Cinderellis and the Glass Hill: A Review

Hello, my lovelies!

I’m back for Book 4 of The Princess Tales!

Cinderellis and the Glass Hill by Gail Carson Levine

5 Stars

In this unusual spin on an old favorite, Cinderella is a boy! He's Cinderellis, and he has two unfriendly brothers and no fairy godmother to help him out. Luckily, he does have magical powders, and he intends to use them to win the hand of his Princess Charming-- that is, Marigold. The only problem is-- Marigold thinks Cinderellis is a monster!

-From Goodreads

I knew there was a reason I was holding off on deeming The Princess Test my favorite! Having actually finished reading all of them now, this one definitely takes that title (though the last two are also great and I look forward to sharing them with you in the coming weeks).

This is a fun spin not only on the timeless Cinderella tale but also the lesser known Glass Hill fairy tale. I think there might even be another fairy tale mixed in that I’m missing. The stories mix well and I enjoyed the classic elements as well as the new twists the author put on them.

What I Liked:

Everything. What I liked about this book was everything. It was a fun tale with good characters, a solid plot, and the great narration I’ve been talking about since my review of the first book.

Cinderellis is such an endearing character, strong and brave and clever but also sweet and gentle and kind. He’s exactly what you would expect of a Cinderella character but in a nice, well-developed sort of way. I also adore the love interest, Princess Marigold. She’s the kind of character you wish you could just climb into the book and hug and hug and hug until every one of her broken pieces are put back together.

Together the two of them are one of the sweetest couples in this series (and it has a lot of sweet couples). I love them together and their relationship is great (though in keeping with the rest of the series, it’s written in a way you could read to younger kids without a problem).

The twists on the original tales was so fun! The “evil stepsisters” are Cinderellis’ two brothers who more ignore or barely notice Cinderellis than anything else. Most of his motivation throughout the story is to impress them, the little brother desiring for his older brothers to notice him and accept him as one of their own.

I also love the way the author manages to get inside so many characters’ heads in such a short book in such an effective way. Sometimes it’s the most random of characters (like the horses) but it adds something to the story when in so many other books the same thing takes away something. It’s just really good writing.

What I Didn’t Like:

Okay, so maybe I didn’t quite like everything. But I didn’t even dislike this enough to knock even a portion of a star off the rating, so it’s not even really worth mentioning. Except that it really annoyed me.

This started in Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep (Book Three) but for some reason all the kings and queens in this story have the same name now. In The Princess Test they were named King Humphry and Queen Hermione. In Princess Sonora they were named King Humphry II and Queen Hermione II. In this book they were named King Humphry III and Queen Hermione III. It continues into books four and five as well and every time I saw it, it would just make me mad. It just doesn’t make sense to me and I don’t understand it and I would have liked the author to make a different choice on that.

But like I said, it’s not even a huge deal. I just needed to rant.

Overview:

As stated, this is my favorite book in the series. I adored it so incredibly much and I’m so excited to share it with you. It’s a fun, lighthearted read that I plowed through in a day. It’s quick and simple but full of so many wonderful things. And I actually read this one out loud so I can say with certainty that it is in fact a great read-aloud book. I’m excited to have kids to read it to someday.

I started putting the series playlist together! Excited to share it with you in a few weeks.

Continuing along the theme of favorites, I’ll be back on Monday to share one of my favorite things with you! I hope to see you then. Until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess 

P.S. Let's Chat! What's your favorite lesser know fairy tale you'd love to see retold? What common fairy tales do you think it would mix well with?

Coffee Shop Musings

Hello my lovelies!

I went to write at a coffee shop for the first time in August and then I recently went and wrote with a friend at the Panera Bread in our local mall.

I’m not going to lie- the experience was a strange one for me. I have written in many different places before, scattered throughout my house, at parks, at other friends’ houses. But I’ve never gone somewhere so public and worked on something so personal. 

I didn’t realize that I held my writing so close until I started delving into its world somewhere other than a friend’s living room or the bedroom I pretend doubles as my office; even the libraries I've written at felt different because of the homey connection I have to them. It was so weird to take my main character with me somewhere that wasn’t “safe.”

I sat in the Panera Bread and watched people walking by- people who I didn’t know and who didn’t know me. They were in their own little worlds; rushing to tasks they hoped to complete, chatting easily with those with them, happy, sad, indifferent. And there I was, trying to write the scene in which Cinderella does in fact get to go to the ball but trying to make it fit into the science fiction setting I had already established for this world.

