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Slice of Life: A Multimedia Fairy Tale
"This was no longer her world against the queen. It was the queen's world against her."
The Queen wants to destroy the life force of earth and has destroyed the last being that can stop her. Or so she thinks . . .
The last powerful mage in the world, Princess Aura, is the sole witness to the nefarious plot. The good news is she knows how to stop it. The bad news? She can't do it alone.
Aura must summon someone she hoped never to see again. Saint George, her lover who left five years ago for another woman. And another. And another.
Can they work together long enough to defeat the queen and save the world?
Told collectively by a troupe of digital artists, Slice of Life employs every medium available: prose, pictures, poetry, illustration, audio scenes, and music, to provide an immersive and exciting reading experience.
Ellie Ann - author, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
Gary Morgan - comic illustrator, of Undead and Hobbit Lessons
Theo Love - audio director, award winning filmmaker
Emma Lang - 12 year old extraordinaire
Biaka Zaidarhzauva - graphic artist
Lance Schaubert - poet, of Cold Blood & Poet's Market
Hezekiah Jones - composer, of Have You Seen Our New Fort?
The Queen wants to destroy the life force of earth and has destroyed the last being that can stop her. Or so she thinks . . .
The last powerful mage in the world, Princess Aura, is the sole witness to the nefarious plot. The good news is she knows how to stop it. The bad news? She can't do it alone.
Aura must summon someone she hoped never to see again. Saint George, her lover who left five years ago for another woman. And another. And another.
Can they work together long enough to defeat the queen and save the world?
Told collectively by a troupe of digital artists, Slice of Life employs every medium available: prose, pictures, poetry, illustration, audio scenes, and music, to provide an immersive and exciting reading experience.
Ellie Ann - author, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
Gary Morgan - comic illustrator, of Undead and Hobbit Lessons
Theo Love - audio director, award winning filmmaker
Emma Lang - 12 year old extraordinaire
Biaka Zaidarhzauva - graphic artist
Lance Schaubert - poet, of Cold Blood & Poet's Market
Hezekiah Jones - composer, of Have You Seen Our New Fort?
138 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2015
12 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Ann
9 books71 followersEllie Ann is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of science fiction, thrillers, and comics.
In her own words:
I was born in the jungles of Thailand, was raised in a small farming village in Iowa, lived in the middle of a Texan desert, and now abide in the Ozarks. I get nerd points for being home schooled. I get nerd points revoked for being a basketball jock in high school. I get nerd points again for dressing as Aragorn for LOTR midnight showings. I’m trying to become a world-renowned geek.
I'm a creative editor for Stonehouse Ink. I'm a producer of enhanced digital books for Noble Beast Books. And I write comics for Motionworks Entertainment.
I like writing fairy tales, science fiction, thrillers, and am seriously interested in transmedia storytelling. I like reading and watching well-written adventures. Especially if they're hilarious.
I’m specially qualified for the zombie apocalypse in that I know how to load and shoot guns, and I’m a long-distance runner. I’m specially qualified for the energy-crisis apocalypse in that I can ride a horse. I’m specially qualified for the dinoapocalypse or monster apocalypse in that I’m a certified nurse. And I’m specially qualified for the nuclear apocalypse in that I’m not afraid of death or growing a third eye.
email: ellieannwrites@gmail.com
twitter: @elliesoderstrom
Facebook: Ellie Ann Author
In her own words:
I was born in the jungles of Thailand, was raised in a small farming village in Iowa, lived in the middle of a Texan desert, and now abide in the Ozarks. I get nerd points for being home schooled. I get nerd points revoked for being a basketball jock in high school. I get nerd points again for dressing as Aragorn for LOTR midnight showings. I’m trying to become a world-renowned geek.
I'm a creative editor for Stonehouse Ink. I'm a producer of enhanced digital books for Noble Beast Books. And I write comics for Motionworks Entertainment.
I like writing fairy tales, science fiction, thrillers, and am seriously interested in transmedia storytelling. I like reading and watching well-written adventures. Especially if they're hilarious.
I’m specially qualified for the zombie apocalypse in that I know how to load and shoot guns, and I’m a long-distance runner. I’m specially qualified for the energy-crisis apocalypse in that I can ride a horse. I’m specially qualified for the dinoapocalypse or monster apocalypse in that I’m a certified nurse. And I’m specially qualified for the nuclear apocalypse in that I’m not afraid of death or growing a third eye.
email: ellieannwrites@gmail.com
twitter: @elliesoderstrom
Facebook: Ellie Ann Author
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 21, 2015
An intriguing idea to combine multiple medias to tell a story. I admit, my favorite was still the written story, with the graphics a close second. I've never listened to an audio book and found the snippets that were narrated interesting, but also couldn't hear Aura as clearly as Saint George. Lastly, although I can appreciate poetry, I'll admit it isn't something I gravitate to. It didn't detract from the book, and perhaps others will prefer that version of telling the story.
