Feb 04 2025 60 mins 10
After her fairy godmother’s magic act, Cinderella carefully slips her feet into—a set of fine glass seven-league boots.[1. Photo by Tim Rebkavets on Unsplash.] She clicks her heels three times and is whisked away to the land of Oz. Meanwhile, a beautiful princess flees from the prophecy of a deadly spindle. She discovers the house of seven dwarves, where she must hide from a wicked witch along with the witch’s evil sidekick, Rumplestiltskin. What are fairy tale retellings? How do they reenchant us?
Episode sponsors
- Enclave Publishing: The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay Franklin
- Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson
- Kickstarter for A Study in Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf
Mission update
- Our new front page is live, complete with upgraded Library Search!
- As always, subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild
- Don’t miss the cover reveal for Marian Jacobs’ On Magic and Miracles
- Meanwhile, Stephen is planning his ACE Launch Party for Sat., March 1
- Listen to this show’s end for our two recently announced giveaways
Backstory: Kendra E. Ardnek
Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She makes her home in the hills of central Texas with her fellow author husband, who she found at a writer’s conference. When not writing, you can usually find her crocheting her own cloaks, valiantly attempting to read every retelling ever written, and pretending that owning toy dragons makes her a dragon trainer.
1. Why do all kinds of readers love classic fairy tales?
- Kids re-read classic fairy tales because they’re simple, fun, memorable
- Older kids/teens/YA enjoy these too, especially the “retelling” versions
- Adults like to research them for their deeper and often biblical truth
2. And why do readers also love retelling fairy tales?
- Any adaptation (even Disney ones) helps bring out new/old meanings
- Retellings can freshen an old story with new plot twists, settings, finales.
- Sometimes a retelling can blend other stories, like in this show’s intro.
3. How long may this fairy-tale retelling trend last?
- One way or another, we shall always enjoy new versions of old stories.
- That’s because most fairy tales reflect the simple virtues of God’s law.
- And fairy tales offer not just “tropes” but reflections of eternal heroes.