It was then that I realized how vulnerable I am when I write. How personal the very act of writing is for me. I can talk about my stories to anyone who wants to listen- and even some who don’t, like my poor parents at times- but I don’t often write in the presence of people I don’t know. And for me, that act was a growing experience I didn’t know I needed.

I’m an introvert. While I strive to not let that word define me I make no secret of the fact that being in public drains me. And to add to that working on something so personal was an added layer of something I wasn’t quite prepared for.

And it got me thinking. Someday this story isn’t going to be just mine anymore. I won’t be able to control who reads it, to limit it to the one trusted friend who is kind enough not to point out its flaws because I’m not ready to hear them yet.

But someday I have to be. I want to share this book with the world and I can’t even handle writing it somewhere other than my bedroom. I want people to read it and love it but I realized I’m really, really scared of people hating it.

This is my baby. This is a story born out of a game I played as a child, alone in my basement with a broken electronic typewriter and a wild imagination. It’s a story I set aside as nothing more than a game until last January I realized I could make it something more.

It was then that it turned into a Cinderella retelling, the premise and characters given a plot that actually made sense and included more than just the main character jamming buttons on the radio yelling important information; though that did make it into this version, in case you’re wondering. I finished the rough draft by the end of February and started editing it in July. At the end of August I figured out some major changes I needed to make and started draft three this September.

My characters have grown and changed throughout these edits. El has become more complex than I could have ever imagined, growing into her own person rather than a version of myself I created for the purpose of play. The supporting characters have also all taken on lives of their own- the captain, the pilot, the medic, the security officer. I didn’t even originally plan on some of them being a part of this story but they grew into it naturally, created to fit roles as they appeared.

My plot has expanded into one I actually find exciting (and my plot-driven bestie even approves of!) and the politics of my world are messy and complicated in all the right ways- an area I always struggle with.

I’m proud of this world. Proud of this plot. Proud of these incredible people who call themselves my characters.

I feel like this might be the one. This draft might actually be good enough to let other writers read and critique. From there I might actually hire someone to edit it and then work toward publishing it. This could be it. By this time next year I could be tracking my sales to see how many copies of this book I’ve sold.

And I don’t even want to write it somewhere unfamiliar.

I don’t like being vulnerable. I know what people see when they look at my writing; I am an idealist and a romantic and it shines through so brightly in my stories. Are people going to judge me for that?

I let my own insecurities hold me back. I judge myself so I assume everyone else will judge me too. I feel like people can read my mind, can see inside of me to my weakest, ugliest parts. My mask slips when I write. Things show through that I never meant to let people see. My writing and I are one, my stories an extension of myself, my insecurities, and my dreams.

I want people to read my stories without seeing that. I want them to see fiction and disregard the facts. I don’t want people to judge me. Or, if they are going to see something personal, I want people to read it and see the heart of the little girl who played in the basement with her big, big imagination and see how far she’s come. I want this book to be as special to other people as it is to me.

But it can’t be. It shouldn’t be. No one else is that little girl in the basement and so this story can never mean the same things to them that it does to me. It has to mean something different, something unique to them and their own experiences.

And that’s okay. As much as I don’t want to admit it, it’s okay if people come at my story from different perspectives and view it through their own lenses.

I think I’m ready. Ready enough to push past my vulnerability and prepare to share this story with the world. I can only hope the world is ready for it. But if not, that’s okay too. And it isn’t a judgement on me. My job is to put my stories into the world and trust there’s a plan for whatever happens to them that I don’t need to be in control of.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a Cinderella retelling to write.

I hope to see you on Friday for another review. I'll be taking a break from the Princess Tales series to share something special with you and I hope you'll check it out. Until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s chat! What are some ways in which you feel vulnerable with your writing? What are some ways you have of dealing with these insecurities?

Cinderella- The Review...? Rant...? Me Talking About It With Much Emotion

Hey look! It's Monday! And, I'm posting something! This is almost normal!

We'll see if you still love me after you read it though... I apologize if I offend anyone.

And, I've got some other posts written so be sure to look out for those. They're much... tamer than this one...

Anyway! Without further ado:

****THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS TO DISNEY’S LIVE ACTION CINDERELLA! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED****

****THIS IS A NEGATIVE REVIEW! IF THIS WILL UPSET YOU OR MAKE YOU SAD, PLEASE DO NOT READ IT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED****

I wanted to write this review a long time ago, but when I went to see it, I went with my sister, my best friend, and my brother’s girlfriend. And they all loved it. So, I felt sort of bad because I didn’t like it and I didn’t want them to think that my dislike of the movie also meant I was disappointed with the experience.

