The World is Spinning

The world, my friend, is spinning

Around a fire as hot as hell

And the thread that keeps you down to earth 

Is a gravity well

 

But if the Earth was hanging

By a silken thread
Would you cut it?

 

For we can see the scissors in the science

As we watch some money-grubbing fools

Snipping away 

At the blanket that keeps us cool 

 

And so the fates would have us hanging

By a single silken thread

So, will you cut it?

 

 

A.J. Ponder 

 

Hope you enjoyed this one, it's been sitting half-finished for quite a while. 

 

But that's poetry for you. Fickle. :)    

But 
There  

Sunlight and Monsters

I can see a world. 
A green and blue marble
of clean seas
and emerald forests
and cities that sparkle in the sun 

Can you see it?
A world where you can live your best life
and no child is bombed or starved, but free to grow
free to wonder at the dinosaurs below 
and the twinkling stars above
free to explore with the sun on their face 
and the wind at their backs

Or are you trapped in a never-ending night
with a shadowy hulk 
sunning itself in its gas lamps
as it extends its tentacles
deep into every aspect of
our lives?

Don't imagine better, it whispers from the shadows,
tentacles gently strumming the deep dark web
to conjure fear as it wraps the world
in hatred and bigotry 
like a tasty scapegoat
drenched in tar

Whatever you want to hear, it will tell you.
Whoever you want to hurt, it will hurt gleefully
even as it tentacles reaches out for you
with eagerly questing suckers 

It's so hungry
hungry for what you have
hungry for what your neighbours have
your country has
this world has

A tentacle flicks by, so close now...

Stay quiet, 
I am the monster under the bed, and in the closet,
tighten your belt until your ribs show
and I might take you last, 
after I've blocked the sun 
strangled the trees
starved the children
murdered the innocent and the brave
and left you hollow and complicit

And still I see the light beyond the monster
the brave people waving flags to welcome the day
the world of plenty, that we could have, should have, would have
if we stopped feeding the monster

Can you see the sunlight?
Can you touch it?
Can you taste it?
Can you vote for it?
Can you walk for it?
Can you open your doors and demand your representatives stop feeding it, or letting it feed them?

I can see a world
free from the monster

A world of life and love and light
where everyone's needs are met
but it's slipping away
in a puddle of oil

 

 

Queen of the Chair

Victory is mine!
Claws and fur are top of the pecking order

All the childless cat ladies rejoice
As we protect our couches from so many threats...
Just not our cats

 

Photo of Maisie atop her favourite chair

P.S. Technically, if my children have grown up am I still a childless cat lady? I suspect not. But who cares? Well, aside from those who get their kicks out of controlling others. 

Have a great...until I post again.
Kia kaha

A.J. Ponder

Other poems with cats:

The Piano Twins

Cat-World Problems

Accounting for Herbert

 

 

Indelible

I have no patience for poetry
The lines are grey
And writhe in meaningless sludge

I have not the stomach for poetry
How many people died today
Heartsick for birdsong?

I have not the will for poetry
Pretty words on a pretty page
Made from the bleached bones of children

And yet here the ink flows
Indelible

A.J. Ponder

 

Just finished this one. It's been here for a while, sitting with its sadness and horror. And yes, I was riffing off this protest verse from Marwan Makhoul:

'in order for me to write poetry that isn’t
political, I must listen to the birds
and in order to hear the birds
the warplanes must be silent’

 – Marwan Makhoul, Palestinian Poet

 

More links to Palestinian poetry:

Poems for Palestine: https://publishersforpalestine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/poems_for_palestine_online.pdf
Other Palestinian poetry:https://tracyabell.com/2023/11/11/palestinian-poetry/
Marwan Makhoul: Poetry, Prose, and Identity Politics: https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/232229

 

Suck it Up

"Suck it up, be quiet, you're hurting the cause
How very dare you, it's time to hit pause

Don't stand up and don't fight back
Not even with paper

It's unseemly, it's rude and it's just not done
Clutch your pearls quick, everyone

And no talk of systemic abuse by the boys
'Cos, they'll throw out their toys, 

With their bollocks claim
"It's the rough and tumble of politics"

So suck it up, Buttercup
They have a country to pillage

And turn about is only fair play
For bullies policing the meek

It's not for gravy trays shielded by money—

Money that doesn't want a better world
If it has to pay 2c in taxes

A.J. Ponder

Hiya, 

I'm hoping that a little righteous anger will lift your heart today, and maybe also have you looking beneath claims of bullying to see if there's a culture of bullying—one that picks on the bullied if they dare step out of line. 

