I am a native Texan, a Francophile, a writer, a reader, and a(n aspiring) traveler. I have a lifelong fascination with pirates, reading and writing, watching movies, and discovering new music.
For years I only read and wrote fantasy (favorite books and series include The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, and the Tawny Man and Farseer by Robin Hobb). My creative writing courses in undergrad and in grad school forced me to write more realistic “literary” fiction–and I’m so glad for that. Much of my writing on this blog leans towards the fantastic, as it is still one of the most fun things for me to write.
If you’re not sure where to start—-the tabs above will lead you to ongoing serial stories, flash fiction challenges that are usually stand-alone pieces, and the 100-word bites of fun from Friday Fictioneers.
The title of this blog, Vers Les Etoiles means “to the stars” in French and comes from a song from the musical Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame). The blog address is shortened from “second star on the right” which is loosely part of the directions to Neverland that Peter Pan tells Wendy. It is a combination of my love of France, fiction, literature, writing, and language, with other things scattered in between.
© Hannah Sears and Vers Les Etoiles, 2012-2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Hannah Sears and Vers Les Etoiles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Vers Les Etoiles 
Have you ever read “Le Petit Prince”? I was in a local stage version (in English) and played The Fox. French works are so quotable.
I always loved the Fox’s line “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.”
I love anything to do with Neverland! I always envisioned doing a sort of spinoff similar to the Wizard of Oz’s “Wicked” spinoff that’s become so popular.
We seem to have many similar loves 🙂
Yes! I have read le Petit Prince and I really need to read it again. I was still in the phase where I wanted EVERYTHING to have a happy ending, so I think I let that cloud my judgement. Looking back I like it so much more than I did when I read it. And that is one of my favorite lines!
It’s beautiful in French: ” Il est très simple: on ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.”
Translation: It is very simple: we can only see well/rightly with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes.
I finally read Peter Pan by JM Barrie and I really liked it. Another thing to add to my re-read list! Also, the movie Finding Neverland…one of my favorites!
I’m so glad to find we have so much in common!
That is nice. I was a German and Latin student in school, so I’m not really familiar with the French language.
I have a bumper sticker on my car in Latin that’s about foxes (not from The Little Prince though). It says “vulpem pilum mutat, non mores” (a fox may change its hair, not its tricks). Foxes have stuck with me, obviously 😉
I loved Barrie’s concept of the thimble. I always thought it was such a romantic idea for young and innocent love’s kiss.
I always wish I knew Latin, it is such a cool language–and of course the basis for the romance languages. I have always liked foxes myself, and I like your fox tattoo!
Ah the thimble! Such a brilliant move by Barrie. I actually liked that Peter was kind of….an a-hole. It makes sense but I was taken aback by it at first and wasn’t sure how I felt about it. My view was tainted by the Disney version, of course.
Haha. Yes. Disney seems to de-ahole-ify a lot of fairy tale characters. Eric in “The Little Mermaid” was a complete dick in the original version.
Well..kids shows and all…silly Disney. I have never read (seen?) the original Little Mermaid story! Where can I find it?
Hmm…I’m trying to remember the origin. It isn’t a Grimm one. I read it during my teen years in a compilation of something like what like “Not Your Child’s Fairy Tales” I think. Something similar.
I’ll see if I can dig it up for you. I’m a book hoarder, so I know I still have it somewhere 😉
FYI, it’s suuuuper sad. The mermaid commits suicide in the end because Eric is a super dick (he ends up hooking up with the Sea Witch’s sexy form, unlike in the movie).
I can always google it! I need to read the Grimm’s version of the fairy tales at some point too. Ah that is so sad! But I have always felt like mermaids were kind of melancholy creatures…or downright evil in certain stories
This sounds great! Hope the MFA is working out. Love – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and The Road by Cormack McCarthy 😉
Thank you! I won’t start school until September but I am looking forward to it! I actually never had to read Jane Eyre in high school OR undergrad, which was probably a lucky thing, so I decided it was a “must read” classic. I’m trying to get into The Blood Meridian series by McCarthy but…so many other things!
