Author brings ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ into 21st century

“Terror filled Jack’s mind. What now? There was no room for error. He had to stay free to rescue Gwenie and save the farm.”

Once upon a time in a fantasy world called Fairwilde Kingdom, Jack Greenthumb found romance. Then a dangerous mystery unfolded.

Fairy tales have been around forever, and they make great Christmas gifts.

So how about a new fairy tale for the 12- to 18-year old crowd this year — a modern version of “Jack and the Beanstalk” called “Mountain Of Love and Danger.”

Christian author and part-time Destin resident Gail Pallotta belongs to an online group of five Christian writers who met through and are part of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a national organization.

“One of the ladies thought it would be fun to write a series of fairy tales retold as Christian novellas,” Pallotta told The Log. “The rest of us agreed and Fairwilde Reflection Fairy Tales was born.”

For her first contribution in the “fairy-tale” club, Pallotta chose Jack and the Beanstalk.

“I thought Jack and the Beanstalk could lend itself to mystery, suspense and danger,” she said. “If Jack wanted to reach something of value on top of a mountain, he could have an exciting climb up the beanstalk. If a kidnapper took his girlfriend, he could rescue her. Jack has quite a task before him, but with God all things are possible.”

Pallotta’s Jack is a “great guy” — young and from a well-to-do family. He has fun taking girls for rides in his new car.

“However, when his dad’s attacked and his true love kidnapped, one quickly sees he’s courageous, determined and devoted to his family and girlfriend,” she said. “Not only that, but the food supply for all of Fairwilde Kingdom is at stake because the same criminals have destroyed the farm, Greenthumb Acres, and threatened his father.”

A farm employee plants a miraculous seed from Heaven to help Jack make a daring rescue. Then Jack has to scale a cliff, face a giant-sized man who makes sandwiches out of four pieces of bread and drinks from a pitcher, plus survive a treacherous descent to save his girlfriend and the food supply for Fairwilde.

Jack learns to trust God in difficult times … “If God is for us, who can be against us.”(Romans 8:31)

Pallotta loves to write and has signed a contract for her next book — an adult inspirational romance, “Barely Above Water,” about a young professional woman with a mysterious illness.

“She takes a job as a summer league swim team coordinator so she can move to Destin and get the treatments she needs from a renowned alternative doctor,” Pallotta said. “She relies on her Christian faith as she faces the uncertainty of the disease, financial burdens without permanent employment, and heartbreak in this contemporary romance.”

“Mountain of Love and Danger” can be purchased online at www.barnesandnoble.com, www.amazon.com or www.smashwords.com and at Sundog Books in Seaside.