Heidi Anne Heiner's Blog, page 67

Bargain Ebook: Wonders of the Invisible World by Patricia A. McKillip for $1.99 TODAY ONLY

Wonders of the Invisible World by Patricia A. McKillip is $1.99 today only in ebook format as a Kindle Daily Deal. This is a collection of McKillip's short stories, gathered from previously published sources. While McKillip usually lets folklore and fairy tales influence her work, some of the stories are specifically fairy tale and folklore driven, like "Twelve Dancing Princesses" and "Undine."

This was on sale previously last May, but is usually in the $10 range.

One Amazon review by Arthur W. Jordin provides an excellent summary of the table of contents:

"Introduction" (2012) by Charles de Lint describes his experiences with the author.

- "Wonders of the Invisible World" (Full Spectrum, 1995) takes a researcher to meet and record fanatics.

- "Out of the Woods" (Flights, 2004) follows a woman who becomes aware of faery.

- "The Kelpie" (The Fair Folk, 2005) draws a talented -- but self-centered -- artist into one final imposition.

- "Hunter's Moon" (Green Man Tales, 2002) exposes the Chase family to a surprise.

- "Oak Hill" (The Essential Borderlands, 1998) teaches a girl that her mother is right.

- "The Fortune Teller" (The Coyote Road, 2007) convinces a thief to change her ways.

- "Jack O'Lantern" (Firebirds Rising, 2006) presents questions on the nature of fox fire.

- "Knight of the Well" (Book of Wizards, 2012) brings a knight to Luminum for the dedication of a foundation.

- "Naming Day" (Wizards, 2007) takes a young magician out chasing an imp on her special day.

- "Byndley" (Firebirds, 2003) returns a wizard to the boundaries of Faery with a task.

- "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" (Wolf at the Door, 2000) solves a problem for the king.

- "Undine" (Faery Reel, 2004) inserts a water sprite into an ecological conflict.

- "Xmas Cruise" (Christmas Forever, 1993) involves two couples in an ecology themed cruise to Antarctic waters.

- "A Gift To Be Simple" (Not of Woman Born, 1999) divulges the innovative way a Shaker community recovers their energy.

- "The Old Woman and the Storm" (Imaginary Lands, 1990) traces the thoughts of a man taking a walk.

- "The Doorkeeper of Khaat" (Full Spectrum, 1990) concerns a man looking for a means to relieve his father's pain.

- "What Inspires Me" (2004) is the Guest of Honor Speech at WinCon 28. It spends most of the time answering another question.

New Book: A Bean, a Stalk and a Boy Named Jack by William Joyce and Kenny Callicutt

(US/UK Links)
A Bean, a Stalk and a Boy Named Jack by William Joyce (Author, Illustrator) and Kenny Callicutt (Illustrator) was released late last year. It's also available in the UK, see A Bean, a Stalk and a Boy Named Jack (UK Link). I've always enjoyed Joyce's sleek retro illustration style, so this is a fun one for me. The reviews are really strong on this one--the UK link's star rating is glitched--there are several 5 star ratings and 1 single star for an audio version that didn't work for someone and it is overriding all of the others. I saw this in the bookstore during the holidays and found it quite charming.


Book description:

When a king’s pinky grows stinky, it is up to a smallish boy and a smallish pea to come up with a GIANT plan to save the kingdom—a fractured fairy tale from William Joyce and Moonbot Studios, the masterminds who brought you The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.

You might think you know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, but you might want to think again. In this fairy tale with a twist, it hasn’t rained in days and the king has dictated that something must be done—his royal pinky is getting stinky! With a little magic from a wizard, young Jack, paired with his pea pod pal, will find a GIANT reason as to why there’s no water left in the kingdom...and prove that size doesn’t prevent anyone from doing something BIG.

You can click on these images to see them larger, too. 

Bargain Ebook: Beastly by Alex Flinn for $1.99

Beastly by Alex Flinn is on sale in ebook format for $1.99. This has been on sale before so check your library. I own a different digital edition of it.

Book description:

I am a beast.

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

New Book: The Cambridge Companion to Fairy Tales edited by Maria Tatar

(US/UK Links)
The Cambridge Companion to Fairy Tales (Cambridge Companions to Literature) edited by Maria Tatar is released in the US on January 31st but it was released last month in the UK. See The Cambridge Companion to Fairy Tales (Cambridge Companions to Literature) (UK Link).

Book description:

Fairy tales have never known geographical, disciplinary or cultural borders. In many ways, they provide a model for thinking about storytelling on a transnational level long before comparative literature began transforming itself into world literature. As the simple expression of complex thought, fairy tales have increasingly become the focus of intense scholarly inquiry. In this Companion, international scholars from a range of academic disciplines explore the historical origins, cultural dissemination and psychological power of fairy stories, and offer model interpretations of tales from a variety of traditions and sources, including Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm and the One Thousand and One Nights. Rather than disenchanting the stories, the essays in this volume broaden our understanding of them and deepen our appreciation of the cultural work they do. A chronology and guide to further reading contribute to the usefulness of the volume for students and scholars.

