
fairytalez collection books
FAIRYTALEZ.COM started as web initiative, for less than 3-4 years became the biggest online
library for fairy tales and social media for fairy tales authors and lately moved to print media exploring the possibilities of Amazon’s KDP platform.
So far we created budget series of three books – Mermaid Tales, Christmas Tales and the last one – Cinderella Tales. First two started their life as digital editions for Kindle readers and then the owner decided to launch print(POD) versions too.



the challenge
Taking a path not known always takes more but brings so much more exciting to walk on.
Been avid reader helped me a lot in creating the book covers and template. Unfortunately along the way I had to sacrifice my deep desire to include as more as possible illustrations. Turned out that digital editions can’t go well with tailpieces, print edition – with drop caps.
At last our third book – Cinderella found the path of the least possible resistance.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.”
― T.S. Eliot



process
Reading every story of the book was my first step in order to find the best and proper illustrations. Most of the images had to be cleaned and adapted for our book size. With time and experience our book template was refined and body element were strictly defined in style. In the long run pictures for every story
Pictures were limited to one opening illustration for each story. Sometimes, especially for some less known stories even this loos limitation turned out quite a challenge. I really wanted to keep connection in style between website and print editions so wanted keep use Arthur Rackham’s silhuette images as tilepieces too.




experience
Cinderella Tales is the latest Fairytalez book. My first thought was probably 10+ stories repeating over and over the same theme could be more interesting for scholars than the children but after the reading was surprised to see how fresh and interesting are all these different interpretation and how culture tightens different nations in Europe.
My instant favorite became Egyptian Cinderella which is the oldest and (probably) the origin of all the others tales. The fact the girl Rhodopis is Thracian (some of Thrace tribes lived in modern Bulgaria lands) and have the name of the most beautiful mountain came as a special treat for me from this fantastic project.
We mature not by age, but by stories.”
― Hermy L.McCabe






