I Married a Beast

There's a moment in Disney's Beauty and the Beast that always makes me catch my breath. It's not the ballroom dance or even the transformation scene. It's earlier, quieter - when the Beast, nervous and awkward, throws open the doors to his library and watches Belle's face light up with wonder.

"It's wonderful!" she breathes, spinning among the floor-to-ceiling shelves.

"It's yours," he says simply.

In that moment, the Beast doesn't offer Belle jewels or gowns or empty flattery. He offers her what matters most to her - a room full of stories, ideas, and imagination. He sees who she really is. And in seeing her, he reveals himself. Two bookish souls, finding each other among the pages.

This is where their real love story begins, not with physical attraction or instant chemistry, but with shared passions and the slow recognition of kindred spirits. I had a moment like that soon after meeting my husband. I was dating the training manager at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, and Keith was engaged. We decided to go to the beach one day after work, and he noticed my old beach towel. I joked about it - I come from a family that gets every last drop out of a bottle of catsup. The next day, there was a new beach towel on the driver's seat of my car. This was during the days when you didn't have to lock your car, of course. 

Beauty and the Beast has endured across centuries and countless versions because its core truth remains relevant: real love requires looking beyond the surface to see someone's true character. Belle doesn't fall for the Beast's appearance - she falls for his kindness, his growth, his vulnerability, and yes, his library. She sees the person beneath the curse. The beast would have given her a new beach towel.

I kid my husband, Keith, that we're Beauty and the Beast - though I should clarify, he's actually quite handsome, and I've been known more for brains than beauty. But he can turn into a bit of a beast when he's hungry (hangry is real, folks) or when he encounters difficult people. More importantly, like the Beast with Belle, he's fiercely protective of those he loves. He guards our granddaughters and me like he's sitting on that proverbial fence, watching for any threat, ready to defend. As he says, "You want me on that fence!"

Like the Beast offering Belle his library, Keith and I have built our own collection of shared passions after fifty years of marriage. DVDs fill our shelves. We have close to 2,000 books in our Kindle Library that we own and subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. We understand each other's protective instincts, our quirks, our hunger-induced mood swings. We've learned to see past the "beastly" moments to the person underneath - and to let ourselves be fully seen in return.

In our current world, where we swipe left or right based on a photo, where first impressions are formed in seconds from social media profiles, and where we're constantly judged by superficial metrics, this message feels more important than ever. We live in a society obsessed with surface-level perfection, yet starving for genuine connection. The Beast's story reminds us that transformation happens through patience, understanding, and truly seeing one another - not despite our flaws, but through accepting our whole, complex selves.

And like Belle and her Beast, I didn't fall in love with Keith immediately. Our story is more like Ashley and Melanie in Gone with the Wind - though that comparison might raise some eyebrows - they were cousins! Stay with me here. In Margaret Mitchell's novel, Ashley reflects on how he and Melanie are suited to each other because they share the same background, values, and understanding of the world. They speak the same language, he says - much to Scarlett's fury, as she could never understand that compatibility built on shared foundations could be deeper than passionate physical attraction. She's beautiful and surrounded by suitors. Why couldn't she have Ashley, too? She didn't discover until after Melanie died that he wasn't right for her. Melanie was Ashley's one true love.

Keith and I discovered we were cut from the same cloth, like Ashley and Melanie. Our backgrounds were similar. Our fathers were born in Colorado, a few hundred miles apart. We both had devout Catholic mothers and fathers who converted to the religion - an unusual parallel that shaped both our childhoods in similar ways. We both love to read, losing ourselves in stories the way Belle treasured every book in that library. We both love movies, sharing that joy of storytelling in another form. We even both played hockey - he played ice hockey, I played field hockey. These weren't superficial similarities. They were the threads of shared experience and values that wove us together. We're the same age, know the same songs, and can speak in "movie speak" as we call it. We constantly use lines from movies, books, and songs to communicate. We're passionate about the Olympics and Oscars.

But our love wasn't love at first sight. It was the slow building of trust and understanding. It was finding someone who spoke my language. We met in February, started dating in July, got engaged in August and married the following February. 

That's the real magic of Beauty and the Beast. It's not about the spell breaking or the prince returning to his handsome form. It's about two people learning to be vulnerable enough to show their true selves and brave enough to love what they find. It is about loving the person who makes you feel comfortable.

