I’m trying something new today. It’s different and a little bit weird, but so am I so I decided it’s ok. 😉

I used to write short stories regularly, but life happened and I stopped. Lately I’ve been reading more and missing creating my own little worlds, so I decided to do something about it.

This little story (a reimagined version of The Princess and the Pea) is my first stab at short story writing since college. I’m rusty, but it feels good…

illustration by Michele Frechette

Once upon a time there was a prince who was handsome in the quirky sort of way that all the ladies love. Slightly goofy, he had a knowing smile and eyes that twinkled brightly with mischief.

Tired of dating princesses with a portfolio full of duck-lipped selfies, he decided to try to find the lady of his dreams on a new dating site called R Date (“Where royals meet, mingle and marry!”). Much to the disappointment of his parents—who were eager to get him out of the castle basement and have a grandchild or two to brag to their friends about—the prince was still unattached.

In fact, his mother was currently harping on it rather relentlessly over the royal dinner table. The sound of rain pelting against the castle windows at a regular beat only served to enforce her drill sergeant-like demeanor. There was a lot of pacing and stern facial expressions accompanied with emphatic arm movements as she went on about royal bloodlines and “the way things were done.” He wondered if an eye roll would end the conversation more quickly or result in a prolonged discussion with a lecture on proper princely etiquette tacked on.