Citing Sources—oh my!
Every time I write a novel, I take a huge risk. All my novels happen around some sort of stage production: theatre or opera. I know, even as I write, that because I use the lyrics from these wonderful shows to solve the mysteries of my protagonist, Mex Stone, there is a slight chance that I will not get permission to use the lyrics and then—pfft!—goes the whole book!
The one I just finished is called Wicked Joy, and it’s based on a Boston production of the fantabulous musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, Wicked. The musical Wicked is based upon the book by fabulist Gregory Maguire of the same name.
The book Wicked is based upon the book by L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In 1939, MGM got into the picture, pun intended, and visited Oz themselves in the form of the 1939 classic film.
Who owns the lyrics? Stephen Schwartz, sure. But Gregory Maguire inspired him. And L. Frank Baum inspired him. And if I use any of the words from the movie, then MGM gets in on the act. Or does it?
I need to admit that I’ve felt a little more worried about this book than the ones based on Once Upon A Mattress or Brigadoon. There are a lot more stakeholders in Oz, but I put it out of my mind and listened carefully to my muse so I could write my own book. Finis!
Enter Lessons from Oz, a delightful book by a serious Ozmanian scholar named Julienne La Fleur. (And here is how the universe is a complete and total conspiracy for our good ….)
I saw her book in an enewsletter from Smith, both her, and my, alma mater. Oz? I said. I’m in. So I ordered it.
I finished writing my novel on Thursday. Her book arrived in the post after I finished my book. Because it’s always hard to let go of whatever world I’ve been in, it felt like a treat to be able to read about Oz from an entirely new perspective. I knew when I opened the front cover that I was going to be thrilled, and I totally was.
Lessons from Oz is one woman’s lifetime odyssey through the wisdom to be found in the movie of The Wizard of Oz. She’s studied it, too, believe me. She finds 35 interesting, thoughtful, wise lessons from scenes in the movie—and she quotes the movie script. She has wonderful color images from the movie throughout as well.
I am a profligate and immoral reader. I’ll read anything, as long as I’m interested in it. It took me three days to chew up Lessons from Oz, and imagine, if you will, my delight when I got to the end and saw a page entitled Permissions!
It’s no longer MGM I’ll have to approach when it’s time. I’ll have to connect with Warner Bros. Entertainment and possibly Turner Entertainment as well. And I know this all because I ordered this wonderful book to enjoy after my own trip to Oz! {Julienne, I cannot thank you enough for braving movie companies to get the underlying rights to the lines that have inspired you.}
I have no interest in giving away any of her lessons. Get the book please to read and digest them for yourself, but I do want to say that I admire and appreciate Ms. La Fleur’s positive and necessary approach to the vicissitudes and exigencies of life, and I definitely think you will, too.
So, dear one, missing Oz? Put on your magic shoes, and fall over the rainbow of love into Lessons from Oz by Julienne La Fleur as soon as you can.
spiritual | seedsdrcorso | 
September 14, 2009 5:09 am
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