Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Do you wonder about fairy tales being "updated?"

Sometimes tellers feel that they mustn't change an old fairy tale.  Here's an interesting take on that from the book Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked.

"...one important thing...that most scholars failed to acknowledge until recently -- is that fairy tales change.  In fact, fairy tales have remarkable mercurial properties.  They adapt to the weather, to local fashions, and to the mindset of each new teller and audience.

They record regional cuisines and local hairstyles -- and of course, more important things. ... they catalog not only broad elements of human experience but also the particular details of each day and age.  They express our collective truths, even as these truths change beneath our noses.

And part of their magic lies in the fact that as they do they provide not only a glimpse into our present concerns but also a record of our past."

--Catherine Orenstein

Monday, November 9, 2015

2015 Festival of Ghost Stories fades into history

Oh, we had a fine time at the Festival of Ghost Stories.
Sure, there were some (literally) cold feet -- and noses and ears, too. 
 But really the weather was just fine for the event.
The audience was wrapped up warmly and ready to listen to our tales.
 Stephanie welcomed everyone and got the evening off to an appropriately yucky start with the sort of urban legend that makes everyone go "eeewwww".
The stories followed-- some serious, some suspenseful, some ironic, some amusing, some just plain spooky -- and all entertaining.
I do hope you were in the audience since we didn't tape the telling this year.
And it was really worth hearing!

Thanks to : 
Monroe County Public Library
Bloomington Department of Parks and Recreation
the volunteers who poured the hot apple cider
and to
Barry Lively,http://www.photoventure.org/ for the photos!