Smithsonian Associates: Beauty and the Beast - A Tale as Old as Time
2024-06-17 18:45 - 20:45 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Few stories capture the imagination like “Beauty and the Beast,” the romantic tale of a beautiful girl who sees past appearances to fall in love with a hideous monster. The story has been used to question marriages of convenience or opportunity and to champion the radical idea of marrying someone you actually like. It has also been sold as a story that promotes ideas like “if you love him, you can change him and make him a better person,” when “he” might be abusive, violent, and truly monstrous. “Beauty and the Beast” is one of the oldest fairy tales and has existed in countless forms. The beast has been everything from a snake to a god to a “small-toothed dog,” and, sometimes, “Beauty” isn’t even beautiful.
On June 17th at 6:45PM, folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman explore “Beauty and the Beast,” discussing what the tale looks like around the world, how the story has been retold in contemporary times, and what kinds of reactionary, rebellious, and revolutionary points it has allowed tellers and authors to make. They explain why it has had such staying power and why so many people count it as their favorite fairy tale. The lecture also includes a few prompts for audience interaction.
Click here to grab your tickets!

The June Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2024-06-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hello everyone! Here is all the information for our June Fairy-Tale Salon – we’re sorry we’re getting this to you a bit late this month!
Date: June 20th, 2024 at 7PM ET!
Prompt: Bring Your Favorite Book You’ve Read So Far This Year!
Quest: We’re all excited here at Carterhaugh about our Summer Reading Challenge, so, for this salon, we’d love it if you would bring your favorite book you read thus far this year (and hey, bonus if it fits the SRC!) What book has just delighted you this year? What book has really made you think? What book do you just want more people to know about? Bring it to salon this month – we can’t wait to learn all about it!
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of June – see you soon!

The June Book Club - The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison
2024-06-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Crowdcast
We’re announcing our book club pick for June early this year, because it’s a bit of a long read (but totally worth it!) On June 27th, we’ll meet to discuss Katherine Addison’s The Angel of the Crows, an alternate-history fantasy inspired by Sherlock Holmes!
Here’s the description:
“This is not the story you think it is. These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting.
In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings in a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.
Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows.”
Here are some reviews:
“A Sherlock Holmes–esque novel that truly breaks the mold […] what really makes this title stand out […] is its straightforward criticism of gender roles and the gender binary itself.” – Kirkus Reviews
“… a charming and tender character study and a masterclass in worldbuilding. If you like carefully constructed and thoughtful urban fantasy, this is the book for you. If you like Holmes’ stories and want a fresh perspective […] this is the book for you. If you enjoy complex, wounded characters and superb writing, this is the book for you.” – Fantasy Faction
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of June!

The July Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2024-07-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Please find the info for our July Fairy-Tale Salon below!
Date: July 11th at 7PM ET
Prompt: Carterhaugh Summit!!
Quest: It’s time for a CARTERHAUGH SUMMIT with the some of the biggest Carterhaugh insiders – the Salonnières! This month we’d really like to hear from you on where you’re struggling, where you’re sparkling, and how we can best support you moving forward at Carterhaugh. We’ve been doing a mid-year audit and reflecting a lot on where we’ve been and where we want to go in the future, and we would love to hear from YOU about what you’d love to see for the second half of the year and beyond!
If you’d like to participate, make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher on Patreon for the month of July!

The July Book Club - All in Among the Briars edited by Julia Rios
2024-07-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Crowdcast
On July 18th, we’ll meet to discuss All In Among the Briars: An Anthology of Mythic Wonder edited by Julia Rios!
This anthology is really special. We contributed our poem “Twelve,” first published in Star*Line, and the contributors are some of the very best mythic writers out there right now – plus many students and friends of Carterhaugh! There are pieces by Terri Windling, Theodora Goss, C.S.E. Cooney, Amal El-Mohtar, Carlos Hernandez, and so many other total all stars. Seriously, it’s ridiculous and beautiful.
What makes it really special is that it’s a benefit anthology for mythic poet queen and friend (and sometimes student) of Carterhaugh, Jessica Wick, who recently lost her mother. Anyone who supports the Go Fund Me for Jess (which is organized by the same team that put together the anthology) at $5+ will get the anthology as an ebook. Click here to grab your copy!
Jess is truly a cornerstone of the mythic community, and she’s a complete sweetheart. This book is stunning. Let’s read it and make some mythic community magic!

