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Hello Enchanted Friends: Today we're skipping "Throwback Thursday" to ask last year's readers of the serialized version of Lissa Sloan's Glass and Feathers to please leave reviews at Amazon and/or Goodreads. What are people saying on Goodreads so far? Suzanne Steward says: "I read this book in installments and absolutely loved it! This is a very wise and thought provoking tale about what really happens after the happily ever afters and the importance of being true to yourself in relationships. Read it; I promise you'll love it!" Johanna Haas says: "Excellent telling of what happens after the Cinderella story ends. Would you want to be stuck in a castle with all those better-than-everyone types having to wear a new dress everyday, but with the same glass slippers? Well-written and plotted this story goes in directions you will not expect." Tabby Brooke says: "This is like no other fairytale I have ever read, it was messy and it was beautiful. Instead of fancy party’s, extravagant dinners and over the top palace living there was deception and self-deprecation. So afraid of not fitting in, being unwelcome by her new royal in-laws and everyone else around her, Cinderella was unable to see that her Prince loved her truly—not just because of some wish." Supporting the this book not only helps book sales, it supports the magazine! The profits the Enchanted Press earns will go directly to The Fairy Tale Magazine. And while I'm on supporting the magazine, time is running short to join The Fairy Godparents Club. The window for joining closes at 11:59 PM, EST, March 17. Our first meeting is at 7 PM, EST on March 18. And a glorious Glass and Feathers swag package will be the prize for the night. If you wish to join, just email me at katewolford1@gmail.com. It's only $20 to join for the year. That's all for now. Stay Enchanted, Kate

Sharon Lynn Fisher had me in her clutches when I learned her new book, Salt and Broom, was a “witchy retelling of Jane Eyre.” As a fan of both 19th century novels and witch lit, I was excited to fall into a tale that brings the latent magic of the original novel to the forefront with Fisher explaining, “Rochester teasingly refers to Jane as fairy, elf, witch, and sprite, but we know she is not any of these things. At one point, the question came to me: what if she was?” Salt and Broom is more of a rewriting of source material than a retelling, and I adored it! In Fisher’s version of the story, an orphaned Jane Aire, named after the famous river in Yorkshire, is left on the steps of Lowood School as an infant. The novel opens thirty years later when Jane is working at the school as an herbalist. Edward Rochester writes to the headmaster seeking a “Lowood witch” to help him break a curse that has been haunting his ancestral home since his wife’s death. Milk has been souring, apples have blighted, and the servants have come down with fevers. Rochester seeks supernatural help in return for a large donation to the Lowood School for Orphaned Girls, and Jane, who has benefited from the charity of the school, feels pressured to unravel the mystery. Jane is much more than an herbalist; she is a witch who engages with the fairy world, casts spells, and uses magical enchantments. Throughout the course of her time at Thornfield she maintains her fierce independence, residing in a small cottage on the grounds of the estate, while also falling in love with the brooding and mysterious master. She faces dangers and discovers hidden information about both her own past and the past of Rochester’s family. The characters of this novel are altered from the original in significant ways; Jane has not suffered the abuse and indignities of her original childhood, Rochester has never locked his wife in the attic, and Antoinette Mason is presented as a kind and loving spirit who perished early in her life. Nevertheless, the story is an addicting read, and I devoured it in one sitting. If you love classic Gothic romance, 19th century estates, herbal witchcraft, and fairy lore featuring ghosts, dryads, and fairy cats, then you will enjoy Salt and Broom. This book is a lovely escape that provides readers with both dark thrills and a satisfying happily ever after. You can find it here. Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Kelly Jarvis works as the Assistant Editor for The Fairy Tale Magazine where she writes stories, poems, essays, book reviews, and interviews. Her poetry has also been featured or is forthcoming in Blue Heron Review, Mermaids Monthly, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, The Magic of Us, A Moon of One’s Own, Baseball Bard, and Corvid Queen. Her short fiction has appeared in The Chamber Magazine and the World Weaver Press Anthology Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. You can find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

I (Kate) used to be one of those people who thought meditation was impossible. I was steeped in the idea that “successful” meditation meant that I must clear my mind of all thought. I couldn’t imagine doing that, so I wrote it off. But in 2016, I started to get the feeling that life was getting harder for everyone. It seemed like the world was losing its mind, and I needed some sort of touchstone to keep me from joining in the madness. Out of desperation, I decided to try the Headspace app, but without realizing it, I accidentally paid for an entire year’s membership. I was FURIOUS! I wanted to try it, not buy it. I was stuck. So in my contrarian, bumbling way, I said to myself, well, if Headspace is gonna make me have it for a year, then I’ll show Headspace. I’ll learn how to meditate. Pretty silly, right? But here’s the thing: Within two weeks, I literally felt like my head had more space. I felt calmer, more at ease. I didn’t dwell on the negative nearly as much as I once had. (Rumination is really, really bad for your mental health. And creative types, like writers, ruminate a lot.) Within two months, I decided to become a certified meditation teacher. And I did. And you know what? I’ve never once completely cleared my head of all thoughts, but meditation makes me calmer, more relaxed and less reactive. It absolutely has changed my life for the better. If Cinderella’s stepmother had meditated, maybe we’d have a different fairy tale—but then again, I do love me a Cinderella story. Anyway, if you’ve never tried it, give meditation a whirl. There are nearly as many forms of meditation as there are meditators, and the right one is likely out there for you. To get started, try the Insight Timer app. It’s free and great for beginners! Speaking of Cinderella, Lissa Sloan's novel, Glass and Feathers, a Cinderella continuation novel, publishes on March 26. Learn more here.

The authors for the May 1 issue have been chosen. They are listed below. Lorraine Schein Kristen Baum DeBeasi Silvatiicus Riddle Ian Li Grace Nuth Kathryn Shailer Lissa Sloan Amy Trent James Dodds Raina Alidjani Lauren Reynolds Helen Patrice Lynn Hardaker Madeleine Elias Deborah Sage Plus: works from staff members Kelly Jarvis and Kim Malinowski. Thanks to all who submitted. If your name is not listed, we release all claim to your submission. Please remember that we do not give feedback. Image from Pixabay

The proof copies for Glass and Feathers have arrived and they are glorious! It's amazing how much better a book cover looks in real life. The pages are a rich cream, and we love the fonts we chose. (Ebook Launch did the cover and all of the formatting, for for those who'd like to know.) Naturally, the actual books for sale will not have the proof copy stripe across them, but proof copies are special in their own way. After all, only five of them exist. You still can't preorder the print editions of the book, but ebook lovers can preorder today. Please consider doing it, as every preorder elevates the listing on Amazon. Also, and this is very exciting, Lissa will be giving away a swag box filled with Glass and Feathers goodies at our Fairy Godparents meeting on March 18 at 7 PM, EST. Only people who are present can win. Membership opportunities close on March 17, so if you'd still like to join, send $20 through PayPal to katewolford1@gmail.com (that's our official email) and indicate that it's for the Fairy Godparents Club in the message. Then you'll be in for the whole year! The book officially publishes on March 26 and we can't wait!