Danielle, Allie, and Danielle, if you’re reading this, please don’t think I was disappointed that I spent time with you.

Because I wasn’t. I had a blast. I just didn’t like the movie.

Or, as anyone who knows me the tiniest bit can tell you, I don’t just dislike stuff. I obsessively dislike it. That’s how I felt about the new, live-action remake of Cinderella. I don’t just dislike it. I DISLIKE it with a fiery burning passion.

There were a number of reasons the movie just didn’t work for me. Starting with a small reason, I’ll work my way up to the biggest problem I found.

So, first, Cinderella’s dress. What was with the butterflies? Like, it was sooooo beautiful and then the butterflies along the top looked like they had been added on the whim of a five-year-old. No. They should have been left off. I don’t care about motif. Seriously. No. Take them off. The costumer inside of me was screaming. Like, literally screaming inside my head. You may be thinking it’s not that big of a deal, but it is. Trust me. It was wrong and it ruined the magical moment of the dress transformation for me.

Next, the stepsisters.

I. Want. Pretty. Stepsisters.

Or, ugly stepsisters are okay.

Just please, please, pleeeeeeeaaaaaase stop giving me pretty girls in ugly costumes and terrible hairstyles. Part of the reason Ever After works so well for me is because I’m given beautiful stepsisters with ugly personalities. Like, seriously, if they had taken two second to style their hair differently, would we have had a different movie? Would more guys have liked them?

Or, give me ugly girls. Give me girls who eat too much and complain when their mother tries to dress them up and marry them off. Or, maybe they try to be pretty but it doesn’t work. But, please stop exaggerating it. This movie was full of a gorgeous color scheme and then they plop the stepsisters right in the middle of it and it came across as more than a sharp contrast. From the pictures I’ve seen and the few second snippets, they looked as if they would fit better in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland than this version of Cinderella.

I don’t know where this tradition started, but please, people, stop it.

Then there was the story in general. I wanted something new. Anything. Now, I’m not talking about a full new story. I understand that people love it because they kept it truer to the original story and that’s great. It actually gave me a ton of hope for Beauty and the Beast because it shows Disney does actually know how to follow a story without changing everything they possibly can.

But, you can add depth to a story without making it a new story. The only character who had depth, they ruined (we’ll get to that later). I wanted the story to surprise me. To give me another layer.

As a writer, the story was very one-note for me. The dialogue wasn’t particularly witty, none of the characters had much depth, and the story was the exact one we have known since before we can remember. The only parts that grabbed my attention, truly drew me in and made me care, were ruined by the end of the movie. Everything else was uninspiring and even the gorgeous visuals of the story world weren’t enough to keep me interested.

Which leads to my last point- the real reason I didn’t like the movie: The Stepmother.

See, I loved her.

For me, she was the only character with depth. The only character I understood. The only character I truly cared about.

Look at it from her point of view- She’s a single mother with two daughter in a time when men were valued. She has no one to take care of her girls, no one to see they are found good husbands, a place worthy of respect in the world. She’s a mother who wants the very best for her daughters. How many mothers out there can relate to that?

So then she meets this man. And, he’s good and kind and just amazing. And the way he talks about his own daughter, the way he treasures her, loves her, it gives the stepmother hope. Perhaps this man could love her daughters in the same way. Perhaps he could find her girls good husbands, as a man who cares in such a way for his daughter would surely not toss another’s to the wayside. There’s a chance here that maybe this man will offer them a place, see they are cared for, see they get the very best life can offer.

And, maybe, just maybe she finds herself falling in love with him.

But her heart was broken. Maybe by her first husband. Maybe by her father. Maybe by a suitor she wasn’t good enough for as a girl. Someone broke her heart because she obviously isn’t the best at loving people. She wants it. You can see that. At least, I could. But I don’t think she knows what love is. Maybe because no one had ever showed her before.

And, now, she’d found someone who might. Someone she might be able to open her heart to. Someone she might be able to love.

But then there’s that terrible scene where she overhears the father talking to Cinderella about her. That was wrong. Think about it. How would you feel if you overheard your husband talking about you that way? Especially when he clearly told Cinderella before that that he might be in love with her. He called her a second chance at happiness. So, we know this wasn’t just a marriage of convenience. He professed love to her and then turns around and talks about her behind her back.

I’d be pretty mad too.

