Once Upon a Time VIII

Hosted by Carl @ Stainless Steel Droppings

Friday, March 21st begins the eigth annual Once Upon a Time Challenge. This is a reading and viewing event that encompasses four broad categories: Fairy Tale, Folklore, Fantasy and Mythology, including the seemingly countless sub-genres and blending of genres that fall within this spectrum. The challenge continues through June 21st and allows for very minor (1 book only) participation as well as more immersion depending on your reading/viewing whims.

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The following is based on a true story.

Eric, on Friday, knowing of my love of readathons and challenges: Did you see the post at Carl’s blog about the Once Upon a Time reading thing?
Me: Yeah. But I have a bunch of books I should be working on and none of them are fantasy. Also, SF Experience didn’t go so well for me.
Eric: Okay. *goes back to editing*
Me, the next day: Everyone I know is signed up though.
Eric: What?
Me: For the Once Upon a Time challenge. I kinda wanna do it.
Eric: I thought you said you didn’t have any books for it.
Me: I didn’t say *that*. I have books. I have a Peter S. Beagle that I haven’t read yet…
Eric, also knowing that Beagle is one of my favorite writers: You have a Beagle book you haven’t read? How does that happen?
Me: Er…it’s one of his older books?
Eric: *goes back to editing, knowing that I’ll be signing up the next day*

I’m going to play this totally smart and only sign up for The Journey: Just one book. It’s possible I’ll do more, but I’m keeping it simple.

Potential reads that I own:

 

I’ve also carved out a shelf at Open Library; I wouldn’t mind adding stories from a few cultures I’m not totally familiar with. Another idea I’m toying with, on the periphery of this challenge, is how biographies of early magicians set up a sort of folklore for their artistic progeny. The Fantastic Worlds anthology should help me with theory and then I’ll dip into the Memoirs of Robert-Houdin and a few other early biographies to see what’s there.