All The Write Stuff: Once Upon a Realm

Once Upon a Realm

Remixed Fairy Tales by Diverse Voices

Genre: YA fairytale retellings set in fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian worlds

with stories by K.R.S. McEntire, Montrez, Alicia Ellis, R.L. Medina, E.M. Lacey, Krystina Coles

A biracial teen is forced into a betrothal with an enigmatic lord. A Latina teen races to recover her stolen identity and escape a dark fae court. A Black teen with forbidden abilities rescues his lover from a dystopian regime.

In Once Upon A Realm, familiar fairy tales are reenvisioned and reborn as six authors from Black and/or Latina backgrounds create novella-length stories that transport readers to fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian worlds. Each story shatters stereotypes and challenges traditional narratives, inviting readers to see themselves reflected in tales of adventure, magic, romance, and strength. Fans of The Lunar Chronicles, A Blade So Black, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Cinderella is Dead will fall in love with these fresh, fierce takes on fairy tales.

This collection includes:

Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood

Shadow and Song by Montrez, inspired by Peter Pan

Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis, inspired by Hansel and Gretel

These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles, inspired by Bluebeard

A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey, inspired by Snow White

Waking Up by R. L. Medina, inspired by Sleeping Beauty

INTERVIEW

What is something unique/quirky about you?

I was born with a rare deformity called Stahl's ear, which made me look like a Fae child with my pointy ears as a baby. My mom, a huge Trekkie, always says she thought I was Vulcan, like Spock. But I think I'm a changeling, and no one can convince me otherwise. I mostly grew out of it, but if you look closely, you can still see the little points in my ears.

What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

I took a train (or three) from San Diego to New Orleans for the series I'm currently working on. The whole trip was a whirlwind. My best friend and I toured the city while I took notes on its history with the supernatural. We saw the LaLaurie Mansion and Congo Square, met with a tarot reader, walked through the Lafayette Cemetery, and even spent a night at a speakeasy with vampires in the French Quarter.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I loved leaning into the gothic fantasy themes of These Sapphire Walls. It's my favorite story I've written so far. Digging into the beautiful and the grotesque, the haunting imagery, and the dark romance of it all was new and so much fun, and I hope my passion shows in my storytelling.

EXCERPT

From Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire, part of Once Upon A Realm

“I think I’m just nervous about your grandma. She’s been leaving more often, staying away longer.” Tears filled his eyes. He turned his head and tried to blink them away before Fable could notice.

“Look at me,” Fable said, her voice more confident than usual. “You don’t have to hide your pain from me. You can show me how you feel.”

He brushed the dampness on his cheek away before fixing his gaze on her. His inquisitive stare left Fable perplexed. Why was he afraid to reveal his emotions? He was her best friend. Didn't he understand that she was a refuge where he could be himself? She had never felt freer than when she was with him and she had assumed he felt the same.

“What if she doesn’t come back? I’ll be out here all alone.”

Fable pulled him back into her arms. “You’ll never be alone,” she promised.

Uncertainty flickered in his eyes, and Fable continued to hold him. They didn’t speak, but their silence was comfortable. She listened to his quick breathing slow down while she listened to wolves and other wild animals shuffle about outside.

“You’ll never be alone,” she whispered again.

He slipped an arm around her waist and held her close, lacing his fingers between her fingers once again.

Moments passed by, and his eyes were perfectly dry, but he still didn’t seem ready to let her go. His hands became warm, and he couldn't seem to stop fidgeting, his thumb brushing against hers in a nervous rhythm. His grip tightened as if he needed the physical connection to ground himself amidst a whirlwind of emotions.

“You okay?” Fable asked. She noticed sweat starting to pool on his forehead even tho the crisp night air had cooled the cabin.

“Y…Yes.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Fable's lips. He was cute when he was nervous, and the sight of him caused butterflies to dance in her stomach. But what did he have to be nervous about? It was just the two of them.

“Fable…” he said, but the word trailed off at the end, as if he wasn’t sure how to say whatever it was that he wanted to say.

“Yes?”

He leaned forward, a question in his eyes as he looked up at her. As they held each other in the blanket fort, tension seemed to electrify the air around them.

He stole a glance at her lips, his gaze lingering for a heartbeat too long, and she sensed his desire to kiss her. Fable's heart raced in anticipation as she offered a subtle nod and a shy but hopeful smile.

He closed the distance between them and his lips met hers in a tender, cautious kiss—their first kiss. A warm glow spread through her as his kiss grew more sure and confident. He pulled away, and a shy grin played on his lips. She could sense a shift in their friendship to something that felt like more. He rested his head on her chest, and she held him until he fell asleep as she watched the full moon shine outside of the cabin window.

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