Clare C. Marshall's Blog, page 15

Stars In Her Eyes Blog Tour

Hi everyone!

Since Stars In Her Eyes has entered production and we’re almost a month away from release, it’s time to organize the blog tour, yay!

Here’s the book!

STARS IN HER EYES

Burn hot and cold.

Read minds.

Disappear at will.

Dream your own death.

Welcome to Sparkstone University, where some students are more gifted than others.

When Ingrid learns she’s been accepted at the hyper-secretive Sparkstone University, she is sceptical. It’s an honour to attend, apparently, and yet barely anyone has ever heard of the place.

And everyone seems a little too happy that she’s there: especially when she meets Sunni and her group of friends. They seem to already know Ingrid. As if she was expected. Expected to save Earth from an imminent alien invasion. Like she has superpowers or something.

As if magic and mutations exist. As if aliens are really planning to attack.

That just sounds ridiculous. There’s no such thing.

…right?

Wrong.

***

I’m looking for at least 25 blogs to participate! Participating doesn’t just mean reviewing: if you don’t have time to read, we can do an interview, or a guest post, or a simple shout-out instead! Anything book related, let’s do it. The tour starts May 12, and ends June 4.

As always, until I am rich and sipping martinis on a beach somewhere, I can only give eBook copies for review. I have them available in PDF, ePub & mobi formats. Also shipping stuff from Canada is the butts. It really is. But the more you promote my books, the closer we can get to drinking and reading on the beach having print copies available for bloggers to review. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t borrow, win or purchase a copy to read! Thanks for understanding.

IMPORTANT FUN BLOG TOUR EVENT #1

Since The Violet Fox Blog Tour events were well-received, I’m going to run something similar during the Stars In Her Eyes tour. A special scavenger hunt! More details to come, but it will be science fiction related.

IMPORTANT FUN BLOG TOUR EVENT #2

I dunno, whatever could this be? Stay tuned…

There are currently lots of spots open, so contact me by leaving a comment with your blog’s URL and/or email address with how you’d like to participate in the blog tour (review, interview, guest post, or any other suggestion). You can also use the contact form. Or, sign up below:

Loading…

Dates!:

May 12:

May 13: (Book release day!)

May 14:

May 15:

May 16:

May 17:

May 18:

May 19:

May 20:

May 21:

May 22:

May 23:

May 24:

May 25:

May 26:

May 27:

May 28:

May 29:

May 30:

June 1:

June 2:

June 3:

June 4:

On May 13, I’m super psyched to have Lady Amber host a Facebook event for me! To attend and get the latest updates, visit the Facebook event page.

And of course…a giveaway!

Yes, there will be a giveaway.

Stars In Her Eyes Cover Reveal

Yay! I’ve been waiting forever to show everyone, and here it is, the cover for my next book, Stars In Her Eyes, the first in the Sparkstone Saga.

Thanks to everyone who has said kind words about it! ^_^ All books in this series will be illustrated and I’m really pleased at how it turned out.

And of course, giveaway! Enter to win an e-ARC or two of Stars In Her Eyes in the rafflecopter form below See all the participating blogs here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 for 1 Pre-Order Sale at Faery Ink Press

Stars In Her Eyes will be released on May 13, and even though that seems like a far-off time, it’s really not. It’s almost April, after all. So, because it’s pre-order time, I decided to do something a little different than the standard discount for pre-ordering a book.

If you pre-order Stars In Her Eyes any time between now and May 12, 2013, you will receive a free eBook from Faery Ink Press! This eBook does not have to be Stars In Her Eyes: you can choose between my other two titles: The Violet Fox, or Within. So, here’s how this works:

1. You pre-order Stars In Her Eyes from Faery Ink Press.

2. After payment has gone through, you’ll get an email from me asking which eBook you’d like, and in what format (PDF, ePub, or mobi).

3. I will send you the requested eBook ASAP. (If you want the Stars In Her Eyes eBook as your free eBook, that may be a few weeks, they still have to be made!)

This way, you enjoy an eBook while you’re waiting for Stars In Her Eyes to arrive!

I’d like this to become a regular thing at Faery Ink Press, to encourage people to try more of my books, especially as I publish more titles.

The only rule for this pre-order is that the book must be pre-ordered through Faery Ink Press. Simple enough to follow! I ship all over the world, and you can pay through PayPal with your PayPal account or any major credit card.

If you have any questions about this, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Why Stars In Her Eyes Was A Difficult Book To Write

A simple realization dawned on me this morning while I was working.

Why I’ve been having such a hard time “figuring out” Stars In Her Eyes and the Sparkstone Saga.

