My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

I don’t know about other writers, but I’m constantly being asked to write school talent show skits, girls’ camp skits, church programs, that sort of thing. Usually all I get for my work is a good seat and a warm feeling.

My Fair Godmother was different.

It started out as a half hour skit for the youth of my church. A bunch of local churches were putting on plays for the community with the theme: fractured fairytales.

I’ve always been a fairy tale fan. When I was a child and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would proudly tell them I wanted to be a princess. No amount of explanation from my older siblings about the fact that “princess” was not a realistic career choice could sway my decision. I wouldn’t even listen to them when they pointed out the Queens had all the power anyway. I’d read the stories and I knew that princesses were the ones that had adventures, got handsome young suitors, and wore poufy dresses.

Is it any wonder then, that I’ve planned to write a few romances that take place in the Middle Ages? I have two rows of history books in my den. One thing became clear as I read them—poufy dresses aside—no sane person would want to live in the Middle Ages. It was cold, smelly, and full of lice and fleas. No indoor plumbing, no electricity, no chocolate.

If you put these two aspects together you have the backdrop for My Fair Godmother. When Savannah’s older sister steals her boyfriend, Savannah wishes she had a prince to take her to prom. Her fair godmother, Chrysanthemum Everstar—who is fair because her grades in godmother school weren’t great or good, but you know, just fair—sends her back in time to be first Cinderella and then Snow White.

Savannah realizes right away that living the fairy tale life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It involves a lot of cleaning and drudgery. She wishes herself back to the modern day and makes it clear to her godmother that she wants a prince from her own day to take her to prom. Chrysanthemum then sends one of Savannah’s schoolmates back to the Middle Ages to make his fortune and tells him he can’t come home until he becomes a prince. This by the way, is why you need to be careful when making wishes with a fair godmother. Savannah’s only choice after that is to go back to the Middle Ages and help him. Once there, she runs into ogres, dragons, and a mysterious and sexy Black Knight.

I have to say I love Chrysanthemum’s character. But she didn’t start out as a spunky teenage fairy.

In the original skit I’d imagined her as a more no-nonsense type of gal. Think: Florence Johnston, the maid from The Jeffersons. Not a star of the show, but someone who would mumble about how the star couldn’t get it right.

I probably would have always thought of her that way except things changed when the director chose parts for the skit. I had originally pictured my teenage daughter as Savannah. And she had the credentials to play the part. She’d been in drama for years; she could pull off the humor needed for Savannah—and my daughter wanted the part, bad.

But the director cast another girl as Savannah, and my daughter as Chrysanthemum.

My daughter was upset about this, and I felt for her. I hated to see someone else get the leading role. But an amazing thing happened when my daughter became Chrysanthemum. She turned the character into a sassy, confident, and yet very teenage fairy. She added humor that wasn’t written into the script. She stole the show every time she stepped on stage.

And when I decided to turn the skit into a full length novel, Chrysanthemum stayed just the way my daughter had portrayed her.

This is why it pays to have teenagers and why I always suggest hopeful authors get one. When it comes to writing, they’re magic.

Make sure and leave a comment for Janette as she will be giving away a copy of her book. Don't forget your email addy too!

Terra's Review of My Fair Godmother

My Fair Godmother is the most delightful fairytale of the current century. This book first caught my interest just because of the cover art and yes I know you should never judge a book by it's cover. Well I will be happy to say that the story within is even better than I could have possibly expected and where were books like this when I was a teen.

Savannah Delano is sweet sixteen, extremely pretty and watched by all the hot jocks. Unfortunately she is so wrapped up in herself that she doesn't really see what's happening around her until after the fact. I know she sounds like your normal teenage girl but this one is lucky enough to have a Fairy Godmother pay her a visit. Oh wait a minute, I mean a Fair Godmother.

Our story starts out with Savannah and her sister Jane both falling for the same guy. Said guy wants Savannah though and this breaks Jane's heart for she has longed for his attention for a much longer time. As the months pass Jane and Hunter form a friendship that turns into a relationship and Savannah is totally oblivious until the entire situation is thrown in her face. Just weeks before the prom, prom dress in hand our pretty princess is dumped like yesterday's smelly socks.

Savannah decides to withdraw to her room and is confronted by a pink haired, punk looking so full of myself Fair Godmother. Chrissy our Fair Godmother it seems has not passed her Fairy Godmother test and must do extra credit work to help out and you guess it, Savannah is the extra credit work. Chrissy being the dysfunctional what about me type of person only hears half of everything that's said to her and when she grants Savannah three wishes you just know that comedy is going to ensue.

Savannah's first wish lands her in the role of Cinderella, her second wish lands her in the kingdom of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as none other than Snow White herself. Her third wish is the one that lands her in a faraway place finding herself for the very first time. Will she find her Prince before the prom? Will our Fair Godmother ever get things right? At what actual cost will come the fruition of Savannah's third wish to have a Prince take her to the Prom.

Our author has taken fairy tales and combined them with the typical teens of today to give us a story of comedy, longing, hurt, betrayal and love. A tale of finding out the real person under the pretty girl persona. A tale that will leave you well satisfied with it's ending. This book is a must read for all of us who love the world of make believe.