Holly Bellebuono
Accredited Herbal Medicine School
Coaching for Writers & Authors
+ Global Travel & Retreats
Holly Bellebuono's Newest Book:
Once Upon A Place: Forests, Caverns, & Other Places of Transformation in Myths, Fairy Tales, and Film
Foreword by Dr. Jack Zipes
Illustrations by Sveta Dorosheva
Available in print (Llewellyn Worldwide)
and audiobook (Tantor Media)
2025
Author Holly Bellebuono's 8th book is a transcendent look at philosophy and adventure that digs for answers to descent-and-resurrection, epiphany, and the secrets of personal transformation hidden deep within fairy tales and myths from around the world.
Print book: Llewellyn Worldwide Publishers
Audiobook: Tantor Media
Once Upon A Place: Forests, Caverns and Other Places of Transformation in Myths, Fairy Tales, and Film
Author Holly Bellebuono raises the bar for understanding transformation by introducing a story’s extraordinary locations.
Especially in quests and adventures, the location is where the action happens and where the hero finds their grit. Inspired by the descent-and-resurrection journey of the humble seed, Bellebuono explores the deepest, darkest places where heroes go as they seek enlightenment.
Hundreds of quests and adventures told over time rely on 5 locations for the pivotal places of transformation. Here, we’ll dive into the Cavern, Deep, Vessel, Forest, and Labyrinth, and especially uncover the mighty symbols of change such as Chaos, Void, Beast, and Guide in what Holly calls the “World Journey.”
Once Upon a Place unpacks dozens of colorful world stories to see how imagery and location drive the adventure and position the Hero to become a stronger person.
Especially useful for writers and authors (and available as a curriculum extension for colleges and universities), Once Upon a Place grounds writers in the setting of their stories, providing a tangible yet metaphorical PLACE where action happens, especially for epic journeys, adventures, and poetic transformations.
Dive into Once Upon a Place for stories of rebirth, renewal, and revolutionary self-growth.
"Holly Bellebuono‘s book is a real adventure, which offers hope that storytelling can do more than amuse us but also indicate ways to live with compassion and courage."
-Dr. Jack Zipes, University of Minnesota
"A truly transcendent experience!"
-Ember Grant, Mythology for a Magical Life
Who is this book for?
You'll love this book if:
or you appreciate history, literature, mythology, stories, film, or theater, or you're a writer or author
you are a fiction writer or author seeking ways to enhance SETTING in your stories
or you're a student of fairy tales, imagery, fantasy, epics, journeys, or film
15 adaptations of world stories
Once Upon a Place features adaptations of 15 quest/adventure/transformation stories from around the world, including Ireland, Germany, Wales, Switzerland, Russia, Ethiopia, Greece, Britain, Pueblo/Creek, as well as Ancient Sumer, Babylon, and Norse.
The book features dozens of modern films, showcasing that cinema is the newest form of storytelling that harkens back to ancient rites of passage and quests for personal growth.
Core Concepts of Change
To truly dive into the locations of transformation in myth, fairy tale and film, we must explore the core dualities without which we would be lost:
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Descent & Resurrection
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Chaos & Void
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The Beast & The Guide
This book does not shy away from both the ugliness and the beauty of personal change. Once Upon A Place explores the effects of each of these dualities and how they shape our future paths.
Failure & Success on the World Journey
A quest is all about survival. In this book, stories inform us about what it means to find one's self and return home a stronger person. But what about when it doesn't work? Once Upon A Place explores the rare stories that show how failure in myths, tales and film are lessons that help us understand how our own choices affect our real lives.
Book Group Ready
Once Upon A Place includes a comprehensive list of suggested questions and provocative topics to guide discussion in book groups. Explore ideas of epiphany and creativity, the natural world, guides and mentorship, art and symbolism, as well as helping readers move the needle on personal goals, challenges, and aspirations.
"A must for any college library."
-Susanne Evens, Indiana University
"Personal, transformative, and genuine. Recommended."
-Anne Newkirk Niven, SageWoman Magazine
Foreword by Jack Zipes
The Foreword
Holly is honored that esteemed literary scholar, author, and fairy tale professor Jack Zipes, PhD contributed the foreword to Once Upon A Place. Dr. Zipes is Professor Emeritus in the Department of German, Nordic, Slavic and Dutch at the University of Minnesota, and is a world renowned expert on the Brothers Grimm, the cultural significance of stories and literature, and author of 69 books. He is a fellow of the American Folklore Society, a Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship awardee, with many other honors.
In his foreword, Dr. Zipes writes, "Holly Bellebuono’s remarkable book, Once Upon a Place, rediscovers the essence of myths, fairy tales, and films by connecting them to our basic wishes, needs, and struggles ... Her book is not just a work to read and enjoy, but to act upon in our daily lives. In short, Holly Bellebuono‘s book is a real adventure, which offers hope that storytelling can do more than amuse us but also indicate ways to live with compassion and courage."
"Elaborate and refreshing."
-Lata Chettri-Kennedy, Flower Power Herbs
"Mystical and marvelous."
-Carol Bedrosian, Spirit of Change Magazine
Book Holly to Speak
Themes for Once Upon A Place include personal transformation, growth, storytelling, literature, history, writing, mythic imagery, creativity, enlightenment, the hero's journey, feminism through stories and the heroine, the natural world, failure and success, spirituality, and mentorship
For university courses and use as a textbook: contact: Liz Stewart, lizs@llewellyn.com
For book groups, clubs, and associations, contact: Liz Stewart, lizs@llewellyn.com
Product details
Publisher : Llewellyn Publications (March 8, 2025)
Language : English
Paperback : 264 pages
ISBN-10 : 0738779377
ISBN-13 : 978-0738779379
Item Weight : 1.11 pounds