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  • Fairy Kingdom Survival Tips
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  • The Kingdom's Guide to Approaching Other Species
    • The Kingdom's Guide to Approaching Other Species Part 2
  • What the Kingdom Would Like To See
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  • Appropriate Songs for My Characters
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LANDSCAPES - THEIR ROLE IN THE FAIRY KINGDOM

1/9/2015

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Landscapes in the Fairy Kingdom have partially been formed by magical fighting (some areas were so badly damaged they are now irreversibly barren) but others were created for specific needs.

Trolls need the mountain areas, dwarves need mines and whatever the species there has to be a source of clean water, which is unlikely to dry up.  Even more crucially the lakes that feed the Fountain of Youth in the Queen's Palace grounds must never dry up given all fairies must drink from this fountain regularly to top up their "in the blood" natural powers.  The Kingdom's fairies could be killed off by draining this fountain and what feeds it. 

Incidentally other species are known to drink from the fountain.  They don't get the benefit of magical rejuvenation but the water is renowned for its wonderful, sweet taste and even the witches love it.  (The more friendly they are to the Queen and fairies generally the more likely they will be allowed to use the fountain sometimes.  It is not worth trying to get around the Palace guards and spells set up to defend the Queen.  Beings die when they do that).

Landscapes of course dictate what kind of species can live there as is the case with life on Earth.  Fresdian has made a huge study of this and has collected photos from Earth of some of the scenery she has seen and admired there.


Nothing can survive without clear fresh water.
Lonely beaches are also popular in the Fairy Kingdom
Views out to sea go down well on our world and in the magical realm.
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ALL TIME GREAT FAIRY NEWS NETWORK INVESTIGATIONS

30/8/2015

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Roherum, the Fairy News Network's lead presenter, prides himself on being able to sniff out a good story.  The rest of the magical realm does not share his view and cannot believe some of what he has come up with but some of his favourites are:-

  1. Are Dragons Harmful or Just Misunderstood?  Not a good public response to this one but Roherum stuck by his story and thought it should be looked into.
  2. Can wicked witches ever be reformed?  The Chief Witch rang in for this one to denounce this as wistful, wet and frankly useless journalism as why would wicked witches want to be reformed.
  3. Why Weather Forecasting is not a great art, why even the humans can do it.  This was designed to needle the weatherman, who has long been after Roherum's more obviously glamorous job.  It worked a treat.  The weatherman stormed off the set in a huff and didn't come back for over a week.
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ART INSPIRED BY NATURE IN THE FAIRY KINGDOM

29/8/2015

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Picture
As with the situation on Earth, art inspired by nature in the Fairy Kingdom takes many forms ranging from classic landscape portraiture to poetry to musical pieces inspired by a particular area.  The big difference is there is a wider range of "nature" in the magical realm.  Wildlife studies include in depth analysis of the habits of the average dragon (with the big tip being alway wearfire proof clothing and stay out of the way of the ruddy things, which is not advice given to our wildlife presenters). 

Then there are portraits of the dodo, griffin, unicorn and horror portraits of ogres and orcs and such like for those who dislike "cute" wildlife works.  And all are agreed there is nothing cute about an ogre or an orc and those galleries that focus on the darker side of art have a wide audience (not just from the ogre and orc communities either).

Books are written on all aspects of Kingdom flora and fauna, mostly by Fresdian, and these have become classic reference works.  The Queen occasionally arranges for a book of photographic portraits to be published and these always go down well.



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MORE GREAT INVESTIGATIONS BY THE FAIRY NEWS NETWORK

28/8/2015

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Roherum, FNN's lead presenter, does have many good journalistic skills.  He does dig out stories.  He is persistent.  He checks his sources.  He never names said sources.  But he is also capable of coming out with news stories that lead the rest of the Fairy Kingdom shaking their collective heads in disbelief.  Some more of these are:-