Carterhaugh Lectures @ The Dublin Irish Festival!
2024-08-03 - 2024-08-04 | Coffman Park, 5200 Emerald Parkway, Dublin, OH, 43017, United States
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be giving three talks at the Dublin Irish Festival in Columbus, Ohio this August! Our talks will be –
Saturday, August 3
2:30PM-3:15PM – “Irish Folklore and Bram Stoker’s Dracula”
5:30PM-6:15PM – “Terrors of Irish Fairylore”
Sunday, August 4th
11:00AM-11:45AM – “Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Irish Fairylore”
All of our events will take place in the Spoken Word tent.
Click here for more information about the festival and get your tickets!

The August Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2024-08-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Please find the info for our August Fairy-Tale Salon below!
Date: August 7th at 7PM ET
Prompt: What do you do when the world is scary?
Quest: We saw a meme a few days ago that said “sometimes I really wish I were living in precedented times,” and we felt that feel so hard. It seems like every day you turn on the TV and something new and historic and unprecedented is happening, and it’s all just… a lot. Sometimes it’s terrifying. Sometimes it’s infuriating. Sometimes it’s just profoundly heartbreaking. What do you do when the world seems overwhelming and scary? What helps? What doesn’t? How do you find hope again?
If you’d like to participate, make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher on Patreon for the month of August!

The August Book Club - A Rose By Any Other Name by Mary McMyne
2024-08-22 19:00 | Zoom
We’re still way ahead of the game on announcing book clubs this summer, and we’re not stopping now! On August 22nd, we’ll meet to discuss Mary McMyne’s new novel A Rose By Any Other Name… and Mary herself will be joining us!
Y’all, this book has got Shakespeare, witchcraft, masques, and so much more – you’re going to LOVE it!!
Here’s the description:
“My name has only been whispered, heretofore…
England, 1591. Rose Rushe’s passion for life runs deep—she loves mead and music, meddles with astrology, and laughs at her mother’s warnings to guard her reputation. When Rose’s father dies and a noble accuses her and her dear friend Cecely of witchcraft, they flee to the household of respected alchemists in London. But as their bond deepens, their sanctuary begins to feel more like a cage. To escape, they turn to the occult, secretly casting charms and selling astrological advice in the hopes of building a life together. This thriving underground business leads Rose to fair young noble Henry and playwright Will Shakespeare, and so begins a brief, tempestuous, and powerful romance—one filled with secret longings and deep betrayals.
In this world of dazzling masques and decadent feasts, where the stars decide futures, Rose will write her own fate instead.
From the author of The Book of Gothel comes the lush, magical story behind Shakespeare’s sonnets, as told by one of his most famous subjects—the incendiary and mysterious Dark Lady.”
Can you even??
Here are some reviews:
“A fascinating fictional exposé [with] a touch of mysticism and an LGBTQ twist.” – Booklist (starred review)
“A delightfully impish heroine… a tempestuous erotic connection… a captivating imagining of the life of the Dark Lady, the illusive inspiration for Shakespeare’s later sonnets.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of August!

The September Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hi all! Here is the info for our September Fairy-Tale Salon!
Date: September 19th, 2024
Prompt: Share Where You’re Stuck
Quest: Sometimes you’re so inspired and excited about a project that things just seem to effortlessly fall into place… and other times, you get stuck. We’re talking deep in the mud, uninspired, and moments-away-from-giving-up-completely stuck. Where do you feel stuck in your life? What do you do when the despair of ‘stuck’ threatens? How do you tend to struggle, how do you recognize it, and what do you do to get out of the gunk? This salon is all about helping you go “THROUGH the tunnel, to the other side!” (#ifyouknowyouknow) Let’s talk it through together – after all, when it comes to this kind of thing, many heads really can be better than one!
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of September – see you soon!

The September Book Club – Nimona by ND Stevenson
2024-09-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
It’s time for another graphic novel, y’all, and we’re so excited about this silly, adorable, and moving one – Nimona by ND Stevenson (yes, the comic that inspired the recent Netflix film, and yes, the creator of the recent She-Ra reboot!) Join us on September 25th at 7PM ET to talk about this absolutely delightful book that won tons of awards and even more hearts.
Here’s the description:
“Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.
But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.”
And here are some reviews:
“If you’re going to read one graphic novel this year, make it this one.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Nimona, with all her flaws, breaks away completely from what women are allowed to be in popular fiction.” – Vanity Fair
“From its first panel, Nimona draws you into a narrative combining shark jokes, a shadowy institution and a startling amount of heart. So whether you’re young or old, a comics newbie or a seasoned veteran, make the decision to explore the fantastical world Stevenson has created. You won’t regret it.” – Paste Magazine
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of September!

