Author's comments on Eyes Closed, Heart Open:
I set out to write a different kind of story. I didn't want to follow any of the normal lines such as the famed "girl runs away from home to join the newsies and fall in love with one" or "rich girl meets and falls in love with poor newsie" or even "the newsies ten years later." I approached it more like literature than a small story. I wanted a well developed story line with a central theme and interesting characters. I must say that sometimes, I was more interested in character development than the actual story.
Anyway, it all started after watching Moulin Rouge for the millionth time. I was dazzle by the idea of the Paris nightclubs and the dancers that lived and worked in them. BANG! FLASH! IDEA! I decided that I would write a story about a chorus girl whom life had not been kind to. I didn't want her life to be as flashy or glamorous or as tragically dramatic as that of the characters in Moulin Rouge. I wanted her to be real. That was another of my primary goals: the story had to seem real. Believable. You had to feel like you knew the character. You had to experience the joy and the pain, to be torn between two equally tempting choices. To feel helpless and empowered. To know that you were a prisoner of your fate, but to be brave enough to do something about it.
I also wanted to have a central theme. After much thinking, I came up with one that could well define the story: money and the power it has on individuals. How it shapes our lives and our aspirations, and how it makes slaves and fools of us without us ever knowing. The summary in itself is a comment on this and also a play on words: We are all bound by our fortunes, and money makes slaves of us all.
Regarding the character, I'd have to say that Jo is, for the most part but not all, reflection of myself. I tend to write all of my leading ladies as reflections of aspects of my own personality. Spot is a further exploration of a character Disney only began to hint at. I wanted to push him further, because I think he's one of those individuals that you love madly at times and hate at others. Henry's source is amusing. I actually based him on Laurie from Little Women. Yes, Christian Bale. (It's like the Six Degrees of Newsies, no?) I had to make him so likable to make Jo's choice a difficult one. Other smaller characters from my other stories appear here also. I have this weird fascination with tying all of my stories together in subtle ways. Which are they? You'll have to wait for the next story to be written. (Hint, hint: take a closer look at the British waitress and Henry's chum from school.)
I want to issue out a huge thanks to all of you who followed this story and gave me feedback.
Runaway - I'm glad you would have killed me if I gave up on it. With my life hanging in the balance, I was definitely motivated to keep writing. Thank you for promptly and faithfully reading and commenting on every chapter. Thank you for being excited to read the next story!
Devonny - Thank you for being blunt. Seriously, Chapter 7 would have been a disaster had you not told me that I killed it. Keep telling me the truth. I like it.
Cyanne - Thanks for just getting it so perfectly! Makes me feel like I've accomplished something.
Writerchick - I'm glad you liked it.
Wisecracker - Thank you for caring. (you know what I mean.)
Everyone else: You are much appreciated. Thank you to all of you.
NEXT STOP: I'm going to write the ultimate songfic. Yes, a songfic like never before - complete with a soundtrack! (I'm excited. Is it obvious?)
I set out to write a different kind of story. I didn't want to follow any of the normal lines such as the famed "girl runs away from home to join the newsies and fall in love with one" or "rich girl meets and falls in love with poor newsie" or even "the newsies ten years later." I approached it more like literature than a small story. I wanted a well developed story line with a central theme and interesting characters. I must say that sometimes, I was more interested in character development than the actual story.
Anyway, it all started after watching Moulin Rouge for the millionth time. I was dazzle by the idea of the Paris nightclubs and the dancers that lived and worked in them. BANG! FLASH! IDEA! I decided that I would write a story about a chorus girl whom life had not been kind to. I didn't want her life to be as flashy or glamorous or as tragically dramatic as that of the characters in Moulin Rouge. I wanted her to be real. That was another of my primary goals: the story had to seem real. Believable. You had to feel like you knew the character. You had to experience the joy and the pain, to be torn between two equally tempting choices. To feel helpless and empowered. To know that you were a prisoner of your fate, but to be brave enough to do something about it.
I also wanted to have a central theme. After much thinking, I came up with one that could well define the story: money and the power it has on individuals. How it shapes our lives and our aspirations, and how it makes slaves and fools of us without us ever knowing. The summary in itself is a comment on this and also a play on words: We are all bound by our fortunes, and money makes slaves of us all.
Regarding the character, I'd have to say that Jo is, for the most part but not all, reflection of myself. I tend to write all of my leading ladies as reflections of aspects of my own personality. Spot is a further exploration of a character Disney only began to hint at. I wanted to push him further, because I think he's one of those individuals that you love madly at times and hate at others. Henry's source is amusing. I actually based him on Laurie from Little Women. Yes, Christian Bale. (It's like the Six Degrees of Newsies, no?) I had to make him so likable to make Jo's choice a difficult one. Other smaller characters from my other stories appear here also. I have this weird fascination with tying all of my stories together in subtle ways. Which are they? You'll have to wait for the next story to be written. (Hint, hint: take a closer look at the British waitress and Henry's chum from school.)
I want to issue out a huge thanks to all of you who followed this story and gave me feedback.
Runaway - I'm glad you would have killed me if I gave up on it. With my life hanging in the balance, I was definitely motivated to keep writing. Thank you for promptly and faithfully reading and commenting on every chapter. Thank you for being excited to read the next story!
Devonny - Thank you for being blunt. Seriously, Chapter 7 would have been a disaster had you not told me that I killed it. Keep telling me the truth. I like it.
Cyanne - Thanks for just getting it so perfectly! Makes me feel like I've accomplished something.
Writerchick - I'm glad you liked it.
Wisecracker - Thank you for caring. (you know what I mean.)
Everyone else: You are much appreciated. Thank you to all of you.
NEXT STOP: I'm going to write the ultimate songfic. Yes, a songfic like never before - complete with a soundtrack! (I'm excited. Is it obvious?)