Stars In Her Eyes was a bit of a struggle to create. I procrastinated a lot on it. I could have had it out in February if I really wanted. Instead, its release day is in May. Part of this is because Woulds & Shoulds has been super busy lately, and it’s hard balancing two businesses (until I learn to clone myself, muahaha).

The Sparkstone Saga holds a special place in the large magical machine that is Faery Ink Press. I’m not sure where the idea originated exactly, but I knew that I wanted to write a series about a group of super powered teens at a university for hyper-intelligent young people. Originally, I wrote the first three stories as episodes for a TV show, but then decided they could be better explored as novellas. This idea, dosed with science fiction, combined with my love for folk music and another element that will not be revealed until the very, very end of the entire saga, gave birth to what it is today.

It has tons of potential. Compelling characters (I think), a witty protagonist that I think people will identify with, and references to things that I like–folk music, and science fiction.

But why, why was it so hard to write this barely 50K work of art?

It’s because, *technically*, it could be the third book in the saga. Not the first.

Stars In Her Eyes follows Ingrid as the arrives in the town of Sparkstone, in middle of nowhere Alberta. Sparkstone University is a top-secret institution that takes in and spits out some of the greatest minds in the world. But, turns out, it’s run by an alien organization known as the Collective, and they have their own agenda for the students that attend this prestigious school. Ingrid falls in with a group of students who are more than what they appear, and they’re the only thing standing up to the Collective. And the Collective is extremely interested in Ingrid. Both the Collective and Ingrid’s new friends–the Sparks–are convinced that she holds the key to the Collective completing whatever mission they have on Earth.

Among the Sparks is a girl named Sunni. And this is where the plot gets a little complicated.

See, technically, while Ingrid is at the centre of the story–she is the key to everything–Sunni (pronounced “Sonny”) is sort of the real protagonist of Stars In Her Eyes. She plays an important role in the whole saga that cannot be ignored.

We meet Sunni when she’s convinced that her life is about to end. She has the power to foresee the future from her dreams. And she’s seen her death. She’s already been through a lot with the Collective, and she’s finally figured out a significant portion of their true mission. And they know she’s figured it out, so it’s time for her to die. So why doesn’t she tell her friends why the Collective is on Earth? She’s afraid: afraid of what will happen if she does tell them, but she’s even more afraid of what she will do if she doesn’t die. She has seen a bleak future for herself in the Collective’s clutches and she would rather die than be their pawn. Her power is too great.

But she knows that Ingrid’s power is even greater than her own, even if Ingrid doesn’t know it. By dying, Sunni can help Ingrid release her potential.

Why do I always write tragic protagonists? I dunno, man.

But because Sunni’s character is quite strong, and we’re meeting her so late, this is part of why Stars In Her Eyes feels (overall) like the middle book. That’s not to say that it *should* be a middle book, however. Ingrid is coming to Sparkstone with fresh eyes, and we get to meet everybody, be introduced to the struggle, and find temporary victories and failures in the war against the alien invasion.

Sunni will have one or two prequels, I think, that precede Stars In Her Eyes. She has a complex relationship with her best friend, Misty, who is quite angry for reasons that will be explored throughout the saga. They knew each other before going to Sparkstone, and the two of them will feature heavily in the prequels, should I ever get around to writing them.

So that’s like…10 novellas in the saga, then?

Did I mention I’m ambitious?

I think the important thing before reading Stars In Her Eyes is to not look at this as just one book, one novella. It’s a small piece, a tiny window, into a larger story. One episode in a series. There is ALWAYS more going on than what is just on the pages, and I hope I’m able to convey that adequately for my readers.

And if you’re facing a similar problem with your book–not quite knowing where it stands in the greater scheme of things–do take the time to figure it out! Maybe one character is so powerful that he or she deserves another book or two to tell his or her story.

The cover reveal is less than a week away! The cover is super close to being done, like I said, we’ve been super busy with freelance stuff. So those signed up for the reveal will receive their cover tonight or more likely tomorrow. The reveal is April 2nd, 2013, and Stars In Her Eyes will be released May 13, 2013 (if all goes according to plan!), by of course, Faery Ink Press and participating retailers.

Stay tuned

Interview with Sharon Sant, YA Author

I meant to get this interview up earlier, but with moving across the country and finishing the final re-writes/edits for Stars In Her Eyes, blogging got pushed to the side. So, without further ado, Sharon Sant! Author of Sky Song, an author who participated in the Indie Giveaway we had several weeks ago.

How long did it take you to write Sky Song?

I wrote Sky Song along with another book during a summer break from university in 2007. To do both rough drafts, I think, took around eight weeks, but they were very rough! It got pushed to the back of a drawer for a few years while I finished my degree, and lots of my time was taken up editing for other people, and I finally finished tinkering with it at the end of 2012. What I’m trying to say, rather ineptly, is that it took six years to get it from my brain to a published book, but what percentage of those six years I spent working on it is anyone’s guess!