  1. Was Eileen treated unfairly or is she just a whinger?  It was brave of Roherum to do this as go with the first part and he offends the Queen.  Go with the latter and Eileen would have his guts for garters.  In the end he did chicken out by insisting both ladies had their fine qualities and all in the Kingdom realised their brave journalist had gone beyond his courage limits and was trying rapidly to redeem himself.  It wasn't the most edifying spectacle ever seen on fairyvision.
  2. Hybrids - love or hate them?  Roherum got away with this one.  It was broadcast just after Jennifer was born and the only reason Eileen didn't punish the presenter for this was because she knew it would give the Queen too much satisfaction.  So to everyone's surprise Eileen ignored it.
  3. Old Apple Women - are they all mad poisoners?  Despite being inundated with mail pointing out there was only one proven case of this, Roherum went ahead with a general hatchet job on all old apple women.  Protests by them were ignored by him.  They got the ratings for FNN up and his bosses were well pleased.
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WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE FAIRY QUEEN, ROXANNADRELL

27/8/2015

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  1. The Queen acceded to the throne centuries earlier than expected due to her mother's murder.  Roxannadrell has responded with courage and dignity to this and has never complained, while relentlessly pursuing the one being she believes responsible for that death.
  2. The Queen organizes her working day well and while the paperwork is her least favourite task, she grits her teeth and gets on with it in a way even Eileen applauds.
  3. She loves animals of all worlds and hates any form of cruelty.
  4. Unusually for someone of her class and background, she is not snobby about art.  She loves art, thinks photography is a good and welcome addition to types of art and is open to a reasonably wide range of music though her favourite is classical.
  5. She can see right through her Council and takes no nonsense from them.  She handles them far better than Eileen does.
  6. She recognizes and honours courage when she sees it.
  7. She loves gardens and gardening and promotes the benefits of these (especially in terms of these being good for the mind.  She certainly feels much better having planted loads of flowers out after a difficult day with the Council).
  8. She encourages the development of magic and takes a huge interest in this. 
  9. She puts the Kingdom ahead of anything else.  Her peoples sense this and welcome it.
  10. She is so honest even Eileen can be uncomfortable with that at times and there are very few who can say that.
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WHAT I LIKE ABOUT EILEEN

26/8/2015

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Inventing characters, who will hopefully prove to be memorable for good reasons, is one of the great joys of creative fiction writing.  And as I get to know my characters better I understand their foibles and virtues more, so writing for them/about them becomes more natural.  (I hope and think the writing flows better as a result of this).  What I like about my rebellious fairy godmother, Eileen can be summarized as:-

  1. Eileen believes hypocrisy is something that happens to other people, ignoring the fact that is a hypocritical statement in itself.  Hypocrites are huge fun to write for as one restriction on their behaviour (at least!) is removed by their hypocrisy.
  2. Eileen hates magical power abuses so, even though she is a hypocrite, there are still things she will not do.  Restrictions on a character force the writer to be more inventive.  It also creates dilemmas for that character which can (a) be the story or (b) make great sub-plot(s).
  3. Eileen really does love her husband, Derek, and daughter, Jennifer.  The Fairy Queen quickly realises this makes Eileen vulnerable to blackmail and exploits that.  In normal circumstances, Eileen would tell the Queen to shove off (or words to that effect) but Eileen will not put Derek or Jennifer at risk so that option is out.  Eileen has to find better ways of bettering the fairy monarch.
  4. Eileen dislikes her son-in-law, Paul, feeling Jennifer could have done much better (and, worryingly from his viewpoint, still do better!).  Paul equally dislikes Eileen.  So I can write in mother-in-law jokes etc where these are appropriate.  I can also show family relationships as a way of conveying how Eileen is adjusting to life on Earth.  For example, she cannot make a decent cup of tea to save her life and this gives Paul to have an angle to mock her, which she hates.  (But Jennifer loves the guy so Eileen's behaviour is more restrained than it otherwise would have been.  I love stories where you can sense the tension(s) character(s) feel and I think this does this for Eileen.
  5. Eileen knows her old world could "burst in" on her new one at any moment and has to live with the tension of that.  I can also write about her attempts to circumvent this.  All of this I think adds depth.
  6. Eileen is brave and honourable and is the sort of magical being I would want on my side in the event of an all out battle between the forces of good and evil that so often features in science fiction and fantasy.  I like the old girl!
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MAGICAL BOOKS

25/8/2015

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These aren't just the classic spell books or even the fairy tales book.  Magical books include the history of the Fairy Kingdom (the official version and Eileen's alternative), good magical practice guides (which are scorned by any witch or wizards with pretensions to being evil), and advice books.

