Prince Charming may be well known to many of us through the medium of fairy tales, but how well do we know the character’s back story?
A South Wales based writer, Nathan Scott Howe, has recently published his take on the Prince Charming story in Simply Charming, an e-book of which he is donating profits to chosen charities Great Ormond Street and McMillan Cancer Care .
Simply Charming – The Story
Once upon a time, in a prosperous kingdom, a tale that renewed hope in all young dreamers was brought to life. The story of that enchanting night at the Royal Ball forever reminds us of the incredible power of kindness, faith in dreams and the many wonders of magic
But every happy ever after is a race against time and there are always sacrifices to make on that journey. What lengths would one Queen go to for her son to ensure his happily ever after is reached before midnight and the magic disappears?
Nathan Scott Howe recently discussed Simply Charming.
How long did it take to write Simply Charming?
I started writing this back in 2012 when I was living in Tokyo, my friend and I would sit for hours putting the world to right and on one occasion we decided to sit and write our own books, something I have always said I have wanted to do. 8 years on and a pandemic I finally got round to finishing it.
What made you write a book about Prince Charming?
Working for Disney Entertainment really opens your eyes to each character down to every detail about them. However, I struggled with Charming as we know very little about him other than the stereotype that society has perceived him to be. And so, as a result of that, I decided to write his back story to give him a bit more personality.
How long did it take to illustrate the book?
I always knew how I wanted the front cover to look so that was easy, which is good because I think that is something that would have tormented me for ages if it wasn’t what I imagined it to be.
Each chapter heading was illustrated with the same border, which changes slightly as you go through the book to add to the changing of time (time, being referenced A LOT in the story) Each detail within this border is a highlight from key moments in that chapter. The Front cover is made up of all these “Key Moments” that tie all the story together.
What made you decide to donate the profits to your chosen charities?
Well, I never intended to write this book to make anything from it, it was more important for me to have a book on my bookshelf that I had written and to give the world a different perspective on a character we know so little about.
I therefore chose two charities that mean a great deal to my family. Great Ormond Street Hospital kept my youngest sister alive when she was born and is now a healthy and inspirational woman. McMillan Cancer Support were absolutely fantastic when my mother was going through her treatments, they really looked after her and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
Who is your favourite character that you created in the story?
I really enjoyed writing about the King, he is a character that we follow right through the book from start to finish and although he is not a perfect King, he is a great character. We know little about him or his family, so it was nice to imagine how that all ties into the story of Cinderella, a story we all know so well.
What is your favourite line from the book?
Hands down, “….And when you find your long-lost dream, a happily ever after you will redeem…”. Without giving too much away, I asked my mum (who enjoys a spot of poetry on occasion) to write a poem that I could use as a spell, and with that she wrote something I’m very proud to include in my book.
Did you ever see Simply Charming having a different ending in part one of the book?
So, there was two parts to this book. Part one is setting the scene and part two is during the story of Cinderella, although from the perspective of the Prince. Without part one ending the way it does, part two would not have had the same ending which we all know of. So, the endings in both parts were always clear to me.
Did you base any of the characters on people that you know?
A mix really of characteristics, looks and mannerisms I see in individuals and acquaintances to fit the profile of the characters in my head. I would be interested to hear how readers imagine the characters to be and compare what I imagined them like.
Would you ever write another book based on a difference prince?
Funny enough, this may have opened a whole can of worms because now I keep spotting missing information in characters from fairy-tale stories you want to know more about.
Which part of the book took you the longest to write?
The entire thing! Eight years is a long time considering I knew what I wanted to write about from the start. Again, without giving too much away, I had some troubles with a “Battle scene” it’s hard to describe actions and strategies repeatedly, especially to fit the genre and period of time it was meant for.
- To purchase a Kindle edition of Simply Charming by Nathan Scott Howe visit amazon.com