More Than a Miracle
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | More Than a Miracle |
| Publisher: | Haunted Medium Publications |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Kim Prosser & Lisa Swope |
| Cover Artist(s): | Barbara Gipson |
| Illustrator(s): | Barbara Gipson |
| Date(s): | June 1990 |
| Medium: | print zine |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | WayBack Machine link to the online flyer |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
More Than a Miracle is a het 109-page Beauty and the Beast novel written and edited by Lisa Swope and K. Kimberly Prosser. Artwork by Barbara Gipson.
Summary
When did the bond between Vincent and Catherine really begin? What are its joys, trials, tortures? What is it like when this bonded couple really get to know each other, discarding the polite pedestals they've put each other on for so long, and get down to the nitty-gritty of a real relationship? [1]
In this novel we discover that Catherine's mother was once a Helper and surrogate mother to Vincent. This discovery greatly upsets Catherine. Readers should be aware that Catherine and Vincent spend most of their time fighting with each other which makes for painful reading at times, but all ends well. [2]
Excerpt from a Flyer
"All right, Vincent." She snatched the toy from his fingers, held it protectively against her. "What's going on?"
His eyes followed the lion rather than meeting her gaze. Licking his lips once, Vincent shifted uneasily from foot to foot. Still those great blue eyes blinked solemnly down at the lion. A clawed hand snuck up to stroke the dull white mane.
"What?" Catherine pressed.
"He was...my lion...once."
Her jaw dropped at his words, for there was no mistaking the warm recognition in those blue eyes. Vincent still stroked that furry mane, caressed the familiar contours of the little stuffed body. "I know his funny little face," he murmured quietly, smiling as warm memories came pouring back. "Mary made him for me."
From the Editorial
Welcome to our latest novel, More Than A Miracle. What’s the miracle, you ask? That’s easy; we finally finished this Beast and it is, at last, in your hands. “If you can write about it,” Joseph Conrad wrote, “that’s almost as good as doing it.” By the same token, perhaps reading about some things is as good as doing them. We hope you enjoy your journey through Miracle. This is another step out of line for us and yes, we know we say that frequently, but it seems we never do the same thing twice, or at least never tend to repeat what we’ve just finished. That is certainly true in this case. This story is an odd one, not at all what we’ve come to expect from Vincent and Catherine once they get together, but there are loose ends left in Beauty and the Beast, bits discussed and then abandoned before matters are drawn anywhere near resolution. This fact started a tremendous string of what-ifs for us to play with and weave together.
Did Catherine ever come to grips with her mother’s death? Oh, we all know that in “A Happy Life” she reached a certain decision where her relationship with Vincent was concerned, but did she ever truly finish grieving for her mother?....
...And what about this bond she and Vincent share? Miraculous, wonderful, romantic... Yes, we’ve heard about it long and loud, but never, ever from those most intimately involved. How would you feel if you knew someone would-or at least could- take note of every thought, every emotion you ever had? Gives the idea that Big Brother is watching a whole new twist, doesn’t it? For those of us rather attached to independence and privacy, wouldn’t something like that sometimes be just a bit maddening? How about the other side of this deal? How would it be to suddenly have someone else’s emotions overlay yours, without the slightest idea of what was actually occurring to make you feel that way? And guess what? Oh, joy of joys, you haven’t been given any volume control.
...Then, of course, there’s the perpetual task of truly growing up-a long and arduous passage at best, and one that is actually best left unfinished if it means Eradicating the child who lives within all our hearts. But though the wonder and innocence of that child must be kept close and cherished, every now and then that little one makes a grab for the reins and takes over just to make life confusing and leave you wondering who and where you are. That, too, isn’t easy, and sooner or later it happens to the best of us.
So, with all of this in mind, we thought it was time to ask Vincent and Catherine to take off the rose-colored glasses, step down off the pedestals we've built for them-as well as the pedestals they've built for each other-to let us take a closer look at the intertwining lives of these two characters. In other words, we've tried to overlay just a little reality onto the fantasy. Try it; you might like it. Then again, maybe not. But as long as we hold your attention and make you think, then we consider our job done. You can’t please all of the people all of the time, but if you make them think, then you’ve done something right. We hope we have. One thing we’re sure of is that you won’t be bored as you read this novel.
Sample Interior
Reactions and Reviews
In this novel, learning that her mother had been a helper who knew and loved V when he was a child throws C into an agonized reexamination of her childhood and her present relationship with V, centering on their squabbling over a stuffed toy. V behaves with wounded, perplexed dignity; C sulks, whines, sinks into a depression. Excellently written, but C is about as repellently childish as you're ever likely to see her. [3]
References
- ^ from the publisher
- ^ from The Beauty and the Beast Buyer's Guide to Fanzines
- ^ from Helpers' Network Quality Fanzine Review -- 1997, Archived version