Fairytale romances

Gone are the days when stories always seemed to feature a real-life Prince or Princess. I guess that's not such a bad thing, seeing as they are rather thin on the ground these days and those looking for true romance really don't need to set their sights on royalty to acquire it! If anything the dream seems more likely to be snagging oneself a footballer or rock star... Ah, how times do change!

However, sometimes it's rather nice to hark back to the likes of Belle and her Beast Prince or Sleeping Beauty and delve into a fairytale romance or two of the fictional variety. Some very nice people at Arrow Books sent me a book called "To Marry a Prince" by Sophie Page - due to be published in early April, just in time for a certain HRH's nuptuals. A modern fairy tale - ordinary girl meets Prince, she doesn't know who he is, then she does, then they fall in love and then.... ah, that would be telling...

Let me tell you that this was just the tonic for a tired Fairy Godmother who struggles harder than ever these days to make dreams come true - people will question motive and try to apply scientific explanation to magic, or worse still not believe what's staring them in the face.

Here was a girl who listened to her FGM, or perhaps it was just her heart's whisperings. I don't like to give too much away, but let me tell you I was gripped by this tale. It's a beautifully written modern fairy tale with characters to love and respect. That Prince Richard will make a fine King one day...

The colour of magic

What's the colour of magic? Some might think it's pink from magic wand twinkles or white for purity. Ah, but you're forgetting one or two things for consider this:

What amphibious creature turns into a handsome Prince when kissed? And what colour is that creature typically? Come on, I'm sure you know. Just as you can instantly shout out what colour is a wicked witch's skin? While we're on the subject, what about the steam that comes out of her cauldron or the mist that lurks in the enchanted forest? And the most magical of potions?

What colour the man made of leaves that lives in the wild wood? And the wee irish fella that runs about with a pot of gold (possibly carrying a four-leaved clover that matches his attire). Dragons, the Incredible Hulk, catterpillars, aloe vera, the Lantern

And finally, in the northern hemisphere something very special happens around this time of year (and for our Southern cousins about six months later). A most magical unfurling, growth and strength in rebirth - the GREEN of Spring!

Any more green magic you can think of?

Rewarding work

Well, how nice to be given an award. It seems I am a versatile blogger. Well, that's a great descriptor of a Fairy Godmother, for who else is capable of conjuring up the love of your life one minute and winning lottery tickets the next (though please do me a favour and next time CHECK THE TICKET!!!!).

I am to share seven secrets. Well, as this is the purpose of this blog, then allow me to sit back in my chair, flex my fingers and begin... it might not be seven though, let's just see how we far we get before alarm bells start ringing back at HQ and I get a warning light on my wand...

According to records at FGM House, I was born in 1790. It's so long ago, I can barely remember and it was a while before I found my calling anyway. In fact, even then there was some doubt in my ability. I'm ashamed of some of my early performance reports I can tell you - and it took a long time for one particular mouse to forgive me... The thing is that some of us are a great deal better at making wishes come true than others. Though this may have something to do with the way our charges make said wishes (see above point about lottery tickets - twice I helped her pick the winning numbers.... Sometimes my job is just so hard).

Not every mortal is allocated a Fairy Godparent - there simply aren't enough of us to go around, even with shift work and flexitime. That's not to say that everyone needs one; some manage just fine without. We work most often to help realise potential or to give our charges a second chance, especially those who missed out in a previous life.

We love writing and telling stories and painting pretty pictures to go alongside them. But most of all we love making the stories in the first place. It's our soul purpose to cast happiness and joy by making our charges realise their potential and self-worth. When we do a good job, I can tell you there's no better feeling!

Well, the wand warning light is starting to glow, so I'd better sneak off now before I get into trouble. I once got suspended for a week for kissing George Clooney when I wasn't supposed to (well, seriously, wouldn't you?).

Time to flutter off for the evening. Thank you Flutterby Trina for your kind nomination and the opportunity to get into trouble with HQ!

Now, quickly, before I go, I am supposed to pass this award on to 15 others. It does seem rather a lot... Can Fairy Godmothers cop out and just point you in the direction of the blogs in my favourite blog list instead?

Or, how about this. I invite you to go on a 15 step blog hop. Use this blog as your starting direction - follow one of my commenters or followers or other links then take 14 more similar steps and see where they take you, then come back here and share the site you land on.

Could be fun - and who knows what you'll uncover or who you'll meet!

Wishcasting

I was fluttering around Bloglandia today when I landed in Jamie Ridler's Studio and found her and a group of lovely people casting their wishes to the universe and inviting all to join. Well, now here was something different, for casting wishes is not something I'm particularly used to. Granting them is another matter of course!

This week Jamie is inviting us to speak of what gifts we wish to share. Being a Fairy Godmother, naturally I have many (although, as I explained in a previous post, regrettably I am still not able to turn pumpkins into coaches nor mice into men, handsome or otherwise - before anyone asks!). Under the Fairy Godmother Code page 9, paragraph 8.3.3 it does clearly state a rather tediously long list of gifts I am NOT allowed to share, although that is nothing compared to forbidden to utter secrets. However, I wouldn't be doing my job properly if I didn't share a few gifts with the aid of my magic wand here and there.

The biggest gift I ever give my charges is Self Belief. In fact, it's usually the first I pull out of my magic bag, for without self belief how would Rapunzel have ever got through those months locked in the tower? Would Cinderella have dared believe that she really could go to the ball? And would Julie have made Chief Exec with a childhood spent in and out of care (you probably don't know Julie's story quite as well as the others - her Fairy Godmother - yours truly - is not quite as famous as some of the others). Well, I've got news for you - you're all invited to that Ball and I'd love it if you waved your own wands, looked at yourselves in the mirror and cast your own spells.

The power to be what you want to be is in all of you. Just have faith and believe...