Why did you decide to publish your book yourself?

I have another book called Runners coming out in June through a small press, but a friend of mine self-publishes very successfully and I wanted to try it for myself. Working both ways has given me an interesting insight into the world of publishing as a whole. In fact, I never even tried to place Sky Song with a publisher; the decision to do it independently was made really easily.

What sets your story (or stories, if we look at the Sky Song Trilogy in general) apart from other YA novels?

Sharon Sant, Author of the Sky Song Trilogy

I’d like to think that they offer some form of escapism, but in a way that people can connect with. Sky Song, in particular, takes place, for the most part, in quite a domestic, seemingly ordinary setting. I really love that in stories, though, the idea that if you scratch beneath the surface of everyday life, extraordinary things are happening. A reviewer recently said that because it was set in a seemingly mundane, realistic world, as a reader they could imagine that the story was happening to them.

Here at Faery Ink Press, we love faery tales! What’s your favourite faery tale(s)?

That’s such a difficult question! I’m not sure there is one standout tale that I can say I like best. I like the darker ones with all the Freudian subtext! I’m quite interested in Norse and Celtic folk tales too.

You have another book coming up, The Memory Game. Tell me about it! Why should readers of YA paranormal fiction read and/or buy this book?

Wow, you’ve done your research! That book is one that I’ve just decided to publish and only just added to my list. Why should readers buy it? I think it’s different. There’s no epic love affair, for a start, though it is about a boy and a girl. The world won’t end depending on their actions. But it is intense. And you may cry. A lot, I hope. The two main characters, David and Bethany are thrown together by circumstance. Without giving too much away, at the start of the book David and Bethany have absolutely nothing in common, in fact, David colludes in the bullying that Bethany is subjected to at school. Unfortunately for him, when he’s killed and comes back to haunt his village, Bethany is the only person who can actually see or hear him so he’s forced to deal with that. I think it’s an interesting dynamic – what would you do if you were doomed to eternity in the company of a person you didn’t like?

Thanks Sharon! You can find Sharon Sant all over the interwebs:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

5 Reasons Why Robin Hood is the Sexiest Man in Literature

Robin Hood in Lego form.
Photo credit: Dunechaser / CC BY-NC-SA

Who is Robin Hood? Only the sexiest man in literature! The legend of Robin Hood has been captured and recaptured, interpreted again and again with Robin Hood films, TV shows, games, and other media. Robin Hood has been around for so long that he’s fallen into our arsenal of fairy tales, and of course, Disney’s Robin Hood helped with that.

It’s not just physical attractiveness that makes a man sexy. We ladies want men who are passionate about their dreams, mentally and physically strong in times of adversity, and committed to doing the right thing, no matter what. And, the roguish appearance doesn’t hurt of course!

Even though Robin Hood legends are just that–legends–and there is little evidence to support Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men ever existing, we don’t have to examine the texts and interpretations of the Robin Hood legends very long to determine why he is the sexiest man in literature.

#1: Robin Hood is Compassionate, Even to his Rivals

Photo credit: icedsoul photography .:teymur madjderey / CC BY-NC-ND

In Robin Hood and the Potter, Robin Hood is impersonating a potter in Nottingham, and meets the sheriff. Robin Hood shows the sheriff how he can shoot and the sheriff asks if he knows Robin Hood. Robin Hood, presumably amused that the sheriff didn’t recognize him, tells the sheriff that he will take the sheriff to Robin Hood the next day. The sheriff agrees and invites Robin Hood to his house for supper, and to stay the night.

The next morning, Robin Hood leads the sheriff into the woods, and the sheriff is surrounded by Robin Hood’s Merry Men. But because of the hospitality the sheriff’s wife had shown Robin Hood while in Nottingham, Robin Hood decides to let the sheriff live:

Nere for the loffe of yowre weyffe,

Off more sorow scholde yow seyng.

Basically: If not for the love of your wife, of more sorrow should you sing.

Then when the sheriff goes home to his wife, she lols because Robin Hood tricked him out of everything he had but his white horse. LOL. That sheriff be dumbs.

In addition, sometimes when a rival bests him or his rival’s skill matches his own, he invites him to join his band. This is the case in Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar.

#2 Robin Hood’s bros have got his back.

Notably, Little John. In modern media, he’s often portrayed as a lovable buffoon, but in the old texts, Little John is actually pretty fierce:

Litul John callid up the jayler,

And bade hym rise anon;

He seyd Robyn Hode had brokyn the prison,

And out of hit was gon.