P.S. Supporting me on ko-fi helps keep me writing poetry and books. Click on the picture and discover my wee ko-fi page. There may even be a few cute pictures of my two lovely cats, as well as some great books to buy.

Find my stories and support my writing on ko-fi   I'd love to know which poems you'd like to see in my upcoming

 poetry book—2024

 

The Wallux and the Seapeter, with apologies to Lewis Carroll

The Wallux was whining in the sky,
Whining with all his might
He said he was the chosen one 
And, I quote, an "entitled" little blight
Which was not so odd because
He was a self-indulgent little shite

"Oh voters, won't you vote for us,
Our eyes are very blue."
"And we will hurt the people
Who aren't you," the Seapeter quickly cried
"And we have gifts," The Wallux added,
Just wait to see what is inside. 

Mother voter eyed them warily
But her kin were keen
Come on, they said, let's go and walk
After all, our Mum is mean
And so the voters strayed
with promises of green. 

The Sea was smiling sulkily
Smiling with all his might
While the Peter led the Wallux around
By the balls of blight
"Come and deal," the Wallux crowed
While the Peter shrugged and said, "Well, I think I might."

And soon the Wallux and the Seapeter
Had become a thing. So now all three heads
Were as wet as wet could be,
And racist as heck to boot
Their smiles as slick and smarmy
As an old jackbooted coot

"Do you suppose," the Wallux said,
His greed so plain to see
"If we should fire the workers
There'd be more money for me,"
"Oh yes," the Seapeter heads cried
"Then you can give the rest to me."

With fork and knife and serving spoon
They tucked into the feast
"I weep for me," the Wallux said:
"Please, deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he dumped
Public sector jobs of every size

"It's such a shame," the Wallux said,
"That we can't fire some more."
"True that," Seapeter agreed
"I'd love to settle every score."
The Wallux rubbed his hands
"Maybe next time,
"I think the voters are getting sore."

And with that, the Wallux heaved his paunchy gut
And took his own pay rise,
(with sighs as to its size)
And so I'm asking you, dear voter
Shall we let this monster have it's run?
Or shall we tell the entitled blights
Their days destroying NZ are done.

  A.J. Ponder with apologies to Lewis Carroll and the Walrus and the Carpenter

Hi, thanks for reading. 

If you enjoy my poetry, you can help me publish more poems like this one by supporting me on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ajponder 

 

Feel free to drop me a line to say hello, or tell me which poems you'd like to see in my upcoming poetry book.

A.J.

Bought ( PSA for a call for submissions for NZ's proposed code of conduct for political lobbyists )

No, it's not Tuesday, and hopefully this is going to be the quickest poem I've ever written—and all because I HATE absolutely LOATHE corporates and big money lobbying (bribing & or threatening) politicians to act against the best interests of us—the people the politicians are supposed to be serving. 

Bought

Well, the ciggy people bought our pollies
And now we have the smokes
Death and taxes is the joke

But the doctors aren't laughing.

And oil bought the roads but we can't know
How or why
Just that the roads must happen while our ferries die

While tourists and families are stranded.

And the landlords stormed the parliament and
Gave themselves a rise
While starving children of their lunches
And eating Bellamy pies 

Yes, they deny children while troughing it on the public dime.

And so those pollies are so happy
They've raided NZ lives for their greed
And the lobbyists are happy
They've paid pennies to make billions for big company greed

While our public servants are fired including those protecting our primary industries from tragedy.

So this post is to inform you
That this very Monday eve at 5pm 8 April
Is the deadline to say enough
We don't want bribery to succeed.

Yup this is a last-minute PSA: Monday 5pm is the deadline for responses to the lobbyists gutting of the proposed lobbying code of conduct that we so desperately needed to keep bribery and the revolving door in line.

Here's an article from people who know more than I do. It also has handy links to other countries codes of conduct: https://www.transparency.org.nz/blog/media-release-draft-voluntary-lobbying-code-of-conduct-lacks-substance

And here's the site where you can make submissions:

https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/key-initiatives/political-lobbying/voluntary-code-of-conduct-for-political-lobbyists

"Us Two" by A. A. Milne

 

Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
"Where are you going today?" says Pooh:
"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too.
Let's go together," says Pooh, says he.
"Let's go together," says Pooh.