Smithsonian Associates: Witches in the Grimms' Fairy Tales
2024-09-30 18:45 - 20:15 | Zoom
Once upon a time, there was a witch. She was beautiful and powerful. She was frightening and dangerous. She was everything people feared and everything many of them wanted to be.
On September 30th at 6:45PM ET, folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman discuss the versatile figure of the witch in the folkloric medium of the fairy tale. Using the collection of the Brothers Grimm, Cleto and Warman explore the many distinctive witches they gave us and their relationships to self-determination, community, and nature. Then Cleto and Warman focus on the witches who appear in five fairy tales: “Rapunzel,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “The Three Spinners,” “Frau Trude,” and “All Kinds of Fur.” By illuminating different aspects of the figure of the witch as she appears in the Grimms’ tales, they demonstrate the complexity and power that characterize her, even within a single collection of stories.
These witches represent the many ways of being a woman in the world and are a rich repository of education, inspiration, and enchantment, Cleto and Warman say.
Click here to grab your tickets!

The October Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2024-10-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Hello everyone! Here is all the information for our October Fairy-Tale Salon –
Date: October 16th at 7PM ET!
Prompt: Movie Night – Nimona!
Quest: When we announced Nimona the graphic novel as our pick for book club last month, we had many requests to watch the film, too, so let’s do it! This month for salon, we’ll be watching Nimona together! You’ll log on to Zoom the same as usual, and we’ll use the chat there to talk about the chosen film. As far as we know, Nimona is currently only streaming on Netflix, so make sure you have access to an account (you can always make a trial account just to watch with us!) It’s a wildly entertaining, creative, and powerful film, and we seriously cannot wait to talk with you about it!
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of October – see you soon!

The October Book Club - The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
2024-10-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
We had to pick a spooky book for October, and we decided on going with a classic – The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. This 1898 masterpiece is short but packs an enormous punch, and we can’t wait to talk with you all about what you think is actually going on in this one! Join us on October 22nd at 7PM ET!
Here’s the description:
“Set in a mysterious old mansion, the story follows a governess as she attempts to protect two young children from the supernatural forces she believes are threatening them. With its gripping suspense and psychological themes, The Turn of the Screw has become one of the most beloved works in all of English literature. A perfect blend of horror and romanticism, Henry James’s classic novella is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.”
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of October!

The November Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2024-11-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hello everyone, here is all the information for our November Fairy-Tale Salon!
Date: November 18th, 2024 at 7PM ET!
Prompt: Iconic Witches
Quest: As suggested by Deborah, this month is WITCHES MONTH! We want to hear all about your very favorite witches, be they from books, movies, TV, pop culture, or even history… any witch goes! What do you love about your favorite mystical practitioner? Does she inspire you… or terrify you? What lessons might she offer us as the year turns darker and colder?
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of November – see you soon!

The November Book Club - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
2024-11-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Join us on November 26th at 7PM ET to talk about the incredible novel The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab!
Here’s the description:
“France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever―and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.”
And here are some of the excellent reviews:
“Victoria Schwab sends you whirling through a dizzying kaleidoscopic adventure through centuries filled with love, loss, art and war ― all the while dazzling your senses with hundreds of tiny magical moments along the way. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue will enchant readers as deeply as its heroine’s Faustian bargain; you will find yourself in quick turns both aching with heartbreak, and gleefully crowing at the truly delicious, wicked cleverness in store.” – Naomi Novik
“Addie Larue is a book perfectly suspended between darkness and light, myth and reality. [This novel] is―ironically―unforgettable.” – Alix E. Harrow
“Sweeping in its scope yet wonderfully intimate, it’s dark and sexy yet romantic and heartbreaking.” – Rebecca Roanhorse
“Rich and satisfying.” – Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“A knockout.” – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
And probably our favorite –>
“It’s a bit cheeky to call The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Faust for romantic bisexual goths, but it’s not wrong… I for one will most certainly remember her.” – NPR
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of November!

The December Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2024-12-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hello everyone! Here is all the information for our December Fairy-Tale Salon (we apologize that this is coming to you a bit late!) –
Date: December 11th, 2024 at 7PM ET!
Prompt: Holiday Summit 2!
Quest: This month, we’re hosting our second annual HOLIDAY SUMMIT! Bring all your concerns and joys about the holiday season, and we can talk through them together. Did you recently read a wonderful story that got you in the perfect mood for the season? Please share! Are you dreading a visit from your aunt and hoping for tips on getting through it? We’d love to help! Got a brand new Christmas ornament that you’re ridiculously excited about? Come show it off! Have a favorite (or least favorite) tradition? We want to hear all about it! This time of year can be full of joy, but it can bring up a lot of other emotions as well. Grab a cup of hot chocolate and talk about any/all of it with us.
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of December – see you soon!

