Helen Whistberry

E H Alger

Ian McDonnell Arbuckle

Twelve fresh takes on the Cinderella fairy tale with the net proceeds going to Australian wildlife relief. Creating Cinderella - Retold Fairy Tales is a collection of new and innovative stories, turning the Cinderella tale we know on its head. Explore these new stories and discover the power of transformation as each tale takes on the legend. Stories include: Saving Cinderella: What if Cinderella was a spider rather than a princess-in-waiting? And what if she was the very last of her kind? The Stepp sisters must race against time and even call upon the magic of Grandmother Spider-Woman to raise this Phoenix from the ashes.Cælestis: Spirited and adventure-driven country girl Cælestis, learns of the enchantment of her ancestors' fireplace. In a fairytale composed as narrative poetry - living with her stepmother and stepsisters, Cælestis will have to tempt fate to know what her destiny really involves. Andromeda: Following a black cat, Clara is led through the Royal Palace to the one place she knows she's never allowed to enter. There, she meets a storyteller who has a dark tale to tell. One that has never been told. A Tail: If, as they say, history is written by the winners, maybe whether or not a story has a Happily Ever After just depends on your point of view. Sometimes all it takes is a shift in perspective to give an entirely new twist to a very old story. Puppy Love is a heartwarming story of survival in the Industrial Age where a young male Cinderella lives a hardscrabble existence while learning lessons of love and life along the way. Sugar Plums and Satin: After three days of disappointing auditions, the director of the Australian Ballet finally sees a young woman with extraordinary talent. But when it is revealed the young dancer is there under a false name, she flees. The only clue to her identity is a single lilac satin pointe shoe. Weeper in the Ashes: A prince without a kingdom journeys to the castle that once belonged to his deposed and murdered royal ancestors. "Beware the weeping woman," he's been warned. "Pale and begrimed, she sweeps the ashes endlessly with a ragged broom. If she raises her eyes and looks at you, you'll be lost forever." Gibson's Hope: Gibson Derella is a shoo-in for the college scholarship he deserves, but with his foster family conniving against him, he'll need more than his friends fighting by his side. Gibson's Hope is a reimagining of Cinderella, where magic comes in the form of hope, friendship, and a fairy godfather. Stepmother: The story has played out hundreds of times. The girl, the fairy, the prince, and the happy ever after. The wicked stepmother has grown weary of the repetition and of her role. When one more Cinderella arrives at her door, she is sure of only one thing: this will be the last. Princess Myna and the Ember Snake: A serpent of fire threatens the homes and farms of an island kingdom, and its princess can save them from their foe. As resources dwindle, Princess Myna finds an ally and looks inside her own castle for the source of their strife. It will take some experimentation and a little magic for Myna to discover that sometimes, it's the beast within that must transform itself. Pumpkin vs The Glass Slipper - A wrestler tired of taking all the bumps and never getting the spotlight discovers she can be anything she wants with the help of a mysterious mask.From the Ashes: All her life, it had just been Audrey and her mum. But after a whirlwind romance, and Audrey had a new family: a father and two sisters to fill out their little circle. Suddenly, life is very different for Audrey. And will she ever find a way to free herself when, for the first time in her life, she's trapped by the one thing that used to set her free - family.

E H Alger

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