I am very much enjoying what I’m reading here. If you are a Francophone, you might get a chuckle out of the story of my trip to Montreal: Couche-Tard and the Jumping Asians http://wp.me/p3hJV8-2H — it’s also a starting point for reading…
I will read as fast as my little fingers and this blasted mouse can scroll! You certainly are the cure for the doldrums of the office today!
Dearest Hannah, I do hope you don’t mind, but I came across a story that (alas!) I cannot lay claim to, but thought be right up your alley, so I thought I’d share it with you. It is a bit long, but well worth it, I believe. Perhaps your readers might enjoy it as well. It’s a sickly-sweet tale called “How I Met Your Father”: http://weltschmerzcollection.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/how-i-met-your-father/
If you like it, do pass on my love to the writer, he has quite a few other pieces I enjoy as well.
You know me so well already! I quite enjoyed “How I Met Your Father” and am currently perusing the rest of his writing! Shudder-inducing writing at its finest.
A lot of deliciously depressing poetry, too, if your psyche can tolerate that kind of thing!
Hello Hannah, fellow Francophile! What an interesting blog you have here 🙂 I wrote a piece recently about my favourite Frenchman Erik Satie http://wp.me/p3cF9o-eg maybe you’ve heard of him? If you get a spare moment you might enjoy it! xx
Jill–thank you so much for stopping by, always pleased to meet another Francophile. I will definitely check out your post!
Ooooh, I’ll be interested to hear how your journey at Emerson goes. I’ve been wanting to do my masters in creative nonfiction for a while now…. Lovely blog!
Thank you, I’m excited about it! I will definitely be updating the blog on my adventures. Thanks for stopping by!
I’ll be back by again! I’m excited for you, too! 🙂
Wanderer,
A francophile? Enchanté.
Et au plaisir de te lire.
Le Clown
Merci, le Clown.
J’espere que tu aimeras ce que tu lis.
Mon dieu, mon francais est tres “rusty.”
Wanderer,
J’ai vu pire, t’inquiète.
Le Clown
Hey, thanks for checking out What Fresh Hell — hope you liked it (I mean, I know you Liked it, but I hope you enjoyed it)
I both “liked” and enjoyed it! I’ve read a few installments and can’t wait to read them all. I hate to like and run but my pesky job got in the way!
I like the sound of it 🙂
I’m glad to hear it 🙂
Greetings from a french speaking Belgian!
I just discovered your place, and I’m very curious of what I will find here.
🙂
Glad you stopped by!
I have to say I love the juxtaposition of your header photo – the beautiful rose – and the story title, “Tweakers – A Zombie Tale” up in the corner. It’s good to have a little cognitive dissonance with my coffee in the morning. 🙂
I actually never noticed that! Sharp eye 🙂
Hi Wanderer. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Best. Dave
Hi Dave, thank you SO much for the award nomination! I apologize for never responding to this–it’s been a busy month. I will do my best to do the award requirements as soon as possible!
Hi Wanderer.
No pressure. It just seems like a fun way to spread the word about interesting blogs and connect with others.
I hope your writing is going well mate!
Dave
It certainly is, Dave! And I definitely need to find some new blogs to read and connect with some other bloggers.
It’s going–here and there. Hope everything is well with you!
Hannah
Great minds think alike! I also nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award (along with Dave!). I was out of town when my post went live, but you can read more about it here: http://erinmjustice.com/2014/02/14/feelin-the-blog-love-versatile-blogger-award/
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much! I will check out your post and do my best to get my part done!
You have a good blog
I enjoyed my brief visit to your blog:-) I loved the title, as I too adore the french language, though it’s not my mother tongue. I can make myself understood and can read ‘Le Petit Prince’ in French, but I’m by no means fluent. Didn’t have much time today, but I’ll be back:-) Blessings, Harula xxx
A fellow Bostonian 🙂 Nice to meet you! Lovely writing.
Thanks so much! Glad to have you reading along!
Love the Peter Pan reference. I’m currently looking for the quote where Wendy looks into the eye of Captain James Hook but the internet is being most unhelpful…
Thank you! I’ve been meaning to re-read it myself for a while. I’m drawing a blank as well…but I’m fairly certain the book is available free online through Project Gutenburg
Looking forward to reading your blog!