Essays by major scholars incorporate all the latest research in an area of literature attracting increasing academic attention

Traces the history and offers fully comprehensive analysis of specific fairy tales, including Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella

International scholars explore stories that by definition transcend geographical, disciplinary and cultural boundaries

Table of Contents

Introduction Maria Tatar
1. Fairy tales, copyright, and the public domain Valdimar Hafstein
2. Female tricksters as double agents Maria Tatar
3. While beauty sleeps Shuli Barzilai
4. Fairy-tale adaptations and economies of desire Cristina Bacchilega
5. Fairy-tale symbolism Francisco Vaz da Silva
6. Trickster heroes in 'The Boy Who Steals the Ogre's Treasure' Nancy Canepa
7. Exploring empathy and ethics in 'Tales about Three Brothers' Maria Nikolajeva
8. The creation of Cinderella from Basile to the Brothers Grimm Armando Maggi
9. The soul music of 'The Juniper Tree' Stephen Benson
10. Sex, crime, magic, and mystery in the One Thousand and One Nights Ulrich Marzolph
11. Media-hyping of fairy tales Jack Zipes
12. Transformations of E. T. A. Hoffmann's Tales from Hawthorne to Oz Holly Blackford.

Fairy Tales in Advertiving: PPC Cement: Rapunzel

PPC Cement: RapunzelGet 15% more concrete from every bag.
Here's a lighthearted ad. Funny, too. Rock on Rapunzel! Poor Prince! He'll figure it out eventually. But I'd hate to see the height of that tower!

Campaign info from Ads of the World:

Advertising Agency: The Jupiter Drawing Room, Johannesburg, South Africa
Chief Creative Officer: Brad Reilly
Creative Director: Tim Beckerling
Copywriter: Voet Sack
Art Director: Voet Sack
Agency Producer: Manuel Lopes
Photographer: Jason Robinson
Published: March 2012

Art Thursday: Cinderella by Robert Anning Bell (1903)

Today's Art Thursday offering is Cinderella by Robert Anning Bell. I couldn't find a larger version to share so Art.com's will have to do.

Art credit: Cinderella, 1903 (w/c & chalk on paper), Bell, Robert Anning (1863-1933) / Manchester Art Gallery, UK / Bridgeman Images

Cinderella, 1903 Buy From Art.com

New Release: The Dinner That Cooked Itself by J.C. Hsyu & Kenard Pak

(US/UK Links)
The Dinner That Cooked Itself by J.C. Hsyu (Author), Kenard Pak (Illustrator) was released late last year in both the US and UK. See The Dinner that Cooked Itself (UK Link). This is a charming story. The publisher offered the following photos of the book on their site, Wish they were larger, but there's enough to show the art style.

The story is similar to Swan Maiden tales, but sweeter and gentler.


Book description:

Long, long ago, in a small town in ancient China, there lived an honest and respectful man called Tuan. Tuan was lonely and looked hard for a wife, but even the matchmaker couldn't help him. One night, however, Tuan's luck changed. And so begins the story of Tuan, White Wave, and the Dinner that Cooked Itself. This beautiful and enchanting Chinese fairytale will captivate the imagination with the perfect blend of magic and realism!

J.C. Hsyu was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and raised in Los Angeles. A graduate of UCLA and the Clarion Writers' Workshop, she has worked in the animation, VFX, and video game industries and published speculative fiction short stories. She lives in San Francisco, California, with her husband and reads incessantly. The Dinner That Cooked Itself is her first children's book.

Kenard Pak grew up in Baltimore and Howard County, Maryland. He studied at Syracuse University and California Institute of the Arts, and as a visual development artist worked on films with Dreamworks and Walt Disney Feature Animation. The Dinner that Cooked Itself is his second children's book. Along with his wife, he lives and works in San Francisco.

Kader Belarbi’s La Bête et la Belle Ballet

La Bete et la Belle DVD and La Bete et la Belle [Blu-ray] will be released on January 27th in the US. Amazon has the case images mixed up so don't be confused by the links. Also note that as of this post's writing, the Blu-Ray is significantly less expensive than the DVD, a common trend these days since I don't think Blu-Rays sell as well seeing as how they don't play on as many players.

Belarbi:Le Bete Et La Belle [Blu-ray] (UK Region 2) and La Bete et la Belle (UK Region 2 Link) were released earlier this month in the UK. So I'm splitting the difference between the release dates and posting today.

I will have to watch this sometime, I am also intrigued by the choice to switch the title around to "Beast and the Beauty" instead of the usual title. I love ballet and this is my favorite fairy tale, so it's a must that I see it. I only wish I could see it live. I doubt this is going to be offered in Nashville soon, although we have a fine ballet company here.