The porter rose anon sertan,

As sone as he herd John calle;

Litul John was redy with a swerd,

And bare hym throw to the walle.

“Now wil I be jayler,” seid Litul John,

And toke the keyes in honde;

He toke the way to Robyn Hode,

And sone he hym unbonde.

Little John & Robin Hood, fighting it out before they were besties.

NOW I WILL BE JAILER. I feel like you could put that on a t-shirt. Tots stealing that idea.

The above excerpt is from Robin Hood and the Monk. Little John is rescuing Robin Hood from jail. Robin Hood had been captured because one morning he’d gone to church to pray, but the monk at the church told the sheriff that Robin Hood was there, and had him arrested. Little John hears this news, kills the monk who betrayed him, and hurries to the jail to set Robin Hood free.

You might be thinking: Little John seems to be way more badass in this story. Yes, Robin Hood getting overwhelmed by guards and getting captured is not his finest moment. But the fact that Little John would do this for him shows the loyalty instilled in the band of Merry Men. While Little John and Robin Hood don’t always get along, they’re still besties, and they’d do anything for each other. Knowing that your man has got friends that support him goes a long way.

#3 Robin Hood is a giver.

Yes, Robin Hood’s thing is that he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. This idea didn’t actually integrate into the literature and ballads until the 17th century, but all around, he’s willing to help out whenever someone is in need. His karma usually comes back to him threefold and saves his life.

In Robin Hood and Queen Katherine, the queen summons Robin Hood and asks him to compete in an archery contest so that she can win a bet. He gladly does so, and wins.

In Robin Hood and the Bishop, an old woman exchanges her clothing with Robin Hood so that he can escape a treacherous bishop. She does this because he had given her shoes and socks on a previous occasion.

In another ballad called The Noble Fisherman, Robin Hood decides to go to sea (just because!) under the name of Simon. An old woman hires him on her boat, but he turns out to be a lousy fisherman and the rest of her crew makes fun of him. When French pirates attack the ship, Robin Hood springs into action and kills all of the pirates. He searches the ship and finds a sizeable treasure. He offers to share half of it with the fishermen–even though they’d done nothing but belittle him the whole time. In the end, they tell him that he can have the treasure.

#4 Robin Hood Knows How to Make the Best of Any Situation

Robin Hood is constantly getting himself into trouble. But does he complain? No. He finds a solution, and often he does it with a smile.

In Robin Hood’s Delight, he finds himself in some trouble with three foresters. They fight, and Robin Hood is not winning. He can’t even use his horn to summon the rest of his band. Instead, Robin Hood uses his good-natured wit to convince the foresters to drink with him at a local inn instead of killing him. Luckily, they agree, and they all go and get drunk together!

#5 Robin Hood, as a character, is romanceable.

True that Robin Hood is technically “taken” in that his heart is “traditionally” devoted to Maid Marian, it’s very easy to envision yourself being whisked away by a daring, witty rogue, whether he is Robin Hood or a man in his image.

Maid Marian wasn’t always the main lady in Robin Hood’s life. In fact she was associated with May Day celebrations–as was Robin Hood (in many stories, he must compete in May Day archery competitions). In the old ballads, Robin Hood usually doesn’t have a lady in his life.

In other words, ladies, original Robin Hood is single! ^_^

But not always. In one ballad that describes Robin Hood’s upbringing, there is a character named Clorinda, a shepherdess, who Robin Hood romances and then eventually, marries.

‘By the faith of my body,’ said bold Robin Hood,

‘I never saw woman like thee;

And comst thou from east, ay, or comst thou from west,

Thou needst not beg venison of me.

Robin Hood knows how to treat a lady. In Robin Hood’s Death, he goes to be bled by a prioress, but she betrays him and gives him mortal wounds. Little John begs to avenge him, but Robin Hood refuses, because he says he would never hurt a lady.

Bonus Reason Why I Love Robin Hood!

Okay, so Disney’s Robin Hood was definitely not the sexiest portrayal of Robin Hood, nor was it even the best Robin Hood story ever, but just listen to Brian Bedford, the guy who voices Robin Hood. I love his voice!

*Swooon!*

The Violet Fox is a female Robin Hood.

Kiera Driscoll is known as The Violet Fox on the streets of the fantasy world known as Marlenia. She steals food and supplies from Marlenian merchants and shares them with her people, the Freetors, who are forced to live underground. Want to read more? Check it out here.

Robin Hood is the classic outlaw, and was roguing it up before any of you other bad boys. Do you love Robin Hood? Who is your favourite rogue?

Clare C. Marshall grew up in rural Nova Scotia with very little television and dial up internet, and yet, she turned out okay. She is a full time freelance editor, designer, and web manager. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing and publishing her own books. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing the fiddle and making silly noises at cats.

