Yes, my Wednesday Worthy for In the Spotlight Week is none other than Geraldine, the Very Fairy Princess herself! (She assures me that fairy princesses are very comfortable in the spotlight.)
Through the generosity of Emma Walton Hamilton and her co-author, as well as their publisher, Little, Brown & Co., Geraldine has graciously agreed to a brief interview. Thank you, all! (Thanks especially to Emma — you’re a gem who sparkles brightly every day!) If you missed my link to Emma’s excellent post about there being more to princesses than meets the eye, check it out — “Embracing My Inner Princess.” Also, take a look at the incredible list of real-life princesses and all the good they do in the world at The Very Fairy Princess website. But do come back here for the interview with Geraldine!
Thank you, Geraldine, for being with us today. First of all, I have to apologize to you. When you sent your answers to me, you had colored them in a lovely sparkly Very Fairy Princess shade of pinky-purple. Try as I might, I couldn’t make that wonderful color show up on my blog. We’ll all just have to IMAGINE the color is there. (Fairy Princesses have very good imaginations.)
Me: How do you know you’re a Very Fairy Princess?
Geraldine: I know I’m a fairy princess because I FEEL it, inside. It’s a sparkly feeling of just knowing in my heart. Also I do everything that fairy princesses do.
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Me: Can anyone be one, or is it just you? Just kids? or grownups, too?
Geraldine: ANYONE can be a fairy princess! I always say you can be whatever you want to be, you just have to let your sparkle out!
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Me: What’s the best thing about being a Fairy Princess?
Geraldine: The absolute BEST thing about being a fairy princess is making people smile. (Fairy princesses are all about making the world a better place!)
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Me: Is there anything that’s hard about being a Fairy Princess?
Geraldine: Fairy princesses have a lot of responsibilities and work very hard, solving problems and helping friends in need . Sometimes it’s all I can do to stay awake through dinner!
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Me: What are things kids can do to be Fairy Princesses, or Princes?
Geraldine: They just have to think about what makes them sparkle, and then share that sparkle with the world! (Wings and a tiara help, of course.)
​Me: Thanks VERY much for doing this interview, Geraldine! You’ve really helped me learn to let my SPARKLE out!
Thanks again to Geraldine (and to Emma) for the privilege of conducting this interview. We will all think today about what makes us sparkle, what makes us unique among all the millions of other people in the world — and we’ll share that inner sparkle with everyone we meet.
I want to add something I said in a comment on my Tagline post about “letting your sparkle out” — Even boys can let their sparkle out! It really means finding out what is special about you, and using that special inner self to reach out and benefit other people.
Portrait of Geraldine is a cover art poster that hangs on the wall of my writing room, obtained in a giveaway by Little, Brown & Co., and used here by permission of Emma Walton Hamilton. All artwork for this book is copyright Christine Davenier.
Giveaway Reminder: If a copy of The Very Fairy Princess: Here Comes the Flower Girl and a Fairy Princess Wand might help you let your sparkle out, remember that everyone who comments on any of this week’s blog posts will have their names added to the draw to be held on Sunday, April 29. Grand Prize is a copy of Emma’s and Julie’s new book and a specially made wand (more about the wand tomorrow), second prize is a copy of the book.
I totally want to be a very fairy princess! I mean wings and a tiara? how fun would that be? 🙂 Geraldine is certainly right about letting your inner sparkle shine and making people smile! Thanks for a wonderful interview!
Thanks, Susanna. I’m so grateful to Emma that she was willing to have a little fun with me, and do this interview, I mean, encourage Geraldine to do this interview! 😉
Enjoy letting your sparkle out, today and every day!
Oh to be a child … reading these books brings out the child out in everyone and the sparkle too. thanks 🙂
Thanks, Marni! You’re right, the books bring out the sparkle in all of us. Great to see you here! 🙂
I have to agree with Geraldine, that making people smile is the best!! Plan on spending my day thinking about what makes me sparkle. Many thanks for the lovely interview!
I can think of several things, just off the top of my head, that make you sparkle, Joanna! Have a lovely time letting your sparkle out, today and every day!
And you’re welcome. I so appreciated everyone’s cooperation in making this interview happen.
What a fun interview. Definitely makes me want to let my inner sparkle out today!
I’m glad Geraldine helped you to want to let out your sparkle today! She has that effect on people.
I love this post and agree that happy people of your making is such a good feeling. I feel sparkley from visiting!
If you’ve the chance, pop over to my blog. I’m the author of the Bella and Britt series for kids.
Thanks, again…
Thank you Nancy! I’m glad Geraldine was able to give you that wonderful feeling of sparkle deep inside! Enjoy letting your sparkle out today, and every day!
(And I’ll pop right over to your blog!)
Very cute idea and a feel good post. I like that Fairy princesses are all about making the world a better place! They are in a position to do a lot of important service in the world like the many princesses worldwide. Thank you for the interview and the inserts.!
Thanks, Pat. I so enjoyed connecting with Geraldine for this interview (all the thanks go to Emma — she is a gem!) I do wish I could have replicated the wonderful color that Geraldine used in her answers when she emailed them to me.