And speaking of Disney love stories we cherish - I'm starting a new YouTube series - Writing is Life, and I'll use my storytelling skills to write the next chapter in some of Disney Studios' masterpieces. If you been wanting to become an author, or learn screenwriting from a different angle - or even learn more about AI and animation, visit https://www.youtube.com/@sandijerome and please subscribe! I'm not trying to make money on YouTube; I'm trying to promote my books and screenwriting career.

What's your favorite moment in Beauty and the Beast? Have you found your own love story in an unexpected place? Share in the comments below.

 

Catch Me If You Can

I recently received a 1-star review for one of my books. All the rest are 4s or 5s. I know exactly who did this. Yes, I have high-tech skills, and yes, I'm a computer hacker, but I'm confused about why this person did this. For me, doing this is stealing. It is the low of lows. Their revenge isn't a victory; it’s a revelation.

I once worked for a man who was suspicious of everyone, and he suspected employees were stealing from him. I was provided a free new car to drive as part of my job, but I had to pay for the gas. One day, I was underneath a huge printer, changing the ribbon, and Mr. Boss came into the parts department and asked the manager, "Is Sandi paying for her gas?" I came out from under the printer and took Mr. Boss aside. "Look," I told him quietly, "if I want to steal from you, I will steal the whole gas truck, not just a few gallons a week. With my computer skills, you'd never find it."

Yes, I am a hacker. I started using computers in the 70s, before most hackers' PARENTS were born! Computer science was my minor in college, and accounting was my major. As a CPA, we know where the money is buried. The IRS provides a 10% reward for turning in cheaters, but if I had ever done that, I'd be writing this from my yacht instead of my Florida home. But CPAs are not like lawyers; if the IRS asks us for information, there is no client/CPA confidence. We have to spill the beans. In fact, we have the responsibility to report fraud. Tax professionals, including Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and tax attorneys, are obligated to report potential instances of tax evasion or fraud by their clients. He once argued with me that 3 years had passed on a questionable deduction - but in cases of fraud, the statute of limitations for assessment of tax never expires. The IRS can go back as many years as it wants to investigate and assess taxes, penalties, and interest. I let my boss know that, and now he had two things to worry about, but theft was his main focus.

Mr. Boss began weekly sessions in which I would tell him various ways I could steal from him. The gas truck theft would be easy, I explained to him. I'm the one who orders and approves the fuel tanks to be filled. I'd issue the purchase order, but then have the gas delivered to one of the parents on a soccer team I coached, who owns a gas station. I'd split it with the guy. A pretty easy way to steal $28,000-$40,000 every few weeks. But I explained to my extremely wealthy boss that there are three types of people. The first type is totally dishonest. They will steal at any opportunity. It is their true nature. But fortunately, most of these people are working the streets, running cons, or sitting in prison. The second group is totally honest. Born honest and raised honest. When they find a twenty-dollar bill, they pick it up and ask around, "Did anyone drop this?" I like to think I am in this group. It is the way my parents raised me. Plus, why would I ever risk everything I have: my CPA license, my home, my family, my freedom –  just to steal? Money has never been a motivator for me. It is only a measure of how much I'm appreciated.

The third group? That's where it gets interesting. They are honest until they're not. Something happens that makes them feel entitled. They feel underpaid or unappreciated. They rationalize. "That person owes me." That's when the trouble starts. I gave a workshop at the annual AICPA conference on employee theft, titled "Catch Me If You Can." I think it is the only CPA workshop where you can't buy a DVD of my presentation. The board was worried employees would use it to steal from their employers! I had so many ideas!

I came up with the title after reading the 1980 book Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale Jr. and journalist Stan Redding. That book inspired the 2002 Spielberg film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. The book describes how Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and copiloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks – and all before he was twenty-one. It's written in the first person and reads almost like a thriller. Fast-paced and entertaining, Abagnale recounts his various cons and escapes across multiple countries.