3 Cinderella Fairy Tale Variations Every Fairy Tale Lover Should Know

Cinderella and her glass slipper. Photo credit: Express Monorail / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Not every Cinderella fairy tale involves a glass slipper and singing mice.

There have been several variations of the tale, born either from the original or simply because someone thought of a similar Cinderella fairy tale story idea at the same time. The Brothers Grimm and other fairy tale collectors came across many stories where the heroine was persecuted or forced to do horrible things by their family. Even my novel The Violet Fox draws inspiration from Cinderella as a fairy tale. Since young adult fiction is full of fairy tale retellings, here are some of the lesser-known Cinderella fairy tale-like stories for your own enjoyment or to get your creative juices flowing.

Thousandfurs Fairy Tale.

#1: Thousandfurs

This Cinderella fairy tale, collected by the Brothers Grimm, is sometimes translated from the German Allerleirauh as All-Kinds-Of-Fur. And while I class it as a Cinderella fairy tale, it doesn’t exactly start out that way.

There once was a king who loved his wife and daughter very much. Unfortunately, his wife was dying. His wife made him promise that when she died, he would re-marry, but he could only re-marry a woman whose beauty was equal to her own.

After his wife died, the king searched his kingdom high and low for a woman just as beautiful as his deceased wife, but no one matched this description. Only one woman was just as beautiful as the dead queen, and that was the king’s daughter. And so, the king fell in love with his own daughter, and was determined to marry her.

Obviously the daughter was not cool with this. She came up with a plan to delay the wedding: she asked her father to make her three impossible dresses: one as brilliant as the sun, one with the silvery illuminance of the moon, and one as glittery as the stars. She also asked for a cloak made from the furs of a thousand different animals.

Well, the king was determined to marry his daughter so he hired the best dress-makers and managed to craft the impossible dresses, and the cloak of a thousand furs. The princess then had no choice but to run away. She took her impossible dresses, slipped on her cloak, and took three treasures from the castle to remember her home by: a gold ring, a tiny golden spinning wheel, and a golden spindle.

She ran away from her own kingdom and into another kingdom, where a prince ruled. She decided that it would be best to hide in the prince’s castle because it was well guarded, in case her father ever tried to come after her. But because she had spent a lot of time in the woods, wearing her coat of a thousand furs, she didn’t look anything like a princess. She was filthy, like a wild animal, and everyone took to calling her Thousandfurs. Despite this, however, she got a job in the royal kitchen and proved to be a diligent worker.

One evening, the prince had a ball and all of the lords, ladies, and princesses in the realm were invited. Thousandfurs wanted to attend, so she cleaned herself up, and put on the first impossible dress, the golden one, and strided into the ballroom. Of course, the prince was enraptured by her beauty, and her dress, and danced the night away with her. But at the end of the night, she escaped the ball and returned to the kitchen, and tended to the prince’s soup. At the bottom of the prince’s soup bowl, she placed her golden ring. The prince received his soup from the kitchen, ate it, and found it, wondering where the golden ring came from. The prince even questioned the royal chef and Thousandfurs herself, but the royal chef didn’t know anything about a golden ring, and Thousandfurs remained quiet about her true identity.

On another occasion, the prince threw another ball, and again Thousandfurs wanted to attend. This time she wore the second dress, which glowed silver like the moon. Just like before, the prince was dazzled by her beauty and danced the night away with her, and just before the ball ended, she escaped his grasp once again. Back in the kitchen, Thousandfurs slipped the tiny golden spinning wheel into the prince’s soup after the ball, and the prince was baffled at who was sending him tiny golden objects.

Weeks go by, and the prince held another ball for the realm, but this time he had got a plan. Thousandfurs showed up in her third impossible dress: the dress that sparkled like the stars. While she and the prince danced, he slipped the golden ring on her finger, the same golden ring she had given him in the soup after the first ball.

Thousandfurs managed to slip away from the ball, but she didn’t have time to change out of her dress and dirty herself up again before throwing on her cloak of a thousand furs, and cooking the prince’s soup. She also didn’t notice the golden ring on her finger.

When the prince ate his bowl of soup, and found the golden spindle at the bottom, he summoned the chef who had made the soup, and Thousandfurs went to the throne room. He noticed that she had a golden ring on her finger, and tears off the cloak, revealing the princess and her impossible, dazzling dress. She confessed her true identity and how she had come to be at the castle, and the prince asked if she would marry him. She said yes, and they lived happily ever after.