What Monstrous Gods is a complex retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale set in a world of gods and magic. The protagonist and narrator, Lia Kurinava, is about to turn seventeen when the novel opens. She has been raised by the sisters of a convent dedicated to the goddess of spring, new life, and healing, and she is one of a handful of girls to be born with the power to enter the briars, kill the evil sorcerer Ruven, awaken the royal family from their 500 year long sleep, and restore peace and health to the kingdom. Lia succeeds in her task early on in the novel and is surprised when the newly awakened queen betroths her to Prince Arauun in recompense for her service to the kingdom. Lia has pledged herself to the convent that raised her, hoping to become a nun, but a little known rule that those born with magic power must marry into the royal family or die thwarts her life plan. Lia and Araunn are sent on a pilgrimage to awaken the shrines and bring back the saints, opening the space for a slow burn to their growing relationship. Lia is haunted by the ghost of Ruven and surprised by what she learns of gods, lending tension and suspense to the journey. Fans of Sleeping Beauty will enjoy Hodge’s loose take on the fairy tale. The story is rich in religious contemplation, and the book begins with a clear overview of the gods and their shrines to help the reader keep track as the characters’ journeys move forward. The book is full of theological musings, mysterious surprises, and atmospheric world building that will delight fans of fantasy and fairy tale. You can find it here. Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. Kelly Jarvis works as the Assistant Editor for The Fairy Tale Magazine. Her poetry has been featured or is forthcoming in Blue Heron Review, Mermaids Monthly, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, A Moon of One’s Own, The Magic of Us, and Corvid Queen. Her short fiction has appeared in The Chamber Magazine and the World Weaver Press Anthology Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. She can be found at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

Needlework has long been associated with female storytelling, and Kay Williams, the embroidery artist behind Heart of Thistle and Clover, has created an online company “where embroidered wonders tell stories of resilience and delicate beauty.” A self-taught herbalist inspired by nature, folklore, and fairy tale, Kay creates and sells handmade pendants and mini-frames that express her sensitivity and help her connect with kindred spirits. Read on to learn more about Kay and her enchanted embroidery! Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and when you first began creating with embroidery and herbs. What drew you to this type of art? What is your artistic process when creating something new? My maternal grandmother was an exceptional quilter. My mother practiced sewing and quilting before she became a nurse. I am drawn to domestic, powerful, slow, and intentional avenues of self-expression that hold love, care, and magic. In a world full of fast capitalism and next day deliveries, I want to lean into projects that exude their own characteristics. I want to create pieces that fully convey the love and energy that it took to make them. Embroidery found its way into my life unexpectedly, starting with small tattoo-inspired details on vintage resells while working for friends. What began as simple designs on jeans evolved into intricate hearts stitched onto rich velvet that I created just for myself. Venturing into more delicate territory, I began crafting pendants and mini-frames with a shift towards a softer, heartfelt aesthetic. Life led me away from my embroidery for a while, but this past October, I used my creative roots to help me get back to myself after a period of feeling lost. The sacred heart imagery, a beacon through dark times, drew me back. Nurturing my sensitive heart, I channeled my experiences into art, little knowing how much my work would resonate with others. The inspiration for my art is simply anything I feel drawn to that has helped me embrace my sensitive soul. I am an avid reader of Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés. She writes about ancient female archetypes that have been forgotten, withheld, and even rewritten. These archetypes hold the secrets we need to navigate this life. Most of these secrets have been passed down in oral tradition via folklore and stories, and I often contemplate them as I walk my own creative path. Your website features both Embroidery Frames and Protection Pockets, embroidered pins designed to carry crystals, talismans, and notes of affirmation. What first