TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES: DARK RETELLINGS OF MOTHER GOOSE RHYMES. THIS AIN’T YOUR TODDLER’S MOTHER GOOSE BOOK!
Fairy tales sung sweetly can take us back to childhood, but just beneath those same sweet tales, is a hint of something dark…
Month9Books, a new publisher of speculative fiction for teens and tweens launches in October 2012, with the release of TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES: DARK RETELLINGS OF MOTHER GOOSE RHYMES. This unique collaboration’s proceeds (from the first 5,000 copies sold) will be donated to YALITCHAT.ORG, an organization that fosters the advancement, reading, writing and acceptance of young adult literature worldwide. TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES: DARK RETELLINGS OF MOTHER GOOSE RHYMESfeatures some of today’s most admired young adult authors, including: Michelle Zink, Lisa Mantchev, Sarwat Chadda, Nina Berry, Leigh Fallon, Suzanne Young, C. Lee McKenzie, Angie Frazier, Jessie Harrell, Gretchen McNeil, KM Walton, Heidi R. Kling, Nancy Holder, Karen Mahoney, Suzanne Lazear, Pamela van Hylckama Vlieg, Shannon Delany with Max Scialdone, Leah Cypess, Sayantani DasGupta, and Georgia McBride, founder of Month9Books. Francisco X. Stork, author of the critically acclaimed MARCELLO IN THE REAL WORLD, provides a foreword that is nearly as riveting as the stories themselves.
My Thoughts:
This was a great retelling of some of my favorite tales. I loved the dark twists in some of the stories and loved being able to check out some new-to-me authors. Some of these stories were outright fantastic, while some of them could have used a bit of expanding to make them more well rounded. I'm not going to go through each story and tell you my thoughts, as I am a bit biased on some and that wouldn't contribute much to the review ;) What I am going to tell you is that some of these will have you chilled to the core! Definitely a great read for this season!!
Interview with Nancy Holder:
1. If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
ANSWER: What a great question! Hardly anyone thinks of going into the future. I think I’d go to the past, though, so I could hang out with my parents. They both died when I was quite young and I’d love to tell them about their awesome granddaughter (my kid.)
2. If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?
ANSWER: I would invite Richard Dean Anderson, my daughter, my sister, Val Lewton, and Joss Whedon. Val Lewton was an auteur like Whedon. He created a horror unit at RKO and produced some of the scariest movies ever made. Richard Dean Anderson was Colonel O’Neill in Stargate, and he is my favorite actor.
3. What is one book everyone should read?
ANSWER: Everyone should read Two and Twenty Dark Tales, of course! And The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran. What the world needs now is an excess of kindness and mercy. Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. 4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
ANSWER: I love writing at Disneyland. It’s my favorite place to work in the world. I often stop there on my way to and from Los Angeles (where I frequently go), get something to eat, and find one of my special writing spots. Fishermen have fishing spots. I have my Disneyland writing spots. 5. What inspired you to want to become a writer?
ANSWER: I actually dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer the whole time I was growing up. But the whole time I was growing up, I was always writing! My father and grandmother used to say I should become a writer because my maiden name is Jones. They thought it would be funny if I used my real name but told people It was a pseudonym. I have a lot of aches and pains from my dancing days—I quit after an injury. I recently got a treadmill desk and it’s helped with backaches. 6. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
ANSWER: When someone comes up to me or writes me and says, “How did you know?” I know because I’ve been there. And I’ve come back. Even in the darkest place there is hope. I know this to be true. And I love it when something I’ve written reminds or convinces someone of that. 7. If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world.. which would it be?
ANSWER: Any book by Martha Stewart! I would love to have more time to do crafts, decorate my house, and make awesome Christmas cookies. I buy lots of craft supplies, paint, etc, and then they sit on the shelves while I work. 8. What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
ANSWER: To READ. Listen to audio books, read, read, read. Not enough writers are reading. Lots of us are watching TV. Which isn’t bad in and of itself. But the writers who last are the ones who have more than a passing acquaintance with the written word. And don’t give up on your dream of being published. Every single author in every single bookstore was once unpublished. 9. What's the craziest writing idea you've had?