Especially when he dies and she’s left with the girl. The girl he loved more than her. The girl who kept him from loving her own daughters. Her plans backfired.

Now, please don’t get me wrong. SHE MADE BAD CHOICES. I am not saying she was right to do any of what she did to Cinderella. It was wrong. But, it made sense.

See, Cinderella is all smiles and sweetness, but then goes and talks about her behind her back. I wouldn’t like the girl either. I would probably be pretty ticked off if I found myself her guardian.

Especially when Cinderella’s so much better than her own daughters. Daughters she wants the very best for. Daughters she will stop at nothing to make sure are taken care of. She doesn’t want her daughters to end up like her- twice a widow, left with nothing, no hope, no future for her children.

Who better to set your sights on than the prince? Any children you have will be looked after, even if something happens to your husband. You’ll never want for anything, never go without, and you’ll at least have money to make up for it if the prince talks behind his back about you (not a good philosophy, but one that makes sense).

But, Cinderella is standing in their way. Cinderella, with all her smiles and kindness but beneath it, she just isn’t nice to the Stepmother. They never connected and Cinderella didn’t really try. Not like she should have. It’s like Cinderella just expected everyone to like her and it’s some grave offence if they don’t.

So, the Stepmother takes drastic measures. She goes out of her way to ensure the prince doesn’t meet Cinderella, because she knows there’s no hope for her if he does. Her girls don’t stand a chance next to someone as amazing as Cinderella. They’ll be left with nothing.

You all know what happens. You know the steps the Stepmother takes. But then, Disney gives me one final scene to hate.

That scene at the end, after the prince finds Cinderella. We’re supposed to be cheering. The prince and Cinderella are united! The evil Stepmother has been vanquished.

And so, Cinderella walks down the stairs, gives her Stepmother a condescending little look and says the three words that fill me with rage every time I think about them: “I forgive you.”

I wanted to punch Cinderella. Or, at least the screenwriters.

See, this is supposed to be a great scene. But, really, of course she forgives her. Why wouldn’t she? She’s won. She gets the prince and the Stepmother is left with nothing. Her girls have even less of a chance at finding good husbands than they did before. That’s the thing that determines girls’ worth in that time, that world. And, Cinderella took it all away. She won.

Of course she forgives her Stepmother. Because this woman can never do another bad thing to her again. This woman is fully and completely defeated. And honestly, I would be surprised if Cinderella ever truly thought of her again. She has no reason to.

Forgiveness is easy when your life is perfect.

If she had said those words five minutes earlier, as the Stepmother was taking the slipper, was locking her in her room, I would have loved her. I would have written a completely different post, briefly mentioning the other things, but telling you all what a powerful movie this is. I would be writing about how much I love Cinderella and how amazing she is and how beautiful this all was.

But any effect, any power this story might have had was lost. Because she said those words just a few minutes too late.

But, on the plus side, this movie inspired a Cinderella retelling idea for me and as I was writing this post, I was inspired to write another one. So, I’m off to write that.

Until next time, faithful readers!

Untitled Cinderella Retelling Second Chapter

To everyone who enjoyed the first chapter of my Cinderella retelling last week: You are all in luck!!

I was very sick the end of last week and this weekend, so I didn’t have time to work on a blog post (hence the absence of a Candor Fridays post. There were no questions and I figured not posting anything was better than attempting to write something in my fevered state. Though, that might have been fun, actually. You could all see how crazy I am when I’m completely out of it…)

Anyway! Since you all seemed to enjoy it so much, I thought I would post chapter two for you.

I will be posting on Friday, so be sure and get any question you might have to me! And, if you haven’t taken the time to fill out the reader survey, please do. I’ve gotten a lot of helpful feedback, but if I haven’t heard from you yet, I would like to know what you think!!

And, without further ado, the second chapter:

Chapter Two

Life at Whitehall grew more and more like a fairy tale every day. Ella could scarce believe her good fortune, that her mother had not only found someone so right, but one so good and kind, to accept her into his family, as his daughter.

Day passed into weeks and then months and she began to accept that this was not a dream, but truly her life.

Several months after she had arrived, Ella found herself quite alone and in need of something to do. She had on a gown of light green linen and felt very much like a princess. And so she determined she must do what she felt any good princess would. She would go exploring.

There were many parts of the grounds that she had not seen and she had never been told not to go. So, why should she not explore them?

Her first expedition she decided would be to discover what was behind the gate at the back of the garden. She had seen a few of the servants coming and going from there, but she had never actually seen what was beyond.