"What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh.
("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.)
"I think it ought to be twenty-two."
"Just what I think myself," said Pooh.
"It wasn't an easy sum to do,
But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what it is," said Pooh.

"Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh.
"Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
"Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.
"As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That's what they are," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what they are," said Pooh.

"Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh.
"That's right," said Pooh to Me.
"I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo!
Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew.

"I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he,
"I'm never afraid with you."

So wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
"What would I do?" I said to Pooh,
"If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True,
It isn't much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh.

 

Winnie the Pooh is a beloved childhood nostalgia hit for me. I loved the poetry by A A Milne and its easy, flowing style. It takes a lot of work to get rhyme to flow so easily and naturally from the pen. :) 

But also it's an important thing to remember, sticking together is good. We can make the world better when we are not alone. 

Kia Kaha and happy Tuesday Poem flashback. :) 

A.J.

 

P.S. my A.A. Milne poems are here:My Minion, almost in the style of A A Milne's Market Square & Now We Are Old and Cynical.

My other posted A.A. Milne poems are here:The King's Breakfast as recited by Julie Andrews and Stephen Colbert, Teddy Bear, 

Can you see the Silence?

I have nothing but words to shine into the darkness
There are no dollars to buy your opinion
No marketing team to tell you what to think
Only words, and even those are murdered,
Hidden under the rubble of truth

All while oil lights the water
And munitions light the sky
And the smoke, the smoke
Is choking, burning, like phosphorous
Right down to the bone

Can you see beneath the noise?
If you look very carefully, you'll see
The gold-plated shackles
Placed on our democracy
Stretch to

An instant of clarity before
Twisted
Lies
Are
Spruiked

Wound over our eyes
And through our hearts
Choking our souls and silencing
Our screams with the nightmare cloth
Of kleptocratic dreams

A shroud of complacency
Woven from green dye and oil
While money buys the signal
And buries the noise

Can you see the silence?
The voices fallen quiet

Can you see the silence beneath the screen?

 A.J. Ponder

Well, I'm not sure if enjoyed is the right word, but I hope the poem has sparked something for you. It's one of my #protest poetry pieces.

If you enjoyed it, you may also enjoy some of my other protest pieces linked below, or if you'd rather have some fairy tale poetry my Portal to Fairytale poetry is here, or one of my personal favourites, Time Wyrm.

Your Billionaire Overlord: Today, I'm making the millions...

It's a New Age: The world's moved on. Once, the mighty pen could tear down kingdoms...

The Circle of Life :We have let the snakes...

Into the Underworld is almost here - Only 2 Days to go

 I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book! The third book in the Blood of the Fae series.

And it’s really close now, with only two days to go before you can join Ruby, her sister Pearl, and their kick-ass, bumbling grandparents as dragons attack the Library of Alexandria and Dream City falls to the skin walker, Wyrden.

Get ready to go Into the Underworld & pick up your copy today

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR2KBQWV am aff link

Into the Underworld, Book 3 of the Blood of the Fae series

Start reading the series free on KU / Kindle Unlimited for a limited time

★★★★★ Edge of your seat action

★★★★★ A brilliant read

★★★★★ Non-stop battles, traitors, and surprises

★★★★★ A wonderful job bringing the Fae into a new light

★★★★★ Will have you entranced

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFBD3JGW am aff link

 

The Blurb for Into the Underworld: 

A daring unicorn rescue
A trapped librarian
A secret that will rock Brocéliande and change dragons forever

Ruby's daring rescue of her parents has failed. Queen Persephone has trapped her in the Underworld with her fairy godmother, Lettie.

Meanwhile, Ruby's sister Pearl is rescuing dragon eggs, unicorns and librarians, unaware of her family's fate or the secret her grandparents have uncovered that will change the fate of Brocéliande forever.

Journey into the Underworld with Ruby, Pearl, and their kick-ass, bumbling grandparents as dragons attack the Library of Alexandria and Dream City falls to the skin walker, Wyrden.

Don't miss out on the penultimate installment of this exciting adventure https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR2KBQWV am aff link

 

Happy reading, Merry Christmas and a happy festive season

A.J. 