I have a preview video below with the description of the ballet.

La Bête et la Belle is renowned French choreographer Kader Belarbi’s compelling reimagining of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast – a psychological drama that explores the rejection or acceptance of difference, centring around Beauty’s discovery of the depth of true love. First performed by the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal in 2005, Théâtre du Capitole’s reprise of Belarbi’s acclaimed production has confirmed its status as among the best of modern ballets, combining stunning set and costume designs with striking choreography that reflects the unique soundscape of the Ligeti-dominant musical score. Takafumi Watanabe and Julie Loria assume the lead roles in a production that instantly transports us into the beautiful dream world of this timeless masterpiece reinterpreted.

The Beauty Julie Loria
The Beast Takafumi Watanabe

Choreography and Staging Kader Belarbi

Recorded at the Théâtre du Capitole, Toulouse, October 2013

What the press said:
‘‘…all the markings of one of the classic ballets: It had romance, spectacle and drama, and it was beautiful.’’ Times Argus

‘‘…filled with spectacular dancing by large ensembles set beautifully. Imaginative and colorful sets and costumes by Valérie Berman and effective lighting by Marc Parent completed the visual spectacle…’’ Times Argus

Here is also a promotional video of a rehearsal for the ballet by Théâtre du Capitole. Théâtre du Capitole is the performance offered on the DVD release.

Steampunk Fables by Rod Espinosa: Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and Snow White

Rod Espinosa's Steampunk Fables by Rod Espinosa was released last year and missed my radar until this week. It is a compilation of three comics: Steampunk Cinderella One Shot, Steampunk Snow White, and Steampunk Red Riding Hood.


 
Book description:

Presenting an instant classic from Rod Espinosa, creator of The Courageous Princess and Neotopia, and Antarctic Press's own master of the new-age fairy tale. This collection of timeless tales has been galvanized and refueled to charge full steam ahead with a new angle on these familiar favorites!

Steampunk Cinderella:

In a stately home upon a grand estate lives the lovely Cinderella...slaving away to please her stepmother and stepsisters. She stokes the boiler pressure to meet their needs and answers all their calls through the intercom tubes, all for a few scraps and no gratitude. But with the help of her father's steam-powered inventions, she just might get to meet her prince...

Steampunk Red Riding Hood:

My, Grandma, what a big gears you have! (All the better to grind you with, my dear!) My, grandma, what a big boiler you have! (All the better to cook you with, my dear!) My, grandma, what a big Tesla blaster I've got! (Er...)

Steampunk Snow White:

From the mastermind behind Neotopia and Courageous Princess comes this spectacular steampunk take on a classic fairy tale! In a far-off kingdom, the queen sends her armies of steam-powered juggernauts to successful conquest, all while she and her subordinate lords pass the wartime expenses on to the peasants. Her daughter, Snow White, protests to no avail. The commoners' only hope is the daring raider Lone Fox, but on his latest assault the vigilante is ambushed!

New Book: Crochet Ever After: 18 Crochet Projects Inspired by Classic Fairy Tales by Brenda K.B. Anderson

(US/UK Links)
Crochet Ever After: 18 Crochet Projects Inspired by Classic Fairy Tales by Brenda K.B. Anderson was released late last month in the US and will be released on January 30th in the UK. See Crochet Ever After: 18 Crochet Projects Inspired by Classic Fairy Tales (UK Link). There are several fairy tale inspired craft books out and upcoming--it's a popular trend--and this one in particular captures my fancy. I'll share some images.


Book description:

18 projects to crochet happily ever after.

From the whimsical mind of Beastly Crochet author Brenda K. B. Anderson comes a funtastic collection of 18 fairy-tale inspired crochet projects. Shows and movies based on fairy tales are incredibly popular, and crafty crocheters now have a book of fabulous projects that pay homage to their favorite stories. Little Red's hood with integrated infinity scarf will stay put when she's being chased by the Big Bad Wolf. Sleeping Beauty now has just the right nightie to wear while waiting for Prince Charming to wake her up. Gretel can take her snacks to go with her cupcake purse. Plus the Evil Queen will know exactly who the hottest in the land is when she gazes into her Mirror, Mirror on the Go makeup case.

Heroines, fairy princesses, witches, and big bad wolves are all accounted for in this fanciful collection of crochet accessories, toys, bags, kids' clothes, and more.

Deep Dark Forest Mittens (LOVE!)
Big Bad Mittens (Now I want these for Hand Puppets...sigh.)

Fairy Princess Dress
Flying Broomstick Lace Shawl
Little Mermaid Purse
Little Red's Infinity Hood
Little Red's Infinity Hood
Magic Bean Stalk-ings
Snow Queen Beret
Thumbelina Doll
Unicorn Hoodie (One of the nieces would LOVE this.)
Back cover so you can see the Frog Princess Hat