloud County wounded in body and in spirit. But danger lurks in the mountains and hollows of her childhood home. Cryptic omens warn of impending tragedy, and a restless “haint” lurks nearby, waiting to reveal Bronwyn’s darkest secrets. Worst of all, Bronwyn has lost touch with the music that was once a vital part of her identity.

Now Bronwyn finds the greatest battle to be right here at home, where her obligations struggle with her need for freedom, and if she makes the wrong choice, the consequences could be deadly for all the Tufa. . . .

“A sheer delight.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

What Is Your Library Saying?

Inspired by the Sorted Books Projects, Midori Snyder has been hosting a series, What Is Your Library Saying?, at her blog In the Labyrinth. Essentially you use book titles to create quasi-poetry, often quite funny.

I pulled out these books weeks ago and have been tempted to plunder my shelves even more, but have been trying to put away messes, not create new ones recently. So I can refocus on the blog and SurLaLune in general again. And prep for the upcoming Beauty and the Beast tales book release. And I just finally recharged my camera.

Here's my one entry so far because I just had to focus on fairy tale titles.



I was proud that all of these books are fairy tale titles excepting The Big Crunch which was simply too wonderful not to use here.

I could do more. But I would be tempted to reuse titles over and over. And most would involve mirrors, red, or fairies since those are the most usable folklore titles on my shelves. Move on to my largish mystery collection and we are in trouble for I will waste hours playing this game which reminds me of the refrigerator poetry magnets that were so popular several years ago. And I have a 5,000+ library to play with. I haven't even considered my picture book collection!

If you want to play along, you can submit a photo to Midori, post on your own blog, or if it is fairy tale themed and you want it here, send the photo to me and I'll add to the chain.

New Book: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani (Author), Iacopo Bruno (Illustrator) is released next week. The book description says it best, but it draws inspiration from several fairy tales.

Book description:

At the School for Good and Evil, failing your fairy tale is not an option.

Welcome to the School for Good and Evil, where best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll earn top marks at the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil.

The two girls soon find their fortunes reversed—Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.

But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are . . . ?

The School for Good and Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one.

Vote For Your Favorite Cinderellas!

I'm going to be updating several pages on the SurLaLune main site soon, especially with latest releases and video and perhaps some updated design. Cinderella comes first and I wanted to ask for your help.

On the Cinderella pages, the right hand column features cover images for books, movies, etc. of Cinderella. I will feature new releases in the column and then highlight other popular titles in the remaining space. But I can't decide which ones to highlight since there is an abundance to choose from.

So what are your favorite modern Cinderella retellings in picture books, novels, movies, etc.? No limit on how many you like, just add a comment to this post. I would post some here, but I want fresh results with no prompting by me.

In a week I will randomly choose one of the replies to receive a free paperback copy of Cinderella Tales From Around the World as a thank you, limit one entry per user name.

Coupon for Little Mermaid Blu-Ray and DVD Releases

The Little Mermaid (Three-Disc Diamond Edition: Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy + Music) and The Little Mermaid (Two-Disc Diamond Edition: Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy) have $5 off coupons available for the next three days on Amazon on the item pages linked above. Just look at the special promotions line to clip the coupon and then use it before the coupon expires in three days.

These are preorders and in my experience the price always goes down considerably closer to release date, so preordering with the coupon now--which will be applied to the lowest price listed on the item between now and release day--will get you one of the movie sets for the best price on release day. I've saved several dollars doing this previously on other purchases.

Of course, this all depends on just how many times you have bought and own Little Mermaid. I have a DVD of the movie already, not Blu-Ray, and am debating whether I am going to buy it AGAIN. They do resell well whatever edition you have but I usually pass them along to other families with even tighter budgets than mine. Note that these editions include digital copies so the Disney double/triple/quadruple dipping on consumers with their "vault releasing" strategies will have to be more creative in the future.

Bargain Books: Cinder, Scarlet, & The Thirteenth Tale

I am going to be returning to more regular posting soon. I am in the throes of finishing up the next SurLaLune book as well as personal demands beyond SurLaLune's doman, from a thankfully light cold, travel, work, and the various stresses and mundane demands of living. But since these have a time limit, I'm taking a moment to share.

This weekend only, Marissa Meyer's fairy tale sci fi novels are on sale again in ebook format. This time Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles) is $3.56 (even cheaper!) and Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles) is $4.99, same price as before. They are similarly priced on Barnes and Noble. They will go back to the $7-9 range after Sunday night. They really shouldn't be missed. They are best sellers for a reason...

And while we're here:


The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield is $1.99 today (Saturday) only on Amazon. It may be of interest to SurLaLune readers.

Book description:

When Margaret Lea opened the door to the past, what she confronted was her destiny.

