Northern Lights, Southern Stars
Page 21
One of my beliefs when I was a teenager, largely subconsciously adopted, was that modern feminists were right when it came to some of the Disney Princesses. In talking with Faith and through our friendship, I began to revisit the Disney Princesses again with more of a literary approach. Now that I am older, perhaps a little wiser and a little more experienced in life, I was surprised to see Snow White’s fairy tale had much more depth to it than it seems when I’d watched the movie as a child.
Snow White is displaced from her throne, robbed of her birthright, and further demeaned as she is now supposed to clean the castle for the woman who had taken it from her. She has no family, and her friends have likely gone away from her, either for her own good—to protect her from the Queen’s wrath—or their own preference. Snow White’s plans for her life before the Queen are gone.
I have not been in Snow White’s exact position of course, but I have known times when it seems like all is lost, and I have only despair to engulf me. My own battles with anxiety and depression, which I have both overcome and must continue to fight, have taught me the importance of Paul’s call to “endure to the end,” and his reassertion that “love bears all things and endures all things.” A resilient, enduring spirit is something that we can truly only know once we have lived and survived life’s harsh battles.
And this is where I believe feminism fails us, with its blunt condemnation, derision, or mockery of the Disney Princesses of the past. In our modern times, it encourages us to embrace our victimhood (either perceived or real) and use it as a weapon, not realizing that it is slowly killing the beauty of building endurance in our hearts. Without this endurance, we eventually become even more helpless, unable to bear even the slightest slight, or we become the victimizers, punishing relentlessly those we see as oppressors.
This is another thing I’d noticed about retellings; when I went to research the market for “comps,” I saw many of them turn Snow White into a warrior of sorts, as if to “correct,” the story. In doing so, while several of them are still good stories, many miss out on what really is so great about Snow White. She remains cheerful and hopeful, she looks past her present despairs to the future where she will be loved and find a home of her own—a full version of her true self. At the heart of all things, in love and in God and in our lives, isn’t that what we want most of all? We want someone to know us, to love us, and help us grow into the best versions of ourselves.
For a more in depth look at how the youthful cultural platitudes have devalued the depths of individual character, I cannot recommend Faith’s book, Saving Cinderella, enough.
You can find it on Amazon for purchase, either in paperback, audio, or ebook form. Of course, I recommend all three!
I also cannot recommend Faith as a friend enough, either. It was part of our discussions about Snow White that made me want to write a story about “Ebony Night,” a kind of sister to Snow since I was so amused by the color scheme of her name; you might be able to see my adoration for color in my other works, considering how often I use rainbows and color distinctions as part of my worldbuilding.
It was not just Faith that helped me flesh out this small story; I must also thank author Larry Paris, for the challenge of writing Ebony in the way I did—it’s hard for me to resist a challenge like the one he’d given me. I actually really appreciated it, because it gave me the key to present Ebony’s story so that more people can see the deeper sides of her struggle when it comes to identity and determination.
I’d also like to thank my husband, Ryan, for being my true love. There is no battle between us, my love, that cannot be won by both of us.
So much of this book has me dreaming of my own struggles and I relearned as I worked through this book. I’ve relearned that it’s natural to feel displaced, whether it’s by your own choice or someone else’s; that one day my struggles will bring about something beautiful, if I want them to; how even at my humblest, I can still be treacherously proud; that even while I work to save myself, I cannot do it alone—nor should I want to. I’ve thought about how easy it is to get caught up in jealousy and miss out on the contentment I see before me.
Thank you, Lord, for the pains you give. They are truly much more precious than all other gains.
Finally, before I close out my note to you, dear reader, I would have you know this one last thing: No book such as this is able to be brought into life without the help of others, yourself included. Thank you for buying my books, connecting with my characters, and writing me the nicest notes. Whether through emails, social media, or reviews, I have been encouraged countless times by your authenticity, your questions, and your prayers. It is at those signs that I can see I have succeeded in my work.
I hope to see you again soon!
Until We Meet Again,
C. S. Johnson
AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EDITOR
FAITH K. MOORE is a freelance writer with publications in venues like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, and The Federalist. She also contributes regularly at Evie Magazine. Her self-published book, Saving Cinderella, is available online. Before becoming a writer, Faith taught writing and other subjects to elementary school students. Find her at https://www.faithkmoore.com.
Photo Credit: Faith K. Moore
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NORTHERN LIGHTS, SOUTHERN STARS
Did you love Northern Lights, Southern Stars? Then you should read Beauty's Curse by C. S. Johnson!
For four years, Princess Aurora of Rhone—Rose to her friends—has searched the world for a way to break the curse placed on her by Magdalina, the wicked ruler of the fairies at war with her kingdom. Under the curse, Rose is doomed to die on her eighteenth birthday after pricking her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. And time is running out.On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Rose makes the journey home with her friends—Theo, a priest with a penchant for revenge; Mary, a young and talented fairy; and Ethan and Sophia, siblings with a troubled past–as pressure from her father, King Stefanos, leaves her with two equally unsatisfying options: Abdicate the throne, or get married.
Read more at C. S. Johnson’s site.
Also by C. S. Johnson
Once Upon a Princess
Beauty's Curse
Beauty's Quest
Beauty's Kiss
Beauty's Gift
The Divine Space Pirates
The Heights of Perdition
The Breadth of Creation
The Price of Paradise
The Divine Space Pirates Trilogy
The Order of the Crystal Daggers
Kingdom of Ash and Soot
Prince of Secrets and Shadows
The Starlight Chronicles
Searching
Slumbering
Awakening: A Christmas Episode of the Starlight Chronicles
Calling
Falling: A Starry Knight Episode of the Starlight Chronicles
Submerging
Seeing: A Wedding Episode of the Starlight Chronicles
Remembering
Belonging: A Date Night Episode of the Starlight Chronicles
Continuing
Reflecting: A Dream Episode of the Starlight Chronicles
Outpouring
Reawakening: A Rebirth Episode of the Starlight Chronicles
Everlasting
Till Human Voices Wake Us
Across the Floors of Silent Seas
Till Human Voices Wake Us
Standalone
A Knight's Quest for the Holy Grail
Should I Go to College? What About Student Loan Debt?
Northern Lights, Southern Stars
Watch for more at C. S. Johnson’s site.
About the Author
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Read more at C. S. Johnson’s site.