I'll raise you one "Calvin and Hobbes"! Ka-pow! #kapow #archieandjughead #calvinandhobbes #garfield #heathcliff #strangeplanet #fairytail #deathnote #spiderman #blackpanther

Pitch your book poorly, share your cover, and tag another indie: In her purse, Neda carries everything any romance writer needs: a notebook, a pen, and a handgun. Tagging @mlmoosauthor

People talk about how bad Beauty and the Beast is bc it (allegedly) teaches girls they can change an abusive man - and I agree that this is often a serious problem irl. But I want ppl to notice that - in addition to the story not really being about what it’s “about” (because all of these fairy tales and even their Disney re-writes are RICH in symbolism so old that it can be viscerally felt even for people who aren’t watching/reading with intention to look for it) - Belle doesn’t try to change Gaston. And indeed, it’s obvious that he wouldn’t have changed. Someone in my comments noted that Gaston had major DV vibes and I 1000% agree. It’s obvious that if he had managed to marry Belle, she would have been harshly subjugated and abused. And Belle doesn’t start out trying to change Beast. Beast himself independently realizes he needs to change. He humbly (though grouchily) listens to his friends. Even more humble when you remember that his friends are also his subjects. He places himself beneath them by following their advice and directions about how to become a much better version of himself. This is more true to life than critics want to admit. No, you can’t force someone to change. Even a love interest can’t change someone who doesn’t want to change. But people can and do change when they make that decision for themselves. Belle doesn’t start to come around until this is proven to her. Ultimately, she has to see him let her go at great personal cost. That’s… actually really appropriate and correct 🤷🏻‍♀️