 

Into Faerland - Blood of the Fae, book 1

from USA Today Bestselling Author, A. J Ponder (yes, that's me!)

Into FaerLand

Humans seem to think fae are either flitting through the flowers drinking nectar,
or stealing children.

Well, only one of those is true.

We never steal children. We only swap them.

An eye for an eye, a child for a child.

Journey into Faerland, at your own peril.

And yes, I'm offering this 99c special for a limited time only (22 Aug).

*.•*´)¸.☆The Blurb*.•*´)¸.☆

“We never steal children. We only swap them. An eye for an eye, a child for a child."

Aiden is sent into demon territory to bring the Sword Master into New Avalon. The
mission doesn't go entirely to plan, and Aiden falls dangerously in love with the
Swordsmaster, Keera. She's pretty as a fae, and a strong, graceful fighter. With every
movement she makes, he falls harder. Keera and Aiden both ignore the warnings,
marry, and have two beautiful daughters.

Meanwhile, Keera’s swords, forged with cold iron, and adorned with silver and gold,
have angered the fae—and most especially King Hades and Persephone who rule
FaerLand.

Determined to pay the humans back, Queen Persephone orders two fae underlings, Lettie
and Zadie to switch their changelings for Keera and Aiden’s children. Lettie’s heart breaks
as Zadie tears her beloved changeling from her hands and replaces her with a snotty human
child. Now, the one person she loved in all the world is gone, she will do anything to bring
Nada back...

...including killing Keera and Aiden to end the fairy bargain.

Special price of 99c (Amazon aff link)

Into FaerLand Am aff link: https://amzn.to/3QDEeCu

 

Happy reading, A.J. 

P.S. If you love fae, you can also check out my collection of favourite Fairy Tale poems here, or one of my very
favourite poems, Stolen Time, here.

 

Welcome to the propaganda war

Welcome to the war you never knew you were a part of.
Until the moment you did.

But once you arrive, how do you know which side is the side for good?
And which is the side for evil?
When there is no such thing as perfection.

No buts
No believe mes
No messiahs to rescue us
No billionaires who care about anything other than their billions

And when it gets too much
Remember we're all with you
Fighting in a hundred different directions, making mistakes and muddling through.

And we love you
Even if we disagree

A.J. Ponder

First published on Twitter 

I'd explain this poem, but does it need explaining? 
I think most of us have realised that there's a few things in this world that need urgent fixing. And that the world could be an amazing place, but as the authors of "Why Nations Fail" pointed out, the first thing that needs to happen, is we need to stop concentrate all the wealth, resources and power into the hands of a very few, and spread them around like muck.

Lets help all the flowers grow. Instead of piling it up into stinking cesspools of...

If you're looking for more poems of a similar ilk, here are two more swamp monster poems and The Masque of Anarchy by Percey Shelly to choose from. :) 

The Lords of the Sea

Draining the Swamp of all Human Decency

The Masque of Anarchy

\Happy reading, A.J. 

And if you're interested in my other writing, please check out what's new on my blog: https://ponderbooks.com

My books are available wide, and my favourite, Quest is now out in audiobook. (If you're in US Chirp is the cheapest option 😊😎)

The Fine Old English Gentleman: New Version by Charles Dickens

 (To be said or sung at all Conservative dinners)

I'll sing you a new ballad, and I'll warrant it first-rate,
Of the days of that old gentleman who had that old estate;
When they spent the public money at a bountiful old rate
On ev'ry mistress, pimp, and scamp, at ev'ry noble gate,
In the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

The good old laws were garnished well with gibbets, whips, and chains,
With fine old English penalties, and fine old English pains,
With rebel heads, and seas of blood once hot in rebel veins;
For all these things were requisite to guard the rich old gains
Of the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

This brave old code, like Argus, had a hundred watchful eyes,
And ev'ry English peasant had his good old English spies,
To tempt his starving discontent with fine old English lies,
Then call the good old Yeomanry to stop his peevish cries,
In the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

The good old times for cutting throats that cried out in their need,
The good old times for hunting men who held their fathers' creed,
The good old times when William Pitt, as all good men agreed,
Came down direct from Paradise at more than railroad speed …
Oh the fine old English Tory times;
When will they come again!

