Ghosts of Authors Past

I finally decided to frame all of my cover flats from the Twelve Kingdoms/Uncharted Realms series. Makes me very happy to see them there on my wall. A little gift to myself. I think those things are sometimes worth doing, to remind ourselves of our accomplishments.

This week in the Bordello, we've been asked to reflect on the Ghosts of Authors Past: Which classical author would we want to be and why? Our Calendarzilla also specified that it has to be someone published pre-1950.

Why 1950? I DON'T KNOW. Ask KAK.

Anyway, this is not a question that's an easy answer for me. I believer in the holistic approach to envy. I know we're not talking envy exactly here, but that's often what's at play when we look at someone else's life and think, "I'd like to be them." Come on - you know you've done it. We all have. The fast antidote to this less-than-generous emotion is to take a step back and ask yourself if you'd take their entire life.

I don't know about you, but my answer is always no. I like my life very much. While I might cast covetous eyes on someone else's publishing deal, I know I would not want, say, their health problems. Or their difficult family.

You know what I mean.

We all have trials and difficulties, and I never find myself envying someone else's troubles.

So... every author I can think of who I'd pick, has a life I wouldn't want. My first answer is Jane Austen, because you say "classical author you love" to me and I think Jane Austen. But wow - she died young, never knew how much her books would be loved and did the woman ever get to have sex??? No, no, no.

I went through this process with every author that sprang to mind. No, I wouldn't want to have any of their lives. That's the whole point of the metaphor of the Ghosts of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol. They're in the past, no longer viable or real.

Savor each moment of the present. Be exactly who you are.

Joy to you all, whatever you celebrate, in whatever way.