Amanda Lovelace - Shine your Icy Crown

books by amanda lovelace the series: the princess saves herself in this one (#1) the witch doesnt burn in this one (#2) the mermaids voice returns in this one (#3) slay those dragons: a journal for writing your own story believe in your own magic: a 45-card oracle deck & guidebook *** the things that h(a)unt duology: to make monsters out of girls (#1) to drink coffee with a ghost (#2) *** the you are your own fairy tale series: break your glass slippers (#1) shine your icy crown (#2) for every girl whos ever been called a bitch for speaking her mind. so, like, every girl. trigger warning this book contains sensitive material relating to: child abuse, toxic relationships, sexual assault, eating disorders, mental illness, self-harm, sexism, suicide, trauma, & possibly more. remember to practice self-care before, during, & after reading. contents a note from the author welcome, dear reader! you see, the imagination is a funny, often elusive beast. ultimately, though, i consider this to be an entirely new fairy tale of its own. while it is fiction, each poem is still nonetheless based on my own experiences in one way or another, especially the unique relationship between the two main characters. here, sisters make up a large part of the magic. but thats the case so much of the time, isnt it? laced with love, amanda let me tell you a rebellious story there is a girl who loves fairy tales more than anything, but she doesnt understand why the princesss story comes to a close once she marries the prince. what happens after? she wonders aloud, but no one ever seems to have an answer. let me tell you an even more
rebellious story there is a girl who loves fairy tales more than anything, but no matter how hard she searches for an answer, she cant understand why there even needs to be a prince. why doesnt the princess just marry herself? she asks, to which they all reply, but that wouldnt be romantic. i once there lived a very stubborn princess who rejected every crown her fathera highly formidable kingpresented her with, each of them crafted from the finest materials. however, that didnt stop her from waving them away without so much as a second look. none of them felt quite right . not long after, the rumors began to spread. it was believed widely that the princess had no love for tradition or for the kingdom or its people. some speculated her heart had been replaced with nothingness. at night, the princesss weeping could be heard all throughout the land, even deep within the forest, where only the tree spirits could hear. they slept the way otters do holding hands, so as never to lose the other. sisters. big sister says i love you more than the moon above us. i love you more than ursa minor & ursa major combined. i love you more than each & every one of the stars. i love you more than the entire galaxy & all of the galaxies they have yet to discover. you, too, are a magnificent, celestial being. i cant imagine not being in the same sky as you. when she daydreams, shes never sitting beside the one who rulesno, shes always the one who does the ruling. along the way, someone comes up to her & tells her that women arent mighty enough to do it all on their own. just like that, all her hopes crack & splinter, & she never sees the world the same way again. patriarchy. big sister says when other people choose not to believe in your magic, you must take it upon yourself to believe in your own magic. there will be no greater satisfaction than proving them wrong. i. behave yourself. ii. dont ask questions. iii. cross your legs. iv. dress modestly. v. be seen, not heard. the king & queen. big sister says break the rules whenever you find the chance. live a life so fierce, bold, & carefree that people often accuse you of being a witch. you see, society fears nothing more than a woman whos not only aware of her power but also not afraid to use it in any way she sees fit. what could be more fun than constantly keeping them on their toes? when she tells on him for yanking on both of her braids, they rush over to see whether he is okay. we dont believe he would ever do such a thing, they tell her, ignoring her when she tries to explain the truth. why does he always get away with everything? she thinks. no one ever believes me. its not fair . brother. big sister says anyone who truly cares for you wont express themselves in knuckles, fists, or cruelty. none of it is normal. most of all, i need you to know that none of it is ever deserved. youd be so much prettier if... youll never get a boyfriend if you dont... what they all tell her. big sister says if you dont want to shave your legs, then dont shave your legs. if you dont want to wear makeup, then dont wear makeup. if you dont want to get dressed up, then dont get dressed up. be the you that is the most comfortable. her parents screamed at her more than they ever told her they loved her. disappointment. big sister says we are not defined by the love our family could or could not give us. we are defined, instead, by the people we consciously become in spite of themthe kindness we show others, the forgiveness we give to ourselves, the times we speak up instead of choosing to remain silent, & the difficult yet necessary apologies we make. they say never to play favorites with your children because the least favorite will forever be doomed to see themselves as second-best, & it will be a next-to-impossible feat to persuade them otherwise. she knows this from experience. big sister says even if you arent their favorite, youre always someones favorite. (youre mine.) alone in her bedroom she declares, ill never be as beautiful as her. ill never be as thin as her. ill never be as kind as her. ill never be as beloved as her. ill never be as deserving as her. signed, the ugly sister. big sister says sisters shouldnt be pitting themselves against each other. sisters should be going into battle for one another. the only time a boy ever asks her out is for a laugh. after so long, she begins to see herself as a joke, too. punch line. big sister says some people feel good about themselves only when theyre putting other people down. by making you feel inferior, they, in turn, feel superior. dont give them the satisfaction of a response; give them only dignified silence. trolls belong under bridges, but you, a mighty queen, belong in the castle they can only dream of living in. why doesnt anyone want me? why, why, why? big sister says every girl is trying to survive in a gruesome world that tells her she can never be good enough no matter what she does. rest assured, there is nothing wrong with you, nor has there ever been, so dont you dare try to change anything about yourself. anyone deserving of you will see that youre already worth more than any diamond. she wants a life like you see in movies the kind where the girl finally takes off her glasses, revealing her true beauty, & suddenly shes admired by everybody. she doesnt realize shes already beautiful.