Featured Author - June // SARA ELLA

   You guys - I'm extremely excited about the author we have here today. She's one of the sweetest human beings on the planet, and an INCREDIBLY talented author (her writing style is like no other!). Please welcome the beautiful Sara Ella! <3

A few epic Sara-things that you should check out:

Eliyana has always recoiled from her own reflection in the mirror. But what if that were only one Reflection—one world? What if another world existed where her blemish could become her strength?

Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a hideous birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her as normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.

But one night her mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets weird.

Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, legal Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you’ve gone from weird to otherworldly.

Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him. How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?

check out Unblemished, the first book in Sara Ella's trilogy! 

her eye-candy Instagram account, @saraellawrites 

 and her author website, saraella.com

Savannah Grace: Hey, Sara! Thank you so much for coming over to chat today, I'm honored to have you here - this is going to be so fun! What are a few quirks about yourself that people might be surprised to know?

 
Sara Ella: Well, I love ranch dressing, but I hate mayo. And yes, I know ranch is made with mayo. ;) I’m also incredibly terrified of pincher bugs (earwigs). They’re gross, and when one ends up in your straw and then your mouth? Let’s just say I get weird looks when I check every straw by looking through it like a telescope before I sip out of it. #noshame

Savannah: Oh, my gracious, did you really?? *shudders* Yeah, I definitely understand the straw-checking! ;D About your epic writings: what inspired you to write the ​Unblemished ​ trilogy?

Sara: My inspiration stemmed from my own experience as a teen. I remember feeling ugly due to less-than-perfect skin. I remember never wanting to look in the mirror because I felt like I didn’t look like the other girls my age. Today, with filtered selfies and so much on social media telling us who to be and how many likes define us, I wanted to write something that showed teens they can and should be exactly who they are. I also happen to love the theme of ​Beauty & the Beast ​ (true beauty lies within). That had a little something to do with my inspiration as well.

Savannah: That's seriously the best - I've always loved the message of the Unblemished trilogy, its honestly so inspiring <3. But writing a trilogy with such a strong message can be tough! What was the hardest part of writing the ​Unblemished ​ trilogy? (and what advice would you give to writers struggling with the same problem?)

Sara: Finishing the series off with ​Unbreakable ​ was probably the hardest.  This book came during a difficult time. To say it was a “labor of love” would be downplaying it (and I think my editor can attest to that). Wrapping up a series is hard work because I wanted readers to be satisfied, but I also knew remaining true to the story and characters could end up disappointing some reader expectations. I still look back and think of things I could have changed or left out or included.
And... and advice? The best advice I can give is to push through. Keep on writing. Believe you are ​ an author. Stop thinking what you’ve written is the worst thing ever (trust me, it’s not--not by a long shot.) Every writer deals with doubt and struggles with creativity. When you’re feeling drained and like your brain can’t function anymore, breathe. Make some tea. Take a soul break, then get back to work. As Mrs. Potts would say, “It’ll turn out all right in the end. You’ll see.”

Savannah: And it DID turn out all right in the end! All of your hard work payed off, Sara, it really did - Unbreakable was a beautiful end to an amazing series. I especially loved how you had so many different POVs in Unbreakable. How did you juggle them all?

Sara: Very. Carefully. Haha. I look at Different POVs as a nice break. El’s head is so much my particular voice that it was nice to get out of my own head and jump into Ebony’s or Ky’s or Joshua’s. I think Ebony was my favorite this time around. She’s so the opposite of me, so it was fun to be snarky and write with freedom instead of analyzing every little thing the way El does.

Savannah: I was very happy to see Ebony playing a big role in Unbreakable, I actually relate to her quite a bit! ;D Did you always know that ​Unbreakable ​ would end the way that it does, or did it come as a surprise?

Sara: Yes and no. When I began the series, the ending that came was always in my mind. But I promised myself I would not lock myself in a box either. I wanted to remain true to the characters and the story. During the writing process of ​Unraveling, I sat down with my editor at Panera and we had a lengthy discussion about what to do with a certain character. We both agreed that this character would end up exactly where I always knew they would. We laughed and cried over it. I was happy because I knew we made the right decision, and sad at the same time. I hope readers feel it ended well. It had to end that way because it did. I don’t know how else to explain it.

Savannah: Ooh, Panera <3. I'm so glad that you put so much effort into making sure that the trilogy ended perfectly, you did an amazing job with that. The whole series is, overall, a masterpiece. What was your favorite thing about writing the ​Unblemished ​ trilogy?

Sara: I loved getting to know myself through my characters and my story. I love the notes I receive from readers who feel the story changed them or resonated with them in some way. I love sprinting with my author besties over text or Skype, and I love, love, love that somehow I was given the privilege of sharing my heart with the world in story form. It’s a dream come true.

