Marmees or lack thereof

As I submerge myself in YA fiction--and even in a lot of adult fiction as well--I can't help but notice there is a lack of parental focus. Either the parent has died, absent from the YA's life in some way, or is a complete jerk. I know not everyone is blessed with the same fabulous parents and sister I have, but it makes me sad to see such underdeveloped characters in YA, and like I said sometimes in even regular fiction. Even though I'm traveling the road of adulthood and live two hours away, (or I will again this fall) my parents still play a such role in my life.

I get texts from my dad every week, and whenever I start to panic, I immediatly call my mom. Their advice is important to me along with their respect. While they don't govern me, their opinion still does matter. However, I'm noticing a lot of YA MCs just don't care about their parents.

 I've always loved the character Marmee in Little Women. While she is somewhat of a saintly figure, she is always giving the girls advice and helps guide them through their journeys. Sadly, I haven't seen a lot of characters like her in popular fiction aside from Mrs. Weasley in the Harry Potter series. She was also more spunky then Mrs. March, but I still loved her.

Dads are also another character--and important figure in their daughter's lives--who are often overlooked. Even the good ones--like Bella's dad in the Twilight--come across as "bad" because they are being over-protective. Frankly, I wouldn't want my daughter to marry a 100+ year old vampire or have his child which could fatally harm her, but I digress.

I would like to see more strong relationships between MCs and their parents. The mom or dad don't have to be perfect, but just real. They can offer their advice, give their opinion, and even show general concern for their child without being "typical, jerk dad/mom."

Why do you think we don't see alot of good parental figures in YA any more?

Draco Malfoy in Leather Pants

So I can't even remember how I came across this phrase, but apparently it refers to a bad boy gone good. Fangirls take a normally sadistic villian--like Mr. Malfoy--and twist him into a good guy.

I don't read any fanfiction, but as most of you know, my story that I'm working on is a retelling of the classic, Beauty and the Beast. In that story, as you all know, there is a spoiled prince who gets what is coming to him and is turned into the monster. The only way he can be freed is to be loved by another.

Draco Malfoy, as they saw in A Very Potter Musical, is a little shit.

However, he's not the worst of the Harry Potter Villians. Personally, if I had a chance to take one out, it would be Umbridge, but I digress. I feel like at the end of the Harry Potter series that Draco has changed. He's seen the error of the ways and maybe even feels terrible for joining in with the Death Eaters. He was taught from an early age to hate and fear muggles and mudbloods and sadly had a crappy father that he looked up to.

I see a lot of similarities between my Beast--another spoiled rich kid--and Draco. Both grow up in societies where racism is tolerated, even expected, yet they come out on the other side. However, can people really change? Food for thought.

I'm a firm believer that people can change for the better, but it has to come from within. I was very careful in showing that Jesse/Beast changed on his own. He saw the error of his ways and what he needed to do to fix his situation. Perhaps Draco did as well.

Anyways, I'm just afraid people will think I took this terrible guy and made him into Prince Charming.

Harry Potter/Gone with the Wind reference for your viewing pleasure.

 

Where do I go from here?

So I know I have to do tons and tons of editing on Belle and the Beast so that should keep me occupied for awhile. However, I also want to work on another story. I just don't know which one?

I have an idea on a retelling of The Little Mermaid that's fully fleshed out. I just don't get excited about it like I was about Belle and the Beast. I've heard the time period I want to sell it in--Civil War/Victorian--isn't selling well which makes me really sad. (I would have thought that would be selling like hot cakes because it's the 150 anniversary). Anywho, I also have an idea on a retelling of the famous Legend of Sleepy Hollow. But it's just a faint sketch.

*Sigh* I'm rather unsure of what to do next. I really wanted to take advantage of the week I have off in July and write at the beach.

Any thoughts or helpful advice?

Up on AW

Okay, so I posted the first scene up on AW under Young Adult SYW. Maybe someone will take a look at it. :D Happy writing to all.

Finished!

So after three months and 5 days, I finished Belle and the Beast!

I've finished other WIP before, but I think--and I hope--this one might be the one.

I was listening to Far Longer Than Forever from the Swan Princess--maybe some of you will remember that movie--while I was typing up the final scene, and I couldn't help but smile. I feel rather accomplished and I hope this is only the beginning of better things to come.

Maybe one day I will see my work up on Amazon or even in a Barnes and Noble store (if there are any left when this gets published.) I know I have a long road to go before I even consider an agent and have lots of editing to do, but I can tell this is going to be an exciting journey.

Here's to dreaming.

Almost There

(Yet another Disney reference, I know I'm a bit obsessed.)

Anyway, I'm very close to completeing Belle and the Beast. I have to finish the ending and add in a couple more scenes, but for the most part I'm almost done!

Which is great, but also sad.

As Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories, it will be sad to leave these characters. I mean I have a long way to go before I get this published and I'll have more time to work with them, but when they are out in the world, I shall miss them.

I've been writing for a while, and I've never had this happen. I'm going to take it as I'm growing as a writer and am making my characters stronger. I hope it will be recieved well and am excited--but also nervous--about submitting my work to AW. I know I need to and the people on those boards are great, but also very honest. Which can be good, and then not so good. I know my opening scene needs work desperatly so it will be a couple of days before I post on there, but I'll let ya'll know when I do.

I hope everyone else's summer is going well. There have been a few bumps in the road in mine, but for the most part I'm pulling through. However, I'm looking forward to school in the fall.

Bye for now and happy writing everbody!

Happily Ever Afters?

So I’m nearing the end of my WIP, Belle and the Beast. I was pretty sure I had the ending worked out where the Beast was transformed back into a man after being shot by an angry mob. He and Belle were going to move to Philadelphia to work as abolitionists while the Beast’s former slaves were set free.

Perhaps it had a little bit of a Disney-type happily ever after, but I was nonetheless pleased with it.  

Then I went on my walk. As I was listening to the soundtrack to Disney's Beauty and the Beast, I was thinking again about my own ending to this "tale as old as time." It hit me that my ending might just be too perfect. All of the good-guys get to live happily ever after. The Beast is transformed, Belle gets to go back up North, and some slaves get a shot at freedom. What's not to love, right?

I am beginning to think that my ending is too perfect. It's too much like a children's cartoon, and the thought is scaring me.

I don't want to kill anyone off.

I love a lot of my characters and don't want them to die. I have Walter, Phoebe, and Mariah, a slave family who was once owned by the Beast. I don't want to break the family apart by killing off Walter or Phoebe as I can't bring myself to kill off a little girl.

Then I thought about killing off another slave, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Alot of Young Adult Fiction seems to have Happily Ever Afters. The books that I've read that aren't a part of a trilogy usually have everyone living and fulfilling their dreams.

So what do you think I should do and what do you think of Happily Ever Afters?