Young adult author Rachel Kovaciny recently released her twelfth book, A Nobel Companion, a retelling of the ugly duckling that I quite enjoyed. I reviewed it on my blog. (I’ll post a link below.)
Recently, I asked Rachel a few questions about her experience writing retellings.
DJS: What are some of the challenges in crafting a fairy tale retelling?
RK: One of my biggest challenges is figuring out which fairy tales will work without magic, since my Once Upon a Western series is straight-up historical fiction with no fantasy elements. There are a few I love, like The Tinder Box, that simply don’t work without magic. At least, not so far. I used to think that the Swan Princes aka The Seven Swans wouldn’t work without magic either, then I figured out how it could, so that will be an upcoming book in my series.
DJS: Using fairy tales as the base for a story sure can be challenging at times. It’s funny you have a story based on The Seven Swans coming up. I am also working on a retelling of The Seven Swans slated for May 2026! Great minds think alike?
What do you think are some of the benefits of using a fairy tale as a springboard for a new story?
RK: For me, the biggest benefit is having a basic plot already in place. Being able to build characters and a story around a basic framework of “here’s who the bad guys are and what they want, and here’s who the good guys are and what they want” is really fun and helpful for me.
Another obvious benefit is that people love fairy tale retellings these days, so that draws readers to my books.
DJS: Good points to consider. Why do you think readers like fairy tale retellings so much?
RK: Myths and legends, including fairy tales, endure because they contain timeless lessons. The lesson of Cinderella, that goodness and hard work will be rewarded while spiteful, unkindness won’t, we all crave that. Or the lesson of Beauty and the Beast, what a person is like inside matters more than an unusual or even initially ugly outside. Again, we all need to learn that lesson and be reassured of that truth, and when you get a retelling bearing those same messages, it’s very attractive to us as readers.
DJS: What’s something you find interesting about fairy tales?
RK: We have a collection of Ukrainian fairy tales because my husband lived in Ukraine as a teen. It’s really intriguing how the messages of Slavic stories differ from the Germanic fairy tales I grew up with! There’s a similar emphasis on not going into the woods alone, but they also focus a lot on being kind to the helpless and weak, whether they’re elderly people, small children, or animals. There’s also a recurring motif of needing to follow instructions exactly. If the witch says you need to put the bridle on the horse before you talk to someone about selling the horse, you had better do it in that order or nothing will work right.
DJS: I’ve never considered the cultural differences in fairy tales. It sounds like a fascinating way to compare and contrast similar tales.
What was the most challenging/fun/surprising thing in writing A Noble Companion?
RK: The biggest challenge when writing A Noble Companion was that it had to be non-magical fantasy, because that’s what the whole multi-author Cornerstone Series is meant to be. First, I had to wrap my head around what fantasy with no magic would look like, and then I had to figure out how to write a fantasy story because I have never written one before! Thankfully, my best friend writes amazing fantasy books, so she was able to give me a lot of guidance, and I finally settled on creating a historical-esque fantasy world that had talking animals and dragons, but no magic. I decided to give it a Spanish-American flavor, so the setting is a bit like the Zorro books or the Josefina books from American Girl, which was a lot of fun to write.
It was also a little challenging because I picked The Ugly Duckling to retell, but the series was supposed to focus on side characters from the original fairy tale, making the usual hero or heroine a side character. There aren’t really any other characters in The Ugly Duckling… but he does grow up in a family of ducks, and they live in a barnyard with other animals. I decided to focus on my Ugly Duckling character’s childhood sweetheart, plus one of his brothers. And, although the Ugly Duckling character’s arc mostly happens in the background, I made sure to highlight the theme of learning to value your own abilities and strengths rather than thinking they make you lesser than those around you just because they make you different.
DJS: What are you working on right now?
RK: Right now, I’m writing a short story that is not a fairy tale retelling! It’s the first time I’ve written something that’s not a retelling in several years, so that’s been a fun change. This is for an upcoming anthology of western short stories that a friend is putting together, but it hasn’t been officially announced yet, so I can’t share more than that.
DJS: Thank you, Rachel, for sharing your thoughts on the topic.
I am a bookaholic, and my newest interest—in addition to all my usuals—is fairy tale retellings. Click on the link to read my short review of A Noble Companion.
Ever thought about writing a retelling? Leave a comment!
Raid a dragon’s hoard for her dowry? It seemed like a good idea at the time…
Madelena isn’t in love with her friend Armando, but his marriage proposal offers the security she needs. She sympathizes with him—his father insists Armando must either find a bride or join the army. Armando would rather become a husband than a soldier, but his ugly face has scared away all other eligible ladies despite his family’s wealth.
You can find Rachel’s books as paperbacks and ebooks on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, plus Hoopla and Libby and OverDrive. The audiobook versions are even more widely available.
Born only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, Rachel Kovaciny has loved westerns all her life. A Christian wife and mother, Rachel homeschools her children, writes books, bakes, teaches Sunday School, and writes a monthly column on Old West history for the Prairie Times. Visit her author website at http://www.rachelkovaciny.com
Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning, multi-genre author. She writes contemporary young adult, historical fiction, and southern fiction. Many of her novels are about tough issues, but she always ends her stories on a note of hope. Finding the faith to carry on through hard battles in a common theme in Donna Jo’s books.
For the latest news on upcoming releases, including her contemporary young adult novel, Promise Me Tomorrow, scheduled for release Summer 2025, sign up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at donnajostone.com.
Three things consume sixteen-year-old autistic artist Nina’s thoughts: earning the privilege to paint the school mural, untangling her emotions about a certain boy, and finding a miracle cure for her mom’s terminal cancer.
If you’d like to apply for an advanced copy of Promise Me Tomorrow, click on the link for more details. https://forms.gle/WezNtUPY14f11BNB9
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