Souvenir shops in the Belgian Ardennes are filled with statues, mugs, trinkets and clocks depicting fairies, elves, gnomes and other folkloric creatures that were once believed to live in the forest. If you have a drink on a terrace it won't take you long to notice that most Belgian beers have a story behind them …
When I was twelve I was halfway through my first novel. It was a story about witches and the struggles of secondary school (my biggest concern back then). It didn't take me long to realise that it wasn't any good. I came up with some sort of ritual and ceremoniously drowned these pages in the …
Continue reading Why I write in English instead of my native language
If there's one story that moves me deeply it's 'The Seven Raves. This tale was collected by the Brothers Grimm and it deserves its own adaptation for the big screen. The fairy tales that Disney have adapted often have ballrooms, princesses marrying princes and fairies in common. Therefore it would be refreshing to see a …
Continue reading The Seven Ravens: a fairy tale that should be a Disney film
If you're anything like me the thought of participating in a volleyball game makes you run to the bathroom and feign a terrible stomach ache. As we all know, sporting is healthy, so I do hope that you're not anything like me. The only sport that has ever fascinated me is quidditch and the fact …
Continue reading Three legendary creatures who will beat you at sports (and ironing)
Most people have heard of Swan Maidens. These mythological creatures can change their appearance from swan into woman. The tales in which they feature often tell about a young man who steals the swan maiden's most precious possession: her magical feathery robe which allows her to transform into a swan when she wants to. When …
What image crosses your mind when you think of Beauty and the Beast? I see a beautiful princess wearing a glittering yellow gown and a boar-like creature with tusks dancing in a splendid ballroom. It's a fairy tale that is close to my heart. Besides being one of my favourite Disney films, Belle's love for …
While writing my blog post about The Little Mermaid last week I couldn't help but thinking of Melusine. Melusine's story is very alike but also so different that she deserves a blog post of her own. Like Ariel, she has a fishtail, but unlike Ariel she doesn't belong in the sea, but in sacred springs …
As a child I was infatuated with fairy tales. I can still hear my mother sigh as I re-watched 'The Little Mermaid' for the third time on the same rainy Sunday afternoon. Now I'm in my late twenties and still addicted to fairy tales. Who wants to grow up anyway? What fascinated me then was …
Notebooks are for me the place where characters get their voice, where plots are outlined, and where the story begins. That's why I've a duffel bag crammed with used notebooks, and a second duffel bag crammed with unused notebooks patiently waiting to be filled with my sloppy handwriting. I'm not a writing expert, and I …
Continue reading Notebooks, and why they have improved my writing.
Signe Maene 