In those rare days, the press was seldom known to snarl or bark,
But sweetly sang of men in pow'r, like any tuneful lark;
Grave judges, too, to all their evil deeds were in the dark;
And not a man in twenty score knew how to make his mark.
Oh the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

Those were the days for taxes, and for war's infernal din;
For scarcity of bread, that fine old dowagers might win;
For shutting men of letters up, through iron bars to grin,
Because they didn't think the Prince was altogether thin,
In the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

But Tolerance, though slow in flight, is strong-wing'd in the main;
That night must come on these fine days, in course of time was plain;
The pure old spirit struggled, but its struggles were in vain;
A nation's grip was on it, and it died in choking pain,
With the fine old English Tory days,
All of the olden time.

The bright old day now dawns again; the cry runs through the land,
In England there shall be dear bread — in Ireland, sword and brand;
And poverty, and ignorance, shall swell the rich and grand,
So, rally round the rulers with the gentle iron hand,
Of the fine old English Tory days;
Hail to the coming time!

So there we go, as relevant today as back when Charles Dickens wrote it.

If you enjoyed this, you may also enjoy, Rudyard Kipling's A Smuggler's Song, Soliloquy on an Empty Purse by Mary Jones or the The Masque of Anarchy, Percy Shelley

Have fun reading,
A.J. 

Lords of the Sea

 And thus we fought for honour, Lord

T'was our honour lord, we lost. 

We faced the kraken, Lord
And couldn't take its arms

So we filled the seas with oil
And we filled the seas with death

And now that evil kraken
will take its final breath

But the fisherfolk can't eat the fish
And our soldiers die

And a new evil it stalks across the land
My lord, 'tis you and I 

A quick little poem this Tuesday, I hope you enjoy.

A.J.

More kraken poems:

The Kraken by Alfred Tennyson
Under the Surface

And if you're interested in my other writing, please check out what's new on my blog: https://ponderbooks.com

My books are available wide, and my favourite, Quest is now out in audiobook. (If you're in US Chirp is the cheapest option 😊😎)

OMG - in honour of Winnie the Pooh being out of copyright, Teddy Bear by AA Milne

I love this poem so much because it's about celebrating who you are and understanding that fashion is fleeting.  :) 

TEDDY BEAR

A bear, however hard he tries,
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,
Which is not to be wondered at;
He gets what exercise he can
By falling off the ottoman,
But generally seems to lack
The energy to clamber back.

 

Now tubbiness is just the thing

Which gets a fellow wondering;

And Teddy worried lots about

The fact that he was rather stout.

He thought: “If only I were thin!

But how does anyone begin?”

He thought: “It really isn’t fair

To grudge one exercise and air.”

 

For many weeks he pressed in vain

His nose against the window-pane,

And envied those who walked about

Reducing their unwanted stout.

None of the people he could see

“Is quite” (he said) “as fat as me!”

Then, with a still more moving sigh,

“I mean” (he said) “as fat as I!

 

One night it happened that he took

A peep at an old picture-book,

Wherein he came across by chance

The picture of a King of France

(A stoutish man) and, down below,

These words: ”King Louis So and So,

Nicknamed ‘The Handsome!’" There he sat,

And (think of it!) the man was fat!

 

Our bear rejoiced like anything

To read about this famous King,

Nicknamed “The Handsome.” There he sat,

And certainly the man was fat.

Nicknamed “The Handsome.” Not a doubt

The man was definitely stout.

Why then, a bear (for all his tub)

Might yet be named “The Handsome Cub!”

 

“Might yet be named.” Or did he mean

That years ago he “might have been”?

For now he felt a slight misgiving:

“Is Louis So and So still living?

Fashions in beauty have a way

Of altering from day to day.

Is 'Handsome Louis’ with us yet?

Unfortunately I forget.”

 

Next morning (nose to window-pane)

The doubt occurred to him again.

One question hammered in his head:

“Is he alive or is he dead?”

Thus, nose to pane, he pondered; but

The lattice window, loosely shut,

Swung open. With one startled “Oh!”

Our Teddy disappeared below.

 

There happened to be passing by

A plump man with a twinkling eye,

Who, seeing Teddy in the street,

Raised him politely to his feet,

And murmured kindly in his ear

Soft words of comfort and of cheer:

“Well, well!” “Allow me!” “Not at all.”

“Tut-tut! A very nasty fall.”

 

Our Teddy answered not a word;

It’s doubtful if he even heard.

