Fairy Tale Storyteller's Gathering

Hundreds of years before Disney, long before the Brother’s Grimm, there were the conteuses.

In 17th century France, it was a group of women who created the genre known today as the “Fairy Tale.” These rich, imaginative stories were more than entertainment; they were the weapons of a small rebellion happening in the literary salons of the aristocratic intelligentsia. The conteuses, through their storytelling, cast a critical light upon the conventions of their world and wrestled with social conformity as they sought greater levels of personal autonomy.

Join local author Annie Westphal to learn more about these remarkable women, and why they and their stories were lost to history. Together, we will explore the subversive and female history of the Fairy Tale, as well as the power in the reclaiming of a narrative genre that has been all but dismissed as no better than bedtime stories for children.

This workshop is great for all storytellers, readers, dreamers, writers, and schemers! Recommended for ages 16 and up. There may be mature discussion topics not suitable for younger storytellers.