I guess hiding stuff in the soup is pretty clever, but what would happen if the prince didn’t want his soup that day? Or what if he didn’t eat everything in his bowl? Then he would’ve missed the trinkets all together. Also, it’s weird that Thousandfurs’ father doesn’t actively pursue her in the versions I’ve read, though I suppose I could’ve woven that thread into the fairy tale.

Vasilisa the Beautiful Fairy Tale

#2: Vasilisa the Beautiful

There was once a merchant who had a wife and a beautiful daughter named Vasilisa. Unfortunately, when Vasilisa was young, her mother got very sick. On her deathbed, Vasilisa’s mother gave Vasilisa a doll, and told her to feed and take care of the doll, and it would help her when she was in need. After her mother died, Vasilisa fed the doll and it came to life, and it comforted her as she dealt with her grief.

Soon, Vasilisa’s father re-married an awful woman who had two daughters of her own. The stepmother and the stepsisters got Vasilisa to do all sorts of chores and dirty work, but the doll helped Vasilisa get through her day.

Vasilisa’s father had to leave to go on a long merchant-related trip, and when he was gone, the stepmother sold their house and moved to a cottage beside a large forest. It was cold and gloomy there, and they had very little means to make a fire, so they sent Vasilisa out into the forest, to Baba Yaga, to fetch some fire.

Now Baba Yaga was a fearsome creature who lived in the forest. She had chicken legs and looked like a witch, and the journey would probably be extremely dangerous. But Vasilisa’s doll advised her to go, so she ventured into the forest.

Baba Yaga’s house was made of human bones, and at night, the eye sockets in the skulls lit up. Vasilisa was scared to steal fire from a house that was made of human bones and couldn’t run away when Baba Yaga caught her trespassing.

The mysterious creature gave Vasilisa a choice: complete Baba Yaga’s housework and other tasks to receive the fire, or die. Each day, Baba Yaga would leave her house and tell Vasilisa to clean everything inside and out, and cook Baba Yaga’s supper. But when Baba Yaga was gone, the little doll came out and did all of the chores, while Vasilisa cooked.

This continued on for a few days until Baba Yaga asked how Vasilisa was able to accomplish so much in a day. Vasilisa told her that it was because of her mother’s blessing, and Baba Yaga gave her a skull-lantern to take home to her stepmother and stepsisters.

When Vasilisa arrived home, there was no light in the house, as the stepmother and stepsisters had discovered that whenever they tried to bring fire or light into the house, it would get snuffed out. Vasilisa brought the skull lantern into the cottage, but it lit the everything on fire–including the stepmother and the stepsisters. The cottage burned down, and the stepmother and the stepsisters burned to death, but Vasilisa escaped unharmed.

Later, Vasilisa buried the skull in the yard. When Vasilisa’s father returned from his trip, they bought a house back in the village where they’d lived before. Vasilisa and her father grew her business and became extremely successful, so much so that Vasilisa attracted the attention of the czar. He married her and they lived happily ever after.

Vasilisa the Beautiful is a Russian fairy tale collected by Alexander Afanasyev (who was kind of like the Russian version of the Brothers Grimm), and is sometimes called Vasilisa’s Doll. It’s definitely a darker than your typical Cinderella-esque tale, and this one doesn’t have a prince rolling in to save the day or lend a helping hand.

One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes Fairy Tale

#3: One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes

Once there was a woman who had three daughters, and their names were One Eye, Two Eyes, and Three Eyes. As you can probably guess, One Eye was a cyclops, Two Eyes had two eyes just like you and me, and Three Eyes had a third eye in the middle of her forehead.

Unfortunately, Two Eyes was considered the freak in the family because she wasn’t “special”, and was treated like your regular Cinderella. She was only allowed to eat the scraps that the other two sisters left for her after meals.

One day Two Eyes was told to go look after the goat up on the hilly meadow, away from their house. She started crying because no one loved her, but then she saw an old woman with a kind face standing before her. The old woman told her that if she was ever hungry, to repeat this rhyme to the goat: Little Goat, If you’re able, Please spread out my table. Then, when Two Eyes was done eating, the kind woman told her to say to the goat: Little Goat, When you are able, Please remove my table.

Two Eyes, intrigued, tried the rhyme. A picnic of hot and cold foods lay spread out before her. She was so hungry, she ate and ate, and still there was more. When she was full, she repeated the rhyme, and the food disappeared.

Eventually the two sisters and the mother noticed that Two Eyes was not eating their scraps. One day, One Eye says that she is going with Two Eyes to look after the goat to make sure she was not causing mischief. Two Eyes knew that she couldn’t let her family know about the goat, because take it away from her. So once they were up on the meadow, Two Eyes sang a pretty song for her one-eyed sister, and soon One Eye was asleep. Two Eyes ate to her heart’s content, and woke her sister at the end of the day.

