Sam Stone Princess Questions

2018 is the year of the princess!

Throughout the year, I will be asking authors from a variety of genres as well as a host of others from editors to academics, what they think makes a definitive princess.

Joining us today is Sam Stone who is a writer, editor, radio host, singer, actress, presenter, motivational speak and vocal coach. Sam has written over 40 short stories, 15 novels, several novellas and has even written plays for audio, stage and screen. To readers, she is best known for her Vampire Gene series as well as The Jinx Chronicles. You can find more about her at Sam’s Lair

1. What three attributes do you think a princess ought to have? I think a princess should not necessarily be beautiful but should be quirky looking. I personally like long hair on girls so I’d go with that - her look can be more versatile. She’s also got to be kind but tough.

2. What characteristics do you think are so overused that they’ve become tropes? Probably the Cinderella type story: Rags to Riches - it would be nice to see this reversed and the girl rescues the boy for a change.

3. If I forced you to choose, which would be your favourite Disney princess? Definitely Ariel! Mermaids are my guilty pleasure. (SPLASH! is one of my all time favourite films!) But though not a princess, I also love Esmerelda because she’s strong and kind and stood up for herself against a very powerful man and won!

4. A lot of people look down on the older Disney princesses, such as Snow White and Aurora, as being too passive and subservient. Do you think there are good qualities in these outdated princesses that modern girls and boys can aspire to? That sort of opinion is what is really sad about today. People can’t just accept something for what it was. Aurora and Snow White were wonderful. They had such innocence! And what was wrong with that? Why can’t our children stay young longer? Not rushing to grow up too quickly… that’s what children miss out on today.

Also, I don’t see these two at all as subservient. Particularly Snow White. Look how brave she was for escaping the evil queen and venturing forth into that scary forest. What princess in any age knows how to cook, wash and clean too? She was certainly my heroine! Plus, who wouldn’t want to be able to call animals to you?

5. What’s the ideal outfit for a princess, including a can’t-do-without accessory? Belle’s yellow dress is iconic. But you have to admire the lovely garb Jasmine wore (bit better for fighting bad guys in than a flouncy dress too!) Magic seems to be an important factor in these films but I’m not sure if it is an accessory. It’s always nice to have a side kick like Lumber for example but failing that I guess the prince is the next best thing. If the princess is so inclined…

6. Although it’s rarely written about, princesses eventually turn into queens. Which fictional (or real) queen do you consider to be a particularly inspiring character? That’s a tough one! But it has to be Elizabeth I. She didn’t need anyone in her life to tell her what to do, did she? That was one tough lady.

Sam Stone Princess Questions

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