Savannah: I'm so glad that all of that has happened for you! It definitely sounds like a dream <3. And before you were published, you'd once worked for Disney, right? You were some of the characters at their theme park, if I remember correctly. What was your favorite thing about that?

Sara: Alice. And Wendy. And getting into the parks for free. I loved playing the characters I grew up with, and it was super fun to annoy Peter Pan (because “girls talk too much”), and mess around with the Mad Hatter (“a very merry unbirthday to you”). I loved the smiles on children’s faces and I loved getting weird looks when I would ask (in a British accent) if people liked peanut butter in their tea. Because I was Alice, so why not?

Savannah: That sounds like a DREAM JOB, gracious! You make the perfect Alice and Wendy, too <3. On a more bookish note, what is your favorite fairytale? (and why do you like it so much?)

Sara: I think this one’s obvious. I have always loved ​Beauty and the Beast ​ . The message of true beauty within has always resonated with me. I feel connected to that story on a very deep and personal level. Also, Belle loves books. I love books. It’s a match made in heaven.

Savannah: YES, I love Beauty and the Beast so much, its one of the best (if not THE best) fairytales out there. *highfive* I love how much you connect with that story! What are a few fairy tales that you would love to see retold in a fresh, new way?

Sara: I’d love to see a retelling of ​The Little Mermaid ​ or ​The Swan Princess ​ . I think there are a lot of mermaid stories right now, but I haven’t seen many actual retellings. It would be fun to see an author take a whack at twisting that one into something new. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be that author.

Savannah: I dearly hope so! I'd love to see you retell those beautiful tales, your writing style is absolutely perfect for them <3. Alright, one last question before we let you get back to do your epic writer-things: who are three of your greatest inspirations, and why?

Sara: What a question! My mom, because she taught me to love reading. My children, because they remind me to find joy even in the darkest moments. And my husband, because he loves me unconditionally and helps me write that kind of love into my stories.

Savannah: Okay, I absolutely LOVE how almost every person I've interviewed lists their mom as one of their greatest inspirations <3. Thank you so much for being here today, Sara - I had so much fun getting to chat with you! Best of luck with your next book, I can't wait to read it <3.

Once upon a time, Sara Ella dreamed she would marry a prince and live in a Disney-style castle. Today, she is a winner of the ECPA Christian Book Award for her debut novel Unblemished, which released to magical applause: “a stunning journey into a fascinating new world of reflections” (RT Book Reviews). Sara spends her days throwing living room dance parties for her two princesses and conquering realms of her own imaginings.

When she’s not on deadline, Sara Ella can most often be found fangirling on Twitter, Instagram, or her YouTube channel. She may or may not be obsessed with a certain pirate from Once Upon a Time, and she has a serious condition known as “Coffee Snob-itis.” She believes “Happily Ever After is Never Far Away” for those who put their faith in the King of kings.

Isn't she the sweetest? If you haven't read her gorgeous series yet, YOU NEED TO. I very rarely (read: basically never) buy a book new without having read it first, but I bought Unraveling on its release date and Unbreakable shortly after. If that doesn't speak in measures, I don't know what will xD. Feel free to chat with Sara in the comments! She's one of the most enchanting human beings with the most beautiful soul <3.

~ Savannah Grace 

what's your favorite fairytale?

feel free to chat with Sara in the comments!

Book Review - Legendary by Stephanie Garber

   So y'all. Guess which epic book comes out tomorrow?

   LEGENDARY.

4 Stars

I've been waiting to read Legendary ever since I finished reading Caraval when it came out (I will never quit raving about Caraval. Try and stop me, I dare you ;D), so when my lovely friend Soleil sent me a copy (you're a gem, my friend! <3), I devoured it in less than 24 hours!  

From The Back Cover

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...the games have only just begun.

View Legendary on Goodreads   ---   View Legendary on Amazon

- The mystery. Oh look, and here's one of the biggest reasons that I also mentioned back in my Caraval review! xD But a HUGE portion of this Legendary was Tella trying to find out who Legend really is - which meant that I was guessing the entire time, too! It was loads of fun going through the whole book thinking 'could he be Legend? Wait, hold on - maybe he's Legend!' . Loved that aspect so much <3. Plus, the game that the book revolves around - Caraval - is never what it seems, so that only added to the mystery aspect, which was tons of fun. 

- The descriptions. Guys, let me tell you - Stephanie Garber is QUEEN when it comes to descriptions. I was basically drowning in the goregousness of it all the entire time I was reading Legendary <3. Normally in a book where the main character's dress is described EVERY TIME she changes, I'll get a little bored and start skimming descriptions. But in this book? NO WAY - there's was no way I was missing any more of Garber's beautiful word play!

