Gina Marinello-Sweeney

Hi, everyone! I’m Gina, your resident quirky yet wonderstruck author who dances in a world of fairy tales and albino wombats. 

I have been writing ever since I was a little girl and turned my bedroom into a “library,” complete with due date slips and a check-out stamp. I also essentially lived in the fairy-tale section of the public library, to the extent that I would know when a new book arrived. It is somewhat wild, therefore, that it took me this long to pen a fairy-tale novel. Prince of Chandeliers was released last November, over a decade after I became a published author.

A little more about me . . . 

I fancy myself a bard and dream of one day reciting Sonnet 116 on a balcony. I also have a childlike spirit that still revels in swings and the “little” joys. Speaking of which, when I was a kid, I pretended that I could travel back in time by closing my eyes and spinning around with thyme in my hand à la Edward Eager’s The Time Garden. (And, no, it sadly did not work. 😉 )  

I delight in the poetic riddles of the sea (“Marinello” means “Little Sailor”), whimsical butterflies that seem as if they are from another realm, and enchanting rose arches that resemble portals to faerieland. However, I also enjoy making cheese piles while speaking in my own top-secret language and effervescently twirling in a sparkly pink world. I live in Southern California with my husband, where I am at work on a companion novel to Prince of Chandeliers, as well as a short story collection.

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Which Prince of Chandeliers Character Are You?

For the first activity, step into the book world and find out which character in Prince of Chandeliers you most resemble! Are you Princess Linetta, Prince Daethys, or Cornelius, the shapeshifting court jester? Answer these twelve questions to find out!

As for the rest of the cast, you’ll just have to read the book to learn more. 😉

If you’d like, share your results in the comments section on this page!

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Giveaway Sneak Peek

For today’s prize, I will be giving away one ebook copy of Prince of Chandeliers. 

Wisteria never forgets.

When Princess Linetta finds herself in the silver woods with no memory of the past four years, she comes upon an enchanted castle that appears to be composed entirely of chandeliers. Soon a captive within its walls, she is quickly swept into a world of riddles and magical fountains. As she begins to unravel the secrets of its mysterious owner and befriends the eccentric shapeshifting court jester, the truth behind her own history yet seems far from reach. When a malevolent force shifts the landscape that she has grown to know, will she find the courage to defend all she holds dear and preserve the forgotten riddle nearly lost to Time itself?

Set in a world reminiscent of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” Prince of Chandeliers is a story loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast and “East of the Sun and West of the Moon,” yet sprinkled with a dash of “Snow White” in a medley of other familiar stories, all the while spinning a new fairy tale of its very own.

What grabbed your attention the most in the synopsis or arrow graphic? Let me know in the comments section!

You will learn more about the giveaway soon. But, for now, let’s move on to the next activity!

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Crossword Puzzle 

Complete the crossword puzzle below! All answers connect to Prince of Chandeliers in some way. There is even one word that relates to the sweets theme of Once Upon 2026! No printing required; you can fill out the puzzle online.

For answers with two or more words, type _ to indicate a space. 

If you would like to see if you are on the right track, check off “Show errors” from the menu on the left.

Two answers appear twice in the crossword puzzle with interesting mathematical results.They also relate to key themes in the story, so give them some thought when you read Prince of Chandeliers. 🤔

Bonus Hint: For anyone still reading, here is an additional hint for Across #8 that does not appear in the crossword clue 😉 :

CHICKEN LEGS

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Core audience for Prince of Chandeliers?

Before we move on to the third activity in this party room, I thought that I would tell you a little more about Prince of Chandeliers.

Or, rather, a little more about potential readers of said tale.

For whom is this book, in the end? ✨💜

This fairy-tale novel may appeal not only to fans of fantasy but also the whimsical, the quirky, the poetic at heart, and the wonderstruck who find enchantment in the Beauty around them.

It’s a story for quiet thinkers and effervescent dreamers, for the shy and the outwardly expressive, for deeply emotional souls and twirling figures lost in laughter, for stargazers and jesters who are both silly and wise.

It’s for those who wish to read a very human story that nevertheless lives in a fantastical world that I hope will capture your imagination as it did mine.

💜✨ It’s for the wisteria people. ✨💜

Does that sound like you? Drop a comment with your thoughts!

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Jigsaw Puzzle

For the next activity, I have a jigsaw puzzle of my book cover for you all to complete! 

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Prince of Chandeliers Ebook Giveaway:

The giveaway will close in two days on February 28. I recommend entering now since it’s easy to forget later. Best of luck! 

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Keep In Touch

Thank you so much for joining us for this year’s fairy-tale celebration! Hope you had fun hanging out in my story world. Let me know your favorite activity from this party room in the comments section! 

You can keep in touch by following my social media pages and signing up for my newsletter. I have also included a direct Amazon link to Prince of Chandeliers below.

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