inspired you to create these products? Overall, I wanted to make a physical representation of something that could literally cover my heart and help remind me to guard it. All through my life I have been told I am both too sensitive and too much; I cry too much and I feel too much. My artistic journey has taught me that my sensitivity isn’t a weakness. It is a strength that culture and society wants to suppress. I wanted to make something that helped others like me. I wanted to create something beautiful, not only through my art, but by building a community of heart-forward folks. Your newest Protection Pocket is a reproduction of Baba Yaga’s house, complete with chicken feet! What drew you to use Baba Yaga as an inspiration for your art? Why might Baba Yaga’s house act as a source of protection for those who wear your creations? I have been an admirer of Baba Yaga since I first read about her in Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ book, Women Who Run With The Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. I immediately loved that Baba Yaga came across as a villain, yet she actually was benevolent. Growing up in a society that wants women to be small, docile, young, beautiful, and compliant, Baba Yaga is an archetype that emboldens me to break those holds. She is the wise witch of the woods, powerful, feared, and respected because she demands it. She does what she wants and does not give passersby the answers they are seeking just because they ask. She is a grumpy mentor who challenges you to find answers within. This is the woman I aspire to be, and I hope to foster that through my work. I ask her to protect me through that trip to the underworld. I am inspired by the audience that resonates with Baba Yaga’s teachings and by those who see her house as a representation of her protection. Are you inspired by any other fairy tales or folklore? What is your favorite fairy tale narrative or fairy tale character and why? I am constantly inspired by folklore and immerse myself into finding stories of the old ways. Currently I am fascinated by Artemis and the plants associated with her like Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the moon, wilderness, wild animals and the care of children and mothers. It’s no surprise that I am drawn to her protective qualities. A more traditional fairytale that I love is “Rapunzel.” Some of the older variants begin with a woman who longs for a child and is overcome with the desire to eat lamb’s lettuce or rampion (another name for rapunzel). Rapunzel is then born, and, as payment for stealing from the sorceress’s garden, Rapunzel’s parents must turn their child over to a sorceress who locks her away from the world. The ending I most adore features a prince blindly wandering the woods for years before finally hearing his beloved’s voice. Rapunzel’s tears cure his blindness. There is something to be said about the trials and tribulations of “Rapunzel” and how if you follow your heart, it will never lead you away from your true desires, no matter how difficult the circumstances. Your company is “inspired by flora, fauna and matters of the heart”, and many of your designs feature hearts and flowers. How did you come up with the name of your company? Why do hearts and flowers recur as images in your work? How are flowers and herbs representative of and related to the human condition? A long time ago I was enamored by the song, “At Last” by Etta James and the line, “My heart was wrapped up in clover.” I felt such a kinship to that. Clover is tender, green, soft, and loving. It is a nourishing plant, but it is so common that one no one really pays attention to it. That felt and still often feels like my heart. I am quick to love and easily hurt. On the other side of that is my affinity to thistle. Celtic cultures believed the thistle to be protective, and yet, this thorny weed is exquisite when it flowers. Thistle is another common plant that teaches me to guard my tender heart so I can continue to stay open. And that is how the name of my shop, Heart of Thistle and Clover was born. I have been drawn to plants and have been creating a relationship with them since I was a child running and playing in the meadow and woods of our family farm. This world needs people who are still in awe of this earth and what nature can be for us. I hope that by crafting functional art that incorporates a vehicle for herbs and helps us learn about them, more folks will see that plants can be our greatest support and healers during difficult times. You can follow Kay on Instagram and TikTok to stay up to date on her latest projects and products. We know that you will love her enchanted embroidery and herbal magic as much as we do! Kelly Jarvis works as the Assistant Editor for The Fairy Tale Magazine. Her poetry has been featured or is forthcoming in Blue Heron Review, Mermaids Monthly, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, A Moon of One’s Own, The Magic of Us, and Corvid Queen. Her short fiction has appeared in The Chamber Magazine and the World Weaver Press Anthology Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. She can be found at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

