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

Stolen Time

 In the forest late at night
As the moon was shining
I thought I saw a fair one

Out at midnight dining

A blanket and a basket

A wine of claret red

A bosom warm as dawn

On which to lay his head

I blinked and all t'was over

The night was sped away

And twenty years, they rushed by

The night I passed that way

The fair one he was restless

And jealous of the Day

And fair he held her close

And bid her come his way

She spoke her words so warm
And smiled like winter sun
And when she laughed it burned
Twenty years undone

Now in the forest late at night
When sister Moon is swollen
I beseech her there to free
The years that Day has stolen

But sweet Day, so young and fey  
I do protest in vain
Though my bones turn ashen grey
I love you just the same

A blanket and a basket
A wine of claret red
Your bosom's far too warm
For a mortal's bed

 A.J. Ponder 
 

I love the classic fairy tales of lost time, the deadly romance of it all (mostly the deadly bit) and so this is my homage to those tales and poems (they had such a wonderful way with rhyme and metre) of my misspent youth.  And talking about misspent youth - received "Tiny Trouble" in the mail - thanks to Pearson's Journal, "Comet" and it looks fab :)  Also posted off the paperwork for "Legendary" (co-written with Peter Friend), which will be printed in their "Explore" magazine soonish.

If you love poetry, try out the Tuesday Poem hub http://tuesdaypoem.blogspot.com/
or for more fairytale poetry click here to my Fairytale Poetry Hub

Cheers,
A.J.