This collection was curated by K. R. S. McEntire of Diverse Books With Magic. Diverse Books With Magic is a 5,000+ member online community that aims to highlight and uplift marginalized voices in speculative fiction. The group hosts virtual author interviews and online events. Members of this group have previously collaborated and published two anthologies: Girls of Might and Magic and Kindred Kingdoms.

Once Upon a Realm edited by Keshia McEntire

A biracial teen is forced into a betrothal with an enigmatic lord. A Latina teen races to recover her stolen identity and escape a dark fae court. A Black teen with forbidden abilities rescues his lover from a dystopian regime.

In Once Upon A Realm, familiar fairy tales are reenvisioned and reborn as six authors from Black and/or Latina backgrounds create novella-length stories that transport readers to fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian worlds. Each story shatters stereotypes and challenges traditional narratives, inviting readers to see themselves reflected in tales of adventure, magic, romance, and strength. Fans of The Lunar Chronicles, A Blade So Black, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Cinderella is Dead will fall in love with these fresh, fierce takes on fairy tales.

This collection includes:

Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood

Shadow and Song by Montrez, inspired by Peter Pan

Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis, inspired by Hansel and Gretel

These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles, inspired by Bluebeard

A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey, inspired by Snow White

Waking Up by R. L. Medina, inspired by Sleeping Beauty

CURATOR'S NOTE

Six Black and/or Latine authors join forces to remix classic fairytales in this anthology of novella-length sci-fi & fantasy adventures! Perfect for fans of The Lunar Chronicles, A Blade So Black, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Cinderella is Dead! – Zelda Knight

 

REVIEWS

  • "One of the things that I love about fairy tales is that they can change and evolve over time, becoming what we need as we need them and telling of different cultures, people, ideas. The stories range from modern/paranormal to dystopian to medieval-style fairy tales, and each is connected in some way to a larger series written by each author. I really enjoyed the inventiveness of the authors. These tales were, each one, gripping in different ways and had such unique worldbuilding that it was hard to pull away."

    – Amazon review

  • "The stories were very creative twists on the tales that many of us grew up with. I enjoyed this book enough to do some digging into the authors and have added several books to my TBR pile."

    – Amazon Review

  • "This was a powerful anthology, full of strong and determined women and men from diverse backgrounds. Within the first few pages, I could hear the authors saying to those who haven't been represented enough in these genres, "I see you, and you are magical."

    – Amazon Review
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Lyric Masterson had a way with words. She was no great orator like her grandfather, and she didn't have her cousin Maya's knack for storytelling, but she was her namesake. She could pen a song. Her talent was undeniable. She brought a smile to broken hearts and energized the sluggish. She soothed the restless. She made even the toughest critic cry like a newborn just by sharing her songs. But with all the power of her gift, she had one problem. Whether she was in front of an expectant crowd or in the company of her supportive family, she could never sing the words how she felt them. She tried many times, but the words would get trapped in her throat or wouldn't come at all.

So, instead, she filled notebook after notebook, pouring her songs out on paper, infusing those pages with the beautiful words she couldn't voice herself. If she couldn't sing the words, maybe she could capture the words and find others who could. Lyric would put on her headphones, crank up the tunes that inspired her most, and get to work, lost in her world of music from sunup to sundown. Sometimes even into the wee hours of the morning.

It was in those moments of unguarded musical joy that her family would catch the sweet whispers of her songs, though they didn't mention it for fear that her nerves would bury her budding gift altogether. You see, it was those little random snatches of song that held their frayed family together. When arguments brewed and tempers flared, when melancholy loomed and bitterness tried to plant its ugly roots, her melodic voice would sing a note, bringing sunshine to their increasingly rainy days.

Lost in her musical world, she didn't realize her family was falling apart. At least, not until it was almost too late …

Grandpa Selah wasn't well. The spry septuagenarian, who didn't look a day over 40, suddenly looked very much his 74 years, if not older. Always chatty and full of stories about the good old days, he barely said a word to his neighbors, if he was even to be seen beyond looking through the blinds of his bedroom window. He didn't leave the house anymore. He didn't answer the phone or respond to friendly visits. He barely bothered with the groceries and the cooked meals they left on his porch. His concerned neighbors tried to look after his lawn and the neglected garden he loved so much. They knew something was very wrong. The man who had always been a pillar in their community needed help now more than ever. He needed his family.

That summer, Lyric and her family packed their bags, leaving the hustle and bustle of Chicago for the quaint, somewhat dilapidated charm of Old Glory East, Ohio. It sat just outside the Greater Columbus downtown area, a small urban suburb, fighting and losing its battle against gentrification. The local small businesses were disappearing, but the residents refused to be moved from their homes, homes that had belonged to their families for several generations. They didn't build homes like that anymore, houses carved in sturdy, brick layers and stone, with large porches held by thick Grecian-style columns, full of cozy rooms, grand fireplaces, and hidden nooks and crannies to explore.

Grandpa's house was always a welcoming haven. Lyric and her siblings looked forward to visiting him during their breaks from school. His house held the aroma of spices and the promise of hearty meals from sizzling, hickory bacon, eggs fried hard, and buttery biscuits in the morning, to his famous meatloaf or slow-cooked pot roast for dinner. Their bellies were always full. But Lyric's favorite part of her stay with Grandpa was his famous hot cocoa topped with Cool Whip and a touch of cinnamon powder.

They would nurse the comfort drink, curled up on his soft, sinking sofa while he sucked on Werther's caramel candies and told them tall tales with the evening news droning in the backdrop. Grandpa's house was warmth and joy wrapped into 2,500 square feet. His house was always home away from home. At least, it used to be.

Butler's Bookstore & Café was Lyric's third place now. It was a cozy joint at the edge of the historic Olde Glory East neighborhood that smelled like dusty pages, buttery pastries, and burnt coffee beans. It was an acquired scent for some, but for Lyric Masterson that smell was more familiar than anything else in her life lately.

Not even home felt like home anymore. New address. Different zip code. Different everything. Lyric's throat tightened as she suppressed the tears. She turned up the volume of her crooning beats. She could drown out her worries with her headphones in and her music turned up until her ears ached more than her heart did.