- The world...and the higher stakes. The world of Legendary is just as vivid as the world in Caraval - but the place that Legendary is set in is so different from the Isla de los Suenos in Caraval. I loved how it was the same game being played, but a whole new environment. (also, what I wouldn't give it visit Elantine's Tower <3) I also loved how everything took a higher-stakes turn in Legendary! In Caraval it was Tella being played for, but in Legendary, Tella is playing to save...well, everything (#spoilers).

- Some scenes were...ah, not needed. I almost knocked the rating down to 3.5 stars because of that (I'm kinda still considering it - but the prose, plot, and world building were too good for less than a four) But ANYways - there were definitely some scenes in Legendary that made me cringe, and I wish they could have been taken out. They really weren't needed.

- The characters were harder to get attached to. Hey, hey - I did still like the main character, don't get me wrong (Tella is super spunky and fun) but some of the character's morals were completely out of whack. Like, the love interest prided himself on being bad, so ... there's that. I just found the characters a little harder to get attached to in Legendary than I did in Caraval. (could be because I held them all up to Scarlett, and I loved Scarlett a LOT xD). (also MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT (highlight to read): Dante was Legend? And I still don't know what to think about that? Do I like it or not? *has problems* *probably will have problems until Finale comes out* ;D END OF SPOILER)   

Legendary spun a web that Stephanie Garber is going to have a hard time getting her characters out of in Finale (who am I kidding, no she's not - Garber is a MASTER writer)! If you enjoyed Caraval, I'd say you should give Legendary a shot (though I'd only recommend it for readers 16+). And I'll just be over here, melting into a smol puddle as I wait for the final installment of the Caraval trilogy.

It's going to be epic. 

~ Savannah Grace 

have you read Legendary (or Caraval) yet?

what's your favorite book that revolves around a game?
 

5 Reasons To Write Fairytale Retellings - A Guest Post By Christine Smith

YOU GUYS - it's fairytale month, and guess which fairytale-retelling-genius is here to give us an epic post that will DEFINITELY have you itching to write a retelling? The incredible Christine Smith from Musings Of An Elf! <3

And I'm going to hand the blog right over to her, because I'm just as excited to read this post as you are ;D.

Fairytales. Or as I like to call them: Plot Bunny Fodder.

I've been a fairytale nerd since...forever. I can't remember a time where I wasn't captivated by brave princes, cursed princesses, wicked stepmothers, magical fairies, enchanted woods, haunted castles, fearsome dragons, and on and on and on it goes. The myths and legends and folklore and pure intrigue and wonder of the world of fairytales is like an endless wellspring to my imagination.

There are so many fairytales out there and so much that can be done with them. It makes my writer heart trill. (And makes me want to achieve immortality because lololol I'll neverrr live long enough to retell alllll the fairytales I want to. Which is...all of them.)

But maybe you're not big into fairytales. Maybe you're not so sure there should be yet more retellings in the world. Or perhaps you just haven't thought of doing a retelling before. Whatever the case may be, today I'm here to tell you WHY writing retellings is a joy, and maybe even convince you to create one of your own! (Nooo, this is not manipulation because I want more fairytale retellings. What are you talking about? *cough, cough, cough*)

- 5 REASONS TO RETELL A FAIRYTALE -

THERE ARE SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM

I'm talkin' hundredssss here. I'm not kidding when I say fairytales are endless plot bunny fodder. Not only are there a gadrillion stories just begging to be retold out there, there is an INFINITE amount of ways that you can retell them. From the traditional medieval European fantasy story to Cinderella in space. There are NO limitations.

The thing about fairytales is that they're not...detailed. Most are just a couple of pages long and leave much to be desired. But that's what I love about them. They stir up the storyteller in me because I want to know why the villainous witch is so evil, I want to know how the prince found the cursed princess, I want to explore the inner workings of the enchanted forest and see more of the strange castle and figure out a solid reason why the dragon wants a damsel in distress in the first place.

Literally every. single. time. I read a fairytale, I have this incredible yearning to retell it. To dig deeper and create answers for all the many questions the original story left me with. And maybe actually bring some logic to it as well because, let's be real, not all fairytales lean on the logical side of the spectrum. Eheh.

Are you feeling dry on story ideas? How about go pickup a fairytale collection? If you're like me, next thing you know you'll find yourself overwhelmed with hordes of plot bunnies!

IT CAN CREATE ORIGINAL CONTENT

“Okay,” you may be saying, “fairytales are nice and all, but shouldn't we be creating original stories?”

A lot of people complain about this one. I've seen many a person whine that there are too many retellings and that we need more original content.

Well...there are no original stories. Per se. You know how you make a story original? You take already used story elements and twist them into something new. You know how you make a fairytale retelling? You take a fairytale and twist it into something new.

It's literally the same thing.

Retelling a fairytale is basically taking a plot device, as we would with any story, and shaping it into something fresh and intriguing.

