Influences
I’m in the process of migrating my mailing list to a new provider, and consolidating all my subscribers to a single list (halle-freakin-lujah). Some of the mailing list extras are migrating to the blog to make room for the new stuff. This post is one such extra….
Spotlight: My Influences
When folks ask me what some of my inspiration is as a writer, they are surprised, because the things that influenced me over the years aren’t the things you’d expect, and they aren’t necessarily books. In fact, they’re almost exclusively movies/television.
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Corrina, Corrina
I can’t really explain it to you on paper, but this movie is basically been in my DNA since I first saw it as a kid. So much of who I am as a storyteller is encompassed in this movie. The setting, the style, the music, the actors! The balanced way that race is addressed in the broader subject of the relationship, set in a time period where race was a central part of American life. A subtle, human, emotional central plot and story arc.
Pride and Prejudice
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You may have noticed a lot of references to Jane Austen in the series, and though that happened a bit by accident, there’s a reason for it. The pioneer!
Ever After
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A modern, charming re-telling of the Cinderella story with strong female leads and a hero to root for. One of the few hints I had in life that I might be a romantic.
Quirky, flawed, singular, hot mess love worth preserving. Not sentimental, yet you still need tissues. What’s not to love?
Honorable Mentions: Good Will Hunting
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Ocean’s 11 Trilogy
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Gotta get my dudes from somewhere.
Tarantino
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Seems unrelated, I know, but this dude is a huge inspiration, storywise. The quirky dialog, the emphasis on musical score and nostalgia, stylized, both the devotion to history and the re-imagining of history, badass women beating up men and each other (or getting beaten), re-using actors and reviving careers, the unflinching, unapologetic realism, his body of work is immediately recognizable and I am always here for it. He loves the medium, and I love how much he lets it come through that he loves the medium. The love becomes part of the project, and even before I was writing regularly, it always inspired me to make my own love songs to storytelling.
Did any of your faves make the list? If so, that’s probably why you get me. If you haven’t seen or even heard of some of these, consider this your recommendation.
So anyway, that’s it! Thanks for reading.
No book news to report just yet, but I’ll definitely keep you posted!
Much love,
C. L. Donley
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