My love of fantasy comes directly from my love of fairytales. Dad bought me the Readers’ Digest series of original fairytales, two huge volumes, which I’ve still got and which have had to be kept together with gaffer tape! I spent many a happy hour reading these. I must have had them since I was about 7 or so. The books contain the tales of Perrault, Anderson and Grimm. There are also wonderful illustrations. I understand only too well why Disney produced the version of The Little Mermaid the way they did. The original version does not end nearly so well... would probably have been a hard sell.
My parents also have a leather bound edition of The Pilgrim's Progress which is told in caption/cartoon style with fantastic (in every sense) drawings of the main characters. The hobgoblins are convincing (and I'm sure gave me more than one nightmare when I was a kid, but then that would fall within their job remit). So since I was very young I've been immersed in fantastic stories and they, to me, just seem the right thing to write.
I think the reason I love fairytales so much is they are honest, often funny stories dealing with what comes up in the battle between good and evil (and I adore the fact the villains nearly always get their comeuppance). Like most kids, gruesome ends for those who deserved it always went down well, as that genius, Roald Dahl, knew.
My parents also have a leather bound edition of The Pilgrim's Progress which is told in caption/cartoon style with fantastic (in every sense) drawings of the main characters. The hobgoblins are convincing (and I'm sure gave me more than one nightmare when I was a kid, but then that would fall within their job remit). So since I was very young I've been immersed in fantastic stories and they, to me, just seem the right thing to write.
I think the reason I love fairytales so much is they are honest, often funny stories dealing with what comes up in the battle between good and evil (and I adore the fact the villains nearly always get their comeuppance). Like most kids, gruesome ends for those who deserved it always went down well, as that genius, Roald Dahl, knew.
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