My first compilation of folk and fairytales is available for purchase! I delved into a couple of hundred old tales to find the darkest and strangest (and funniest) ones I could find. I was inspired to publish The Voice of Death after reading hilariously negative reviews of Brothers Grimm books online ("not suitable for children!", etc.). I included 22 pen and ink illustrations for the stories I selected. A lot of the stories are not just dark but also poignant. For instance, the longest story I included, entitled "The Fisherman and His Soul" by Oscar Wilde is very moving. In my research, I was also shocked at how comically dark the Hans Christian Anderson fairytales are. I included a couple of those including the title story, The Voice of Death about a phantom voice that calls villagers to their doom.
Most of the stories are from, as you would guess, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. I attempted to find the earliest versions of the Grimm stories because they are less sanitized and a little more frightening. For instance, the original "Red Riding Hood" does not have a happy ending. The Brothers Grimm put out seven additions of their stories, each with heavy edits, making the tales more palatable for a younger audience. I prefer the originals, which are more true to the original German oral traditions. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the book and stay tuned. I have another English Fairy Tales edition I'm working on about Giants and Witches. The Voice of Death is available in my web store and on Amazon.
