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Fairy Tales Have Grown Up!
Black Pearls, a Faerie Strand,
new from Houghton Mifflin, is a book with a difference:
"In these beautifully written, sometimes harsh retellings, Cinderella craves the deaths of her wicked stepmother and stepsisters; Rapunzel is actually Rampion, the deceptive daughter of a kindly witch; and Erin, one of the seven dwarfs, falls in love with Snow White...Twisted, clever, and artfully written!”
(Booklist)
"Hawes imbues the archetypal one-dimensional fairy tale characters with feelings that run deep and strong, emotions that will touch the hearts of fairy tale fans and other readers as well."
(News and Observer)
“Black Pearls is spellbinding. Each and every wonderfully crafted story is stunning, and just as enrapturing, inviting, and exquisite as the next. This sophisticated collection reveals the complexity and deeper nature of each tale, and will especially appeal to those who ever wondered about the practicalities of each classic story. Anyone who has out-grown the childish fancies that fairy tales are notorious for, but not the tales themselves, will fall in love with this book."
(thecompulsivereader.com)
"The ...collection is sultry, dangerous, and edgy, and the striking cover and wide-ranging stories will easily draw in readers...these transformed stories could be especially powerful for curricular use when paired with a tamer version in a language arts unit as a prompt for creative writing exercisesl."
(The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books)
Purchase through your local indy bookstore or amazon.com.
A Novel Experience
The fourth annual Vermont Writers' Retreat, New England SCBWI's working weekend for serious writers, was held May 16-18 in Montpelier. Louise (doesn't she look appropriately serious?) and author Marsha Qualey talked to participants about finding the internal arc of their novels. In addition, the two authors and Chronicle editor Julie Romeis gave one-on-one critiques to those writers who submitted manuscripts. Not only did Louise love meeting Marsha and Julie, she was deeply moved by the bravery and freshness of the work shared by the men and women who attended. An intense, growing experience was had by all! For information on next year's retreat, contact:
Sarah Aronson at:
A Week of
Writing, Sun, and Lobster
For three years, Louise has traveled north to work with a small group of serious writers in a quaint restored home (the Hershey Retreat) overlooking Penobscot Bay on Sandy Point, Maine. There are workshops during the afternoon, and leisurely summer evenings for writing and talking -- a recipe for literary success and delicious memories. This year's session is being held June 7 through 14, and enrollment is filled. To sign up for the waiting list for next year, contact:
Theodora Gammans at:
Focusing on Form
Thirty or so talented writers, six gifted instructors, and five days of community! This annual tradition at Meredith College in Raleigh can change your writing life, so if you're interested in fiction, non-fiction, memoir or poetry, be sure to register early. (Participation is limited.) Fiction classes with Louise, and the other exciting workshops, run the last full week of June. Sessions feature mini craft lectures, critiques, and some straightforward discussions of marketing. But mostly, we write, write, write! Click the link below to find out more, contact:
Ashley Hogan at
hogana@meredith.edu or go to: http://www.meredith.edu/workshop/ .
A Community of Writers
That Can Change Your Life
Louise is a member of the faculty of the Vermont College MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program, and she is intensely proud to be part of a community where faculty and students share a single dream. The nation's only independent graduate program in the fine arts, Vermont College attracts visiting authors, guest editors, and students from around the country and across the world. A low-residency program, the VCMFA allows you to "keep your day job" while earning your fully accredited Masters from some of the finest practicing writers in the field. You'll attend two ten-day residencies a year, which means you'll see this beautiful campus in both snow and dazzling sunshine. More importantly, you'll work, eat, and sleep with writers who understand your challenges, who know that your success is theirs, and who believe there's nothing more important than empowering young readers by telling the stories that are yours alone to tell. This summer's residency takes place from July 8 to 18. For information on the program, the nationally renowned faculty, and the scholarships sponsored by major publishers, go to http://www.tui.edu/vcfa/ or contact:
Katie Gustafson at
Healing Stories
Did you know Duke University's Medical Center includes a Health Arts Network program? Among the activities it sponsors is the wonderful Osler Literary Roundtable, a weekly forum that includes live readings and discussions of literature. Open to staff, patients, and the public, the roundtable has featured readings by poets, fiction writers, and non-fiction authors. Now it's Louise's turn! She'll be reading from her short story collection, Anteaters Don't Dream, at noon on Friday, September 12. Materials and advanced copies of readings can be picked up at the information desks at Duke Hospitals and Clinics. For more information contact:
Grey Brown at
brown097@mc.duke.edu or call: (919) 684-6223
Check Your Channel!
Louise will be interviewed by our state's favorite bibliophile, D.G. Martin on the popular UNC-TV show, North Carolina Bookwatch. The show, focused on Louise's newest title, Black Pearls, a Faerie Strand, will air Friday, October 31 at 9:30 PM --Halloween's the perfect setting for these dark fairy tales! (There's an encore episode on Sunday, November 2 at 5 PM, if you're out late trick-or-treating.) Thanks to Raleigh's fabulous and famous bookstore, Quail Ridge Books, for supporting this program and for being a friend to so many area readers and writers.
Just in Time for Christmas...
Please join the Friends of the Chapel Hill Public Library for a special Christmas Meet-the-Author Tea on Friday December 19. Louise will read talk about and share stories from her new book, Black Pearls, a Faerie Strand. The program will be held in the lower level of the library. Refreshments will be served at 3:30 P.M. and the program will be from 4 to 5 P.M. Books will be available for purchase and signing. What a magical gift for your favorite reader!
For information, go to http://chapelhillpubliclibrary.org/ or contact:
Now in Paper Back
The Vanishing Point, a New York Public Library Best Book for the Teenage, a Bank Street College Pick, and an Independent Book-sellers' Choice, is now available in a paper back edition! "The vivid period details," says Publishers' Weekly, "add authenticity to a story that's a pleasing mix of drama, history and, yes, romance. Lavinia's first kiss may well leave readers swooning, while her obsession with painting feels authentic." Order your copy today by clicking on this site's Books link or order right now from