The Story Behind the Story
Find the Darkness and Abuse behind the Fairy Tales of Yore
(Arden Hills, Minn.) – We all know the stories of Cinderella, Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood. Each is the protagonist
in a fairy tale in which good wins out over evil; but did you ever wonder how the villains and protagonists in each of the stories got the way they are? And could the abuse many of them suffer as related in the tales drive them to desperate actions, even murder?
Dr. Elliot Francke of Arden Hills, Minn., a suburb of the Twin Cities, explores that question in his debut murder mystery/historical fiction novel. Upon a Time: The Darkness behind the Tales (Amber Skye Publishing, 2016, $15), is scheduled
for release in Spring 2016.
The story centers around the Fairy godmother who gained fame in the story of Cinderella. Fee, as she’s known in Francke’s novel, has a lot on her shoulders. In addition to managing the Hammer family
household, she must raise her master’s young daughter. The girl’s mother, locked away in a tower, is unwilling to care for her. Her father is not interested in raising her either.
As the story progresses, it is revealed
that both mother and daughter have been subjected to abuse at the hands of another. Life has not been easy for Fee either; nor for the characters in the book from other fairy tales like “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Hansel and Gretel”
stories, or the nursery rhyme, “Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater.”
Francke says two distinct themes are explored in his novel. “I offer a possible explanation for how all of these folk tales originated and the effects
of abuse,” he says. “The book has emotional abuse, bullying, verbal abuse, sexual abuse and physical abuse. Such abuse has existed for centuries, with horrible consequences, and I am passionate about the need to address the issue.”
Upon a Time: The Darkness behind the Tales is set in 1450 in the fictitious principality of Quellestadt, which translates to “source city,” in German. Quellestadt sits close to Kassel, Germany, which is the city where a number
of the modern day fairy tales were told and ultimately recorded.
Francke’s path to becoming a published author is not your typical one. For the past 30 years or so, he has been an infectious disease specialist who sees patients at
three different hospitals in the Twin Cities. He says the story he wrote came about as a result of challenge made by his son, Jordan, back in 2003 when he was in film school at the University of Southern California (USC).
“The
Jennifer Lopez movie, ‘Maid in Manhattan,’ had recently been released and Jordan and his friends didn’t like it. They started up a discussion about how the Cinderella theme could not be done well in movies anymore,” says Francke. “At
the end of their conversation, I told the people at the table I disagreed, and that it could still be done if you looked at it from a different perspective.”
The next night at dinner, Francke started to tell the story in a
different way. A short time later, while on the plane home to Minnesota, ideas began boiling in his head and he started writing them down.
Over the next several years he would add to the story from time-to-time, but it wasn’t
until 2015 that he decided it was time to finally get the book published. Francke connected with Amber Skye Publishing in Minnesota, and as they say, the rest is history.
In the early reviews for the book, Jeannine Speier, M.D.,
said, “"Intriguing, exciting, informative and educational!"
Barbara Allan said, "Elliot Francke has a fairy-tale with words that grab your attention and will not let it go until the last word. I thoroughly enjoyed the book."
And Ronald Glasser, M.D., author of 365 Days and Ward 402 said, "Every generation has its own fairy tales. This one is ours."
Francke is already hard at work on a sequel to his debut novel. It will be titled,
Upon A Time: Intrigue and is scheduled for release some time in 2017. The story will be based largely on the conflict between the Teutonic Knights and Polish King, and how it affects the people profiled in Book One.
The sequel will
be set in the year 1467, 17 years after the time in which the first book was set. In addition to the Upon a Time novels, Francke is also hoping to one day write a mystery or two.
For more information, visit www.elliotfrancke.net.
Books are available at fine bookstores everywhere, as well as online at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and through the distributor, www.ItascaBooks.com.
About the Author
Dr. Elliot Francke is a consultant physician
in infectious diseases in private practice in Minnesota, where he lives with his understanding wife and best friend of 38 years, Cheryl. His interest in the tales of the Grimm Brothers dates back to childhood, but his curiosity about the tales’ origins
was kindled by a visit with his son at the University of Southern California and a discussion about film themes.
After historical research, the idea for the plot of Upon a Time began to develop. The first-time author is grateful
for the encouragement of his wife, three children, friends and readers, and most especially the editor and publisher of this book.
Upon a Time: The Darkness behind the Tales, scheduled for release in Summer 2016, will be Francke’s
debut novel. He has also written dozens of articles that have been published in medical journals.
Rachel M Anderson
rachel@rmapublicity.com