There’s something timeless about fairy tales. They’ve been whispered by firelight, written into leather-bound books, and reimagined in every generation. Some sparkle with whimsy, others carry shadows—warnings wrapped in wonder. But what makes them endure is the way they balance hope and danger, reminding us that magic always comes at a cost.

That tension is what drew me to Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. Its haunting imagery—a boy with a shard of cursed mirror in his eye, a queen of frost offering comfort that comes at a price—has lingered with me since childhood.

It’s also what inspired my own story, Fabled, Book 1: Icebound. At just thirteen, Prince Destan finds himself trapped in a dark bargain: a cursed mirror, a heart sealed in a chest, and a queen who promises to take away his pain in exchange for his memories.

Here’s the exciting news: Icebound will be FREE on Kindle from October 3–5!
This is the perfect chance to explore the darker side of fairy tales—one where love, loss, and identity collide against a frozen backdrop.

If you love:
Dark fairy tales
Reluctant princes
Cursed mirrors
Magic, danger, and heart

…then this adventure might be for you.

Until then, tell me what fairy tale has stuck with you the most?