Straw into Gold

by Carol Beth Anderson

This gender-swapped Rumpelstiltskin retelling is a fast-paced, romantic short story.

Years ago, Pel fell for a gorgeous Faerie . . . and enslaved herself to him in the process. Now, she's making the best of it by using borrowed Fae magic to render herself invisible and steal from the wealthy at court.

While she's there, a handsome human man named Cole is arrested when his father claims Cole can spin straw into gold. Intrigued, Pel follows him into his cell. When she learns he has no such talent, she offers to help, if he'll pay for her assistance.

But a little help isn't enough. The king demands he spin more and more straw into gold. Pel has grown attached to Cole's generous heart and wants to truly protect him. But to do so, she'll have to ask him for his firstborn.

If she does that, Cole will never trust her again.

And if she doesn't . . . the king will take his life.

Is it possible to find both love and freedom?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Retellings, Audiobook, Fae, Short Stories, Ebooks

ebook

About the author

Thanks for visiting my Goodreads Author page! I'm Beth, author of fantasy novels, microfiction, and nonfiction for authors.

If you're interested in what books I'm reading, feel free to connect with me on my personal Goodreads too.

Reviews

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent retelling and lovely narration. enjoyed it.

[Neon · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute story.

Straw into Gold by Carol Beth Anderson is a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin where the miller's daughter is a son and Rumpelstiltskin is a young woman captured by a Fae master.

A rather cute rendition of one of my most favourite fairytales of all time.

Anderson's writing is easy to read, entertaining and worth the read.

If you're into fairytales and short stories then I greatly recommend this novelette.

Fantastic read. Four stars.

[E.P. Stavs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful gender-bent Rumplestiltskin reimagining. Highly recommend!

[Kira Simion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free on Chirp on 8/14/25. :D
And the author narrated this! I really liked her narration! :O <3

This was so much fun!! I do wish we had more interactions between the two before the ending but fun nonetheless!

[Cat Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love fairy tale retellings and this gender bent version does everything I love—maintains the key elements, adds a deeper depth to the world, layers the characters, and shows us beyond the limits of the tale.

I love the approach she uses in building the world in such a fast but developed way. I learned so much simply through the dialogue and inner monologue. Brilliant execution.

Definitely worth the short time it takes to read it. You’ll be sold.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are lots of fantasy tropes here: the cruelty of the Fae, their aversion to iron, power hinging on the right kind of knowledge, the lure of a different kind of existence which turns out to have drawbacks. Immortality, it would seem, is not all it's cracked up to be. Who knew?

At the same time, this is a very well written and original take on a familiar fairy tale. Roles have been tweaked and new characters added. Even though one might guess the outcome given the clues, a sympathetic narrator, a deftly drawn cast and some tension mixed with romance hold the reader until the end.

Although the end was satisfying, I was a little sorry when it came.

[Antonia Kane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what the tale of Rumpelstiltskin would look like if Rumpelstiltskin was female? No? That’s OK, neither have I. But I bet you’re thinking about it now.

Straw into Gold is a short, quick retelling of a classic story. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t unique. I already told you Rumpelstiltskin is a girl, but I didn’t tell you that she has an attractive Fae captor. Bet you didn’t see that coming.

This is a short story so I can’t say much for fear of giving things away. But if you’re even a little interested give it a shot. It will barely take you any time and you might really enjoy yourself!

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Straw into Gold" is a great book by Carol Beth Anderson. I haven't read many faerie tales (or retellings), but I really enjoyed this one. This is because Anderson does such a good job in writing from the MC's POV and the struggles she (unnamed to avoid spoilers) - and the other MC, Blake - faces. I felt like I was seeing the story from her eyes and could sense each emotion she felt. I also really felt for her and Blake and became fully invested in them both. They're compelling characters and Anderson does a great job in fleshing them out.

The pacing, plot, and story mechanics were also good. It was fast-paced, but not too fast. The story itself was intriguing from start to finish and I like how the stakes gradually increased throughout. There were some flashbacks and backstory, but neither of them were too long or info-dumps. They fit in well. Plus, the story itself was great. I was hooked and, at the end, was on the edge of my seat. It wrapped up well too.

Overall, this is a great story and I truly enjoyed it. The pacing, plot, and characters were all good. It is a fast and superb read.

[Sydney Winward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect little story to help me get out of my reading dry spell. Although short, it held a world of emotion from despair to hope to heartbreak. I could easily feel what the characters were feeling through their trials.

Cole is an adorable hero. Loved by all, and willing to put in a great amount of effort for everyone. But especially for the enslaved woman he grows to care about.

Definitely worth a read! And I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

[✧.*Emma✧.* · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short but enjoyable read!

[Carol Anderson]

Hello, readers! This retelling is a quick read (a longish short story or "novelette"), but it's probably my favorite thing I've written. And it's free. You can currently only get it as a newsletter subscriber, so head on over to this link to grab your copy and get lost for an hour or so.

-Beth

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this original take on the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale re-telling and the gender swap is what made it not only original but made all the difference as Pel, a young human who had been enslaved by a fae when she fell in love with him not only gained magical fae powers but immortality, however she lost her freedom. Until one fine day she met Cole, a miller's son who was tasked by the king to spin straw into gold or loose his head by dawn. She helped him do this but the king was greedy and kept asking for more and the fae master wanted payment for her help. When Cole had nothing to pay with Pel had to bargain with him and she asked for the name of his first born child. That would mean the child would, like herself, be enslaved for all eternity to the fae. However Pel and Cole had a couple of tricks up their sleeve which they hoped would save them all in the end. A most enjoyable read, my only complaint being that it was too short!

[DeeDeeWReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice retelling of Rumplestiltskin. The tables are turned tho. Rumplestiltskin is female and our gold spinner is a young man named Cole. There is a fae thrown in the mix, a lot of gold spinning, a king that wants riches.

Go read to get the full story. It's a fast, but great read.

[K.R. Wieland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love a good retelling and this one did not disappoint! This retelling had a few twists, more than just the gender-swapped characters, and they were well done and enjoyable. This was a quick story to read and one that I’ll enjoy again.

[Sally Chamness · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. It’s been a while since I’ve read anything in the YA realm and I spent the whole story smiling like an idiot. It was fun, and well paced, and you forget it’s a re-telling.
Loved it!

[Mrs. Natasha Hiseley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Serious waste of my time.

[MGB · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed Rumpelstiltskin you will enjoy this book - actually you'll probably enjoy this far more than the original telling. It is a wonderful twist on that fairy tale. We really dive into the main characters just enough to understand them and what motivates them. The story takes pleasant turns in spite of some ugliness.

Definitely give this short story a good read.

[Elisa86 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little short story.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute short story about Rumpelstiltskin

[chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely rumpelstiltskin retelling with new twists and turns to the plot!! definitely recommend if you’re looking for a short, sweet, romantic fantasy story!!

[David A. Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! Carol Beth Anderson’s stories are always seriously delightful, deftly woven and immediately hold me captivated. Straw Into Gold quite properly transforms the tale of Rumplest- oops! I’d best not activate that particular bit of Fey deception! Ms Anderson’s mind is magical, her words swiftly rewrite your reality and you’ll find boundless reward in reading anything she’s written! I’m…enchanted….

[Beth]

Yes, this is my book, and yes, I’m counting it toward my Goodreads goal for the year because I just read it again. ;) It’s actually a short story (10,000 words), a romantic, gender-swapped Rumpelstiltskin retelling. It’s available as a gift to my website subscribers; go to carolbethanderson.com for your free copy.

[Natalie Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this superb little jewel of a story, and let me tell you--it was so much fun! I loved Rumpelstiltskin, and the story of how she came to be spinning straw into gold to save the miller’s son from the greedy king. Fae magic, margins, and consent make for a beautiful little farie tale retelling.

[A' · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read, and interesting spin on Rumplestiltskin. A fairy, witnesses a drunken father tells the king his son can spin straw into gold in order to save himself. As the son is thrown into prison with a wheel and straw, the fairy makes herself known and says she will help him. But why can't she tell him her name? What seems to be holding her hostage? Read this and find out!
* I was given a copy for an honest [always] review *

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading fairytale retellings, and though I've read many different versions of the commonly known fairytales, this is my first time reading a Rumpelstiltskin story. It was unique, well-written and interesting. The author has done a great job in narrating it in just 40 pages. Highly recommended to fantasy and fairytale lovers.

[Kenzie Millar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short read. Really enjoyed this new imagining of the story of Rumplestiltskin. Anderson keeps the beats of the original while giving us so much more characterisation.

I'd love a spin off where we find out more about "Him"!

[Emmy]

[I received a free copy]
DNF at 19%
The writing is fine, but it's just not for me and I didn't enjoy the MC's POV.

If you like reversed role YA fairytale retellings in short story format, go give it a go though.

[R.A. Goli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free short story for newsletter subscribers.
I love a good fairy tale retelling, I’ve written a few myself. I enjoyed both the story and Anderson’s writing style in this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and would likely read more from this author.

[Sanna G. Ståhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was honestly so good! The writing flowed so nicely and I really enjoyed the author’s way of describing things, it was truly whimsical.

Even though the story is a classic it has been genderbent in this novella which was a real fun twist.

I’ll definitely read more of the author’s work.

[Erin Mendoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a fun retelling!