And as soon as the idea entered her mind, she knew she must do it or else go mad with the wondering. So, making sure her boots were laced tight and firm, and set out with determination to make her discovery.

She found, to her dismay, however, that the gate was locked. With a frown, she stood before it, hands on her hips, wondering what she was to do. Climbing the wall would not only prove most difficult, it would no doubt be deemed quite unladylike by her mother.

But, she knew not where to find the key. So, how was she to get to the other side? For, now that she had begun to wonder, she knew she must discover the gate’s secret before the day was out.

Her mother and Lord Bannering had gone out on business and Henry had locked himself in the library, a place Ella had learned never to disturb him. Edward too, was busy doing she knew not what. But he had apologized at breakfast and told her he must leave her to her own devices for at least part of the day.

She stood there a good many minutes, wondering what was to be done, when up came behind her one of the kitchen girls, a basket tucked under her arm.

Ella did not hear the girl until she was right behind her and the presence startled her. She jumped, letting out a cry of surprise as she whirled around.

The girl dropped a curtsy, letting out a little squeak herself. “Oh, miss, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. Please, I do beg your pardon.”

Ella too, ducked her head, looking down at her feet and feeling most embarrassed for being discovered in a place she was not entirely certain she was allowed to be.

“I- I wasn’t doing anything wrong,” she hurried to offer as an explanation, though the girl had not indicated any need for one. “I just wanted to know what was on the other side of the gate.”

“Oh, that’s just the kitchen garden, miss,” the girl replied, looking up in surprise, then blushing a deep red and looking back at her feet as she offered an unnecessary curtsy. “And, there’s nothing wrong with you being here, miss. Not that I know of anyway.” She bit her lip and snuck a peek up at the girl. “I’ve got a key, if you want to take a peek in. I’m to be collecting the vegetables for supper, you see.”

“Oh, do you think it would be all right if I looked in?” Ella cried, so overcome with delight she forgot about being ladylike and holding back her excitement.

“I don’t see why not,” the girl replied as she pulled the key from her apron pocket. “Not that it’s much, really. Just vegetables and herbs and the like.”

She unlocked the gate and swung it open. Ella bounce up behind her, standing up on her tiptoes in an attempt to see over the girl’s shoulder. But, of course, it was to no avail as the girl was much taller than she, as she had at least eight or nine years on her.

But then, the girl stepped into the garden and Ella could see it all. The girl had not lied, it was truly just herbs and vegetables, but then, Ella had never seen herbs and vegetables before. And so she stood before the gate, her eyes wide and her mouth open.

Her wonder lasted not long, however, as she realized the girl had left the gate open and she was quite free to enter and explore, if she so desired. Which, she very much did.

She skipped down the rows of vegetables to where the girl was kneeling, pulling orange roots from the ground.

“Are those carrots?” she breathed. “I’ve never seen carrots in a garden before. They’re so beautiful.”

The girl laughed, getting caught up in Ella’s excitement and forgetting this was her master’s daughter and she had no place laughing with her. “I’ve never heard that said about carrot’s before. Here, do you want to pull them up?”

“Oh, may I?” Ella breathed, kneeling beside the girl. She was only vaguely aware of the cold, damp earth pressing against her knees through the fabric of her dress. The girl put her hand over Ella’s to help her and together they pulled a carrot from the ground.

Ella clapped her hands in delight. “May I pull another one?”

The girl laughed. “Just one more and then it’s onto beans.”

“I’m Ella, by the way,” Ella told the girl as she plucked the last carrot from the earth. “What’s your name?”

“Rosemary,” the girl told her. “My name’s Rosemary.”

They finished shaking the loose dirt from the vegetables they had picked and moved onto the bushed of beans.

“How many of these should we pick?” Ella asked.

“We want the basket about so full,” Rosemary replied, demonstrating with her hands about how many they wanted.

And, together the two went to work, both forgetting their stations and the fact that they had no business spending time with the other. The time passed with Ella asked all manner of questions about plants and vegetables and what exactly one did with them all and Rosemary trying her best to answer, even though she was only a lowly kitchen girl and nowhere near the knowledge of such things the cook or the gardeners would.

When all the vegetables were picked, Ella took one handle of the basket and Rosemary the other as they walked it back to the house.

In her enthusiasm, Ella had somehow managed to get dirt smudged on her dress, face, hands, and hair. So, when they returned to the kitchen, rather than either of them being scolded for associating outside their station, the cook merely took in the young girl, frowned, and muttered something about them always hiring help and not telling her about it.

