BOOK NOOK; Snow White and the Huntsman by Lily Blake

"So who will you be when faced with the end?

When the vultures start circling

And the shadows descend.

Will you cower?

Or will you fight?

Is your heart made of glass?

Or a pure Snow White?"

I love the film Snow White and the Huntsman so when I saw this book of the movie in the supermarket I had to get it.  I don't own many film tie-in books and those I do have are of films I absolutely adore, such as First Knight and Braveheart.   I bought this one because it's a novel length version of the fairytale and just like the film, this Snow White is much more than a pretty maid who keeps house for a few little men.

This is a nice novel; a classic tale told with simplicity and which has remained true to the spirit of traditional fairytales in style.  It is an aesthetically pleasing book, with pretty imagery throughout and charming poetry that you just don't get at all in the film, so that's an added bonus.  The quotation above is from the novel, not the film.  It's a nice touch which keeps the novel in the style of traditional storytelling.

There are no great surprises - the novel doesn't deviate from the film at all, except in one area where Snow White befriends a white horse, rather than the magical white hart as shown in the movie and in that respect I prefer the film, but only due to the personal memories that scene evokes for me.  The authorial voice is skilled and entertaining, while the short chapters make this a good book for busy days or for bedtime reading.  There is also a small fold out, double-sided poster in the back of the book that would make a nice print for an older child's bedroom wall.  If you, or someone you know, enjoyed the film, then you will probably enjoy this novel version too and it was a steal at about £3.00.  I have enjoyed reading it and I'm very glad it landed in my shopping trolley. 

BOOK NOOK; The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman is quite simply one of the most beautiful books I have ever owned.  The cover art alone is worth the price.  It is a reworking of a classic fairytale, cleverly told and nicely illustrated.  Initially I was drawn to this book by the way in which the cover is set up - the hard back book depicts a line drawn image of a girl sleeping, which is then overlaid by a semi-transparent dust cover, decorated with gold leaves and black flowers.  The overall effect is one of looking through an enchanted mist to a vision that lies beyond.  If you have ever wondered what a witch sees when scrying then this book cover is a great example of a scrying experience- it is an image which lies just beneath the surface of the water, crystal or mirror, so close you can almost touch it, yet it remains just out of reach.

The Sleeper and the Spindle is of course about the Sleeping Beauty, but there is more than one twist in this tale.  There is no prince for a start - yet a white charger still rides to the rescue.  The evil fairy is present throughout - though she is not quite what she seems. And the hero of the story is someone readers will already be very familiar with - yet not as previously known to them.  It is one of those books which takes everything you know about the fairytale world and turns it on its head.  Neil Gaiman is also brave enough to pose the question "Love or Freedom?" and is smart enough to turn it into a choice, for rarely do women achieve both at the same time and even a queen must choose between the two.  

The book is illustrated throughout by artist Chris Riddell and the images remind me of the works of Arthur Rackham who was one of the leading fairytale book illustrators of the 20th century.  The Sleeper and the Spindle certainly has the feel of a luxury book and one that will be treasured.  It is far too beautiful to shelve away in one of my bookcases and I think I'm going to place it on the lectern in the study instead, so I can see it whenever I'm working.  It's such an enchanting book it makes me smile just to look at it and it makes a stunning addition to my fairytale collection. 

ONCE UPON A DREAM; If it's meant to be...

"Whatever way my days decline,

I felt and feel, tho' left alone,

His being working in mine own,

The footsteps of his life in mine"

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Every so often you make a connection so deep that it lasts a lifetime; even if you don't see each other in person, you feel their pain, you share their experiences in your dreams, you are inspired by them, you really can feel their footsteps in your own. It is magical and beautiful and heart-rending but you need to trust and have faith, that if it's meant to be,  it will be; that you will find one another once more and this time, the planets will have aligned and the timing will be perfect. In the lonely hours, trust that he will find a way to reach you.  Keep the faith. Even star-crossed lovers get there in the end. 