Hello friends! "Cinderella’s Hearth" is taking a break this week because Kate and I have an exciting announcement: Preorders for the Glass and Feathers ebook are live on Amazon! For us at The Fairy Tale Magazine, this is another “This. Is. Happening!” moment. The Enchanted Press is a tiny indie press, and Glass and Feathers is our first publication. It’s also my debut novel. If you’ve been around FTM for a while, you’ve probably heard a wee bit about Glass and Feathers. And perhaps you’d read it when it came out as a serial last year. If you have, we’d be so grateful if you’d leave review on Goodreads or Amazon, or honestly, both if you’d be willing! Reviews make a huge difference in helping other readers choose their next read. If you’re new to FTM, Glass and Feathers is a continuation of the traditional "Cinderella" tale, in which the girl with the glass slippers, now married to her prince, finds she does not fit with the grand people of the palace. And even her famous shoes cannot help her—the glass slippers no longer fit. Here’s a taste: “Do you think princesses know how to bake?” He was silent, his brow furrowed. “I can churn butter too,” I continued, and the tightness began to ease. “And milk a cow and spin and knit.” I turned my face toward him a little more, looking down so as not to frighten him. “Do you see the freckles on my cheeks?” They had faded in those months at the palace, but they never completely disappeared. Jack nodded. “Princesses keep their skin pale by staying out of the sun.” I chanced a look at his face. “Who would want me as a princess?” “You are,” he insisted, his voice still soft. He put a hand to my cheek, wiping away a tear I didn’t even know was there. “Maybe you are a sparrow princess. The sparrows will come for you one day. You’ll see.” He warmed to his story. “They will give you a cloak all made of feathers, and a crown of berries.” “What will my gown be made of?” I asked. “Leaves,” he answered. “Green leaves.” If you’re an ebook fan, we hope you’ll check out the Amazon page to preorder. If you prefer print, Amazon preorders are coming very, very soon, BUT if you’re interested in a signed paperback that comes with some lovely book swag, you can sign up for my newsletter at lissasloan.com to find out how to buy it straight from me! Thank you for coming on this journey with us! Lissa Lissa Sloan is the author of Glass and Feathers, a dark continuation of the traditional "Cinderella" tale. Her fairy tale poems and short stories have appeared in The Fairy Tale Magazine, Niteblade Magazine, Corvid Queen, and anthologies from World Weaver Press. Visit Lissa online at lissasloan.com, or connect on Facebook, Instagram, @lissa_sloan, or Twitter, @LissaSloan.

Editor’s note: Just when I thought I’d seen everyone possible permutation on “Snow White,” Marsheila came along with this dark yet strangely lighthearted take on the old classic. I think you’ll see why I was delighted by this story back in 2021. Enjoy. (KW) The witch checked her basket one last time before approaching the cottage in the woods. The apple on top was plumper, redder, and shinier than all the others, making even her mouth water. She pulled the gingham back over the fruit as she reached the cottage door and knocked timidly, settling into her guise. A young girl soon opened the door. She had corpse-pale skin, moondark hair, and lips like clotted blood, features no mirror would ever call fair. “Yes?” “Hello, dearie! I am selling these lovely apples, the finest—” the witch began, her voice crackling with illusory age as she uncovered her wares. The girl’s eyes lit up with hunger. “I’ll take the whole basket!” the girl interrupted, disappearing back inside for a moment and returning with a small pouch. “This should be more than enough to cover it,” she said, flashing the neck open to show a sparkle of diamonds. “Why, yes, but—” the witch began again, flustered, but the girl snatched the basket away and shoved the pouch into her hands in its place. “No time, grandmother. Be careful in the woods. There are wolves about.” And with that, the girl slammed the cottage door and was gone. The witch stared at the closed door, flummoxed. This was not how she had envisioned her encounter