Here's where it gets interesting: the book is acknowledged to have been partly fictionalized, and the factual basis for the events has been challenged. Abagnale himself acknowledged issues with accuracy. He stated, "I was interviewed by the co-writer only about four times. I believe he did a great job telling the story, but he also overdramatized and exaggerated parts of it. That was his style and what the editor wanted." More damning, in 2020, journalist Alan C. Logan conducted an in-depth investigation and found documents that contradicted many of Abagnale's claims. Logan's investigation revealed that Abagnale was in Great Meadow Prison in New York between the ages of 17 and 20 (1965-1968). That was the exact time frame during which Abagnale claimed to have committed his most significant scams. So ironically, the greatest con Frank Abagnale may have pulled was convincing the world his cons were real in the first place. Today, he'd probably be a computer hacker.

I'd like to finish with a thought. Is hacking stealing?

I honed my hacking skills when I owned a technology company and received a ransomware demand. I circumvented the hacker and didn't pay the ransom. I have only used my powers for good. Remember, I was raised to be good. But finding out about this 1-star review? I'm not sure I'm at peace with this person. It feels intentional. A type of revenge against me. My best friend wants me to write a "best revenge book" because I have told her so many ways to get a pound of flesh, but maybe I should let it go.

Hey, does anyone want to release an updated "Catch Me If You Can"? The best ideas in Frank's book didn't even make it to the screen, and I have hundreds more. But today, I'm not writing screenplays - I'm creating my own animated series, so I'm going to move on, let it go –  and not let this dark person get inside my head. If you want to see one of my videos that helped me decide to "let it go," please watch my YouTube video - https://youtu.be/LPUMiMM4JE0.

Happy New Year, and more about my web series next month when you catch up with me when you can!

AI Isn't Coming for Writers—It's Already Here

As writers, we often find ourselves drowning in the administrative side of our craft. While our hearts yearn to lose ourselves in character development and plot twists, we're frequently pulled into the tedious but necessary tasks that surround storytelling: crafting synopses, designing back cover copy, creating pitch decks and flyers, and generating loglines. This is where AI has become not my replacement, but my most efficient research assistant and administrative partner.

For example, I recently finished writing a book. When I decided to open each of the 38 chapters of Machiavelli Princess with a quote from The Prince, I initially faced what felt like an insurmountable task. Without AI assistance, this would have required re-reading The Prince entirely, taking detailed notes, organizing the quotes by matching thematic content to each chapter, cross-referencing to avoid repetition, and formatting final selections. This process would have consumed weeks, delaying the book's completion.

With Claude AI, I simply described my chapters and received approximately 60 carefully selected Machiavelli quotes, each paired with suggested chapter placements based on thematic resonance—all delivered in under 60 seconds. Those weeks that I didn't spend hunting for quotes? I spent them rewriting my book, developing my protagonist's internal conflict, and refining dialogue that actually moves the story forward.

The Screenplay Coverage Revolution

Perhaps nowhere is AI more valuable than in screenplay development. I've learned to never send out a script without coverage, and while I won't admit how much I've spent on professional coverage over the years, Claude delivers the same three-tier evaluation system the industry uses for the cost of a $20 monthly subscription.

When I submit a script to Claude for coverage, I receive comprehensive feedback that might progress like this:

Pass - Initial feedback highlighting fundamental structural issues: "The protagonist's motivation becomes unclear in Act II, and the antagonist lacks sufficient stakes to drive conflict."

Consider - After revisions: "Character motivations are now clear, but pacing drags in the second act. The climax needs more emotional weight to match the setup."

Recommend - Final assessment: "Strong character arcs with clear motivation drive compelling conflict. Pacing maintains tension throughout. Ready for professional consideration."

What makes this process invaluable isn't just the speed—receiving feedback in minutes instead of weeks or months—it's the consistency. Claude doesn't have "off days" or personal biases about genre preferences. Each revision cycle provides specific, actionable feedback that moves the script forward. I've spent entire days in this revision loop, making targeted improvements until I achieve that coveted "Recommend" status.

Reclaiming Creative Time Through Administrative Efficiency

The most transformative aspect of working with AI lies in handling the business side of writing—tasks that are essential but drain creative energy:

Synopses and Treatments - Claude transforms a 120-page screenplay into a compelling two-page synopsis while maintaining essential story beats and character arcs, completing in minutes what once required 2-3 hours of careful distillation.

Back Cover Copy - Creating that perfect hook that makes browsers become buyers—traditionally a 1-2 hour wrestling match with marketing copy—now happens in seconds, with multiple variations to test.