The next day, Three Eyes declared she was going to accompany Two Eyes to the meadow to look after the goat. Two Eyes tried the same trick on Three Eyes as she had on One Eye, and almost succeeded. Three Eyes allowed two of her eyes to close, but kept her third eye part-way open so she could see what Two Eyes was up to.

When Three Eyes told their mother about the magical goat, the mother ordered that the goat be killed. Two Eyes cried and cried, but she couldn’t do anything about it, the goat was killed. The kind woman appeared to Two Eyes and told her to bury the goat’s remains in the backyard. Two Eyes, heartbroken, does just that.

The following morning, a giant golden tree had sprouted from where Two Eyes had buried the goat. Luscious apples were hanging on every branch, just out of reach. First, One Eye tried to climb the tree to get the apples, but the branches pulled themselves away from her grasp. Then, Three Eyes tried, but she also had no luck. When Two Eyes tried, she was able to gather the apples. Unfortunately, as soon as she was back on the ground, the mother took away all of the apples Two Eyes had gathered and shared them just with One Eye and Three Eyes, and so she was no better off than before.

One day a prince came riding by their house, and he noticed the tree. The mother quickly hid Two Eyes because she considered Two Eyes to be hideous, and didn’t want to scare away the prince. The prince told One Eye, Three Eyes and their mother that if they could give him a golden branch from the golden tree, he would give them anything they wanted.

Excited, both One Eye and Three Eye tried to break a branch from the tree, but as before, the branches moved out of the sisters’ grasps. It was only when Two Eyes–stepping out of her hiding place and revealing herself–climbed the tree and took a branch with apples dangling from it, that she won the prince’s attention.

She asked the prince, for her reward, to take her far away from her awful family. He did just that, and ended up falling in love and marrying her.

Years later, two poor women came to the castle where Two Eyes and her prince lived. Two Eyes let the poor women inside and gave them food, water, and beds to sleep in. Eventually, she recognized them as her two sisters, One Eye and Three Eyes. After living in poverty for most of their lives, One Eye and Three Eyes came to understand what Two Eyes had gone through, and all was forgiven.

Even though it’s super silly, I like this Cinderella fairy tale variant from the Brothers Grimm because the two “ugly stepsisters” are forgiven at the end.

Bonus!

And, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that The Violet Fox draws from Cinderella at its core: Kiera, the protagonist, disguises herself as a woman of noble blood from another province and infiltrates the castle on a secret mission. She also gets dressed up and goes to the ball, and dances with the prince! So she’s kind of like a super-spy Cinderella. Read more here.

So what’s your favourite fairy tale of the three? I think I like Thousandfurs the best, but I appreciate the darkness of Vasilisa the Beautiful.

Clare C. Marshall grew up in rural Nova Scotia with very little television and dial up internet, and yet, she turned out okay. She is a full time freelance editor, designer, and web manager. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing and publishing her own books. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing the fiddle and making silly noises at cats.

Indie Author Giveaway

Ever wanted to get a whole swack of books for free? Yes, yes you have. Okay, maybe you haven’t, but maybe you should, because a ton of indie authors–including myself–have banded together to create this awesome giveaway. Though I really can’t take credit for organizing it, no, that goes to someone else wonderful. Special thanks to Clare Davidson, my UK counterpart (^_^) for organizing this awesome giveaway! I bought her book Trinity a week or so ago, I can’t wait to start reading it. Plus, I should mention that the same cover artist who is doing her book is also doing the cover for Stars In Her Eyes, and that any blogger can sign up to participate in the cover reveal!

The first haul is 11 ebooks. The second is three signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon gift voucher. So many good prizes, don’t you just want to eat them all up? No, because some of them are electronic and that would not taste good.

The giveaway is open from midnight GMT on the 25th February until 11:59pm GMT on the 11th March and there are loads of ways to gain entries.

Here are the books & their descriptions!

Sky Song, by Sharon Sant: An unknown past. An unwanted destiny. A fight for survival.

Dominant Race, by Elisa Nuckle: Lilia, a genetically altered human called a modified, and her allies must choose: help a tyrannical government in the business of killing their kind, or defend someone in the business of killing everyone else?

Earth Angel, by Ruth Ellen Parlour: Earth Angels of Eardecia, fighting against their chosen destiny, discover a secret the God’s never told and use it against their sworn enemy.

Graveyard Shift, by Angela Roquet: Lana Harvey is a reaper, and a lousy one at that, but when Grim promotes her to a high risk assignment, all hell breaks loose…

Blood Roses, by Jason Graves: Madeline and Marissa Owen are identical twins who, with their paper-white skin, look a lot like vampires… well, sometimes, looks can be not at all deceiving.

