Women's Empowerment Month Collection: Abigail Falanga

 Abigail Falanga is a talented author who always looks out for other writers. She inspires them every day with very thought-provoking questions. She's creative in so many aspects though, which is why I'm so lucky she penciled me into her tight schedule. 

Kaylyn Gabbert: How long have you been writing?

Abigail Falanga: I've been writing since I was about twelve, so at least twenty years if not longer. 

KG: What got you into writing your own retelling of fairy tales?

AF: I've always been fascinated with fairy tales. I didn't know fairy tale retellings were a thing until fairly recently. I found a challenge to do a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. [We discusses other retellings Bluebeard and Dangerous Tales]

KG: I've never heard of The Twelve Princesses until I saw you were writing your own retelling. What is it about?

AF: A king has twelve daughters, whose dancing shoes are always mysteriously worn out. Determined to find out why, he announces that any man who can discover how the princesses are dancing their slippers to tatters will marry whichever he likes - but if he can't, he forfeits his life.

A humble soldier volunteers to try, after several others have failed. Using a cloak of invisibility and his own guile, he follows the princesses on their nightly excursions in a magical land to discover their secret

KG: What made you choose to write that one again?

AF: I decided to rewrite it mostly because I've always loved it and wanted to dig in deeper.

And then the Arista's Band of Fairytale Retellers decided to do that story as a challenge and I couldn't resist trying 😁

KG: I love fairy tale retellings. I recently discovered a fairy tale I've never heard of before, Bluebeard. Luckily, I ran into a friend who knew the original before I got there. *tells Abigail original and and retelling* I also loved their renditions of Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel. 

AF: Wow. Where did you hear those stories?

KG: I'm reading these stories in Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales by Soman Chainani. So onto the next topic, I know you are creative in many other ways. Do you mind sharing what other ways you love being creative?

AF: I love sewing (been doing it for years), cooking, baking. I loved sewing my own clothes because I could not find what I liked in stores.

KG: I gotta say I love your sense of style. What got you into fashion?

AF: I've always been into it. I started in 4-H with my sister. 4-H is sewing, baking, and home-ec. I always loved the fashion aspect of things, in shows and everything. 

For the contest that got Abigail into retelling fairy tales: https://kendrasgiraffecrafts.blogspot.com/2018/02/introducing-arista-challenge.html?fbclid=IwAR3vTxXYNEpBqcR388N8xUs2NRj2yCuL2Oup30hi_vJOLNhA8xn0YoeWLS8 

To see more by Abigail: 

https://linktr.ee/abigail_f?fbclid=IwAR3AOobkqDip9fAdWkNlM91Wpx7aCAipzJr8PKHGPeECfzkLallDjCjj3Mc