The very first stories to enthrall me as a child were fables and fairytales. Engaging, efficiently told, and endlessly adaptable, these narratives gave me a taste of what makes a story tick. In a very real sense, they laid the groundwork for my literacy. That’s the reason why I (along with many other authors) wished to put my own spin on one of them. But what makes for a satisfying reimagining of a classic tale? How do you strike new ground in well-trod terrain?
These are questions I thought about a lot while drafting my middle-grade novel, , which is a horror reimagining of the Pied Piper. One of the first things I discovered is that research is essential. If you decide to craft a retelling