Loglines by the Dozen - Need 20 different approaches to your story's one-sentence pitch? Claude delivers them instantly: the thriller approach, the character study version, the high-concept hook.

Query Letters and Pitch Materials - For each lead on Inktip and ISA, I craft personalized messages highlighting how my script meets their specific posting needs, generating multiple styles and approaches for that make-or-break first impression.

This approach has industry validation. Bestselling author J.D. Barker (James Patterson's co-writer) openly discusses using Claude for blurbs and back covers in his Heart of Show Business interview with Alexia Melocchi. As a New York Times bestselling author who publicly embraces AI for these tasks, Barker signals a fundamental shift in our industry. He's not using AI because he lacks talent; he's using it because he recognizes the difference between creative storytelling and marketing copy.

The Critical Line: When AI Goes Wrong

Recently, I was asked to review a book where the telltale signs of AI-generated writing became unmistakable within a few paragraphs. I gave it a diplomatic 5-star review, noting only that "It almost seemed AI-generated at times due to the thickness and style of the prose." But then came a brutal 1-star review on Amazon from another reader that exposed the real problems:

"The story itself is not bad... For me with the abrupt shifts in scenes with terse explanations, it felt rather disjointed... starting on page 139, Jack and Breanna make their most significant find. On page 144 they make the exact same find again with the exact same wording. Also, on page 182, a board is found that identifies the ship. By page 201, it's an engraved gold cross that identifies the ship."

The reviewer continued: "I don't think the author understands how fighting/movement happens underwater (he said that a cannonball 'whistled by' when thrown)... There are constant unnecessary line breaks. Page 104 has only 'play it' on one line and continues with 'safe. And when it went bad...' on the next."

This wasn't AI assisting a writer; this was AI replacing a writer. The result? Contradictory plot points, impossible physics, repetitive scenes, and formatting chaos that suggested direct copy-paste from AI output without human editing or understanding. Every time that I use Claude, he reminds me that "Claude can make mistakes..."

Here's how you can spot AI-written creative content:

• Repetitive phrasing and sentence structure - AI falls into predictable patterns with similar sentence lengths and constructions
• Overly dense, "thick" prose - Every sentence packed with descriptive language, creating unnatural weightiness
• Inconsistent details - Contradicting earlier story elements without human oversight
• Unnatural dialogue and action lines - AI struggles with natural conversation flow and physical movement
• Formatting chaos - Bizarre line breaks, and AI—likes to—use "em-dashes" in almost—every paragraph.

The Dividing Line

The contrast between these approaches couldn't be clearer, and it reveals the crucial distinction that will separate surviving writers from those swept away by the technological tide: AI should amplify your humanity, not replace it.

AI excels at: Research, formatting, administrative tasks, marketing copy, multiple draft versions, and time-consuming organizational work.

Humans must handle: Character development, plot creation, dialogue, emotional truth, thematic depth, and the critical editorial eye that ensures consistency and believability.

The accounting is staggering. As a CPA, I appreciate the numbers! Traditional administrative tasks consume 20-30 hours per project. With AI assistance, I complete the same work in 2-3 hours, reclaiming 18-25 hours for actual writing. For a writer completing 3-4 projects per year, that's 54-100 additional hours returned to pure creative work, more than two full work weeks of storytelling time. At my pace of 10 pages per day, that's another TV pilot, feature screenplay or book annually.

This transition mirrors the shift when screenwriting software emerged. Some writers wanted to keep using yellow legal pads and paying typists. Others recognized how much faster they could write and produce properly formatted scripts using Final Draft. The choice then, as now, determined who thrived and who fell behind.

The Human Heart Behind Every Story

AI is not just coming for writers; it's already here, replacing those who don't understand the difference between assistance and substitution. Every day, more AI-generated novels flood Amazon's marketplace, churned out by entrepreneurs who see writing as a get-rich-quick scheme rather than a craft requiring human insight and experience.

But the writers who will thrive in this landscape are those who understand that technology is a tool, not a replacement. We're not competing with AI, we're partnering with it to become more efficient, more productive, and ultimately more creative versions of ourselves.