Then she pointed to the ashbin and said, “Take that ‘round back and then see it’s washed out proper.”

“I don’t know how to wash it,” Ella said, biting her lip. She would tell the woman she wasn’t a maid, except, she had nothing better to do, and she was having so much fun. “Might Rosemary help me?”

The woman sighed, muttering again, about how useless the help they hired her was. Then she gave her permission and Ella and Rosemary carted the ashbin outside.

“You really oughtn’t to be doing this,” Rosemary told her, remembering just then who exactly this girl was. “You could get into trouble.” She didn’t mention how much trouble she could get into got helping her.

Ella adjusted her grip on the ashbin handle. “I don’t mind. There’s no one else to talk to and I like you. You’re awfully nice for a servant. Most of them won’t even say hello back when I try saying it to them.”

They reached the place where the ashbin was to be dumped and in her enthusiasm to help, Ella hefted the bin and started the dump it straightaway while Rosemary cried, “Not like that!”

But, alas, it was too late. The ashes puffed up in a cloud and both girls were engulfed in its embrace.

“Oh, I am sorry,” Ella cried through a coughing fit as her lungs tried in vain to find a full breath of fresh air. The ash cloud began to settle and both girls looked at each other. Ella started giggling first. “You’re covered in cinders.”

Rosemary too began to laugh. “So are you. You look a sight.”

“Ella?” The call came. The girls jumped at Edward’s voice.

“Oh, I have to go.” Ella grew panicked. “If they see me like this, I shall get into awful trouble.” She started to dart off but then stopped and turned back to Rosemary. “But, don’t worry, no matter how they press, I shan’t reveal the name of my accomplice. Thank you, for the wonderful morning.”

And then off she flitted, making sure to avoid the path Edward’s voice seemed to come from. Unfortunately, she did not realize Henry too was in the garden.

Not until she ran right into him. Quite literally.

“Whoa there,” he said, grabbing her shoulder as she tried to run away. “Ed, she’s over here. I found her.” He looked down at her, surveying her with a curious expression. “If Lady Bannermen were to see you like this, she would be sure to have a fit.

Ella felt her face grow warm under the layers of dirt and ash and she wished very much to be anywhere but there at that moment.

But, then Henry offered her a grin and said, “Which is why you should be grateful she isn’t here at present.”

Edward came up just then, took in the sight of her and laughed. “Do I want to ask what you’ve been up to today?”

She shook her head. “I shan’t tell you, even if you ask. I’ll not let you get my friend in trouble.”

It was only then that she realized they never would have known she was not alone if she had not told them. She drew in her lips, her eyes wide.

Edward continued to chuckle. “Then we shan’t ask, as it appears it would do no good. But, we must do something about your state before your mother returns.”

“I think we shall have to start calling you Ella of the Cinders,” Henry teased as they led her off toward the house.

“Or, Ella, the Cinder Girl,” Edward offered.

Ella bit her lip and ventured, “Cinder Ella?”

Both boys laughed at that.

“That’s perfect,” Henry said. “I think I like that one the best.”

“It’s settled then,” Edward said with an air of authority. “From hence forth, you shall be our Cinder Ella.”

Ella smiled at that, feeling warm all the way from, the tips of her ears and down to her toes. It wasn’t the kind of warmth she got when she felt foolish or silly or decidedly unladylike. No, this was the kind of warmth one felt when everything was perfect. 

Thanks so much for reading! I would love to hear from you about what you think of it!! See you all on Friday :D

A Cinderella Retelling- a Snippet of My Writing

According to the survey, people want to see more of my writing... so, I thought I would post something fictional I've written, instead of a post about writing!

A while back I started working on a Cinderella retelling. It doesn't have a title yet and is far from finished. But, I'm sharing the first chapter with you anyway. So, enjoy and let me know what you think. If enough interest is expressed I'll post more.

But, for now, without further ado, Chapter One of my untitled Cinderella story:

Chapter One

Ella looked away from the carriage window to smooth the pale blue lace of her skirt. The smile that graced her face was uninhibited and radiating. She bounced a bit with joy as she looked over at her mother, who sat beside her.

“The dress is really mine to keep, Mamma?” she questioned for the tenth time since she had first been shown it. “They aren’t going to take it away from me, now that the wedding is over?”

The woman sighed and lifted a gloved hand to her temple. “No, Eleanor, they are not going to take it away from you. And, you shall have many others after we are moved to Whitehall.”

