I am so excited to see Alison's Wonderland references popping up all over the internet! In honor of the book's release, I have sent out a Q&A to the contributors. I'll be posting the responses throughout June (and maybe July). There are some back and forth queries in the Q's—so hopefully we'll be hearing from the writers multiple times! (And multiple is always good in my opinion.)
Kicking us off is Elspeth Potter, who penned The Princess:
1) Which fairy tale character would you most like to do and why?
The Clever Little Tailor ("Vom klugen Schneiderlein," Grimm 114). I always go for brains over brawn, plus we wouldn't have any class issues between us. You can read it here.
Alternatively, I'd choose the one brother in "The Six Swans"/"The Wild Swans" who still had one wing after they were all changed back to humans. I think he'd cheer up if I took him to science fiction conventions with lots of people in costume, and we'd also go hiking so he could talk to birds.
2) If your fairy godmother or fairy godfather (I’m an equal opportunity fairy employer) waved a magic wand over your head and granted you three wishes, what would you be wearing during your wishing?
Tailored dark blue jeans, tall black riding boots, a pleated white shirt, and a brocaded silk frock coat in fabulous jewel tones. And a silk top hat. And black lace half-gloves.
3) What would you wish for?
More wishes! Everybody knows that.
4) Do you own fairy wings? A little red riding hood? Glass slippers? If yes, please describe. Or send photos!I have a tasseled red hat with a turtle on it. I've also attached a photo of a house in my neighborhood that totally belongs in a fairy tale, or maybe a Gothic, and one in which I think Philadelphia looks like Fairyland.
5) What question would you most like to ask another author in the line-up?
Sommer Marsden – how long did it take you to come up with the name "Philomena Fitzpatrick Troll"? Because it is the most awesome name ever.
I also would love to know how many pairs of boots N.T. Morley has.
6) What would you like to tell readers about your story in Alison’s Wonderland?
Mine is the short one. Like, really short. Don't blink or you'll miss it.
I love the challenge of telling a whole story in one hundred words. It does wonders for my editing skills, too.
7) What fairy tale would you love to tackle in the future?
"Beauty and the Beast" is a classic that every romance and erotica writer should try out, and I am currently making notes for a possible project based on that theme. I'd also love to do a version of "The Tinderbox," but I haven't yet figured out how I could make it work for me.
Thanks so much to Elspeth Potter, who also writes under the name Victoria Janssen.
Victoria Janssen's novel The Moonlight Mistress was nominated for an RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award. She's also written The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover and The Duke and the Pirate Queen, the latter out December 2010. Find out more at www.victoriajanssen.com. She blogs at http://victoriajanssen.blogspot.com/.