The choice is ours: We can spend our precious creative energy hunting for Machiavelli quotes and formatting synopses, or we can let AI handle those tasks while we dive deep into the work that only humans can do: telling stories that matter, creating characters that feel real, and crafting narratives that touch the soul.

The tools are powerful, but the storyteller must remain human. Use AI to clear your schedule for writing, not to do the writing itself. Because at the end of the day, readers don't connect with algorithms; they connect with the human heart that beats behind every authentic story.

Your readers will know the difference. And so will your reviewers.

What's next? My manager wants me to create short trailers - reels, and I'm learning how to use those AI tools.  Wish me luck - I'll need it. But thankfully, Claude is researching and comparing the features of each tool and then writing me a tutorial with step-by-step instructions. Yes, AI is here - and I'm ready! Here's my first attempts.

Churchill's Mum  https://youtu.be/SLRkNX9GZGU?si=q8mWLMM3kpvw90x5
Carmen and Cypher https://youtu.be/bCcWGtOPLpE?si=Qiik2jvwiWrZCXSQ

Visualization and AI - Artificial Intelligence

 

My dad grew up in the age of automation. Travel by horse was automated by cars; in fact, they measured vehicles by horsepower. My dad is fascinated by machinery. His favorite place is the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in Vista, CA. His last job was working on the machines that automate the baking and packaging systems at Dudley's Bakery in Julian. He invented a small machine that mixed the paint for my brother's color coating business. Machines were a big part of his generation and he knows how they work. Everyone thought that automation would eliminate the need for humans, but someone needs to know how the machines work to maintain and improve them. 

I grew up in the era of computerization. I remember my first experience with computers at college and writing software. I later owned a technology company. As a CPA, my specialty was writing code to calculate net pay. If you ask the next generation how to do that, they'd say, " Go to this website and enter your number of dependents, state, and then your gross pay."  Again, people thought computers would replace humans, but instead - the computer industry has added over 800 types of jobs. For example, I'm a programmer, software designer, and database administrator -- but not a web designer. But that job has changed. Web designers used to write HTML code with an editor and then "publish" or upload it to a website. This job is changed by web design software like Squarespace and Wix. These tools are taking us into the next era - visualization.

What is visualization? It involves AI - Artificial Intelligence to create what you "see" in your mind's eye. For example, imagine a flying army of cats that put out fires. Hmm... that visualization is hard to create. It would require animators to ask, "How do they fly - wings?" The next chore would be to determine color and breed - and start drawing. Computerization has improved drawing tools, but you'll need a story before you move forward. Who organized this army of firefighting cats? Who is the lead cat, and why does she do this? Who doesn't like flying cats, and what are they doing to stop them? Story software can create this by answering questions like this, but like the person who designs and maintains the machines and computers - we'll need someone to come up with the idea of flying firefighting felines and then visualize the story.  I know you're thinking of the pitch - it is like Cats - meets Fireman Sam. I expect there to be software where you'll put in two unrelated movies and have it spit out a new movie.  But someone will still need to think of it. That is called visualization.

The age of visualization is upon us. Today, we have hundreds of thousands more filmmakers.  As in Field of Dreams, "if you build it, they will come."  YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, Twitch, DTube, Vevo, Flickr, and Veoh built the platforms.  Amateurs have dipped their toes in the filmmaking arena by using Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to get their work out there.  The tools are amazing - you can make a film on an iPhone and edit it on the flight home. I bought the latest iPhone before my big European vacation after I sold my software company, so I wouldn't need to pack a camera, video camera, or GoPro.  If you're a worker in the film and TV industry, these "amateurs" who haven't been to film school or don't have their MFA in Screenwriting might scare you - but it is like computerization and automation. We still need someone to develop the idea (screenwriter) and think of the story. A director needs to visualize the story and know how to film it. Thousands of talented and craft people must take that vision and make the show. Producers must combine all the pieces and get the show funded, filmed, sold and distributed.  But the tools to make this process easier means thousands of new jobs are coming. 

I addressed this issue in my script, Technically Soccer - where a software mogul decides to coach a soccer team with a droid. The players are initially upset that a robot has replaced a human - taken the coach’s job, but the development and maintenance of that cute little droid created dozens of jobs. Plus, the old coach was pond scum - so a win-win!  I've created a new website that is more "visual" for my new screenwriting career - visit it at SandraJerome.com