Every since my first day of grade...9, yes, grade 9, I've known I wanted to be a writer. On my very first day of Grade 9, our homeroom teacher, who was also vice principal of the school, was also our English teacher. He asked us on that first day to write out a little index card of information about ourselves so that he could learn about us.
Now, this teacher, for whatever reason, was one of those people that a lot of people were a little intimidated by. Everyone else disliked him.
We had no idea that we were going to be somehow judged by how those index cards were written. I have no idea what I wrote. Who knows. Probably some boring dribble about my cat or something...
What I do remember, is when this teacher went on to announce, to the entire class, that my index card was the only card in the entire class that had no errors on it. Not one.
From that moment on, I was in his good books. And believe me when I say that even though I was not always the best behaved, and like any pre-teen girl I had a little, slight attitude. (Shush, mom, it was only a little attitude). But I could do no wrong in his class. If I was talking to someone, it was the other students fault. If my homework wasn't done, it was probably because I was doing something important like writing a thesis.
Ok, maybe not quite that extreme, but I was pretty awesome in Mr. Street's eyes.
I mean, finally someone had recognized that.
And that is what peaked my interest towards writing. I have always known that someday I would write something, even if it was a book that no one else would ever read. I love to write, and if the opportunity presented itself to write for a living, then hells yah, I'd be all over that.
Well said, right?
So, about a year ago, I was thinking about the Harry Potter series. I have not yet read the books, Chase and I are going to read them together, and we've started a couple of times, but that first book is so slow starting off. But eventually we'll read them.
So I was thinking about the series, and how bloody brilliant that series is. Appealing to a massive audience of both girls and boys, children that grew up along with Daniel Radcliff's character....ummm...what's his name again? Henry..? Harold? Oh, right, Harry.
Brilliant. But it is a great idea, bring in the boys with the action, magic, wizards and monsters or whatever it's all about. Then bring in the girls by introducing a few other female characters into the mix, and of course appealing to their own sense of adventure with the magic, wizards and monsters. Or whatever.
So I started thinking about writing a story idea that appeals primarily to girls in a way that is not so Disney-Princess (and for the record, I have no problem with Disney Princesses, I loved Ariel and Belle, and now my daughter loves that shit). But girls should have a series like this, with an adventurer that is female, strong, brave and smart. A good adventure series that of course is not "for girls" because I don't believe in that, but maybe aimed to include typical girlie-girls (like my own girlie-girl) while being appealing to all audiences. Seems to me that stories that include princesses seem to be about falling in love and finding prince charming. I wanted to write something that was not about that stuff, but more about adventure and exploring, and friendships. More like Lord of the Rings for kids. But less, like, evil.
So I sat down one night and I started writing this book. I worked for about a week on his beautiful book, and it was turning into exactly what I was looking for. It was a beautiful story of these little nymph's living in a field. I won't give away too much, but there was going to be a big beautiful adventure and since nymph's are tiny (you knew that, of course, right?) it was going to be really cool with like, giant strawberries and mushroom toadstools, and fireflies, etc.
So I took a break from my book one night, and we went off to a movie with the kids. I was feeling really good about my writing and I was excited to get back at it. I forget the movie we were going to see. Doesn't matter. During the previews, I saw something that made me literally sick to my stomach in dread.
Honestly, I nearly cried in the theater.
It was heart wrenching.
This.
It was a preview for the movie Epic.
I thought I might vomit on the theater floor.
Darren very carefully (wisely) looked over at me to see me with my jaw set, my eyes dead, and probably a tear or two.
I couldn't believe it. It was so much like my story, except mine was better!!!
Damn you, movie-making-big-shot-company-jerks.
Anyways.....I'll get back to my book eventually. I'll change it from nymphs in a meadow to astronauts in the milkyway or something. It won't be the same, but I'll make it work.
But I have not been able to watch Epic yet. I can'y bring myself to, not even for research.
And Really?! Who names a movie Epic.
Come on, Man.
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