Last year I took part in Project REUTSway, a writing competition that had writers twist classic fairy tales with horror elements. Two of my stories–“Earlobe” and “Deadman’s Ball”–were chosen for an anthology entitled Fairly Twisted Tales for a Horribly Ever After. Today is the cover reveal!
Blurb: When it comes to fairy tales, there are plenty of things that go bump in the night. Things so morbid and grotesque, so sinister and diabolical, they haunt your imagination; warnings from generations past that still manage to terrify.
Release Date: October 31, 2014
In 2013, authors came together for the annual Project REUTSway writing competition, penning their own interpretive twists on stories we’re all familiar with. Seventeen were chosen, bringing twenty-five new versions to life. From The Brother’s Grimm, to Hans Christian Andersen and beyond, these tales are not the ones you grew up with. They are, however, Fairly Twisted Tales for a Horribly Ever After. Dare to find out what happens when “once upon a time” ends in the stuff of nightmares?
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The 2013 organization was Reading Tree/Discover Books, a “green” charity which promotes literacy in the US by keeping books out of landfills, funding library sustainability, providing books to low-income families, and more.
For the 2014 season, we’re giving you the chance to decide where proceeds will go! The new year also brings with it a new theme. So brush up on your histories, legends, and cultural lore, because we’ll be looking for the most original, fantastic versions of tales that have braved the centuries.
Learn More About Project REUTSway.
Writers, please consider participating this year! The REUTS community is awesome and the competition is so much fun.
I’ll leave you with this teaser for my story “Earlobe.” (Hint: the color of the jumper is a clue to which fairy tale it’s based on.)
MOON IN GEMINI 
Congratulations! Great cover art.
Sorry to burst your bubble about Reading Tree/Discover Books, but anyone who donates anything to this so-called charity needs to read the following ‘twisted tale’ of deception and demise:
First of all, the nonprofit Reading Tree is no longer, having closed down two years ago. It’s partner, Discover Books, which is still in operation, is a for-profit company — not a charity. The company’s rep should have made that very clear to you.
Yes, Discover Books charitably distributes some of the books it collects, but there are a few things folks should know. The Tacoma, Washington based company used to go by the name ‘Thrift Recycling Management’ (TRM). There are disturbing reasons behind the name change, and, in my opinion, Discover Books is not a company worth supporting.
A few years ago, media reports sharply criticized TRM for selling about half of the usable books collected in its blue bins ― prominently labeled “Books for Charity” ― while not making it clear that these donations were helping to fund the company. Such misleading language on earlier versions of TRM’s bins led some folks to believe that *all* of the books would be donated to schools and libraries, which would suggest that the company was a nonprofit.
News stories on TRM and its alleged “charity front” ― Reading Tree ― had also expressed concern over the unusually close relationship between the two entities, as well as the negative impact TRM’s collection activities has had on local book charities such as the Friends of the Library associations across the country.
A slew of complaints from library groups and an investigation by Oregon’s Department of Justice may have prompted the company to start obscuring the “for Charity” text on its bins beginning around 2011. The negative attention may have also led to Reading Tree ceasing operations in August 2012.
Discover Books has claimed that for every book it sells, one book is donated. Seems equitable, until one analyzes the typical *dollar value* of the cherry-picked goodies the company likely sells for profit ― best sellers in good condition ― and the dollar value of what they donate, reportedly old children’s books. Business stats provided in media stories on Discover Books suggest that over 90% of the dollar value of the usable books dropped into the company’s bins went to the for-profit side, while less than 10% went to charity.
Discover Books’ bins now carry more honest labeling that admits to selling a substantial portion of the books collected. But in my opinion, this occurred only after a storm of media criticism and the Oregon DoJ investigation. Had none of that transpired, I wonder whether this company would still be foisting what in my view was a massive deception of the public.
Reports on Discover Books (as TRM) and the now defunct Reading Tree:
“Battle Over the Blue Book Bin” ― WUSA 9, Washington DC; 2012: http://tinyurl.com/k3nq6y5
“Blue book bins cause consternation” ― Sonoma News, Calif.; 2012: http://tinyurl.com/oyqcey6
“Not all “Books for Charity” go to charity” ― American Public Media; 2011: http://tinyurl.com/lsjrldp
“Library group sees sharp drop in book donations” ― Vancouver Courier, 2011: http://tinyurl.com/qbqgdq4
Our country is awash in charity fraud. Please research before you donate.
Thank you for your comment and your concern.
I did some research and see the web site for Discover Books does say right up front now that they re-sell books. However, I passed on your comment to REUTS Publications. They informed me they are taking this under consideration.