Sciron, by David Rashleigh: History, mystery, ghosts and a touch of romance in a Lancashire town.

Storm Dancer, by Rayne Hall: Dahoud saves to fight the woman he loves from the evil inside him.

The Priest, by Monica La Porta: Love doesn’t look at skin color/social status/gender. Society can’t restrain our hearts.

The Violet Fox, by Clare Marshall: The Violet Fox is Cinderella meets Robin Hood with a dash of The Little Mermaid.

Torched, by Andrea Lynn Colt: When cheerleader Rose Whitfield is framed for arson, she sets out to clear her name and take prime suspect Paxton down hard–not necessarily in that order.

Trinity, by Clare Davidson: Three unlikely companions set out to restore a trinity of gods, which was destroyed a millennium ago.

And now for the giveaways! Both are open internationally.

Giveaway one: A fantastic haul of 11 ebooks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway two: 3 signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon gift voucher

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stars In Her Eyes Cover Reveal Sign Up

Burn hot and cold.

Read minds.

Disappear at will.

Dream your own death.

Welcome to Sparkstone University, where some students are more gifted than others.

When Ingrid learns she’s been accepted at the hyper-secretive Sparkstone University, she is sceptical. It’s an honour to attend, apparently, and yet barely anyone has ever heard of the place.

And everyone seems a little too happy that she’s there: especially when she meets Sunni and her group of friends. They seem to already know Ingrid.

As if she was expected. Expected to save Earth from an imminent alien invasion. Like she has superpowers or something.

As if magic and mutations exist. As if aliens are really planning to attack.

That just sounds ridiculous. There’s no such thing.

…right?

Wrong.

***

Add Stars In Her Eyes, the upcoming young adult science fiction novella, to your Goodreads shelf! Or, pre-order a print copy here at Faery Ink Press!

***

Calling all book bloggers, it’s cover reveal time again!! I’m really excited about this one because the cover will be illustrated. Hurray! If you’ve never participated in a cover reveal before, here’s how it works: before the day, I will send all participating bloggers the cover of the book. On the appointed day (and not before, no one likes spoilers!) everyone will post the cover on their blogs, along with social media links and buy links for the book. You’re also free to write your opinion of the cover–it’s your blog, you can do what you’d like!

And yes, there will be a giveaway. Two e-ARCs of STARS IN HER EYES will be available for two lucky winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The day of the cover reveal will be APRIL 2nd, 2013. A little over a month before the book will be released.

All blogs big and small are welcome to participate! My goal is to have at *least* 50 bloggers, but if we could get to 100, that would be AMAZING! All blogs listed below are participating. To sign up, either fill out the Google form below, or leave a comment, or contact me through the contact form.

Thanks so much everyone, you are awesome!!

Loading…

Participating Bloggers

1. YA Book Season

2. Book Loving Mom

3. Paperback Princess

4. Michelle Chew Writes

5. Some Like It Paranormal

6. Lost in Books

7. Pieces of Whimsy

8. Love, Literature, Art, & Reason

9. Blood, Sweat and Books

10. We All Make Mistakes In Books

11. The Online World of Clare Davidson

12. YA Book Addict

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Four Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Within

4. The first draft of WITHIN was written in three days.

It’s true! As part of the 3 Day Novel Contest, I wrote it all on Labour Day weekend, September 2010, and then set it aside for a while. Winning the 3 Day Novel Contest is not about getting published by them–it’s about having a manuscript by the end of the weekend that you can polish later!

3. The villain’s name was originally BALDAR and he was going to have mob connections.

During my three-day frenzy, I didn’t have a lot of time to spend on names. I chose Baldar because I remembered how sauve and good-looking Dr. Baldar was from Battlestar Galactica, and wanted some of his charm to ooze into my character.

Deciding how my villain would be a villain was one of the toughest parts of writing Within. I knew he had to have some sort of supernatural element to offset Trinity’s divinity. In my outline, I had him down as a mobster, with a large interconnected network that he would use to eventually take over the city. Somehow that didn’t quite make it into the manuscript—probably I thought it was too cliche, too obvious, and not quite as thrilling as writing about a man who has an almost-sexual enjoyment for murder.

2. I intended WITHIN to be a screenplay, not a novel.

When I first wrote down the idea, I thought it would be a great movie, and I considered writing it for some screenplay writing contest. Unfortunately, that never came about because I was still in university and didn’t have a lot of time to do my own writing.

1. No matter how many times you ask, the answer won’t change: WITHIN will never have a sequel.

Sometimes people ask. I always say no. Some characters only have one major event that’s worth telling, and for Trinity, Ellie, and Zack, this is it. Sorry!

One book, one book only: get your very own copy of Within here and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway