It’s 4 o’clock in the morning, and I’m trying to polish a manuscript and do other things to prepare for the GRW Moonlight and Magnolias conference this weekend. What I need, a least for the moment, is a respite. What do I choose? The Secret Garden. The Secret Garden is a wonderful children’s story by Frances…
Some movies I love because they are romantic; some because they are thought-provoking; and some because of their outstanding production. The Painted Veil offers all three of these qualities in one beautiful, tidy package. Kitty is a happy-go-lucky party girl in the Roaring 20’s whose family fears she has missed her chance for a good marriage. She…
I took my own advice and focused the last few days on contacting those I care about and doing the things that I SHOULD be doing instead of just what I want to do (like writing!). Today I’m playing catch up so consider this a two-fer, talking about two of my favorite stories instead of…
Before they were Black Widow and Captain America, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans were co-stars in this little movie about a young woman right out of college who takes a job as a nanny for a very wealthy Manhattan family. Full of clichés and stereotypes, it is extremely satisfying for that very reason. Stereotype #1: Our…
I’m a sucker for a Cinderella story, and in this regard Stardust is extremely satisfying. Based on a book by Neil Gaimon, it is the story of Tristan (Charlie Cox), a boy too mild-mannered, soft-spoken and poor to win the heart of the love of his life, Victoria (Sienna Miller). She has pledged her allegiance to Humphrey, a…