The latter range from guides to reining in the wilder elements of the sprite communities (not one hint has worked for long) to good beard growth tips for dwarves of either sex.  There are also books on each of the magical species, their histories and cultures. 

The Queen promotes reading of these in schools and colleges in the hope it will promote understanding between the different groups.  This has worked to a certain extent but is completely wasted on those who refuse to read any but their own group's history, culture etc.


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WHAT I DISLIKE ABOUT EILEEN

25/8/2015

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To achieve fully rounded characters, I think you have to set them up with admirable qualities and those that are less so. 

These less likeable traits are vital because (a) no character is perfect and (b) without the failings your characters are more likely to come across as cardboard cut-outs.  So I've no intention of changing Eileen's less likeable traits, as listed below, since I believe they are a crucial part of her overall make-up.

  1. Eileen is a hypocrite.
  2. Eileen thinks blunt honesty is more important than kindness.  (It isn't always).
  3. Eileen does go through life thinking she knows best.  Okay a lot of the time she has a point but not always and this is one major source of irritation to daughter, Jennifer.
  4. Eileen will argue to the nth degree even when there is nothing really to be gained from this.
  5. Eileen storms through life, leaving devastation in her wake.  (From my viewpoint as a creator, I also love her for this as it opens up so many stories to tell about her!).


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HANASTREW'S TOP TIPS

22/8/2015

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  1. Always keep your wand fully charged.  You never know when you'll need to use it in a hurry.
  2. Assume the worst when strangers approach you and get ready to defend yourself.  This also protects you against the evil crone disguised as an apple seller gambit as you'll be on your guard and send them away with the proverbial flea in their ear.
  3. Never accept food or drink  unless you know who prepared it and they are trustworthy.
  4. Never follow White Rabbits anywhere, yet alone a deep hole in the ground.   It always leads to trouble.
  5. Be prepared for anything. You live in the magical world, remember.  Very little is impossible here.
  6. When visiting other worlds, find out as much as possible about the dominant species as possible.  They're the ones you'll have to watch out for.
  7. Keep your spells up to date and look out for  updates.  You don't want to get caught short, magically speaking, thanks to an obsolete charm.
  8. If you find yourself on a yellow brick road anywhere, expect to pick up some strange companions.  Roads like this seem to attract such companions.  There's probably a law about it somewhere.
  9. Get your spells right.  The fairy godmother that came up with glass slippers for Cinderella did the girl no favours.  Glass slippers!  Really?  Can you imagine how uncomfortable they are on the feet and the girl would have lived in dread of them splintering on her!
  10. Pumpkins are an excellent food source.  They are much less reliable as a form of transport.  Spells should not have a time limit unless you set it to a time of your choosing.
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EILEEN'S TOP TIPS

21/8/2015

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  1. Be yourself always.  If it means defecting to another world to marry for love, so be it.  (Though I should add Eileen was picky about what planet she went to.  For example, she would not have defected to marry a member of the Judoon, as seen on Doctor Who.  She considers them an example of what can happen when you don't have a proper skin care regime and pities their lack of looks!  Her daughter, Jenny, has had to explain many times Doctor Who is not a documentary...  there are some things about life on Earth Eileen is still having trouble adjusting to.).
  2. Be brave.  Evil has to be faced so you may as well face it down and defeat it.
  3. Keep your skills up together at all times.  It will help you fulfil 2 above.
  4. Be ready for anything.  (In the magical world, anything is likely to happen).
  5. Don't allow yourself to be taken by surprise by anything or anyone.  You dole out the surprises (especially to evildoers).
  6. Eat well, drink well, sleep well, moisturise well (see 1 above).
  7. Keep in touch with what's going on in areas/worlds that are likely to affect you.  This helps with 5 above.
  8. Keep your wand fully charged at all times.  Ensure you know its full capacities and don't waste any storage space on pretty but useless spells (i.e.  conjuring up a pretty dress for a downtrodden goddaughter.  Eileen's stored spells are all capable of inflicting a great deal of harm on evildoers and those are the charms she thinks are of the most use to anyone.  Eileen's view is the girl can always go down with the shops and if she needs her godmother to pay for a gown, so be it.  This approach also has the advantage that the frock won't turn to rags on the stroke of midnight.).
  9. Pick your battles wisely.
  10. Always speak up against magical power abuses in the hope you can stop these spreading and bring them to an end altogether.
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ADVERTISING IN THE FAIRY KINGDOM

