As part of Women’s History Month, local author Hester Velmans will speak on her book Slipper, a retelling of the Cinderella story, at Roeliff Jansen Community Library, on Saturday, March 23, at 4 pm.
Velmans says, “The fairy tale is the frame on which I set out to hang a more realistic story—what might really have happened to someone living in the 17th Century …. I was interested in the essence of Cinderella—the romantic longing, the childhood / adolescent dream that some day you’ll be recognized as someone more special than you are now—but without the magic.”
Reviewers say: “Part romantic love story, part fairy tale, part feminist commentary, this is a wonderful, old fashioned novel to be savored.”— Daniel Klein, best-selling author. “A satisfying blend of history and myth that breathes new life into Cinderella.” —Kirkus Reviews
Hester Velmans is a novelist and translator of literary fiction. Born in Amsterdam, she has lived in Europe and New York City. After a career in TV news, she moved to Western Massachusetts to devote herself to writing. Her children’s book, Isabel of the Whales, was a national bestseller. She is a recipient of the Vondel Prize for Translation and a National Endowment of the Arts Translation Fellowship.