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Writing Around Disney World 2020: Epcot Festival of the Arts
Being a Disney Cast Member comes with many, many perks. Among them is access to the theme parks for most of the year. In 2020, I’m making the most of this privilege by organizing writing retreats for myself around the Walt Disney World Resort. Just a couple of days before Christmas, I visited the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, and I fashioned for myself one of my all-time favorite Disney trips I’ve ever had. This particular outing was something of a gift to myself. I knew I wouldn’t be able to visit and celebrate the season with my family, what with work and all, and my boyfriend had already…
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Scheherazade Reincarnated: Why I Write Historical Fiction
You may recognize the painting. It’s Ferdinand Keller’s Scheherazade and Sultan Schariar. You will almost certainly recognize the story—or, rather, stories—behind the subjects of the work. When people ask me why I picked this image to wallpaper all over my website, I ask if they’ve seen the 1992 Disney animated classic Aladdin. Most of the time, the answer is yes. Even if it isn’t, I’ll sing the first few lyrics from one of the Genie’s songs and watch their eyes light up with recognition. The second line in “Friend Like Me” from Disney’s Aladdin alludes to one of the most well-known frame narratives ever. It revolves around a young woman…