A different way to tell a classic fairy tale. This is the story of Sleeping Beauty. However, in this version, it would seem that our heroine doesn't get cursed to fall asleep, but rather falls asleep when she is afraid. And, a kiss will awaken her, but it doesn't have to be from her prince. After sleeping for three years, Aura is awakened by the evil Queen to witness the destruction of all that is good. When the Queen kills Ki, things don't go as expected as Ki had a secret, she hid a portion of herself where others could not easily gain entrance. Aura knows she must obtain that piece before the Queen, but to escape her own faith - to die at the hand of the Queen, here and now - she would need to seek the help of someone she swore she would not contact if at all possible, Saint George. Saint George has a plan and needs Aura, but he is also not the same man that she remembers. Together, they will need to put aside their differences to defeat the Queen even if it means working with those they've considered enemies in the past.
Our sweet princess isn't so sweet and all of the fairy tales you've read in the past are mingled together in some form or another. This is a dark twist to the Disney versions you've known and loved, but done in a way that an adult can appreciate. I loved the inclusion of the illustrations. Although not necessary, if you are like me who pictures the story in your head as you read, the illustrations helps make the story more real. My kindle did not support my hearing the audio version of the story, but it also wasn't necessary. It wasn't the full story, but if you are someone who likes listening to the story to make it more real for you, then it is a good addition. My only negative is that the story ended before I was ready. With all of the promises Aura made, there will be some kind of fall out and I would have liked to have read about how she will address those promises. It is interesting how Saint George was against her agreeing to them, but given the plan was his to begin with and time was of the essence, how else did he expect this to go?
All in all, it was too short, but very entertaining. I read this faster than I thought, but that was because I couldn't put it down once I started to read. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of fantasy / paranormal and fairy tales. Definitely not what I would read to my kids, but can be read by YAs.
A different way to tell a classic fairy tale. This is the story of Sleeping Beauty. However, in this version, it would seem that our heroine doesn't get cursed to fall asleep, but rather falls asleep when she is afraid. And, a kiss will awaken her, but it doesn't have to be from her prince. After sleeping for three years, Aura is awakened by the evil Queen to witness the destruction of all that is good. When the Queen kills Ki, things don't go as expected as Ki had a secret, she hid a portion of herself where others could not easily gain entrance. Aura knows she must obtain that piece before the Queen, but to escape her own faith - to die at the hand of the Queen, here and now - she would need to seek the help of someone she swore she would not contact if at all possible, Saint George. Saint George has a plan and needs Aura, but he is also not the same man that she remembers. Together, they will need to put aside their differences to defeat the Queen even if it means working with those they've considered enemies in the past.
Our sweet princess isn't so sweet and all of the fairy tales you've read in the past are mingled together in some form or another. This is a dark twist to the Disney versions you've known and loved, but done in a way that an adult can appreciate. I loved the inclusion of the illustrations. Although not necessary, if you are like me who pictures the story in your head as you read, the illustrations helps make the story more real. My kindle did not support my hearing the audio version of the story, but it also wasn't necessary. It wasn't the full story, but if you are someone who likes listening to the story to make it more real for you, then it is a good addition. My only negative is that the story ended before I was ready. With all of the promises Aura made, there will be some kind of fall out and I would have liked to have read about how she will address those promises. It is interesting how Saint George was against her agreeing to them, but given the plan was his to begin with and time was of the essence, how else did he expect this to go?
All in all, it was too short, but very entertaining. I read this faster than I thought, but that was because I couldn't put it down once I started to read. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of fantasy / paranormal and fairy tales. Definitely not what I would read to my kids, but can be read by YAs.
January 14, 2015
This story begins with Aura tied to a pyre by the Queen's men. She has been asleep for an extended period of time; therefore, does not realize the dire situation at hand until it is upon her. Ki, the life force for good, has been taken and is also in danger. Before the final blow, Ki mentions to the queen that the life force is unable to be destroyed by emanate death. This triggers an automatic survival response from Aura; her need to escape is almost unbearable but detrimental. This is where Aura's adventure begins. The tale unfolds with her struggles to find the other part of the life force before the Queen can destroy it.
I really enjoy the author's love of fictional and mythical characters. She makes this apparent by how many are portrayed in this book. Some of those appearances include Pan, Captain Hook, Frankenstein's monster, Hermes and Merlin. The wide variety is a little difficult to keep track of since most of these characters correlate outside of each other's worlds in different stories. I did find it exciting that they were all mentioned together in this tale; however, this may be due to the fact that I do have prior knowledge of all characters mentioned throughout the story.
I do appreciate the adventure and the slight violence that the author reveals because it makes the characters human and susceptible to death. Some parts of the story were a little difficult to comprehend though. While reading the tale, there is an apparent change in pace among certain scenes. The pace of this tale is generally fast; yet, the author is still able to provide enough vivid description allowing you as the reader to see the scenes play out as they were meant to.
