I have always loved fairy tales. They are quite possibly my favorite form of fiction. Whether or not I think they have morals to tell, they put butterflies in my stomach, especially when there are happy endings.
My favorite thing about fairy tales, are the worlds they take place in. Far off magical kingdoms, where all the problems seem to be about good and evil, and despite all the pretty colors, morality is always black and white — even when it shouldn’t be. They aren’t supposed to reflect the real world, or the true complexities of the human condition, merely offer a simplified illustration of the struggles we face and how the choices we make define us.
As a writer, I’ve certainly been influenced by fairy tales above all other forms of fictional escape. Perhaps what I love most about fairy tales, however, are all the various re-imaginings of the many stories I love. The original culprit of my obsession with fairy tales is — I confess — Disney. I grew up on Disney’s animated classics, and I have a hardcore soft spot for them to this day. As I got older and became more and more curious about the folklore and mythology of fairy tales, I discovered worlds which forever changed the way I write my fiction.
And sometimes, I write them in the spirit of my favorite classics. Below, you’ll find a selection of some of my original fairy tales.