Top 5 Things in my Purse by Shonna Slayton

Five Items in my Purse Right Now.

Hi, I’m Shonna Slayton, an unabashed fairy-tale fan and history buff. By combining these two loves I wrote a YA historic fairy-tale series centered on Cinderella.

The first book, Cinderella’s Dress, is set in 1940’s New York where my main character learns her family has been hiding the real Cinderella dress for centuries, and now it is her turn.

The second book, Cinderella’s Shoes, scheduled for fall release, has my main character tracking down the famous glass slippers in post WWII Europe.

Besides dresses and shoes, I also love a good purse. You can learn a lot about a woman by what she has in there. Want a peek into mine?

1. A cell phone with a dead battery. I have an old-school cell phone which I use for emergency purposes. Problem is, I forget after I’ve turned it on, to shut it off again. The only time this has been a problem was when the low battery beeping noise went off in church. Everyone politely looked around, hinting for the person whose phone it was to take care of it. It never crossed my mind that it was my phone until I heard it beeping at me in the car. *plugging it in now*

2. Hand sanitizer. I’m germ-a-phobic. Not quite OCD about it, but close. Apparently I’ve washed much of my fingerprints off because whenever I get fingerprinted the tech has to redo my prints several times before giving up. *contemplates a life of crime*

3. Frequent buyer card for local indie bookstore. Okay, two cards because when I change purses I have to pick up a new card and I’m trying to remember to consolidate them next time I go in. Same with coffee loyalty cards. *there is no help for me*

4. Rubber stamp and stamp pad. I love it when authors do a little something extra when they sign books. I tried to create a dress doodle for when I sign Cinderella’s Dress, but sometimes it came out looking like a flower. To ensure consistency, I picked up a stamp of a dress form and a blue ink pad for when I get to sign someone’s book. *note to self: buy shoe stamp for next book*

5. Green tea mints. I tend to get a tickle in my throat and my kids don’t like the taste of these mints. I used to keep orange Tic Tacs, but the kids are fans and I could never count on having one when I needed it. *staying one step ahead of the kids*

My first purse held cash and perfume samples. A few years ago, I used to carry diapers and Cheerios, but was glad to give those up in favor of Hot Wheels and stuffed animals. Now everything in my purse belongs only to me, and it’s fun to carry “author supplies” like a Sharpie pen and bookmarks. At some point in the (far, far) future I’ll probably be packing emergency baby supplies again for grand kids. My purse is a snapshot into my ever-evolving world. I don’t mind changing my purse contents a bit.