I'm excited for the upcoming fantasy retelling, Spelled and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to highlight it here. Here's the summary and an excerpt provided by the publisher.
Spelled
By Betsy Schow
Sourcebooks Fire
June 2, 2015
Advance Praise for Spelled
“A cute adventure
with romance set in a world full of fairy-tale mash-ups. Readers will
love Dorthea’s evolution from spoiled princess to strong, confident
heroine… For Oz fans, this work is a great clean-read alternative to Danielle Paige’s Dorothy Must Die.” -School Library Journal
“This wickedly funny, fast-paced adventure has it all: brains, courage, and heart. (Plus a kickin’ pair of heels.) .” --Jen Calonita, author of The Secrets of My Hollywood Life and Fairy Tale Reform School series
“Fairy tale survival rule #1, do NOT read this book late at night. You will wake up your entire family with loud laughter.
Fairy tale survival rule #2, if you love the Wizard of Oz, clever fairy
tale mash-ups, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing what
will happen until the very end, you MUST read Spelled.” --J Scott Savage, award winning author of Farworld, Case File 13, and the Mysteries of Cove series.
“A hilarious and snarky reimagining of the world of Oz, along with many other fairy tales injected throughout, "Spelled" is one fabulous read…Kick off those silver slippers and tuck in with this wonderful tale!” —Senator Sipes, Lil Book Bug (Palmdale, CA)
Book Info:
Talk about unhappily ever after. Dorthea
is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has
its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin
heels. But a forced marriage to the not-so-charming prince Kato is so
not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.
Trying
to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally
backfires, leaving Dorthea with hair made up of emerald flames and the
kingdom in chaos. Her parents and everyone she loves are stuck in some
place called “Kansas.” Now it’s up to Dorthea and her pixed-off prince
to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse…before it
releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.
Betsy Schow:
Betsy Schow is the author of the memoir Finished Being Fat, and has been featured on The Today Show and in The Wall Street Journal.
She lives in Utah, but travels the country with Color Me Rad 5k, and
partners with nonprofits to teach kids creative thinking and how to
reach their goals.
Excerpt from Spelled:
Most
of the crowd had dispersed. The final few stragglers looked at me with
the alltoo-common look of fear mixed with trepidation. Pix ’em. They
were just servants. It wasn’t like their opinion mattered.
Only
one remained, watching me with open curiosity. He looked to be in his
late teens or was magically enhanced to appear so. He could have been a
hundred for all I knew. I’d never seen him before in my life. He was
handsome enough, for a commoner, even in his worn leather pants and
cracked work boots. A foreigner, his hair was unruly and dark auburn,
which complemented his tanned but dirt-smudged complexion, though the
tall, dark stranger vibe was ruined by his piercing pale blue eyes.
Well,
I’d had enough of being a sideshow for the day. “If you’re the new
gardener, the hedges are overgrown and in need of a trim.” I pointed in
the direction of my father. “While you’re there, you can help the king
with the wisps.”
The young man’s expression clouded over, but he didn’t move.
I
stamped my foot and pointed more forcefully. “Off with you. Courtyard’s
that way. Be sure to clean those awful boots before coming back in.”
“Someone
told me I’d find a princess of great worth here. One with the strength
to be the hero this realm needs.” He stared at me with those unsettling
blue eyes. They were cold, like ice water—made me shiver from head to
toe. Then his gaze seemed to search even deeper. Finally, he looked
through me, like I was nothing.
In
brisk steps, he strode across the marble to the courtyard. But before
crossing the threshold, he turned back to glare at me with his lip
curled ever so slightly. “It seems she was mistaken.”
Just like that, I had been sifted, weighed, and found wanting.
I felt my own lip curl in response. How rude!
Who the Grimm was this peasant to judge me? I was wearing a Glenda
original. Original! Not some fairy-godmother knockoff worn by those
servant girls turned royal. I was a crown princess, for the love of
fairy, and no one dismissed me.
Before
I could put the boy in his place—down in the dirt, where he belonged—a
clatter came from behind, making me nearly jump out of my shoes. I
checked and was relieved that Sterling had simply dropped his sword. By
the time I looked back, the gardener was gone.
After
stowing his blade, Sterling held up his shield, not in defense of the
entrance but so he could look at his reflection. “Clearly he’s blind and
doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
I didn’t ask for Sterling’s opinion, but it made me feel better.
Until he opened his mouth again.
“Worth, pffft. I mean,
look around at all the jewels. Your palace has everything you could
ever want. Honestly, I don’t know what you’re fussing about. Why would
anyone want to leave?”
Because a cage is still a cage, no matter how big or glittering the bars are.
And I would find a way free, no matter the cost.
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