with her runaway stepdaughter taking place. Still, if it got the job done…. She pressed her ear to the door to listen. There. The crunch of teeth biting into the flesh of an enchanted apple. Perfect. The witch turned and headed back into the woods, smiling as she tucked the pouch into her bodice. Soon she would be the ailing king’s only heir. And his darling daughter had just paid for—and hastened—what would be a very lavish funeral, indeed. *** The girl watched from behind a curtained window while her stepmother disappeared amongst the trees. Had the old bat really thought she wouldn’t be recognized, or that her peddler’s disguise would hide her true identity from one who knew her so well? One to whom she had taught the same tricks of illusion, once upon a time? She had tasted the flavor of the other woman’s magic immediately, and spit out the bite of fruit the moment the witch was out of earshot. This wasn’t the first time the witch had tried to kill her, and it wouldn’t be the last, and one of these days, the girl would fail to soften the huntsman’s heart or detect the hint of poison, and then what? She’d be dead, and all for a kingdom that hated her because she was not, and had no desire to be, her mother. The girl eyed the basket of apples on the low table, topped by the one she’d bitten into, its flesh already browning. It did seem a shame to let her all her stepmother’s effort go to waste…. *** That night, when the girl’s companions returned home from the mines, carrying bags of uncut gemstones and hunks of golden ore to add to the hoard already stored in their ever-expanding root cellar, she served them vegetable soup, acorn flour bread with goat butter, and mugs of that same goat’s milk. She watched them eat, longing as always for the taste of red meat, but the brothers were strict vegetarians. The one whose snoring kept her up most nights sloshed soup out of his bowl with every spoonful. The one who thought himself a jester regaled the stupid one with poorly-told jokes they all knew by heart, and acted offended when one or another of his brothers would blurt out the punchline prematurely. The sullen one glared at the one with social anxiety for some imagined slight, making the anxious one cry snotty tears into his mug. The one who was always sick coughed something wet and sticky onto the butter dish. While the girl hurried to clean it up, the one who fancied himself a healer prescribed a concoction of common herbs she knew would be fatal in that particular combination. She said nothing. When they were finished with their supper, the girl served them each a bowl of freshly made applesauce, still warm from her cauldron. She watched as they wolfed down the dessert, and obliged with a smile when they asked for more. A smile that only widened when the first one paled, the second one began to sweat, the third one clutched his stomach in pain, the fourth one began to foam at the mouth, the fifth one began to seize, the sixth one vomited into his bowl, and the seventh one, finally, began to scream. *** The witch returned to the cottage a few days later, expecting to find the girl’s companions mourning over her lifeless body. Instead, the cottage door stood open, the sickly-sweet smell of death reaching her from across the clearing. She approached cautiously, then stood at the threshold, peering inside the silent abode. As her eyes adjusted, she could see upended chairs, scattered bowls, and bodies. Seven corpses lay about the table, innards bared with whatever had been near to hand—pickaxes, butter knives, their own black-nailed fingers—to try and remove the poison burning through them. To no avail. The witch also noted the open cellar door and a trail of spilled gold and gems. It led toward a back door, and the horse and wagon she knew without looking would no longer be hitched there. She had wanted the girl gone, to eliminate any claim the child might have to the witch’s throne. And gone she was, fled with all the riches she would ever need, someplace where the witch would have no reason to follow. She smiled. It seemed the girl had been a better student than she let on and the crafty apple hadn’t fallen far from the cunning tree. Their rivalry hadn’t ended how she’d imagined, but the witch would take it. Whatever got the job done. Bio: Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell is a Rhysling Award-nominated poet and the author of twelve books and dozens of poems and short stories. A disabled pediatric cancer and mental health awareness advocate and reconnecting Chippewa/Métis, she lives in the desert with her family, buried under books. Find out more here: www.marsheila rockwell.com. *** Image: “The Poisoned Apple,” by Wanda Gag, 1938.