ANSWER: Well, I’m still trying to convince someone to buy it, so I’d better not say! I did have an idea for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel where she, Spike, and Angel go into an alternate dimension like the Pirates of the Caribbean, where the pirates are all vampirates. Angel and Spike had their own ships, too. Simon and Schuster passed.
10. Give us a glimpse into a typical day in your day starting when you wake up till you lie down again.
ANSWER: On the weekdays: Get up, let dogs out to go potty or walk them if there’s enough time, start my coffee. Read email and start answering it, post on Facebook and twitter. Start breakfast. Feed the cats. Let the dogs back in. Feed the dogs. Drive my daughter to school—20 miles away. On the way back to the house, listen to an audio book. Get into the house and let the dogs out again or if time, walk them. Start writing. I also teach, so I’ll work on student homework. Eat lunch, work some more, get back in the car and listen to my audio book, pick up my daughter. Hang out with her if she feels like it. If not, get some more work done. Get stuff for dinner, make dinner. No TV on school nights, so I usually clean up the kitchen and then do some more work. Read, read, read.
Sometimes I break this up with errands. I’m also involved with my daughter’s school, and I’ll do stuff for the Parent Association. I also try to stay connected to my three friends, Amy, Beth, and Pam. We try to meet once a month just for fun while our kids are in school.
Quickies:
1. Favorite place? Disneyland and London!
ANSWER: What a great question! Hardly anyone thinks of going into the future. I think I’d go to the past, though, so I could hang out with my parents. They both died when I was quite young and I’d love to tell them about their awesome granddaughter (my kid.)
2. If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?
ANSWER: I would invite Richard Dean Anderson, my daughter, my sister, Val Lewton, and Joss Whedon. Val Lewton was an auteur like Whedon. He created a horror unit at RKO and produced some of the scariest movies ever made. Richard Dean Anderson was Colonel O’Neill in Stargate, and he is my favorite actor.
3. What is one book everyone should read?
ANSWER: Everyone should read Two and Twenty Dark Tales, of course! And The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran. What the world needs now is an excess of kindness and mercy. Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. 4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
ANSWER: I love writing at Disneyland. It’s my favorite place to work in the world. I often stop there on my way to and from Los Angeles (where I frequently go), get something to eat, and find one of my special writing spots. Fishermen have fishing spots. I have my Disneyland writing spots. 5. What inspired you to want to become a writer?
ANSWER: I actually dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer the whole time I was growing up. But the whole time I was growing up, I was always writing! My father and grandmother used to say I should become a writer because my maiden name is Jones. They thought it would be funny if I used my real name but told people It was a pseudonym. I have a lot of aches and pains from my dancing days—I quit after an injury. I recently got a treadmill desk and it’s helped with backaches. 6. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
ANSWER: When someone comes up to me or writes me and says, “How did you know?” I know because I’ve been there. And I’ve come back. Even in the darkest place there is hope. I know this to be true. And I love it when something I’ve written reminds or convinces someone of that. 7. If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world.. which would it be?
ANSWER: Any book by Martha Stewart! I would love to have more time to do crafts, decorate my house, and make awesome Christmas cookies. I buy lots of craft supplies, paint, etc, and then they sit on the shelves while I work. 8. What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
ANSWER: To READ. Listen to audio books, read, read, read. Not enough writers are reading. Lots of us are watching TV. Which isn’t bad in and of itself. But the writers who last are the ones who have more than a passing acquaintance with the written word. And don’t give up on your dream of being published. Every single author in every single bookstore was once unpublished. 9. What's the craziest writing idea you've had?
ANSWER: Well, I’m still trying to convince someone to buy it, so I’d better not say! I did have an idea for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel where she, Spike, and Angel go into an alternate dimension like the Pirates of the Caribbean, where the pirates are all vampirates. Angel and Spike had their own ships, too. Simon and Schuster passed.
