Ashley Hodges Bazer | The Allure of Fairy Tales

Fairy tales have always fascinated me. The slipper, the poisoned apple, the
hundred-year nap. Whether it was Grimm, Disney, or a musical by Stephen
Sondheim, I
could never get enough. Put a twist on one of those classic stories, and I
love it
even more. (I hate to tell you how many times I went to see the movie Ever
After.
Alone.)

So, what’s the allure? The escape from reality, perhaps. The dream of a
transformation. The sweet romance mixed with magic and wonder.

For me, I think it’s the tradition. These tales have been around for
hundreds of
years, if not longer. They’ve been handed down generation after generation—
parents
creating lessons for their children through stories. And even though the
delivery
may change, the message remains the same. The girl earns the love of a
prince. All
is made right. Good triumphs over evil.
When I became an author, I knew I had a fairy tale story somewhere in my
head. It
took a while for me to find it, but the title came to me…Once Upon a Heist.
Okay,
that’s fun. Snappy. Hilarious, even. But what’s it about? My brain started
spinning
all kinds of possibilities until I finally landed on the central question…

What if every classic fairy tale moment was actually a clever ploy?

I envisioned Snow White wearing the familiar yellow skirt, blue bodice, and
red
cloak decked out with some high tech goggles and burglary devices. You have
to
admit, there’s a certain charm there. However, I wanted to stay as true to
the
stories as I possibly could. So I lost the tech and returned to the fairy
tale
woods to twist some classic characters into brilliant schemers. Let me
introduce
you to them.

Emberly is my Cinderella. Her name is derived from the word ember. She
serves her
stepmother and stepsisters as expected, but she bears the burden of
obsessive-
compulsive disorder. She actually likes to clean.

Snow White is Gwyn, Emberly’s pal and the ringleader of the ragtag crew. She
lives
alone, fearful that her evil stepmother, the reigning Queen Venefica, will
find
her. Her name translates to white in Welsh.

Crimson is brash, but nothing any wolf couldn’t handle, just like Little Red
Riding
Hood. She concocted the crazy plan, roping Gwyn into it by promising a
brighter
future while exacting revenge on the kingdom’s lazy princes. And yes, she
wears a
red hooded cape.

Tressa, a play on the word tresses for Rapunzel, is not the smartest person.
She
loves animals, and her long blonde locks often get her in trouble. Still,
she’d do
anything for her friends.

Leila is the brain…when you can get her nose out of her books. Her name
translates
to night beauty, but you might know her better as the Beauty part of Beauty
and the
Beast. She lives with her oversized dog Brutum and has a little trouble with
magic.

And last but not least, we have Aisling. She’s a Sleeping Beauty with a
secret
affliction—narcolepsy. It’s no wonder, though, as her name is Irish for
dream.

The girls have good reason for stealing. The kingdom of Paladia is oppressed
by
Venefica, and her underlings—the princes of the realm—don’t see it. Instead
of
living unhappy lives, the girls will pilfer a few jewels from each vault and
flee
to the freedom of the Amethyst Mountains. The only thing they didn’t count
on was
falling for the princes they are robbing. Each heist involves danger and
mystery,
and soon Emberly discovers a secret that could finally free the kingdom of
Paladia
from the clutches of evil queen Venefica. Or utterly destroy them all.

It’s a fun, silly story, and I loved writing it. A reader said “It’s like
Ocean’s
Eleven meets the Disney princesses with some Princess Bride humor thrown
in.”
You’ll find the traditional stories you know with some crazy twists and
turns you
don’t expect. I’ve also included fairy tale references, as well as the names
of the
seven Disney dwarfs scattered throughout the pages. Be sure to look for
those!

I think the little girl in me will always love fairy tales. Where else can
an
ordinary pumpkin become a golden carriage? Or a simple, sweet kiss awaken a
girl
after many years? Or a group of diminutive hermits earn the love of a
beautiful
young maiden?

And everyone lives happily ever after.

GIVEAWAY

Why do you read fairy tales? Leave a comment below and be entered for a chance to win a signed copy ONCE UPON A HEIST.

About Ashley Hodges Bazer

Ashley Hodges Bazer is the author of the epic sci-fi series, The Crown's Call, and fantasy novels Checkmate and Once Upon a Heist. She lives in Colorado with her husband and three children. Currently a producer for an international daily radio program, she’s learning to balance working, writing, and momming duties. And she's a real duchess! Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

About ONCE UPON A HEIST

Emberly is a simple girl, leading a simple life of servitude to her stepmother and stepsisters. But when her friend Gwyn shows up at her doorstep, proposing a scheme that would free her and a ragtag bunch of fairy tale heroines from their unsatisfactory lives, Emberly accepts.

Their mission? Steal jewels from the kingdom's six princes.

Each heist involves danger and mystery, and soon Emberly discovers a secret that could finally free the kingdom of Paladia from the clutches of evil queen Venefica. Or utterly destroy them all.