A Rare and Precious Thing
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | A Rare and Precious Thing |
| Publisher: | |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Claudia McCraney |
| Cover Artist(s): | |
| Illustrator(s): | 1991 |
| Date(s): | |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
A Rare and Precious Thing is a 96-page Beauty and the Beast novel written in screen-play format. It was written by Claudine McCraney. The interior black and white art is by McCraney and her son, Kevin.
It is an SND story with Catherine in the witness protection program.
It has a sequel, The Covenant.
The Author's Foreword
RARE AND PRECIOUS THING, I dedicate to my sister Cathleen. Because of her love for this unique show (Beauty and the Beast) and because she mourned the loss of it; I promised (in a moment of compassion) to write her a story with an ending that would please her. A statement which was ludicrous because I had never written a novelle/novel before. Totally disregarding that fact, Cathleen never allowed me to forget my promise; not in words but in her actions. I procrastinated for a while, writing chapters sporadically. Soon an urgency alarm went off in her. It became paramount that I complete this story pronto. She began cracking the proverbial whip over my head. Although my schedule was already overloaded, she kept driving me. Despite the fact my grades at the University were suffering (especially Algebra), she pushed and sometimes pulled me onward; even at the risk of my health and sanity. She refused to let me stop. There was no end to her persistence. I had to keep in mind that a "promise, is .... a promise". Therefore, I persevered. And slowly this story began to materialize.However, there was a bright side to all of this. Cathleen worked with me throughout the entire endeavor. Typing the rough draft of every handwritten word, those in this book and those that were scrapped and ended on the trash heap. Proofreading, searching the dictionary, and the look in her eyes and on her face when she would read or re-read a line from the story truly inspired me to continue. Long after I had collapsed from exhaustion and my creative juices had ceased to flow she would continue typing on into the night. "A RARE AND PRECIOUS THING" is a gift I give, I dedicate, to my sister Cathleen. A special thanks to my son Kevin, while using his artistic license, took these written words and gave them shape and form in his illustrations.
"A RARE AND PRECIOUS THING" is a story born out of love.
Interior Sample
art by Kevin McCraney
art by Caroline McCraney
sample text
art by Kevin McCraney
Reactions and Reviews
This beginning zine wanders, especially in early sections, between present and past tense. Though it's otherwise set up as fiction, all dialogue is given in screenplay format. And yet this improbable, double-spaced, beginner's SND (Catherine in the witness protection program) novella is surprisingly, persistently endearing, and the artwork-charcoals by McCraney and her son Kevin is absolutely first rate. The excellent artwork is enough to rate this zine at a higher level than the writing alone would merit. Buy it, if only to make the acquaintance of two very talented artists. Readers will hope to see more of their work gracing other zines.[1]