Today I’m letting Sarah Pennington take over my blog! Her Snow White retelling, Blood in the Snow, is an Asian-esque fantasy that received a PERFECT score in the Rooglewood Fairytale retelling contest, giving her the unique distinction of being a SPECIAL UNICORN! Yep, that’s the award given to those with a perfect score from their judge–as well as rewarding said unicorns with a professionally designed cover from Bulbous Squirrel.
And what a cover it is! Take a look at this breathtaking thing:
And, now, let’s hear from Sarah and learn how she came to write this beautiful story…
It’s a bit ironic, really. I love fairy tale retellings; I’ve written a half dozen already and have plans for probably a dozen more. But out of all those, it’s Snow White, one of my least favorite fairy tales, that’s marked both of the major transitions in my life as a writer.
Now, I’m not here to diss Snow White. I know that a lot of people love the story for various reasons, and even I won’t deny that there are a lot of great retellings out there. But for my part, I’ve always found Snow White both frustrating and a bit sketchy.
So, when 2011-me found a “retell a fairy tale” prompt in the back of Ella Enchanted one summer day, my first thought was “Let’s fix Snow White!” I intended it to be a short story that I could write in an afternoon. Instead, that story grew into a month-long project that introduced me to the joys and struggles of long projects and regular writing. Before Rosa: A Snow-White Retelling (as I so creatively titled it), I wrote occasionally as the mood took me. After Rosa, I was rarely without a WIP, and my projects traveled with me wherever I went.
And now, fast forward to the present. Much like that first retelling, Blood in the Snow was born of a beloved author’s challenge and a last-minute decision. I had no plans to return to Snow White before the Rooglewood Press Five Poisoned Apples contest. Even then, I didn’t know whether or not I’d write anything until two nights before July Camp NaNoWriMo.
This time, however, I didn’t come to the story trying to fix it. I came trying to explain it, to provide more backdrop and fill in the spaces the original story tells us nothing about. And the result is a book I’m extremely proud of, one that’s taken me from aspiring to published author.
I don’t think Snow White will ever be my favorite fairy tale. But it will always have a special place in my heart as the story that made me first a serious writer and then a published author. And if I ever return to the story a third time, I’ll be on the lookout — after all, it’s never left me in the place where I started.
Before you go, take a peek at what Blood in the Snow, then head over to Amazon to snag your copy!
Her destiny is decided — but betrayal breaks even the best-laid plans.
Baili, the princess of the Kingdom of Seven Rivers, has always known what her future holds. Declared the fairest of all by the fabled Dragonglass, she is destined to fulfill an ancient prophecy and unite her homeland with its long-time enemy, the Kingdom of Three Peaks. And in doing so, she may save her country from death and ruin.
In order to fulfill her destiny, Baili must travel to the Kingdom of Three Peaks and marry its prince, Liu Xiang. But all Baili’s plans and expectations are turned upside-down when her servants and soldiers, acting on her stepmother’s orders, turn against her on the road. Baili narrowly escapes with her life, but she’s left alone and adrift among strangers.
Fortunately, Baili finds refuge in the home of seven animal keepers: servants and slaves to the emperor of Three Peaks. Yet time is running out. Her servants’ rebellion was only a small part of a much larger plot. Within weeks, her stepmother plans to unite the two kingdoms, not by contract, but by conquest. Baili must reclaim her rightful place and unite not just two kingdoms but many peoples in order to stop the plan. And if she fails, two kingdoms will be plunged into ruin.
Sure to delight lovers of fantasy and fairy tales, this rich and magical Asian-inspired adventure combines Snow White and The Goose Girl in a way you’ve never seen before.
Sarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys knitting, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list.
Website: https://sarahpenningtonauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahPenningtonAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/…/show/18384271.Sarah_Pennington
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahtaleweaver/
Amazon: amazon.com/author/spennington
Sounds like a very good read! And I enjoyed reading what she had to say about it. It’s funny how things like that happen – the turning points in our lives are often from things we wouldn’t have chosen! Very neat. 🙂
Yes, so true! Hindsight is always a great teacher 😇