Welcome to Of Magic and Mischief

Hello, readers!

This is my very first blog post here on Goodreads, so thank you for stopping by. I thought it only fitting to start with a little introduction—and, of course, a touch of magic.

I’ve always been drawn to fairy tales, the kind that linger long after you’ve closed the book. They’re not just bedtime stories. They’re warnings, whispers, and windows into the deepest parts of ourselves. From the Snow Queen’s icy bargains to the Grimm Brothers’ shadowed woods, these tales are equal parts wonder and danger.

That balance between magic and mischief is exactly what I try to capture in my own writing. My fantasy series "Fabled" grew out of a lifelong fascination with folklore, fairy tales, and the timeless struggle between duty and freedom. The first book in the Fabled series, "Icebound", takes inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, but with its own twists of cursed mirrors, dark bargains, and characters struggling to hold onto their humanity.

If you love stories that are just as chilling as they are enchanting, then you’re in the right place. I’ll be using this space to share reflections on writing, folklore, and the books that inspire me (along with some behind-the-scenes glimpses into Fabled).

I’d love to hear from you, too. What’s the fairy tale that haunted you the most when you first read it? Drop a comment! I’m eager to chat with fellow lovers of the strange, the beautiful, and the bittersweet.

Here’s to magic, mischief, and a few shadows along the way.

– N.M. Mac Arthur