21/8/2015

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One of the advantages of living in the Fairy Kingdom is the absence of advertising.  (Okay so the downsides are you can get caught in the magical crossfire often unleashed by the Chief Witch on her latest attempt to take the throne and there is always the risk of being eaten alive by a dragon, but every world has its upside and the lack of direct marketing is one of them here).

The nearest thing to any kind of advertising is the Fairy News Network carrying details of the latest exploits by Eileen, Hanastrew and so on during their broadcasts.  Naturally the Queen and her Council wishes FNN would focus on the positive use of magic rather than also carrying details of the Witch's exploits and so on but the broadcasters insist they have to be balanced.  Besides people should know what the Witch is up to as it gives folk a chance to get out of the way.

The Queen and her Council look with incredulity at our various forms of advertising.  Eileen has got used to it since her defection to Earth but she still hates direct marketing and always will. 


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FAVOURITE PALACE LANDSCAPES

20/8/2015

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The Queen occasionally allows some of her personal photographs of the Palace grounds to go on public display.  She uses the equivalent of a digital camera and asks her Lord Chamberlain to find a way of printing and framing the finished result.  These shots go on a "tour" of selected towns within a 50 miles radius of the Palace. 

The Council have expressed concern these might be a security breach but the monarch has rightly pointed out someone would have to be the Chief Witch, a treacherous wizard and/or insane to try and challenge her.  Roxannadrell thinks photography (along with chocolate and alcohol) among the better things humans have come up with  and recognizes it as an artistic form in its own right.  (L'Evallier has reserved judgement on this but the Queen has accused him of waiting for an ice age to pass before making  his mind up on something of this nature, which is somewhat harsh).


Part of the Queen's Palace forest.
One Palace border leads to the coast and the Queen loves spending time here.
One of the major lakes that feed into the Fountain of Youth situated near the Palace itself.
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POETRY IN THE FAIRY KINGDOM

19/8/2015

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Poetry in the Fairy Kingdom literally goes from the sublime to the ridiculous.

There are the legendary, epic poems, which the elves adore writing and reading.  On the other end of the scale are the limericks, the ruder the better, which the sprite communities (imps and pixies) write and publicize as much as possible.  Limericks do appear on most but definitely not all public walls (you'd have to be brave or an idiot to put them on the Queen's Palace walls or the home of the Chief Witch to name two exemptions).

The elves despair because their work doesn't get nearly so much exposure and they feel their sagas in poetic form deserve publicity.  They also don't like limericks thinking them to be coarse (completely missing the point of them of course).

The Fairy News Network does have an arts magazine programme called Airy-Fairy Art, which makes true lovers of art, including the Queen, despair but it does give reasonable coverage of literature, ignores limericks, and shows exhibitions of landscapes so the monarch forgives it for its rotten title.  The elves tend to do the same.  Naturally the sprites don't tune into this (they have protested limericks are an art form but given there's no danger of the humorous five line verse dying out, they are unlikely to ever get on to this show).

Eileen likes both forms of poetry and thinks there is plenty of room for both but she was a lone voice in the Kingdom over this.  Folk tended to fall into either camp and stay there.


