Monday, December 26, 2011

Sleeping Beauties


I've found out over the Christmas holidays that my niece's favorite Disney Princess is Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty.  Not because of any particular aspect of her story, but because she's the one who wears Pink.

Right inside those two sentences, there are a few topics for discussion, but not for this week.  This week, Sleeping Beauty is my favorite princess as well, not because she wears pink, or because all she needs is a kiss from the right guy to cure her, but because of the extraordinary example she sets and which I intend to follow, for at least a few days: 

Why wake up when you don't really have to?

All this to say, Heroines of Fantasy is on holiday this week, but before we let everyone get back to their beauty rest, let me just make a couple announcements: 

Please stop by Donna Brown's blog Book Bags and Catnaps to vote for our novels as part of the Indie Love contest.  It will only take a few minutes; just scroll down and click 'Like' underneath the thumbnail for EOLYN, FINDER, THE SONG AND THE SORCERESS, or THE NORTHERN QUEEN.  There are a lot of great titles, and you can vote as many times as you want, so 'like' away.  Voters have the chance of winning a $25 gift certificate from Amazon.  Thanks for your support!

Elsewhere, on my blog for EOLYN, I've posted my annual Christmas Reading.  This year's excerpt, by popular demand, is the 'Gingerbread House' scene from Chapter Two.  Ten minutes of a little story telling magic; I hope you enjoy it. 

Those are all the announcements. 

Starting next week, Terri Lynne-DeFino will be our MC for the spring.  Hooray!  She is bringing a great selection of guest bloggers with her; for names, links and dates please check out the right hand bar.

Also, if there are any particular topics you'd like to see us put forward for discussion in the New Year, please let us know!  You can write your suggestions in the comments here, or email us at women.writing.fantasy(at)gmail.com

On behalf of Kim, Terri and I, I'd like to wish all of you a wonderful holiday.  Thank you so much for being part of our discussions and musings on Heroines of Fantasy.  We've really enjoyed this blog and very much appreciate all the insights and perspectives you have brought to the table.

Now, go get your rest, because next week, we'll be back at it!


p.s. -- Not to open yet another topic of discussion (because we're all supposed to go back to sleep now, right?), I wanted to mention that in searching for images for this post, it was almost impossible to find Sleeping Beauties that were NOT the Disney standard. It's amazing just how much Disney has, for better or for worse, co-opted our images of the classic fairy tales...

Posted by Karin Rita Gastreich

4 comments:

Kim Vandervort said...

Ah.... sleep! I love it! And I LOVE that picture you found. It's gorgeous.

I agree about Disney taking over our perceptions of classic fairy tale characters. I also have issues what they've done with some of those stories, as well as their portrayal of heroines... but yes. Back to sleep! Zzzzz.....

Terri-Lynne said...

Kim--I used to be anti-Disnification, but I've come to recognize that fairy/folktales evolve with the society telling them. I might not be thrilled with that evolutions! Tinkerbell being my biggest beef, but I do see the social shoves behind them.

Sleep my beauties, SLEEP! See you in 2012!

Karin Rita Gastreich said...

[YAWN]

I kind of have a love-hate relationship with Disney.

I really admire some of the work that's come out of Disney's shop; but as a Grimm's Fairy Tales purist, my hackles tend to get raised over certain interpretations of the classic tales.

But Terri has a point -- and Disney's interpretations wouldn't take if 'modern' society wasn't willing to drink them up.

Maybe sometime during the New Year, each of us could tackle one of the Disney princesses; talk about the origins of the myth, how the fairytale was molded by Disney, and so forth. Would that be fun? And if yes, can I have Snow White? Please? Please?

Okay, back to bed...

Terri-Lynne said...

Oh, I do like this idea! I think we should do it, and soon! Gads...how to choose. I might have to do Tinkerbell, because she's the "change" I take exception to.