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Intuitive logic: fairy tales don't conform to the rules of our world, but it does have rules. They will not be explained by insistence. Furniture will sing and dance. Paths will appear when you need them. Children can outsmart ancient witches. Disarticulated limbs will turn silver and you can sell them to save yourself later. Resist the urge to explain the logic and let your readers just accept what's happening. Remove transitions like "therefore" and "because."

Flatness: In fairy tales, characters aren't deep, psychologically anyway. Snow White doesn't have depression or PTSD after getting hunted by her stepmother, Belle doesn't have a psychotic break after the candelabra and clock talks to her, and little red riding hood doesn't have a panic disorder after finding her grandmother had been eaten by a wolf. But they all had reactions. Now, there's nothing wrong with adding psychological depth to fairy tales (in fact, this is beneficial if you're going for a longer piece). But flat characters leave space to exceed limitations surrounding individuality, uniqueness, and self.

Happy endings: J.R.R Tolkien once defended happy endings as a vital technique in literature, because joy can be as poignant as grief. Creating poetic joy in your prose is okay. A lot of fairy tales end with dark, terrible lessons, but you can let the sunset on a girl in a white dress smiling at the tide. Happy endings aren't bad.

Fairy tales are some of the first stories we read and often the first kind we attempt to write.

Then look at your own new stories and look for examples of explained logic, character depth, and tragedy. Remove efforts to explain logic, tighten character depth, but do not remove the tragedy. Instead, quickly add a unique and strangely blissful image afterward, your own Grimm gesture to emote through your setting.

I'm joined today by Carly Heath, debut author of THE RECKLESS KIND. 

A genre-defying debut, this queer historical YA centers a wild and reckless trio who fly in the face of small-town tradition—full of compassion, love, and determination to live the lives of their choosing.

BUY THE RECKLESS KIND ON BOOKSHOP

Become a member today and listen to the full interview (all 9 questions and 2 games), commercial-free. 

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CW: tics, suicidal ideation, self-harm.

I'm joined today by Halli Gomez, award-winning author of THE LIST OF TEN. You can connect with Halli via her website: halligomez.com. 

LIST OF TEN

A harrowing yet hopeful account of a teen living with Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder . . . and contemplating his own mortality.

BUY IT ON BOOKSHOP.ORG

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Want to listen to the whole interview? Become a member of All By My Shelf today at BuyMeACoffee.com/jmtuckerman to listen to Lisa Riddiough play games, answer questions about her favorite books, and talk about her writing habits.

• Buy ELVIS AND THE WORLD AS IT STANDS

Want to listen to the whole interview? Become a member of All By My Shelf today at BuyMeACoffee.com/jmtuckerman to listen to Hayley Kirscher play games, answer questions about her favorite books, and talk about her writing habits.

• Buy THE FALLING GIRLS

• Buy Beasts & Beauty: Dangerous Tales Here

You think you know these stories, don't you?

You are wrong.

You don't know them at all.

Twelve tales, twelve dangerous tales of mystery, magic, and rebellious hearts. Each twists like a spindle to reveal truths full of warning and triumph, truths that free hearts long kept tame, truths that explore life . . . and death.

A prince has a surprising awakening . . .

A beauty fights like a beast . . .

A boy refuses to become prey . . .

A path to happiness is lost. . . . then found again.

New York Times bestselling author Soman Chainani respins old stories into fresh fairy tales for a new era and creates a world like no other. These stories know you. They understand you. They reflect you. They are tales for our times. So read on, if you dare.

My guest today is Jessica Vitalis, debut author of The Wolfs Curse.

• Buy The Wolf's Curse Here

"I am obsessed with this story!"--Erin Entrada Kelly, author of the Newbery Honor book We Dream of Space

"Boldly tells readers to take a closer look at the stories they're told--not to mention at the wolves that might be lurking in the shadows. A clear-eyed, big-hearted fable of compassion, friendship, and love."--Anne Ursu, author of The Real Boy

"A lyrical tale of loss and survival, tradition and belief, in which tension and secrets build like a towering wave."--Diane Magras, author of The Mad Wolf's Daughter

"A fable as polished and timeless as a fine wooden toy."--Catherine Gilbert Murdock, author of the Newbery Honor book The Book of Boy

Shunned by his fearful village, a twelve-year-old apprentice embarks on a surprising quest to clear his name, with a mythic--and dangerous--wolf following closely at his heels. Jessica Vitalis's debut is a gorgeous, voice-driven literary fantasy about family, fate, and long-held traditions. The Wolf's Curse will engross readers of The Girl Who Drank the Moon and A Wish in the Dark.

Gauge's life has been cursed since the day he cried Wolf and was accused of witchcraft. The Great White Wolf brings only death, Gauge's superstitious village believes. If Gauge can see the Wolf, then he must be in league with it.

So instead of playing with friends in the streets or becoming his grandpapa's partner in the carpentry shop, Gauge must hide and pretend he doesn't exist. But then the Wolf comes for his grandpapa. And for the first time, Gauge is left all alone, with a bounty on his head and the Wolf at his heels.

A young feather collector named Roux offers Gauge assistance, and he is eager for the help. But soon the two--both recently orphaned--are questioning everything they have ever believed about their village, about the Wolf, and about death itself.

Narrated by the sly, crafty Wolf, Jessica Vitalis's debut novel is a vivid and literary tale about family, friendship, belonging, and grief. The Wolf's Curse will captivate readers of Laurel Snyder's Orphan Island and Molly Knox Ostertag's The Witch Boy.