It’s happened, and I’m at a loss.
One of my novel-length projects refuses to cooperate no matter what I do (or don’t do). It hates my plot ideas. So I tell it to come up with its own idea. Then it sits there and doesn’t talk to me.
Help?
I feel like the answer is “walk away for a few days.” Problem is, I just walked away for a week, and I’ve still got nothing. What’s the next step? Is it time to get the pitchfork out and make threatening gestures?
Suggestions welcome.
Many thanks!
[IMDB blurb = non-existent]
Yes, believe it or not, this was a thing. It was a thing I owned on VHS (you know, those things that are now practically in museums). It was a thing I enjoyed watching, though now I don’t remember as much of it as I once did. So far as memory serves, there were two mini stories. One was about a bird that the beast wanted as a personal music-provider. The other included conflict between Lumiere and a chandelier (that may have been named Chandeleera) over providing light.
Lots of providing.
Well, friends provide and compromise and such. And the entire point of these two shorts was to teach friendship lessons. I’m sure they did. Just don’t ask me to say exactly what they were.
If anyone was wondering, these had none of the original actors. I’m not sure I knew that at the time (at least not for all the characters). If there’s one thing Disney is usually great at, it’s providing replacement actors that sound similar to the originals.
And finally, related to this, does anyone remember the live-action Belle’s story time show that was on the Disney channel a while ago? It reminded me of Out of the Box.
Because why not?
Also, yes, this show partially inspired the name of this blog.
Writer’s Lockbox
Side novellas are a big thing right now, especially in ya. Take almost any popular ya series and look for the “.5”s—the stories between stories, often from different characters’ perspectives.
Belle’s Tales of Friendship is like the .5 novella before .5 novellas were a thing. Regardless, .5s need to be relevant to the main books, stories in their own right, and, perhaps most importantly, not repeated in one of the main novels. They shouldn’t be necessary to the main storyline because not everyone will read them.
Take this information and run with it (not into oncoming traffic, please).
Last week: Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
And join me next week for The Black Cauldron.
Thanks for reading.
Mary
@desantismt on Twitter
-Kit ‘N Kabookle
My book blog
Hello folks,
Two weeks it was working on thesis. Last week the thesis was due. This week I have a giant paper of doom.
As this title says, no breaks here.
Hopefully this will be the last week of nonsense blog posts about my life being busy for a while. Contrary to how I’m feeling now, I really do enjoy exploring writing and other stuff on here.
Saturday will be up and running, though. So I’ll see you then.
Cheers
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
IMDB Blurb Belle prepares the castle for Christmas against Beast's wishes, trying to bring him happiness for the season. Forte, a pipe organ, fears that Belle's plans may eventually bring about an end to the curse... the curse that brought him more importance in the Master's life. Forte uses Fife, a flute who desperately wants a solo, to destroy Belle's plans and get rid of her.
K, I have not seen this movie in a very long time. That said, I remember parts, so here goes.
All the original, awesome voices were back (except Chip—kids and such), and we even added some new, talented faces. Forte is played by the amazing Tim Curry, who has been in so many movies/TV shows I love that I can’t even count.
-Muppet Treasure Island
-The Wild Thornberrys
-Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost
-Disney’s Gargoyles
-Spamalot (the Broadway version of Monty Python’s Holy Grail)
There are more, but those are the big ones.
Bernadette Peters also makes an appearance as the Christmas angel…Angelique (more original naming here. Cogsworth the clock, Mrs. Potts the teapot….) Anyway, Angelique seems like a perfect name for a character voiced by dear Bernadette. Now, I have no problem with Ms. Peters. Her singing voice drives me a bit nuts, but she can also deliver quite the beautiful song. Behold.
That’s just lovely, and the harmonies with Paige O’Hara only make it better.
Randomly, I wanted more time with the prince in human form. I can’t help it. I’m a sucker for guys with long hair, and he had long hair. I’m also torn, though, because I have no idea what kind of plot would revolve around Belle and Prince Adam (apparently that’s his name) as a human. Much as I love his hair, I don’t want a nonsense movie for the sake of it.
All in all, this is a touching story about Christmas, the meaning of family, and home. It begins with everyone as humans and Mrs. Potts telling the story. According to her, this takes place after Beast rescues Belle from the wolves (that he only had to rescue her from because he went all…
Yes, I just wanted an excuse to use that graphic again). Still, it’s a fun movie, and I need to hunt down a copy and watch it sometime.
Bonus Points: The Broadway musical of the original movie I forgot to mention two weeks ago
The original actress who played Belle (Susan Egan) is the voice of Meg in Hercules and the singing voice of Angel in Lady and the Tramp II.
Carry on.
Writer’s Lockbox
“The missing years.”
When inserting events into an already-told story, make certain they fit both logically and time wise. This story works where Mrs. Potts says it fits. That was winter in the original movie, and the entirety of Enchanted Christmas takes place (unsurprisingly) during winter.
Last time: Beauty and the Beast
And join me next week for Belle’s Magical Tales of Friendship (yes, that was a real thing).
Thanks for reading.
Mary
@desantismt on Twitter
-Kit ‘N Kabookle
My book blog
Yes, you read that post title correctly. I passed in my thesis!
Final specs:
Pages: 384
Words: 101,101 (no, I did not cheat to get that number. Cross my heart)
Chapters: 31
POVs: 3
Body Count: 5 named characters, lots of unnamed ones
Tears shed throughout process: too many to count
Total of cut words: I have no idea, and I cannot count right now. I will, though. And I’ll report when I get there. I’m very curious. Heh
So now I wait for overall feedback and the final verdict. Part of me wants to hide under the bed. The other part thinks that’s silly. And then there’s a small part that thinks I should be dancing on the roof…except I’m just too freaking tired.
K, signing off for a day of doing nothing, and I do mean nothing.
CheersThanks for reading.
Mary
@desantismt on Twitter
-Kit ‘N Kabookle
My book blog
Same deal as Wednesday. Thesis is due Tuesday. I will pick up with Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas next week.
Cheers
The title says it all, folks.
It’s been two and a half years of blood, sweat, and tears (well, maybe not blood, but you get the idea). Finally, the moment of truth is upon us. My thesis is due next Tuesday.
Wish me luck as I get into my final week of making sure every little thing is as perfect as it can possibly be. (NOTE: I overused the word “possible” in the manuscript. This has been fixed.)
Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s back to the writing cave.
Cheers