In The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden has gifted readers a stunning story about life and love set against the backdrop of World War I. The narrative relays the daily struggles of Laura Iven, a field nurse who has returned home to Halifax, Canada after being wounded by shrapnel, and her little brother Freddie, a young man with an artistic temperament who is serving in the trenches. Although Laura receives word of her brother’s death in a battlefield explosion, she is also confronted with otherworldly messages that let her know he is still alive, and she crosses the Atlantic to find the answers she needs. The chapters alternate between Laura’s search and her brother’s experiences as he is trapped beneath a pillbox with an injured German soldier who becomes his only connection to the world of the living. Although set in a harsh, real-world environment, Arden’s text is rich with supernatural elements. The trenches and the forbidden zone between the warring armies is haunted by the ghosts of fallen soldiers, and rumors of bands of defectors who live among the rubble abound. Perhaps most interesting is the legend of a fiddler who hosts soldiers in his strange hotel, offering them wine which brings them the peace of oblivion in exchange for their stories. The Iven siblings must confront the costs of living in a world of death, destruction, and pain if they hope to escape from the fiddler with the memory of their own identities. In addition to being a haunting and beautifully written novel, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a well-researched depiction of the horrors of World War I. In her author’s note, Arden says “World War I deserves our attention. The hectic, violent years from 1915-1918 set the stage for the rest of the tumultuous twentieth century and laid the groundwork for the modern world.” Arden skillfully captures the reality of trench warfare and its aftermath, likening it to the apocalyptic imagination of the Laura and Freddie’s parents who prepared their children for the end of days. The prose is peppered with poetry from Milton, Dante, and Tennyson, and the close juxtaposition of beauty and horror, death and life, will leave readers spellbound. Throughout it all is an enduring sense of hope and an appreciation for the love that makes human life worth living. I loved every word of this book and highly recommend it! You can find it here. Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. Kelly Jarvis works as the Assistant Editor for The Fairy Tale Magazine. Her poetry has been featured or is forthcoming in Blue Heron Review, Mermaids Monthly, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, A Moon of One’s Own, The Magic of Us, and Corvid Queen. Her short fiction has appeared in The Chamber Magazine and the World Weaver Press Anthology Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. She can be found at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

"Cinderella’s Hearth” isn’t just about food and home keeping. It’s also about making life more enchanting and less humdrum. And I’ve got something absolutely lovely for your next birthday card purchase. It’s the “Book Birthday Cards” set from Bas Bleu, a delightful catalog of wonders squarely aimed at book lovers. My family and I have been buying things from there for years. My sister Amy hit the jackpot when she sent me the pink fairy tale card. (She did not, however, but the card set from Bas Bleu. She found it months ago at Whole Foods and saved it for my birthday. So perhaps you can still find it there.) It’s the most lovely rose pink and no picture can do justice to how pretty it is. The “bookness” of it really comes through. It actually looks like a real book cover. The images are crisp and clear and the gold touches on it are stunning. There is a true fairy tale sense to it—the designer clearly leaned into the fairy tale inspiration. There are three other cards in the set: A jungle themed one (green), a classic stories one (black) and an all-purpose red themed one. All are clearly designed as books and are blank inside. The set is impressive, and I promise that the $20 price for four is well worth it! I had been dithering over buying the set when I saw them in the Bas Bleu catalog over Christmas, but repetitive stress injuries to my hand made it unlikely that I’d ever write in them, so I passed. Receiving the pink one in the mail made my birthday extra special. Thanks Amy! ❤️ Kate Wolford is the publisher of The Enchanted Press and The Fairy Tale Magazine. On March 26, The Enchanted Press will publish its first novel, Glass and Feathers.

In order to deliver a full year of Fairy Godparents Club benefits to every member, and for organizational purposes, membership will close at 11:59 PM on March 17. Club membership is only $20 for the year! We will officially meet four times this year: March 18, June 17, Oct. 21 and Dec. 16. These meetings will be about celebrating our achievements and sharing our own poetry, prose and art (or a favorite by someone else). I hope to slip in a couple of unofficial fun meetings into the mix as well. And there will always be a giveaway that those who attend the official meetings can enter! (We’ve already done the free reiki course for members this year, but I’m hoping to offer another extra as well. Stay tuned.) To join,  you can email me at katewolford1@gmail.com, and request membership. That is the official email for the site, and for our PayPal account. For bookkeeping and tax purposes we can only accept money through PayPal. If you haven’t signed up yet, please do. This club is a major fundraiser for us. And, I’m currently working on the February insider info email that only Fairy Godparents Club members receive! Yours in Enchantment, 🪄Kate🧚 Image from Pixabay