“You’re certain?” The girl sat at the edge of her seat, looking out the window once more as she asked the question.

“My dear, I would not lie to you,” Lady Bannering replied. “Now, do, please try to act like a lady. You must make a good impression.”

Ella sat up straighter, though her smile remained unwavering. “And, I’m truly to have brothers? Real ones?”

“Are there any other kind?” her mother asked, a note of exhaustion in her tone. “And, I would not get my hopes too high, my dear. They are your stepbrothers, after all, and might not afford you the affection of blood.”

But the woman’s words appeared to have fallen on deaf ears. “And, we’re all to live together, like a real family?”

“Yes, my dear,” her mother replied. “Now, do try to let Mother rest for a bit. It’s been quite a long day.”

The girl pulled in her lips and nodded, barely able to contain her mirth. She turned her attention back to the scenery outside the carriage and allowed the next hour to pass in silence.

She was unable to hold back, however, once Whitehall came into sight. As soon as her gaze fell upon the magnificent building she let out a breath of awe and said, “Mamma, did you marry the king?”

Lady Bannering reminded in her seat, not so much as glancing out the window. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course, I didn’t. Now, sit back, you’re acting most unladylike.”

It took every ounce of willpower for the girl to pull herself away from the window. She so badly wanted to take in every glance of this magnificent estate that she could. But, her mother’s words rang in her ears, the ones about making a good first impression and the desire for her new family to love her overtook her awestruck wonder of the place.

She sat back against the carriage seat, straight and tall as her little frame would afford her, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

“Do stop fiddling with your skirt,” her mother instructed. The girl folded her hands, clasping them so tight the knuckles turned white.

It took a full fifteen minute- and more patience than the little girl had- before the carriage came to a stop outside. The girl sat forward to jump out but her mother’s hand on her arm kept her from it. She looked to the woman, question in her eyes.

“A lady waits for the footman,” Lady Bannering instructed. “And, she allows her seniors to proceed her.”

The girl slumped back against the seat, hanging her head. “I’m sorry. How will they ever like me if I’m so terribly ill-bred?”

“Patience and attendance to your manners would improve matters,” her mother remarked as the carriage door was opened. She gave her daughter a pointed look before she accepted the footman’s hand and climbed from the vehicle.

Ella bounce in her seat while she waited for the footman to return for her. It seemed an age before he did and she fairly leapt for him, taking his hand and flying from the carriage.

Out on the gravel drive stood the man she had watched her mother marry not twenty-four hours ago. They had spent their wedding night in the capital and then he had left earlier the next morning to prepare for their arrival.

And now here they were. At their new home.

Ella’s feet hit the gravel and the footman released her hand before she had truly gained her footing. She stumbled and started to fall, when she felt strong hands about her. She was righted and a voice said in her ear, “Are you all right?”

She nodded, feeling her face grow hot to the tips of her ears. “Quite, thank you.”

The hands released her and she snuck a peek at her savior. The first thing she noticed was a shock of wild blond hair. It framed the face of a young man, perhaps twenty-one or twenty-two. At first, she thought perhaps he was a footman, but his clothes, she noted, suggested otherwise.

No, this could only be one of her new brothers. And, he had seen her nearly topple from the carriage! Her face grew even warmer and she looked down at her shoe once more.

“You must be my new sister,” the young man said, his tone not unkind. In fact, it was quite warm and friendly. He had even called her his sister. But then, he was surely only being polite.

“Yes, sir,” she replied in a small voice. “I’m Ella.”

“It’s Eleanor,” her mother corrected. “The girl insists on holding onto her childish nickname.”

Ella felt very small indeed and wished to be anywhere but here at that moment. What must her new family think of her? She shrank back, trying to become as far from the center of attention as possible.

“She is still a child, my love,” Lord Bannering pointed out. The man took a step toward her, bending down to her eyelevel and lifting her chin with a finger. She had no choice but to meet his gaze. “I think Ella is a perfectly beautiful name.”

She blushed once more, but this time from pleasure, not shame. She did not know this man well, as his courtship to her mother had been whirlwind and the two had spent much of it engaged in activities she was still too young for, such as balls and tea parties and the like. But the few times they had met, he had done everything in his power to put her at ease and she could not help liking the man immensely.

The man righted himself. “Now, then to properly introduce you, dear Ella, this is my son, Edward. I know not where his brother, Henry, is.” He glanced around, as if to see if the boy was somewhere nearby. “That boy…”

“Last I saw him, he said he would be down directly,” Edward informed him. “He should be but a moment.”