The December Book Club - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
2024-12-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hi all! Apologies for the short notice on this one – we were actually planning to do a different book, but then it didn’t turn out how we hoped. When we realized that we’d actually never read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens as a Carterhaugh group though, we knew what we had to do!
Join us on December 16th at 7PM ET to talk about this incredibly influential novella (that happens to feature one of the best opening lines in all of literature, in our humble opinions!) There’s a lot more to this story than you might think, especially if you’ve only seen film adaptations, and we can’t wait to share it with you!
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of December!

Smithsonian Associates: Chilling Holiday Folklore
2024-12-18 12:00 | Zoom
Please note: this event has been rescheduled from December 5th to December 18th!!
These days, the December holidays usually center on joyous magic, warm evenings curled up by the fire, and celebrations of the good in the world. Traditionally, however, the winter season also ushers in the terrors of the dark and the cold, teaching us to bar doors, whisper warnings, and, above all, to be “good for goodness’ sake.”
Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman explore an array of chilling holiday folklore from around the world, beginning with the increasingly famous German Krampus who visits children who don’t make the “nice” list. Hear tales of the Icelandic Jólakötturinn, a gigantic cat that devours naughty children, and learn how to best the Welsh Mari Lwyd, a skeletal horse with a taste for song and poetry. Get to know the Eastern European Christmas witch Frau Perchta and trace the history of the sometimes mischievous, sometimes terrifying Yule Lads and their monstrous mother, Grýla.
Cleto and Warman share insights into the darker side of holiday lore, reintroducing you to a more complex vision of winter, one that’s easy to forget in an increasingly hectic and standardized season.
Click here to grab your tickets!

FREE Talk: "To Be Told at Dusk: Victorian 'Winter's Tales' of Spectres and Shades"
2024-12-23 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
Have you ever wondered at the line “there’ll be scary ghost stories” in the Christmas carol “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”?Join us for a FREE TALK on December 23rd at 12PM ET to discuss the Victorian tradition of ghost stories at Christmastime (a recording will be available if you can’t make it live!)We’ll take a look at the history dating back to at least 1836, the folklore rooted in Yule celebrations that helped link scary stories with the winter season, and the significant connection to Gothic literature that these stories have.We’ll also take a deep dive into Dickens and other writers who really brought this practice to life.Lastly, we’ll close out the session with a reading of at least one eerie and wonderful Victorian ghost story!
Click here to sign up!

The January Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2025-01-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hi all! Here is the info for our January Fairy-Tale Salon!
Date: January 16th, 2025
Prompt: Folklore to Cultivate in the New Year
Quest: January is traditionally the time to start something new, and what better new thing to start than some NEW (to you) FOLKLORIC PRACTICES! We maintain that there’s no better way to inject a bit of magic into your life. So what folklore-y stuff do you want to cultivate in the new year? What traditions have you let slip away that you want to bring back? Or, if you’ve heard about a fun tradition that you want to try, how can you go about incorporating it for the first time?
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of January – see you soon!

"Be Your Own Fairy-Tale Heroine" - FREE WORKSHOP
2025-01-17 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
Want to be a fairy-tale heroine? 🌹📖🗡️Are you clever or formidable? Adventurous or feminine? Brave, creative, justice-seeking, powerful, resilient, or romantic? Maybe you’re a combo or all of the above! Join us on January 17th at 12PM ET for a FREE workshop where you’ll:✨ Cut through the tsunami of New Year’s resolutions so you can find what you really need✨ Identify your core values so that you’ll feel steady and grounded going into the new year✨ Tap into your inner strength and what lights you up through the lens of the fairy tale to reclaim your unique sparkle✨ Choose your own hero(ine) adjective and an alter ego name to help you channel your power!You’ll also have access to a replay if you can’t make it live.
Click here to sign up and get the link!