I used to laugh at the sports guys in one of my news room. They embraced some sparkle joke from South Park. At the time, at 35, I had never used the term sparkle. Now, every time I hear it, I think about those sports guys. 🙂
I think my son would love to learn about sparkle (and really wants to hear about wands – if he could talk, he would ask: Can I poke things with that mom?). I saw Julie Andrews on the Colbert Report last night. They addressed sparkle. It all made me smile.
Beth, at last weekend’s writer’s conference, there were several sessions either dedicated to screenwriting techniques to craft a novel or just novel authors sharing how they use screenwriting techniques to write.Made me think of some of your posts this month.
Thanks for your story about the sports guys! It made me chuckle. 😀
I can just see your little guy dashing around waving a wand with wild abandon! He’d have a blast! And as I said in this post, boys can definitely sparkle, too.
Oh how I wish that I could have attended those sessions relating screenwriting to novel writing! They’d be right up my alley. Actually, in my Monday posts in June, I’m already planning to explore ways of using film-style thinking to enhance one’s writing process. Stay tuned!
“Let your sparkle out…” I love that. I should try and do that more! 😉
I think it would be great if everyone became more aware of their own inner sparkle, and made sure they let it sparkle forth every day. Thanks, Natalie!
As I read this beautiful interview (very fairy princesses do a fine job being interviewed), i couldn’t help thinking of my seven year old and her recent declaration that she does not like dolls. She’s a bit of a tomboy so I wondered if she could be a very fairy princess. From this interview, I see she can, just make sure she lets her inner sparkle out. Thanks so much.
Your seven-year-old tomboy can DEFINITELY be a fairy princess. It’s not all about glitter and tiaras and girly-girl things. Geraldine herself always has scabby knees from trying to fly, and socks around her ankles; she rescues frogs, and does all sorts of things to let her sparkle out. Your daughter can too, she just needs to be true to her own self, and let her very own inner sparkle shine out to the world.
You’re very welcome — I hope you and your daughter enjoy looking for ways to let your sparkle out today, and every day!
a very sweet interview. thank you.
Thanks, Darshana!
Thanks for a lovely post. Very cute and generous of Geraldine. With ANZAC Day yesterday one is in thought on how they can let there sparkle out or what their inner sparkle is.
Thank you, Diane.
I really loved the interview with Geraldine. She answered some questions that I wanted to ask.
Thank you, Pat! I’m glad Geraldine was able to answer some of your questions.
I LOVED Graldine’s interview! I really see how hard fairy princesses work now 🙂 OK OK I’ll let my sparkle out but I’m NOT (I repeat NOT) wearing a tiara or fairy wings! 😉
🙂 It’s okay, Erik — we won’t make you wear a tiara or fairy wings! They probably wouldn’t suit you, anyway. But yes, by using your talents and your personality to brighten other people’s world, as you do every day, you are letting your sparkle out all the time. 🙂
LOL Funny post.
Sonia Lal @ Story Treasury
I love the concept behind letting your sparkle out. I’ve never been very sparkly in the princessy way but I have always tried to embrace what makes me special and use that to make others happy, too. Thank you for posting this insightful interview.
Then you are definitely letting your sparkle out, daily — and I can attest to that from what I know of you, Alison. I’m so glad you appreciated the interview. It was a delight to collaborate with Emma on it.
I know first-hand what life can be like when you forget your sparkle…thank God for books like these who remind us all that we are twinkling beauties! Remembering my sparkle has ignited all of my relationships and fueled my creativity. (Must have been the wand of a fairy princess that helped with that one!) Thank you, Elizabeth, for this fabulous interview!
Thank you so much, Taslim. I, too, have been through times when I lost sight of my inner sparkle — it’s so true that finding it again has enhanced my life, and my relationships, in so many ways.
Delighted that you enjoyed the interview! Geraldine is a treasure (as are her authors).
What a lovely interview! Thank you Geraldine and Beth! Sparkles are one of my favorite things; if I see something with sparkles on it. it immediately captures my attention. What a wonderful world we can create if we can think of ways to add some sparkle to everyone’s lives!
Sparkle on!
Thank you so much, Dana! Sparkles beckon me, too.
Sparkle on!
What a fun post! I thought my fairy days were over but I have to admit, this made me smile. I guess we’re never too old for fairy magic!
Thanks, Donna — you’re right, we’re never too old! (Julie’s writing about fairy princess magic at 76, so there’s a case in point!)
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What a fun interview! Congratulations and Best Wishes on the fun fairy princess books. 🙂
Thanks, Abigail!
TOO cute, Beth! What a fun way to teach ALL of us, to let that inner sparkle out. I have a hard time seeing that in myself – at times – but Geraldine’s interview gave me a chuckle. She kind of reminds me of…well, ME! Best wishes to Emma and Julie on the fairy princess books!
Thank you, Kim. Yes, this book’s message goes well beyond it’s target age-range. Gerry has taught me a thing or two about letting my sparkle out!
On behalf of Emma and Julie (if I can be so bold…) thank you for the good wishes!
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