They saw no reason to wait for the young man out there on the gravel drive and so they retired inside.

“I’ve had your rooms prepared,” Lord Bannering informed them. “If you would perhaps like to freshen up before we tour the house.”

“Oh, yes please,” Lady Bannering requested. “I must look a sight after that ride.”

“You look beautiful,” her husband told her, an arm firmly about her. He drew her to him and kissed her nose. The woman blushed with pleasure and the two became wrapped up in themselves, leaving Edward and Ella alone.

The girl tried to shrink away, hoping that if Edward had better things to do, he wouldn’t feel obligated to remain with her instead. But, he did not forget her. Instead, he turned to her, offering her a smile. “I suppose that leaves me to show you to your room.”

“I don’t want to be of any trouble,” the girl said in a small voice, looking down to the hem of her rich gown.

Edward mimicked the motion his father had used not long before, tilting up her chin with one finger so that she was forced to meet his eyes. His own blue eyes danced merrily as he said, “But, what are brothers for, if not to assist their little sisters?”

She bit her lip and tried to look away, but it was hard, with his finger still under her chin. “Mamma said I’m not to get too attached to the idea of having brothers, as we’re only siblings by marriage, not by blood.”

“Well, it’s always good to listen to your mother,” Edward agreed slowly. “But, I think even she would agree this is a much better arrangement for everyone.” Then he offered her a smile so contagious she could not help but smile too.

A ruckus was heard on the stairs and both turned their attention in that direction to find another blond young man descending the stairway. His face was flushed, as if he had run in a great hurry, and he was younger than Edward, perhaps fourteen or fifteen, Ella would guess. Whatever the case, both were a good deal older than her nine years.

“Wherever have you been?” Edward demanded of his brother.

Henry skipped the last three stairs, hopping straight to the floor. He made the last few steps to close the gap between himself and Edward and Ella. He began all in one breath, “It took me longer than I thought. I was in the library and-”

“Never mind, I don’t want to know,” Edward said, holding up a hand to stop him from saying anything further. “You missed the new Lady Bannering, but this is our sister, Ella.”

Henry offered her a lopsided grin. “Oh, hello. I’m Henry. Do you think Father’s mad at me for missing them coming, Ed?”

“He probably was,” his brother replied. “But, he’s too caught up in his bride to care about much else right now, so you’re good.”

The young man let out a sigh of relief. “Thank heavens.”

Edward offered Ella his arm. “Well then, shall we show this young lady to her new room?”

Ella bit her lip in embarrassment but took the offered arm all the same. The house was much bigger than the one she had lived all her life and certainly more splendid. It was all she could do to keep up with

Edward while they walked, as she wanted to keep stopping to admire every beautiful thing. Only the thought that she did not want to embarrass herself further and that this home was to be hers and she would have amble opportunity to enjoy it kept her from doing just that.

They finally stopped outside a room and Edward opened the door. Ella stood in the doorway, her eyes wide and mouth open. “Is- is this really to be mine?” she breathed. “Surely you are teasing me.” She turned to Edward, hurt and pleading in her eyes. “Oh, please don’t tease me so.”

“I’m not teasing,” Edward said with a smile. “They’re yours, for as long as you are to live here.”

The girl could not contain herself, so overcome with immeasurable joy was she, that she threw her arms around her new brother and squealed.

After a moment she realized what she had done and jumped back as she released him, her face redder than it had been all day. “Oh my. I- I am sorry. I- I wasn’t- that is- I didn’t- Oh, I’m sorry.”

Edward offered her that grin of his. “There’s nothing to be sorry for, little one. I told you, I am to be your brother. And, Father will be very glad to hear the room is to your liking.”

“Oh, it is,” she hurried to assure him. “I’ve- I’ve never seen a room so fine before. And, it’s to be mine? Truly?”

“Those are your trunks, are they not?” Edward said, nodding to the luggage on the far side of the room.

The girl had not seen them before, in her awestruck examination of the room, but indeed they were hers. “I can’t believe it.”

“Believe it,” Edward said, clucking her chin. “And, while you’re at it, why don’t you freshen up? Luncheon will be soon and then Father will no doubt want to give a tour of the estate.”

He left her then, and Ella danced over to the bed, jumping up and flopping herself down on the mattress, which she discovered was softer and more heavenly than any she had ever slept on. She closed her eyes and drew in a contented sigh.

She had never known life could be very, very perfect.

And there you have it! Let me know what you think. And, make sure you get your questions in for this Friday!