The Blog of L.R. Patton
On Darkness: a Poem Inspired by Fairendale
It swells around you, like a living thing, lifting hairs on limbs, turning heads to check behind, hitching breath and bones. It slides into a mind, probes the corners, and stretches out into repose, knowing that once it has entered the consciousness, it is very nearly...
How to Escape an Encounter with a Black Eyed Being
By Bregdon of White Wind Prophet The Black Eyed Beings are fearsome creatures in the world of Fairendale, though many cannot even see them. They are led by the Grim Reaper, and they look like what they are: the walking dead. They have pale, ghostly skin—nearly...
An Ode to Books: a Poem
(By Oscar of Fairendale) You can keep them by your bed— at your makeshift kitchen table— by your boots beside the door. You can read them for entertainment— for information— for traveling to worlds you’ve never known. You can give them to friends— share them with your...
A Look at the Differences Between Shape Shifters and Were People
The world of Fairendale is abundant with shape shifters and Were people, but if you’re like most readers, you might be wondering what exactly is the difference between shape shifters and Were people. So here are some vital differences that set these two magical beings...
An Author’s Hopes for THE BOY WHO LOVED A SWAN
Analyzing how fiction might change the world is always a mysterious and somewhat difficult thing. Readers read stories differently, interpret books in varying ways, and glean from words what they need from them at the time of reading (which is why re-reading is a...
A Fun Look at Creative Book Biographies
Did you know that I write different bios in the back of every Fairendale book? This is one of my favorite parts of the writing process: crafting a short bio that will tie the book to my life in a somewhat humorous way. For example, here is the bio that printed in The...
A Look at the Fairy Tale Behind The Boy Who Loved a Swan
The Boy Who Loved a Swan is based very loosely on the Russian fairy tale, “The White Duck.” It’s a tragic tale of loss and grief, and also one of restoration. Here’s how it goes: Once there was a king who left his new wife at her new castle so that he could travel. He...
A Look at the Inspiration Behind THE BOY WHO LOVED A SWAN
At the start of every Fairendale book, I have to decide two things: which fairy tale I’ll retell and which person’s story I’ll highlight in the flashback. For The Boy Who Loved a Swan, I chose to tell Yasmin’s (the monster in Fairendale castle) backstory, not only...
Cover Reveal: THE BOY WHO LOVED A SWAN
My husband has always designed the Fairendale book covers, from the very beginning. I am fortunate to be married to a man who supports me with unending encouragement and also by using his multi-faceted skills in video work, art, and, of course, design. For the...
The Process of Writing The Boy Who Loved a Swan
The Boy Who Loved a Swan began with only the vaguest idea after reading Mark Halprin’s Swan Lake trilogy to my children. I’ve always loved the story, but I didn’t know for sure whether it was open for a retelling, so I searched, instead, for a fairy tale, most of...