10. Give us a glimpse into a typical day in your day starting when you wake up till you lie down again.
ANSWER: On the weekdays: Get up, let dogs out to go potty or walk them if there’s enough time, start my coffee. Read email and start answering it, post on Facebook and twitter. Start breakfast. Feed the cats. Let the dogs back in. Feed the dogs. Drive my daughter to school—20 miles away. On the way back to the house, listen to an audio book. Get into the house and let the dogs out again or if time, walk them. Start writing. I also teach, so I’ll work on student homework. Eat lunch, work some more, get back in the car and listen to my audio book, pick up my daughter. Hang out with her if she feels like it. If not, get some more work done. Get stuff for dinner, make dinner. No TV on school nights, so I usually clean up the kitchen and then do some more work. Read, read, read.
Sometimes I break this up with errands. I’m also involved with my daughter’s school, and I’ll do stuff for the Parent Association. I also try to stay connected to my three friends, Amy, Beth, and Pam. We try to meet once a month just for fun while our kids are in school.
Quickies:
1. Favorite place? Disneyland and London!
2. Best Christmas present? The memories of my daughter’s first Christmas.
3. Favorite smell? Maple sugar.
4. Favorite writing spot? Disneyland!
5. Skittles or M&Ms? Skittles for sure!
Links:
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13594857-two-and-twenty-dark-tales
NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/show/id/18906
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Two-Twenty-Dark-Tales-Retellings/dp/0985029412/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-and-twenty-dark-tales-georgia-mcbride/1111472851
Tour Schedule:October 16-Hypable.com
October 17-A Reader’s Adventure
October 18-Literary Escapism
October 19-Magnet4Books
October 20-Verb Vixen
October 21-ReaderGirls
October 22-Alise On Life
October 23-There’s A Book
October 24-Book Loving Me
October 25-MundieMoms
October 26-Forever 17 Books
October 27-Coverby Brittany
October 28-Pageturners Blog
October 29-Starting the Next Chapter
October 30- Alluring Reads
October 31-Novel Novice
November 1-Chapter by Chapter
November 2-Xpresso Reads
November 3-A Dream Within A Dream
November 4-Moosubi Reviews
November 5-Bloggers Heart Books
November 6-Harmony Radiant Reads
November 7-Books Over Boys
November 8-Once Upon A Twilight
November 9-Supernatural Snark
November 10-Novel Thoughts Blog
November 11-Girls in the Stacks
November 12-Ladybug Storytime
November 13-Reading in Winter
November 14-Minding Spot Blog
November 15-Book Twirps
November 16-Imaginary Reads
3. Favorite smell? Maple sugar.
4. Favorite writing spot? Disneyland!
5. Skittles or M&Ms? Skittles for sure!
Links:
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13594857-two-and-twenty-dark-tales
NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/show/id/18906
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Two-Twenty-Dark-Tales-Retellings/dp/0985029412/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-and-twenty-dark-tales-georgia-mcbride/1111472851
Tour Schedule:October 16-Hypable.com
October 17-A Reader’s Adventure
October 18-Literary Escapism
October 19-Magnet4Books
October 20-Verb Vixen
October 21-ReaderGirls
October 22-Alise On Life
October 23-There’s A Book
October 24-Book Loving Me
October 25-MundieMoms
October 26-Forever 17 Books
October 27-Coverby Brittany
October 28-Pageturners Blog
October 29-Starting the Next Chapter
October 30- Alluring Reads
October 31-Novel Novice
November 1-Chapter by Chapter
November 2-Xpresso Reads
November 3-A Dream Within A Dream
November 4-Moosubi Reviews
November 5-Bloggers Heart Books
November 6-Harmony Radiant Reads
November 7-Books Over Boys
November 8-Once Upon A Twilight
November 9-Supernatural Snark
November 10-Novel Thoughts Blog
November 11-Girls in the Stacks
November 12-Ladybug Storytime
November 13-Reading in Winter
November 14-Minding Spot Blog
November 15-Book Twirps
November 16-Imaginary Reads
No comments:
Post a Comment