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Parachute

"Don't believe the things you tell yourself so late at night;

You are your own worst enemy, you'll never win the fight;

Just hold onto me, I'll hold onto you,

It's you and me up against the world..."

Maybe 2015 is the year my parachute will open up, come find me and I'll fall straight into his arms and live happily ever after.

A girl can dream.

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Boxing Day Snow!

"Shrouded in snow's silent bliss, I've fallen down to the frozen earth"
Lyrics from Song of the Snow Queen on Moonchants album.

It is early evening on Boxing Day and the first snow of the winter is falling here in Yorkshire. The landscape is now appropriately festive in her gown of icy aqua white. 

The Snow Queen is flying in circles around my house, fluttering her magic to the ground as she goes. As the pretty flakes fall they are illuminated by twinkling outdoor fairy-lights, creating a stunning spectacle of shimmering, glimmering colour and light. It is a collaboration between mankind and mother nature. 

The snow has turned each tree and shrub into a Christmas tree, giving each one a festive makeover. My garden has become a beautiful winter forest scene, silver white and full of enchantment.  It is a place where Herne the Hunter could be hiding, his antlers sparkling with winter magic; where frost fairies dance in swirling glee upon snow-flakes; where a portal to the silver world of winter lingers for a brief moment in time, to be lost later with the thaw.   It is a place to cast ice spells, where the winter witch comes into her own element.  It is cold, yet still I walk a few sharp steps, barefoot in the snow, to greet the winter and welcome the Snow Queen to my home.  This beautiful snowy night is an extra special Yuletide gift from the winter goddess. I plan to give thanks and enjoy it.  Blessed Be. 

 

WRITER'S DREAM; Festive Inspiration

It is 7.30pm on Christmas Eve. I'm sitting at the writer's bureau in my sitting room, the tree is twinkling in the corner and the fireplace is lit up with fairy-lights and dancing flames.  I have a cup of  Irish Cream hot chocolate beside me and the steam is warm and fragrant.  The stockings are hung by the fire with care...the cat is curled up on the chaise lounge...candles are flickering.

I am feeling very festive, inspired and nostalgic.  This time of year is so full of memories and the picture above reminds me of the year Father Christmas brought my brother and I matching typewriters when we were young - Petite 990's to be exact. I wonder if he knew we would both grow up to become successful published authors?  There were always new books beneath the tree too, so I'm guessing he had an inkling!

The peacefulness of Christmastide has always been a very productive time for me as a writer. Everyone is so busy with crazy kids that it is easy for the child-free author to hibernate and get some creative work done. It is something I have done for years, initially from necessity as the update for The Witch's Almanac always had to be written over the Yuletide period with an early January deadline, so I had no choice but to work right through the festive season.  Now it has formed into a comforting habit and  something I look forward to about December, when I'm writing at the bureau with the tree lights and fire casting a cosy glow, rather than up in my study, which is where I usually write.  

I always like to burn Frankincense oils and incense for these festive writing stints as it is said to bring inspiration and creativity.  It is a warm, comforting fragrance that fills the room as I write this post.  It is also true that the things I write at Christmas time stay with me in my mind, year after year - The Witch's Almanac updates (ten years worth!), Magical Beasts (my grandmother had just died on December 21st and writing was a great escape for me then), Angels home-study courses (way back when I was a very new writer in the 1990's) and in-House synopsis for Magical Home, The Witch's Almanac (which began as a seed of an idea I had before a crackling hotel fireside on my very first visit to Strathpeffer in 2001) and The Wiccan Temptress. These are the magical memories of a writer at Christmas. 