Our bear could only look and look:

The stout man in the picture-book!

That 'handsome’ King - could this be he,

This man of adiposity?

“Impossible,” he thought. “But still,

No harm in asking. Yes I will!”

 

“Are you,” he said, "by any chance

His Majesty the King of France?”

The other answered, “I am that,”

Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat;

Then said, “Excuse me,” with an air,

“But is it Mr Edward Bear?”

And Teddy, bending very low,

Replied politely, “Even so!”

 

They stood beneath the window there,

The King and Mr Edward Bear,

And, handsome, if a trifle fat,

Talked carelessly of this and that....

Then said His Majesty, “Well, well,

I must get on,” and rang the bell.

“Your bear, I think,” he smiled. “Good-day!”

And turned, and went upon his way.

 

A bear, however hard he tries,

Grows tubby without exercise.

Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,

Which is not to be wondered at.

But do you think it worries him

To know that he is far from slim?

No, just the other way about -

He’s proud of being short and stout.

Hope to see you again soon,

Busy writing

A.J. 

P.S. You may enjoy, or really hate my poems "in the style of" A.A. Milne

My Minion

Now We Are Old and Cynical

Or The King's Breakfast as recited by Julie Andrews and Stephen Colbert

Quest Audiobook Out Now

 

Yes, Quest is now an audiobook. 

It was one of the most expensive things I've ever done as an author. But it was hugely worthwhile. Very satisfying and extremely nerve-wracking at the same time...but it's all worth it now as with Benjamin Fife’s narration, the characters of  Quest come to life.*

Cheer for Princess Sylvalla as she escapes the confines of Avondale castle and discovers a world of fantasy, adventure and danger.

Follow Jonathan Goodfellow as he rejects a life of wizardry in search of his fortune—the fortune he lost when he lost his wagon and everything in it. Well, he didn’t lose the wagon, exactly, it was stolen. Stolen by Dothie, an evil wizard who has plans to get a fortune of his own.

Boo the evil wizard as he creates chaos wherever he goes, and then attempts to kidnap the princess Sylvalla—which is ironic because the princess is accidentally taking on a spot of kidnapping herself…

*The only problem is that you'll miss out on the footnotes. But if you’re not a footnote fan, that has to be a definite advantage of the audio book. :) 

Shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel award. To find out more about Quest click here. 

Or buy the series now—available wide, or see below for the Amazon preview... 

  

Thank you for reading,

A.J.

PS: If you're looking for more books with great heroines check out my books page, or Female Heroes Are For Everyone on my writing blog. :)

Snow White and Rose Red - The Dragon Shifters Hoard

 Do you remember the story of Snow White and Rose Red?

Jessie Willcox Smith
Public Domain

It's one of the fairy tales that really spoke to me. I think it was because it was originally written by a woman and the two girls simply had more agency than in most fairy tales. They got to go out and do things, look out for each other, make mistakes and live happily ever after. 

So of course Eileen Mueller and I wanted to write their story...but different. first things first. No old-school characterisations of dwarfs.  TBH in the original story the dwarf is more like a gnome, but that also seems problematic. So that character is now a...no, of course I'm not telling you that. It would be a total spoiler. :)

It's a total re-imagining of the story—with the girls having powers that need to be kept hidden as they're brought into a world of dragon shifters, mages and deadly fae. 

Red brings the fire. The quote is from Dante's perspective. Think of him as the prince...except he's not stuck in the form of a bear. He has other problems that revolve around the dragon-shifters hoard and his family. So those plot points are in there, with the girls unwittingly helping the villain of the story. 

Just saying, because it's hard to pick up.

If you'd like a sneak preview of Snow and Red-book 1 of the Dragon Shifters' Hoard check it out my website here. 
 

Snow brings the cold. The quote is what Zephyr thinks when he sees her. Yes, both "princes" are in this story. No point having the extra one turn up at the end, is there? 

In fact both Zephyr and Dante feature in their very own prequel...The Draki Twins, and it's absolutely free. And it has nothing to do with the Snow and Red fairy tale...but it does give a little background for the beginning of the series. 

Check it out at your favourite ebook retailer here:  https://books2read.com/DrakiTwins

So, now I've told you mine, what's your favourite fairy tale? 

Have fun reading (& retelling fairy tales)
A.J. 

Free