Hansel and Gretel
We all know the classic German Fable written in 1912 by the Brother’s Grimm. Over time it has been adapted in many ways. For this reason, I deemed this one of my favorite childhood stories. The main plot is that of a pair of siblings who get left in the woods by their mean stepmother and stumble upon a delicious house made of gingerbread and candies. Hungry and tired, they eat from the house until the owner, a seemingly kind old woman, catches them. She treats them well and feeds them until eventually she reveals her true intentions. She is an evil, child-eating witch. In many versions she tries to stuff them in the oven and gets pushed in herself and both children are saved however the original is much darker and poor Hansel is not so lucky. Learning about stranger danger was one thing I really took from this story growing up. I also loved re-telling this in a softer way to my youngest brother. I enjoy re-imagining old fairytales and this is one of the originals that I can remember from very early on. I cannot wait to re-tell it to my own children someday!
Law and Order: SVU
An invigorating show that starts out in the 90s in New York City follows the detectives of NYC’s special victim’s unit. Detectives Benson, Stabler, Tutuola, Munch, and others solve heinous crimes that center around sexual abuse. Growing up this would always be on the TV, especially if my Nana babysat. I knew the world was dangerous so I was not shocked by the content, however as I have grown my passion for protecting victims (especially children) from such crimes has increased. If I did not get so emotionally invested and could keep a clear head in the face of danger, I would have become a detective as this show has been one of my biggest influences in life. As for it's influence in my writing, the drama of the series is intense and heart-wrenching at times so I incorporate that emotion and passion into my own work.
NYX: Wannabe
NYX: Wannabe is the first in the 3-part NYX graphic novel series. The story follows the lives of homeless teenage mutants in New York City around the early 2000s. Kiden, Tatiana, Felon, and X-23 are all troubled mutants with heart-breaking backstories and fit ever-so slightly into the X-men universe as X-23 is supposedly a “clone” of Wolverine. Thus, why she sports two claws from each hand that come out in the face of danger. Kiden can speed and slow down time. Tatiana is a shapeshifter who can transform into any animal or human who’s blood she touches. Bobby Soul, also known as Felon, is able to project his consciousness into other individuals and control them. However, when he returns to his body, he suffers amnesia. He also takes care of his autistic mute little brother by himself. X-23 is considered the female Wolverine, with two claws on each hand and the ability to heal herself. She is a lost soul under the thumb of her abusive pimp. She self-harms and you can really feel how much pain these characters all experience. This is why I chose this because I understand what it is like to struggle, and I can sympathize with each character’s experiences. I have always enjoyed writing serious content, things that others can relate to, so these types of stories have a huge impact on my writing!
Coraline
Originally set in England, this early 2000s children’s book by Neil Gaiman became a cult classic animated film directed by Henry Selick. The movie tells a story about a Michigan family who moves into Pink Palace apartments, a multi family home in Oregon split into three floors. Coraline, the only daughter, is left to her own devices as her parents ignore her to work. She stumbles upon a bricked-up door behind the wallpaper, which she soon discovers is a portal to another world much like her own. Only, everything seems better and…everyone has buttons for eyes! A woman who bears a striking resemblance to her mother, lures her in with treats and gifts, but it is soon revealed the true intentions of this evil child-eating witch. I chose this because the book was a great read, Neil Gaiman was a common name in my house growing up so when the movie came out I was ecstatic! While there were apparent differences, the movie has so many fantastic visuals and the way it was re-written was beautifully done. I have watched this countless times and think a second movie is long overdue!
Adventure Time
1000 years after the Great Mushroom War, we meet our main characters Finn and Jake. They travel across the Land of Oo helping their friends and making unforgettable memories! The show starts out silly with episodes introducing other main characters such as Ice King, a misunderstood and troublesome ice wizard, Princess Bubblegum, princess of Candy Kingdom and a scientist who has lived 1000s of years, and Marceline the Vampire Queen, PB’s ancient lover with a wild backstory that is revealed throughout the seasons. Something that is valuable to take from this show is how important friendship is, and how important it is to care about people. This has always been a comfort show since it came out in 2010. I still watch it to this day. When I have my worst days I love re-watching older seasons when it was silly and light-hearted. I love the depth of the storyline as time went on. The later seasons tell a dark and interesting story of why the Mushroom War began and even shows us the future of our heroines as the show finally comes to an end. I would love to be part of a show like this. My goal is to write for Adult Swim/Cartoon Network. it is a big goal but shows like this have been inspirational for me to want to attain that goal. This show holds a special place in my heart, and I am so excited to show it to my future kids someday!