Retellings: Kendra and The Worth of a King

We're winding down all of the amazing authors and their retellings for my retellings series. I'm happy to introduce you to our second-to-last author, Kenda.

Meet Kendra...

Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairytales and twisting them in new and exciting ways. She's been or acting them on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years. "Finish your story, Kendra," is frequently heard at family gatherings. Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children's tales that glorify God and His Word.
Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || Amazon 

Kendra's Retelling...

Book Description:
Princess Obsidia’s father was killed the night she was born. Since there was no male heir, the crown went to the man who killed him, by Dialcian law. This never bothered her, growing up, and when it comes time for Obsidia to choose her husband, she chooses Prince Delaney, the son of that man, with little hesitation. Only then does her life start crumbling around her.

Adrian expected to live a normal life, taking his father’s place at the print shop when his father retired. But, on his eighteenth birthday, when the princess’ engagement is announced, his world is ripped out from under him when he learns that his life was a ruse, and he is the twin brother to the princess – and expected to take back his father’s throne.

Delaney knows that his country is hovering on the brink of war – and that his father may harbor murderous intentions towards his intended bride due to her Zovordian blood. He wants nothing more than to protect Obsidia and his people, but as merely prince, he has little power against his father.

The ancient war between the Dragons and the Immortal King and Queen is nearing its climax, and the three are already caught in it.

Opening Chapter: https://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-worth-of-king-chapter-1.html        

   

Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32739875-the-worth-of-a-king

When you Accidentally Retell a Fairytale
A Note from Kendra...

So there you are, confidently typing your story (unless you use pencil or pen - I flop back and forth myself, so have at!). Your story is awesome. The words are flowing and you know that what you have on your hands is definitely the next bestseller…

And then you realize that your totally unique idea might not be as unique as you’d like it to be. Maybe it’s something subtle - as you realize that your romance between your heroine and the outcast cripple has definite parallels to the tale of Beauty and the Beast. Maybe it’s more in your face - in that your whole plot of a fellow hiding in the woods and stealing from the rich to give to the poor … well, it’s just Robin Hood all over again, isn’t it?

Whatever it may be, I’m here to tell you - don’t panic. I’ve been there, it’s not the end of the world. My novel, The Worth of a King was supposed to be a completely original work of fiction, and I might have blissfully published the book thinking it such … but then the Five Poisoned Apples collection happened, and I was working on two other retellings of “Snow White” at the same time … and realized that there were a number of parallels between the fairy tale and my current project. It wasn’t a perfect play by play, but it featured a black-haired heroine who lost a parent on the day of her birth only to have someone who should be someone she trusted try to kill her when she got older, forcing her to flee and take shelter with … not dwarves, but the villain did have magic-mirror-esque tool with which to spy on her. 

I’d retold plenty of fairy tales before - to the point where I’d given myself the title of “The Arista of Fairy Tales.” Even when I’m not writing a deliberate retelling, I’ll make references (this one had already included one to Helen of Troy, Tristan and Isolde, and - if you squinted - the Little Mermaid). But I’d never retold a fairy tale by accident. 

But the fact of the matter is that most fairy tales are timeless because, at their core, their stories form the fundamental truths of humanity. Cinderella is the tale of how perseverance and kindness can raise someone from nothing. Beauty and the Beast tells us that love can overcome the prejudice of appearance. Rapunzel says that it only takes one person to break down the walls of isolation. Snow White gives us hope that our lives don’t have to end with one betrayal. The list can go on and on, for there are thousands of fairy tales. 

Fairy tale retellings are popular right now. In a time of shifting values, fairy tales may well be the last vestige we cling to of yesterday’s truths, and retellings are our way of bringing them into this era. Is it any wonder then that their themes will crop up even when they’re not supposed to? 

So if you find a fairy tale or other some such hiding in your book, don’t panic. Embrace the awesomeness!