All children mythologize their birth...So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter's collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale as they are for the delight and enchantment of the twelve that do exist.

The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself -- all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter's story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission.

As Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good, Margaret is mesmerized. It is a tale of gothic strangeness featuring the Angelfield family, including the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire.

Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida's storytelling but remains suspicious of the author's sincerity. She demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.

The Thirteenth Tale is a love letter to reading, a book for the feral reader in all of us, a return to that rich vein of storytelling that our parents loved and that we loved as children. Diane Setterfield will keep you guessing, make you wonder, move you to tears and laughter and, in the end, deposit you breathless yet satisfied back upon the shore of your everyday life.

The Worn Out Dancing Shoes at Erstwhile Comics

Erstwhile Comics has begun a new fairy tale comic on their site, this time The Worn Out Dancing Shoes, often known better by the title of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. New pages are launching Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until the comic is completed. I know there are many fans of the tale here, so head on over and read and show your support for this great site and work. If you are unfamiliar with Erstwhile (I've posted about them before), many lesser known tales are offered for your comic reading pleasure.

Louisa Roy has met the challenge of giving the sisters personalities in this first page:

New Release: On The Dark Path: An Anthology of Fairy Tale Poetry

On The Dark Path: An Anthology of Fairy Tale Poetry, edited by Anita M. Barnard, was released last month but I've been saving it for April since this is National Poetry Month in the US.

Book description:

A haunting and profound collection of fairy tale based poems from modern writers. Speaking to us from the woods and the cottage, from the marriage bed, the hospital bed, the writing group and the camps at Dachau, the forty-eight poets in this anthology of poems based on traditional fairy tales, edited by DFW poet and longtime fairy tale enthusiast Anita M. Barnard, bring their personal worlds to the fairy tale and the fairy tale out into the world at large. "On the Dark Path is a hauntingly beautiful collection of poems that lead us deeper into these ancient tales than we've been before. Powerful, surprising, sometimes brutal, these poems enchant the imagination and linger in the mind for days.

If you live in the Dallas, TX area, there will be a reading featuring the editor and some of the poets in May. You can read more about it at book release.

Who: Anita Barnard
What: Book Release: On the Dark Path: An Anthology of Fairy Tale Poetry
When: Saturday, May 11, 7 pm
Where: Lucky Dog Books, 633 W. Davis, 214-941-2665

Speaking to us from the woods and the cottage, from the marriage bed, the hospital bed, the writing group and the camps at Dachau, the forty-eight poets in this anthology of poems based on traditional fairy tales, edited by DFW poet and longtime fairy tale enthusiast Anita M. Barnard, bring their personal worlds to the fairy tale and the fairy tale out into the world at large. The reading will feature some of the local poets whose works appear in the book.

New Book: The Wilful Eye (Tales from the Tower)

The Wilful Eye (Tales from the Tower) edited by Isobelle Carmody and Nan McNab was released earlier this month. Originally released in Australia in 2011, it has finally been released here in the US. A companion book, The Wicked Wood (Tales from the Tower), will be released in August.

Book description:

A dozen of the most exciting and unique writers for young people have chosen fairytales as starting points for their own original stories, in this surprising and spellbinding two-volume collection.

Margo Lanagan (Tender Morsels), Rosie Borella, Isobelle Carmody, Richard Harland (Worldshaker), Margaret Mahy (The Seven Chinese Brothers), and Martine Murray (Henrietta There's No One Better) have taken inspiration from stories that have shaped us all, tales like "Beauty and the Beast," "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," and "The Snow Queen." This collection carries universal themes of envy and desire, deception and abandonment, courage and sacrifice. Characters are enchanted, they transgress, they yearn, they hunger, they hate, and, sometimes, they kill. Some of the stories inhabit a traditional fairytale world, while others are set in the distant future. Some are set in the present and some in an alternative present. The stories offer no prescription for living or moral advice and none belong in a nursery. Open the covers and submit to their enchantment.

And from the publisher's site:

Six of the world's most exciting and best-loved writers have chosen fairytales as inspiration for this spellbinding and subversive short-story collection.

Six writers - Margo Lanagan, Rosie Borella, Isobelle Carmody, Richard Harland, Margaret Mahy and Martine Murray - have taken inspiration from stories that have shaped us all, tales like 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'The Steadfast Tin Soldier' and 'The Snow Queen'. This collection carries universal themes of envy and desire, deception and abandonment, courage and sacrifice.

Characters are enchanted, they transgress, they yearn, they hunger, they hate and, sometimes, they kill.

Some of the stories inhabit a traditional fairytale world, while others are set in the distant future. Some are set in the present and some in an alternative present. The stories offer no prescription for living or moral advice and none belong in a nursery.

Open the covers and submit to their enchantment.