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THE UNLIKELY HERO/HEROINE

18/8/2015

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The worlds of fantasy and science fiction are full of unlikely heroes and heroines.  Fairytales in general would simply not be what they are without them.  Classic signs to look out for include:-

  1. The unlikely hero/heroine must be humble.  Arrogant sods do not make good hero material.
  2. The unlikely hero/heroine is likely to be the youngest of three or an ill-treated step-child.
  3. The unlikely hero/heroine must have no obvious skills (or they'd use them to get out of their predicament).
  4. It is quite likely our person of the moment here has a history they themselves are not aware of (see Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films for a classic example of this).
  5. They always have what seems to them at least one unattainable dream.
  6. They are always kind to animals.  (This pays dividends in the magical world as it always goes down well with fairy godmothers and the like.  Sometimes the animal they're kind to is a magical being in disguise).
  7. Our hero/heroine is usually carrying out some dreary task when we first meet them so you know at once their story will not end there.  Things are going to get better from this moment.  The intriguing thing is in finding out how.
  8. Our hero/heroine has at least one person who is phenomenally jealous of them (and is usually guilty of the ill-treatment) because that person knows they're nowhere near as nice.  Instead of doing the obvious thing of becoming a better person, they take their inadequacies out on our hero/heroine.
  9. Our hero/heroine isn't greedy or self seeking.
  10. Our hero/heroine can be from a privileged background who has fallen on hard times.  See Cinderella, Snow White etc for examples of this.
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FURTHER MAGICAL PUBLICATIONS

16/8/2015

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Publications in my Fairy Kingdom, as here on Earth, range from pamphlets to novels and are aimed at differing audiences. 

The underlying theme is that magic is generally good, it is not the fault of magic itself if it is misused by some witch or wizard with an attitude problem. 

It is also pointed out that magic in itself does not kill people, it is the witch, wizard or fairy using it that does this.  This does not cut much ice with victims of magic, especially those who can no longer speak about what happened to them. 

This does not necessarily mean they died but the Fairy Kingdom does have a very healthy and growing amphibian population, not all of which started life as amphibians.

Further publications include:-

  1. Natural Power.  This is considered a serious study of the use of magic, which is natural power here.
  2. The Best Way to Treat Non-Magical Species.  Sounds helpful but isn't.  Takes a hard line.  Basically if non-magical species don't toe the line, zap them.  Very right wing.  Sadly hugely popular amongst all magical species in the realm.  Eileen and Hanastrew hate it and refuse to read it or appear in it in any form.  When the monthly magazine published pictures of Eileen at work killing a dragon, Eileen threatened to sue if these were not withdrawn.  She did not want to be associated with this magazine at all and has urged the Queen to take the same line.  So far Roxannadrell has not.
  3. Classic Nursery Rhymes.  Everyone, simply everyone has a copy of this and had this read to them when they were very small.  Beautifully illustrated book.
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FAIRY KINGDOM PUBLICATIONS

16/8/2015

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There are a range of publications produced by an offshoot of Fairy News Network called Fairy News Publishing.  So yes the magical realm's media market is controlled by one big company.  Like that would ever happen here...  !

Some of the most renowned publications are:-

  1. Play Pixie Monthly.  Wes and Stan are long time subscribers.  Described as being for the "discerning market".  Not one for the feminists.
  2. Fairy Times.  Roughly the equivalent of The Times and prints all the serious articles and news affecting the magical world.  Renowned for its indepth exposure of the witch's gingerbread house and just how bad it was in terms of sugar and fat for anyone to eat, yet alone children.  The piece completed ignored the fact the house was designed to trap children for the witch to eat (though there was a separate item later suggesting if she had gone vegetarian she would never have ended up in that oven.  Difficult to argue that one).
  3. Grimm Tales.  The classic collection.
  4. The Collected Works of Hans Christen Andersen.  Again the classic collection.  But 3 and 4 have the versions of the stories as told by the other fairy tale characters as well.  Both are huge, multi volume books.  (It took a while to get the viewpoint of all of the 7 dwarves for example).
  5. Private High and Low.  Designed to cater for the giant and dwarf markets, this is loosely based on Private Eye.  This version however focuses on the cartoons, the captioned pictures.  They leave the indepth investigation pieces to the Fairy Times.
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THE QUEEN'S FAVOURITE VIEWS PART 3

14/8/2015

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Escaping to her gardens is one of the Queen's favourite ways to relax.  When touring the realm, her best visits (from her viewpoint) is to visit other people's gardens, woodlands etc.  (She tolerates visiting other stately homes on the ground but generally just makes polite noises about them.  She has stately homes herself so why should she be impressed but she does just about recognize the need to be polite to her host).

