What I've been reading . . .

"Once Upon a Time" by James Christenesen

I have downloaded a number of classics onto my Kindle in the last few months. I've read the complete works of Thomas Hardy, the Scarlet Letter, and Precious Bane. I'm looking forward to immersing myself in Dickens and Twain.


Fairy tales have been the subject of the last two weeks' reading. I have a motive for the fairy tales: first, I'm hoping they'll sink in at an unconscious level so that I can improve my own storytelling skills. Second, I'm deciding which ones I'll read to Darling Granddaughter and which ones I'll skip. Then there is the decision of which version of the tale to tell. I promise she will not hear of Cinderella's ugly stepsisters cutting off their toes in order to fit the glass slipper. The big, bad wolf will not gobble up the three little pigs.

I'm not sure how to deal with the fate of the witch in Hansel and Gretel. Maybe she'll just turn into a giant candy cane.