I'm a huge fan of Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles, which takes the stories of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White and puts them in the future and in space. And you know what? I found that far more original than if the author had skipped making them fairytale retellings and instead simply created a generic sci-fi series. Cinderella as a cyborg is the kind of original content this world is looking for.

Turning a story into a retelling is a brilliant and fun way to make original content.

THE STORY FOUNDATION IS ALREADY THERE

Sometimes the hardest part of writing is that blank page. After all, we're literally having to come up with an entire universe (I mean...if you're writing fantasy, but still), people, plotlines, and strain to make it logical and amazing one...word...at...a...time. WRITING IS HARD, GUYS. Plots are hard. It's all hard! But retellings help ease the pressure.

Even if you're making your retelling wildly different from the original tale, you still have that foundation, that fist inkling of a plot bunny. A baby bunny, if you will. Instead of an entirely empty canvas, you've got that backdrop color to get you started, it's just up to you to add the picture and details. (Let's just pretend my analogies make sense...) And as an added bonus, every fairytale has a theme already built in. And I repeat: WRITING IS HARD. Capturing a good theme can sometimes be headache-inducing. But with fairytales? It's already there! (Hey, we will take any excuse to make the writing process easier, amirite?)

It's so, so nice to have that foundation of a story before you. And on that note...

ENDLESS INSPIRATION TO FIGHT BACK WRITER'S BLOCK

Back when I was outlining my current WIP, a Beauty and the Beast retelling, whenever I'd get stuck, I would go back and read the original Beauty and the Beast fairytale. Almost every single time, it would spark an idea and break down that wall of writer's block.

Now, my B&B story is nothing like the original, but it helped so much to snag ideas from the original story and twist them into something new. Such as the magic mirror gave me an idea for a very huge plot device within my own story. And in one part in the original story, Beast sent Beauty a trunk of gowns, which gave me just the idea I needed for another section of my book.

Yeeears ago I wrote an Arthurian Legend novel and did the same thing. Every time I was stuck, I'd go read King Arthur legends and next thing I knew, I had too many ideas.

Of course I don't mean copy the original tales, but studying each element in the fairytale can give you some amazing ideas for where to take the story. Such as in The Lunar Chronicles, Cinderella's glass slipper is instead a mechanical foot because Cinderella is a cyborg. (I know, right???)

 

There are always ideas to glean within the original fairytales. I find writing stories based off fairytales or legends so much easier when it comes to gaining ideas and fighting off that writer's block.

BUT, for the love of everything good in the world, please go to the original source and do not base your story off Disney's fairytales. I adore Disney's movies with all my heart, but those are nooooot the original, they are very much retellings themselves. It just gets really annoying when people mistake Disney's movies for the basis of fairytales. #PetPeeve

Ahem. Moving on!

TWISTING FAIRYTALES IS JUST WAY TOO MUCH FUN

When it comes down to it, retelling a fairytale is just FUN, whatever method you take. Finding new and crazy ways to retell a well-known story is thrilling, and so, so satisfying when you think up a brilliant way to turn the story on its head.

And there are so very many awesome, wild ways to do it. If you're not sure where to begin, our own dear Savannah just wrote THE most inspirational post about asking “what if?”. I seriously have like three dozen new plot bunnies after reading it. It is a fantastic place to start if you're looking for great ways to retell a fairytale!

So have I convinced you yet? Retelling a fairytale is a crazy and wondrous experience. The possibilities are literally endless. ENDLESS, GUYS. Sometimes retellings can be the most original, epic stories in the fiction market.

And have I mentioned they're fun to write? Because THEY'RE REALLY FUN TO WRITE! But you won't know until you've triiiied. *wink, wink* *nudge, nudge*

Christine Smith is a twenty-something, homeschool graduate who still believes in fairies and has every intention of owning a pet dragon someday. One day she thought it’d be fun to write a book. Sixteen years and much caffeine later, she’s still writing. Stories are her life—reading, writing, watching, whatever it may be. She writes primarily YA speculative fiction novels, and refuses to stop, no matter how old she gets. She loves tales grand and epic and whimsical and beautiful. But her greatest love is her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Her favorite adventure of all is letting Him sweep her off on His beautiful plan for her life. You can find Christine at her blog, musingsofanelf.blogspot.com, where she muses on those many peculiar things writers think about.



*applause, applause* Wasn't that great? I always love Christine's posts - and all of that made me want to go out and start writing yet another retelling! If you guys managed to escape the flock of plot bunnies gathering around this post, then you are a special person indeed xD.

ANYways, I hope you all enjoyed that epic post! And if you want more posts about writing retellings, I'll be back with another in a week-ish, so stick around! I can't wait to chat retellings with you ;D. But for now, feel free to jabber with the lovely Christine Smith down in the comments (and check out her blog!)! I can honestly say that she is one of the sweetest people in the blogosphere <3.

~ Savannah Grace 

have you ever written a retelling?

what got you into writing retellings?