The Queen enjoys landscapes whether she's physically viewing them when out and about in the great outdoors or in portrait and/or photographic forms.  She thinks the natural world (for her realm) and what counts as countryside on other planets is the finest form of creation and all should enjoy these things and not pollute them.  No wonder the fairy realm generally despises humans... 




The Queen finds walking by water very relaxing.
The Queen also enjoys the rushing sound of waterfalls.
The Queen also appreciates the play of light on water.
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WHY FAIRYTALES MATTER

12/8/2015

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  1. Fairytales are one of our earliest forms of story.
  2. Fairytales originate from all over the world so are truly universal.
  3. Fairytales usually contain at least one great truth.  For example, Snow White is a classic example of what jealousy can lead to.
  4. Fairytales have a strong sense of justice.  Wrongs will be righted eventually.  Oh if that was only true in life more often!
  5. Fairytales come across well in books, when read out or "performed" and often make great films.
  6. There are fairytales to suit all ages.
  7. Fairytales are great in their standard form but can also be spoofed well.  See Hoodwinked.
  8. Fairytales can change perception of who heros/heroines are.  See the Shrek series.
  9. Fairytale characters are amongst some of the best loved and well remembered in fiction.
  10. The core themes of fairytales can go on to be used in other forms of fiction.  What jealousy can lead to is often the basis of crime novels to name one example.
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HOW I ENVISAGE MY FAIRY KINGDOM

12/8/2015

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I find landscapes the most inspiring for visualising my Fairy Kingdom.  I like a nice range of forests, coastal scenes, mountain areas and classic gardens to help me form, in particular, the Queen's Palace grounds.

(Incidentally Eileen does not tend to visit stately homes as a hobby.  The ones she has seen on TV programmes and so on remind her too much of the Fairy Queen's Palace and Eileen doesn't need reminding of that).

I find I need an initial image I can use to flesh out  my worlds more.  Seeing pictures, especially those involving the sea, also help me to "hear" how the worlds sound which can then spark further ideas as to what might live in those places.

Wild areas form a major part of my Fairy Kingdom, some of them becoming that way thanks to magical wars.
The weather is as wild in the Fairy Kingdom as it is on Earth.
Water (streams, rivers and seas) are as important to the Kingdom as they are to life on Earth.
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THE LOVE OF STORIES

11/8/2015

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While books are highly treasured by all sections of Fairy Kingdom society, the love of stories, in any format, surpasses that.

Every village and town has at least one evening a week where stories are read out loud to the populace.  People take it in turns to read (and it is considered an honour to be chosen).  The main focus of the material is on fairytales but legends (for example Beowulf) are also hugely popular.

History of other worlds is also read.  It is felt that everybody in the realm should have some knowledge of the other worlds out there, especially Earth, given the Kingdom's divine commission to keep an eye on what humans are up to.

Everybody is expected to know the most popular fairytales off by heart (and this is proven at the weekly readings where at least one person is chosen to recite a tale without reference to a book).

Audio books are not known in the Kingdom but the realm is aware of their existence.  The realm generally considers audio books and anything that encourages reading to be a good thing and one of the few areas where humans "do okay".
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IF MY CHARACTERS HAD A FACEBOOK PAGE... HANASTREW

11/8/2015

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Hanastrew would love Facebook.  She would post pictures of where she has carried out successful magical defence work around the realm.  She would also post thoughts about her favourite stories and her best tips for being the best fairy godmother possible.  (Her mentor, Eileen, would not approve.  She would see it as giving away trade secrets).

Hanastrew would happily post notices she thought would help the Queen and/or Kingdom security.  (Eileen definitely wouldn't, taking the attitude if she's going to post propaganda, she'll at least put  up her own!).  Hanastrew would post stories of magical mishaps and share her thoughts on the joys of chocolate.  (She can and would write at length on that).