The January Book Club - Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai
2025-01-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Join us on January 27th, 2025 to discuss Mia Tsai’s urban fantasy novel, Bitter Medicine!
Here’s the description:
“As a descendant of the Chinese god of medicine, ignored middle child Elle Jiang was destined to be a doctor. Instead, she is underemployed as a mediocre magical calligrapher at the fairy temp agency. Nevertheless, she challenges herself by covertly outfitting Luc, her client and crush, with high-powered glyphs.
Half-elf Luc, the agency’s top security expert, has his own secret: he’s responsible for a curse laid from an old assignment. To heal them, he’ll need to perform his job duties with unrelenting excellence and earn time off from his tyrannical boss.
When Elle saves Luc’s life, they begin a dangerous collaboration, but their chemistry blooms. Happiness, for once, is an option for them both. But Elle is loyal to her family, and Luc is bound by his true name. To win freedom from duty, they must make unexpected sacrifices.”
We LOVE a good contemporary, folklore-infused fantasy!!
Here are some reviews:
“Sparks fly in Tsai’s refreshing and enchanting paranormal debut…. With brilliantly developed, multifaceted characters; a clever magic system; and witty prose, the pages of this fantasy fly. This marks Tsai as a writer to watch.”
—Publishers Weekly [Starred Review]
“There are so many joys in this paranormal. The wealth of languages, mythologies, religions and magicks are a weight that balances the emotional tenderness.”
—New York Times Book Review
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of January!

The February Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2025-02-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hello everyone! Here is all the information for our February Fairy-Tale Salon –
Date: February 13th at 7PM ET!
Prompt: How Do You Want to Show Love?
Quest: This month, especially on Valentine’s Day, we tend to culturally focus on the idea of romantic love… but there are many kinds of love, and many ways of showing it. What’s your particular “love language,” and how do you want to show love this month? Is there anyone you especially want to show love to right now? Maybe you have a friend or a family member going through a rough time? Or maybe the person you know who most needs love right now is you – in which case, how can you show yourself some more love?
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of February – see you soon!

The February Book Club - The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
2025-02-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
We’re so excited to announce that our book for February is all about love… in all different kinds of forms – The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sandu Mandanna! Our meeting will be February 18th at 7PM ET.
Here’s the write up –
“A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family—and a new love—changes the course of her life.
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos “pretending” to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….”
And here’s what people are saying –
“Mandanna crafts a cast of winningly quirky characters, each with their own part to play in Mika’s path to belonging… This charming romantic fantasy is a gem.” – Publishers Weekly [Starred Review]
“This whimsical romance is full of quirky, lovable characters who will charm even the grumpiest of readers. It’s an enchanting story that brings to life the wonders of finally finding your people and letting love find you.” – The Washington Post
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of February!

Smithsonian Associates: Sleeping Beauty - Once Upon a Dream
2025-02-25 18:45 - 20:45 | Zoom
You probably think you know the story of the cursed girl hidden away in the castle overgrown with thorns. There’s an evil, jealous fairy and a magical spinning wheel, and it all turns out well due to true love’s kiss. It’s one of our most famous, well-loved, and most often retold fairy tales. But “Sleeping Beauty” actually has a long and complicated past, one filled with goddesses, magic rings, astrology, and atrocities far beyond anything you’d ever see in a Disney film.
“Sleeping Beauty” has existed in countless versions around the world, and its roots go back to at least early French medieval texts. We can even connect it to earlier stories about the seasons. The idea of the beauty of nature undergoing a temporary death in the autumn, only to return to life with the arrival of spring, is a cross-cultural concept perhaps best exemplified by the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone. It’s also easily applied to the story of the cursed sleeping maiden who reawakens to a world born anew. This is a tale that repeatedly raises questions of cycles, propriety, and what love really means.
Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman of the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic explore “Sleeping Beauty” on February 25th, 2025 at 6:45PM, delving into how people tell the story around the world, what changes it has undergone, and how it has been retold to tackle new ideas in recent times. What captivates us so much about this tale, and how might we take possibly the most passive fairy-tale princess of all and make her relevant for modern audiences? The lecture also includes a few prompts for audience interaction.
Click here to get your tickets!

The March Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2025-03-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hi all, here is all the information for our March Fairy-Tale Salon!
Date: March 11th, 2025 at 7PM ET!
Prompt: What’s Your Fairy Tale?
Quest: In celebration of our recently released new mini-course, Find Your Fairy Tale, we’re dying to know… what’s the fairy tale of YOUR life, Salonnières? Are you trapped in “Cinderella,” endlessly playing the giver and never complaining? Are you Little Red Riding Hood, forging her own path through the dark forest, regardless of wolves? Or maybe you’re The White Cat, a princess trapped in a strange circumstance, but making the most of it as best you can. Let’s talk about it together!
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of March – see you soon!

