Blog :: Interview with Lisabeth and David Sewell McCann and Give Away from Sparkle Stories

What is Sparkle Stories?

Sparkle Stories is a new site with audio stories for children ages 3 to 10. We offer 4 delightful story series: stories about fairy magic in So Many Fairies, animal adventures in Junkyard Tales, as well as tales of the day-to-day explorations of the much-adored Martin & Sylvia. And then there’s Saturday Sparkle — which contains part original work, and part classic tales songs and verses from all over the world. Each week families can download new episodes from their favorite story series.  It’s over 5 hours of delightful audio a month, for just over the price of a single CD.  Read about all of our story series here: http://www.sparklestories.com/stories/

How did you get the idea for Sparkle Stories?

Lisabeth: It was born in a flash one night while online reading the blog SouleMama. There was a discussion about where to find good audio material for media-cautious families.  And the options out there didn’t seem to be plentiful. It dawned on me that David’s storytelling gift could be a resource — he can tell elaborate and fascinating stories at the drop of a hat — and that we could tap his gift and turn it into a small business. A business built for families looking for high-quality audio media for their kids! And it was a perfect combination of our skills as storyteller and playwright.  About 7 months later we started the process of making it a reality.

Where do all of these stories come from?

David: They come from the present moment when angels or the muses or fairies whisper in our ears.  When it is told and then written and then recorded, it is never clear how the story came to be or who it might be for.  But inevitably we will get an email or note from someone in Lubbock, or Brighton or Sidney saying that it was just what their child needed in that moment.  It is a gift to be a part of that eternal exchange.
The inspirations often come from our own lives — like things we’re experiencing in our home, or ideas our kids are asking for — or questions we’re hearing come up in our own community. Sometimes readers write and ask for a story about a certain theme or challenge – and we enjoy taking that up too!

Of all the stories in the series, Martin & Sylvia stories are most closely related to — and inspired by – our own lives.  They were created long ago with the intention of helping my boys meet the challenges and events of our life. When we knew we were going to move house, Martin and Sylvia moved. When our dog was going to die, Martin and Sylvia’s dog died. It helped them with the big transitions as well as normal everyday things like bossy older brothers and picky eaters.

What are some of the benefits of telling stories to children?

Stories can help children meet challenge in a deep, fundamental way.  They can work like magic.  When we tell stories, we step out of our own lives and enter the deeper world of metaphor and archetype.  We ‘spin a yarn’ not knowing that we are actually tapping into ancient wisdom and guidance.  We bravely open our mouths and become a kind of channel for that wisdom and offer it up to our children in a language they understand – the language of dreams and fairylands.

Bio: David Sewell McCann fell in love with spinning stories in first grade — the day a storyteller came to his class and captured his mind and imagination. He has been engaged in storytelling all of his adult life through art, film-making, teaching and performing. Out of his experience as a Waldorf class teacher and parent, he has developed a method of intuitive storytelling, which he now shares through workshops and through this website.  Lisabeth Sewell McCann loves to bring words to life. A playwright and director, she has worked with people of all ages on and off the stage. Lisabeth and David live in Charlotte, Vermont with their 2 sons.

Thank you Lisabeth and David!

Sparkle Stories has a special introductory deal for Wonder of Childhood readers: 25% off the first three months of stories.  That is over 5 hours of stories a month for only $12.75.  Enter the coupon code D580 when signing up.

GIVEAWAY!  Sparkle Stories will give a 3 months of free stories to one reader of Wonder of Childhood…

To enter, please leave a comment below.

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And the winner is Heathersf, ” what a wonderful thing this would be for my boys! thanks!”