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you will know that a couple of days ago I spent time cleaning up the files on my laptop; sifting, sorting, saving and deleting.  I have to do this every year just to keep my computer clean and organized - digital files can be even more of a mess than piles of hard copy. It is a good way for me to review the working patterns of the past year, to see what has worked well, where I've placed the most freelance features and what ideas I still need to develop.  My laptop is like a virtual office space - I run my business as an author from here so I cannot allow it to be weighed down and cluttered up with tat. So I clear the decks and make a clean sweep of it as much as I can.  This makes space for a whole new year of writing projects, creative ventures, columns, features, snippets, articles and so on.  On a psychological level it also makes space for a fresh burst of optimism and motivation to move in too. I like to feel that I have made room for my career and business to grow, to develop and to perhaps branch out if it wants to.  

A writing life is one that is alive, vibrant and dynamic.  It moves at its own pace, sometimes slowly, sometimes at such a rate of knots you can barely keep up.  It pays no mind to bank holidays. So when the whole of society is busy with Christmas festivities,  I try to incorporate some writing time into my own celebrations.  I enjoy it. It makes me smile in gratitude that I am published and a consistently working writer, that I can make my living and buy Christmas gifts with the money I make doing what I love to do. As soon as this post has gone up I plan to get a head start on the new year by writing for one of my columns.  Then I'm going to settle down by the hearth and watch The Northern Ballet dance A Christmas Carol.  On this wet and windswept Christmas Eve I am feeling happy, content and productive and I wish every one of you a very joyful festive season.

Blessed Be

Marie x 

BOOK NOOK; Top 3 Yuletide Books

There is something lovely and old fashioned about giving books as Yuletide gifts, especially if they have a seasonal theme.  Although e-books are a more convenient purchase, you can't beat the feel of a real book, beautifully wrapped and waiting beneath the tree.  Here are my favourite Christmas books from my library, which would make lovely treats to yourself now all the gift buying is done and dusted.

Miss Read's Christmas Book is a charming compilation of  festive anecdotes and literary extracts from famous novels.  It is a beautifully illustrated picture book, the art design being reminiscent of the works of Beatrix Potter.  Chapters include The Nativity, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Twelfth Night.  This is the very first Christmas book I ever purchased, shortly after I left home at the age of 20.  I wanted to recreate the magic of my childhood and also find inspiration for creating my own personal festive traditions.  It has been a treasured tome ever since.

I am a fan of the Edwardian writer and artist Edith Holden and I own a copy of her Country Diary. Some years ago I stumbled across this tribute to her work and the festive season combined. The Country Diary Christmas Book has all the charm of the original Country Diary.  It features Edith Holden's water-colour illustrations and extracts from the nature notes she is most famous for.  In addition it includes country lore, folklore, seasonal rhymes, carol lyrics, craft projects and the history of our Christmas traditions.  This book was invaluable to me when I set about writing The Witches Almanac over a decade ago and I wanted a similar feel to my seasonal writing as Edith Holden gave to her Country Diary. For that reason it holds a special place in my heart. The blurb promises that it is "As rich and satisfying as a plum pudding..." and I agree.

I saved the best for last - Penhaligon's Scented Christmas Treasury of Verse and Prose by Sheila Pickles is the latest in my collection of Yuletide books.  Penhaligons are a famous British perfumers and their fragrances are reputedly worn by Her Majesty the Queen. They have collaborated with the publisher to create a series of stunning scented poetry books.  Each anthology has a different theme and is scented to match.  They come in their own individual slip case to prolong the fragrance and they are lavishly illustrated.   I have been collecting them for years but was never able to track down the final Christmas book until earlier this year.  I am delighted to have it as not only does it complete my Penhaligon Collection, it is a gorgeous book to help get into the festive spirit, being fragranced with the scent of Winter Garden. Full of seasonal poems and prose extracts from famous classic novels and authors, it is a rare treat.  All the great authors are represented including Sir Walter Scott, Thomas Hardy, Virgina Wolfe, Christina Rossetti, Walter de la Mare and of course Charles Dickens.  

All of these books are up on Amazon UK, but you will probably need to buy them used as I think they might be currently out of print.  Still, it's always nice to find an older book that someone has treasured and these titles are perfect for curling up by a twinkling tree for some fireside festive reading. Happy Holidays!