The March Book Club - The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
2025-03-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Join us on March 25, 2025 at 7PM ET to discuss Jen Wang’s beautiful fairy-tale graphic novel, The Prince and the Dressmaker!
Here’s the description:
“Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!
Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family.”
We LOVED this story. Here are some reviews:
“There is so much love in Wang’s illustrations, which are perfectly suited to the fairy tale nature of the book…it’s completely satisfying. In modern fairy tales, there really are happy endings.”—New York Times
“Gorgeously dense artwork, lively sense of movement, effervescent fashions, sweet romance, and heartwarming denouement.” ―Booklist [Starred Review]
“With inviting illustrations and a relatable story line, this tender tale of friendship and identity is sure to delight even readers who aren’t fans of the graphic novel format.”― School Library Journal [Starred Review]
If you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of March!

The April Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2025-04-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hi all! Here is the info for our April Fairy-Tale Salon – we apologize for the short notice on this one, this is literally the last evening in April we both have free!
Date: April 7th, 2025
Prompt: What’s Your Favorite Fantasy Travel Destination?
Quest: Fantasy is filled with amazing locales – but which one would you visit if you had a chance? One of Italo Calvino’s “invisible cities”? Laini Taylor’s version of Prague? Shveta Thakrar’s magical Night Market? Ankh-Morpork in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld? Fairyland? What would you do on your trip? What do you think the hottest tourist spots would be there? Keep in mind we’re not asking you to necessarily live there forever… just visit!
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of April – see you soon!

The April Book Club - Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar
2025-04-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
We are thrilled to announce that our April book club pick will be our dear friend Shveta Thakrar’s new book, Divining the Leaves, AND that Shveta herself will be joining us! We’ll be meeting on April 10th at 7PM ET.
Here’s the description:
“Plant-loving Ridhi Kapadia and popular Nilesh Batra were friends once.
Now, seventeen and alone, Ridhi blends natural perfumes, wears flower crowns, and wanders her local woods, listening for the leafy whispers of her beloved trees. Pleading for the yakshas to admit her into their enchanted forest kingdom, where she knows she truly belongs.
After learning his parents’ perfect marriage is a sham and getting suspended from school, a heartsick Nilesh lands at Ridhi’s doorstep—the last thing either of them wants. So when a pretty yakshini offers him the distraction of magic, the same magic he mocked Ridhi for believing in, he jumps at it.
Furious, Ridhi strikes a bargain with a noblewoman of the yaksha court. In exchange for helping restore her reputation, Lady Sulochana will turn Ridhi into the yakshini she yearns to be—and teach her to divine the trees’ murmurs.
But when Nilesh ends up trapped in the yakshas’ realm, Ridhi realizes the leaves might be telling a disturbing story about the forest her heart is rooted in—one that, even if the two of them band together, threatens to shred the future like so many thorns.”
And here are just a few of the beautiful reviews this book has received:
“A coming of age story blends seamlessly with Indian mythology in this beautifully written novel. Shveta Thakrar is skilled at conjuring tastes and aromas with her words, bringing the dual worlds of the story to vivid life.”— Juliet Marillier, author of the Blackthorn & Grim series
“Thakrar’s writing is rich and detailed without being dragged under by its own weight, depicting her story like a fine tapestry… This is a complex, deeper dive than usual, but Thakrar leavens her satisfying story with humor and populates it with realistic and appealing characters.”― Booklist [Starred Review]
“Thakrar’s Hindu- and Buddhist-inspired story with a primarily Indian cast is overflowing with lush, sensual imagery… [an] undeniably beautiful fantasy.”— Kirkus Reviews
If you haven’t come to a book club where an author joins us before, you’re in for a real treat! you would like to join us, make sure you’re on the $7+ tier on our Patreon for the month of April!

The May Patreon Fairy-Tale Salon
2025-05-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Hello everyone! Here is the info for our May Fairy-Tale Salon!

Date: May 14th, 2025

Prompt: Delightful Gossip

Quest: At this salon, we want to hear some GOOD NEWS. What’s the best thing you’ve heard so far this month? Did you read about a new study that’s going to make the world a lot better for a group of people or species of animals? Have you mastered a new skill? Did a court surprise you with an awesome ruling? Did your pet learn a delightful new trick? Have you planted a garden? Did you get a huge promotion at work but feel weird crowing about it? We want to hear all about it! Let’s lift each other up and remember that the world is still full of beauty and joy and wonder.
If you’d like to participate, just make sure that you’re on the Salonnières tier or higher for the month of May – see you soon!
