Guys! It's one of our favorite guests to host here on the blog! Today is release day for the fabulous Kirsten Fichter and her new Rumpelstiltskin retelling, A Bit of Gold, and she has kindly agreed to stop by and share some love with us!
Rumpelstiltskin Retellings We Need
Rumpelstiltskin is a fairytale that is quickly amassing fans, probably more so than most fairytales. That has largely been due to the fact that we’ve had some great Rumpelstiltskin stories popping up over the years, and they’ve left quite an impact on both the reader and the viewer. But as many great retellings there are out there, we still have quite a few left that I would love to see come out. So, let’s get right into it, shall we?
Non-magical Fantasy. For me, personally, a fantasy book with no magic is the way to go. That’s what I write, and that’s how I wrote my own Rumpelstiltskin retelling – A Bit of Gold: A Rumpelstiltskin Story. But mine is just one story in a non-magical setting. I would love to see how other authors tackle this story and retell all of the important elements without magic.
Cyber Tech/Crime. Rumpelstiltskin can make gold. That much is fairly obvious, but maybe this time it isn’t actual gold. Maybe it’s digital gold. I’ll be honest, I don’t truly understand all that goes into things like Bitcoin, but I would love to see Rumpel go online. He’d probably wreck the internet faster than Ralph did. And make a fortune while doing do. Pun intended.
Historical. Honestly, historical retellings are some of my absolute favorites. Yes, they tend to be non- magical, but I love when people get to retell cool historical events from the POV of a fairytale. Rumpelstiltskin in Versailles, anyone? Or in the Aztec nation? Rumpel also seems to fit nicely into something Regency. I need them all, yes.
Dragon Fantasy. Please tell me you know where I’m going with this one. The gold is the key! Dragons are notorious for collecting and hoarding gold. If one were smart enough, he’d pluck up ‘ole Rumpelstiltskin himself to spin endless gold for his hoard. Imagine Rumpel in a dragon’s lair. OR… would it be better to have Rumpel turn into a dragon himself (a.l.a Eustance Clarence Scrubb) for his greedy, golden thoughts? Oh, it’d be glorious! Someone, please get on this right away!
Wild West. Two thoughts here concerning our titular character involved in the Gold Rush. Either Rumpel is a miserly old geezer, looking to keep away from all society and quietly spin his gold in peace. One wrong move, and BAM. Squatters are pouring in from everywhere, searching his land up and down, right and left for this mysterious supply of gold. OR… Rumpel discovers his own gold mine and uses his newfound wealth to trick townspeople into handing over things of value (like real estate) in not-so-honest deals.
Family Comedy. So, that’s not exactly a genre, but I’m labeling it this because this idea can go into a TON of different sub-genres. We all know Rumpelstiltskin is after the queen’s baby, but what would happen if Rumpel actually GOT the baby? Would the queen fight to get her child back? Would Rumpel make a good foster father, or even consider adopting the baby? What if Rumpel won the baby accidentally, and is now strapped with looking after a child he hadn’t planned on? I need more Rumpel vs. baby stories. The idea is pure GOLD. (The puns are strong with this post; sorry.)
What about you? What Rumpelstiltskin retellings do you need on your bookshelf? What did I miss? Let us know what your perfect Rumpelstiltskin retelling would be in the comments!
How did you decide on the setting for your book?
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