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.

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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!

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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.