Thank you so much!
Hi! I’m french, my blog is new.. Your blog seems like interresting! It’s nice to see you like french language. 🙂 In my childhood, my mother read me “le petit prince”. Such a beautiful story…
Hello! So glad you found the blog, I hope you find some things you like. I need to go back and re-read it outside of a classroom setting–it is a beautiful tale.
Bonjour,
Brao pour ce blog, divers et fourni ! Et merci pour l’affection que vous avez pour mon pays. Puisque vous êtes du sud et puisque vous aimez la France, vous serez peut-être intéressée par un texte que j’ai commis sur William Faulkner et qui s’appelle “Rowan Oak”, si toutefois vous avez le courage de le lire en français :
https://litteratureetphilosophie.wordpress.com/2015/03/03/rowan-oak/
Bonne continuation !
Bravo (au lieu de brao)
Merci beaucoup pour visiter mon blog! Je dois lire William Faulkner (en Anglais) parce que tous me disent que ses livres sont très bonnes. A ce moment j’essaie de lire les livres un peu plus faciles en français comme Harry Potter–peut être un jour je peux lire les écrivains comme Faulkner en français!
Thank you so much for your effort in writing in french! It’s very kind of you and I’m glad to notice that you are fluent! (I hope my english is not rubbish…)
I didn’t exactly meant that you should read Faulkner in french, but I wanted to invite you to read what I wrote about him on my blog… I posted an excerpt of a fiction called « Rowan Oak », from the name of his house.
By the way, if you like to read in french, you might read, for instance, Marcel Pagnol!
Here is a short movie inspired by one of his texts:
I believe he has got a style very pure, simple, and his writings are often very funny. Or why don’t you try some poetry from Francis Jammes?
It’s good for me to practice–and your English is very clear! Sorry if my reply was confusing. At first I thought you said I should read Faulkner, but then realized you meant to direct me to the post on your blog. I meant to say that haven’t read Faulkner in English, but that I’ve been told I should. I enjoyed your post Rowan Oak–I did have to look up some of the words. I will check out Marcel Pagnol and Francis James. I’ve heard of Pagnol, but I’m not sure if I’ve read any of his work.
Thank you! And it’s not your fault: your reply was clear… I hope you will have the opportunity to read a couple of books by Pagnol!^^ Let me know if you do so!
Hi
your blog looks so cool.I bet you’re an excellent writer.I’m a writer too,check out my blog ace5blog.wordpress.com
R.R
Thank you so much. I hope you have a chance to check out some of the stories.
I’m a fellow MFA candidate and an English instructor. I love reading other writer’s creative works and following their blogs. I look forward to reading more of your work. It’s inspirational to see other writers going for it…
Hello Hannah ! I just took a look on your blog and it’s great to see how much you love France and french language ! I am new on this, started my blog a few weeks ago. For sure I follow you !
Thank you, Audrey! Glad you found some things you like and welcome to the blogging world! It’s a lot of fun
Hey! I nominated you for the Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award! 😀
Yo! Just letting you know I challenged you! https://ramblesandstories.wordpress.com/2015/06/10/the-free-style-writing-challenge/
Hello to you(s),
It is nice and refreshing to read a blog which is actually making efforts to reach out for people writing in other languages than English. Writing creatively and in non-English language means that platforms like WordPress can become a rather small world, rather quickly. Again, than you.
Nathan
Hi Nathan! I don’t often write in French, but I enjoy reading it. I agree that WordPress can often become very small and somewhat exclusive. Glad you found me and hope you find some writing you enjoy on the site!
Absolutely Awesome! Your blog is great. Keep up the great work! please Visit http://www.helloworldmagazine.com sometime, too. Thanks!
Bon voyage!
I love some of the photo-inspired pieces. Such a cool way to combine visual & narrative… And some of the images chosen give a great mental starting point for filling them with mystery!
Great photos. Love your blog. You have won over a new follower.
thelonelyauthorblog
Thank you! Not all of the photos are mine but they’re all lovely. Glad to have you!