Hanastrew would have loads of friends on Facebook, mainly her fellow fairy godmothers.  She'd also expose daft magical laws (which would not go down so well with the Council, though the Queen would sympathize.  She has wanted to get rid of these for years but the Council to a wizard and other magical beings oppose this on the grounds you never know when these laws might be useful again.  The Queen could impose her will here but she is the one wanting to bring a bit more democracy to the magical world so has kind of boxed herself in here.  Eileen would say it serves her cousin right).
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THE QUEEN'S FAVOURITE VIEWS PART 2

10/8/2015

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Roxannadrell is also very fond of forests and woodland walks.  She thinks Earth's natural world is the best thing going for our planet (and that we've made a complete mess of caring for it the way we were divinely commissioned to do).

The Palace grounds has its own major forest which makes up two sides of the perimeter.  There is a nice mixture of trees from oaks to beeches to elms plus trees that are unique to the magical world.  (They all talk, usually to complain the standard of timber is not what it used to be, and some can change position so they can follow the sun to make the most of all available light).


The view from one of the Queen's forests to the wild lands just outside the western edge of her Palace grounds.
This track leads to the beginning of the Queen's woodlands in the Palace grounds.
Certain parts of the woodlands are fenced off for animals.
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BLOGGING IN THE FAIRY KINGDOM

10/8/2015

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The only one who likes the concept of blogging is Roherum and he puts what we would recognize of these posts on to his daily crystal ball download, which he invites others to access.  To date nobody has taken him up on the offer so he blogs to himself.  (It is generally considered that this is probably for the best.  It keeps Roherum quiet and nobody has to read or download what he says). 

Roherum can't understand why folk aren't responding to his blogs, unaware that if they did respond, it would be with the kind of language that would make his granny blush.

Tact is a foreign language to Roherum.  He uses his blog to say all the things he dare not broadcast.  The Queen and her Council do view the download, with huge distaste, but they keep an eye on it to see if Roherum is tapping into what the people think.  So far they are confident he is not.  Roherum is unique, thankfully.

Eileen is banned from writing anything after her history books.  Eileen would normally happily ignore that but life on Earth with Derek has been more effective in stopping her coming out with anything controversial than the Queen dares to admit, even to herself.
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THE FAIRY QUEEN'S PAPERWORK

8/8/2015

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Roxannadrell never had any sympathy when Eileen whinged about paperwork, given the monarch's own paperwork mountain was inevitably higher and more extensive than her heir's.

As well as signing state papers to bring them into law, the Queen is responsible for upholding and improving magical standards so this means testing new ideas thoroughly (the fairy squad assists here), reading reports on these things and giving the nod or not.  No magic is allowed to be practiced without royal consent.  But naturally witches and wizards are not going to be beholden to a fairy godmother willingly, as the monarch is well aware, so a system of rewards for doing the right thing is in place and the Queen oversees that too.  Naturally this generates a lot of paperwork!

The Queen, rightly, takes pride in being reasonably approachable by her subjects and replies to letters send in to her, especially if they are from children and young people.  Roxannadrell sees this as part of her remit to be a positive ambassador for the fairy monarchy.

Roxannadrell spends several hours a day on the differing kinds of paperwork so to make this bearable, she splits this into sections with royal visits, walking, riding (horses and unicorns), her beloved gardening and so on breaking the day up nicely.
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THE LOVE OF BOOKS

7/8/2015

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I'm glad to say the love of books crosses dimensions.  The Fairy Queen, Eileen, Hanastrew and L'Evallier all adore books (albeit in general and different categories).  The Witch and Brankaresh only collect those books that might be useful to them.

Roherum never reads and sadly boasts about it.  The weatherman is not surprised.  He does read well and surprises Roherum with what he comes out with at times.  (Everything from quotes to say the plot outline for The Lord of the Rings).

There is a once weekly book programme on the Fairy News Network though this is not presented by Roherum.  Villages and towns in the magical realm either have their own libraries or can get to one easily enough by walking.  Libraries are considered vital here,
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    Author

    I'm Allison Symes and I write novels, short stories as well as some scripts and poems.  I love setting my work in my magical world, the Fairy Kingdom, and my favourite character is Eileen, who believes hypocrisy is something that happens to other people without caring that statement is hypocritical in itself!  Eileen is huge fun to write for and about. 

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