Behind the story

I’ve always been fascinated by the quiet characters—the ones who linger at the edges of the story, underestimated, overlooked, but brimming with depth. Cinderella, in her original form, is often painted as passive and perfect. I wanted to peel back that glittering surface and ask: What if she wasn’t? What if she was awkward, observant, quietly rebellious—and funny as hell? This satirical retelling was born from that question. It’s a love letter to the girls who don’t shout to be heard, who dream in secret, and who find their strength not in a prince, but in their own peculiar, powerful voice.

What I hope you take away

I hope readers walk away feeling amused, and maybe even a little empowered. I want them to laugh at the absurdity of evil stepmother and ugly sisters, and not the beautiful perfumed pumpkins—and to also understand that people would like to be entertained, and to be understood, to be enough just as they are. Because beneath the satire, this story is about triumph over obstacles, and beauty and belonging too—not the kind that comes from magic, but the kind that comes from finally stepping into your own story, or your own Cinderella story, and I feel the steps to something better starts with my new book.