After reading this tale, it reminded me of a graphic novel. I believe that I could actually see the context displayed in a multitude of pictures while reading. I recommend this book to my club members, both men and women, who like fairy tales, pirates, ogres, mermaids, Greek Mythology, and monsters in general. This tale does reveal a slight hint of romantic interest between the two main characters but the adventure is the primary motivation of this story. I am excited to read more from Ellie Ann and I exit here with providing four stars for this wonderful author and enthralling tale.
I really enjoy the author's love of fictional and mythical characters. She makes this apparent by how many are portrayed in this book. Some of those appearances include Pan, Captain Hook, Frankenstein's monster, Hermes and Merlin. The wide variety is a little difficult to keep track of since most of these characters correlate outside of each other's worlds in different stories. I did find it exciting that they were all mentioned together in this tale; however, this may be due to the fact that I do have prior knowledge of all characters mentioned throughout the story.
I do appreciate the adventure and the slight violence that the author reveals because it makes the characters human and susceptible to death. Some parts of the story were a little difficult to comprehend though. While reading the tale, there is an apparent change in pace among certain scenes. The pace of this tale is generally fast; yet, the author is still able to provide enough vivid description allowing you as the reader to see the scenes play out as they were meant to.
After reading this tale, it reminded me of a graphic novel. I believe that I could actually see the context displayed in a multitude of pictures while reading. I recommend this book to my club members, both men and women, who like fairy tales, pirates, ogres, mermaids, Greek Mythology, and monsters in general. This tale does reveal a slight hint of romantic interest between the two main characters but the adventure is the primary motivation of this story. I am excited to read more from Ellie Ann and I exit here with providing four stars for this wonderful author and enthralling tale.
January 13, 2015
Great story. Love the characters! Love the pictures. Found this story very entertaining and exciting to read! Highly recommend!
January 26, 2015
3.5/5 pending review
August 2, 2015
Working on review...
January 16, 2015
This little tale is bursting at the seams with ALL OF EVERYTHING, EVER: A kick-ass heroine who's actually likable. A flawed, hunky hero who breaks your heart and then mends it in the blink of an eye. An evil queen that makes your skin crawl. Twists and turns that will make you look like a damn fool because you're shouting at your device because OH NO SHE DIDN'T (oh yes, she did). Best of all, Ellie Ann makes the whole thing sparkle with imagery that is so fresh and new but has a feeling of age to it - at times it reminded me of the off-the-charts creative images that George MacDonald conjured up in Phantastes.
This would have been a super-fun read even without the artwork and audio (which, BTW, are all top-notch). Really hoping that Ellie Ann and her cohorts give us another look into Aura and Saint George's world. While not a cliffhanger, there are miles left to this story. I hope the author takes us further down that road.
This would have been a super-fun read even without the artwork and audio (which, BTW, are all top-notch). Really hoping that Ellie Ann and her cohorts give us another look into Aura and Saint George's world. While not a cliffhanger, there are miles left to this story. I hope the author takes us further down that road.
April 3, 2015
(I received this book free in exchange for an honest review, as part of this book’s blog tour. It received a 3.5 on my blog.)
I was first drawn to this book for the intriguing “multi-media” concept, as I had not read a story comprised of narrative, illustrations, with a “saga” and music and audio scenes that you could listen along with. So for all that, it was fun. (Although the narrators didn’t quite click with me.)
The story itself was interesting too, taking a whole bunch of fairy tales and tossing them on their ear, while still being a standard fairy tale in many ways.
Unfortunately, this story lacked something for me to really be drawn in. Maybe it really did try to do too much and in too small a span to really feel it all. Some parts were very rushed and so you couldn’t quite hook into the story, and the characters didn’t have as much development since they were so busy rushing through the plot.
Still, it was fun and different and interesting. 3.5 Fireballs.
I was first drawn to this book for the intriguing “multi-media” concept, as I had not read a story comprised of narrative, illustrations, with a “saga” and music and audio scenes that you could listen along with. So for all that, it was fun. (Although the narrators didn’t quite click with me.)
The story itself was interesting too, taking a whole bunch of fairy tales and tossing them on their ear, while still being a standard fairy tale in many ways.
Unfortunately, this story lacked something for me to really be drawn in. Maybe it really did try to do too much and in too small a span to really feel it all. Some parts were very rushed and so you couldn’t quite hook into the story, and the characters didn’t have as much development since they were so busy rushing through the plot.
Still, it was fun and different and interesting. 3.5 Fireballs.
March 7, 2015
A gripping twist on Sleeping Beauty -- loved that the author made the princess a tough warrior. Really, really tough. I liked how the author brought all kinds of fairy tale and literary characters into the story. It's also a really cool experiment in storytelling, with the blend of straight storytelling, illustration, poetry, music, voice performance. I confess that I am old, and don't love to toggle between different media, so I didn't enjoy it as it was designed, with music and vocal performance interwoven with the reading; I enjoyed those later. It may be because I know the poet, but I particularly enjoyed how the poem felt like a medieval traveling bard weaving the story over a campfire.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews