Once Upon A Time...

This section is devoted to the _novels_ that expand and twist the fairytales from my youth. Someday I plan to add anthologies, such as short story collections by William Brooke, Tanith Lee, Robin McKinley and those edited by Windling and Datlow.

Fairy Tale

1. A story (as for children) involving fantastic forces and beings (as fairies, wizards and goblins) -- called also fairy story; 2. a made-up story usu. designed to mislead.

Fairy-tale

characteristic of or suitable to a fairytale; esp: marked by seemingly unreal beauty, perfection, luck, or happiness

Folklore

1. traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art forms preserved among a people; 2. a branch of knowledge that deals with folklore; 3. an often unsupported notion, story, or saying that is widely circulated.

Folktale

a characteristically anonymous, timeless and placeless tale circulated orally among a people.

Legend

1. a) a story coming down from the past; esp: one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable. b) a body of such stories. <a place in the ~ of the frontier> c) a popular myth of recent origin. d) a person or thing that inspires legends. e) the subject of a legend. <its violence was ~ even in its own time -- William Broyles Jr.>; 2. a) an inscription or title on an object. (as a coin) b) CAPTION 2b. c) an explanatory list of the symbols on a map or chart.

Myth

1. a) a usu. traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief or natural phenomenon. b) PARABLE, ALLEGORY; 2. a) a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone; esp: one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society. <seduced by the American ~ of individualism -- Orde Coombs> b) an unfounded or false notion; 3. a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence; 4. the whole body of myths.