A Seed of Hemlock

Diana Wynne Jones has passed away.

I deeply regret, as I knew I would, that I didn't make it to the special Diana Wynne Jones convention in Britain a few years back. It was my one real chance to meet her, and honestly? If I could meet any writer in the world, I probably would have chosen her. Possibly even if "any writer in the world" is expanded to "in history, too," because Shakespeare's cool and all, but what would I say to him? His plays may be awesome, but Diana Wynne Jones is the one who made me into a writer.

It was Fire and Hemlock that did it. Polly and Tom telling their story, within the story about them, and the blurring between the two -- it's a story about stories, in many ways, because among other things the book is about "Thomas the Rhymer" and "Tam Lin," too. I was nine when I read it, and when I put the book down, one thought stood out clearly, for the first time in my life: I want to tell a story.

I did get to tell her that, at least, via the proxy of Sharyn November, when her (I think) seventy-fifth birthday rolled by. Sharyn was collecting birthday messages, so I typed up the tale of how Fire and Hemlock turned the nebulous storytelling impulses so many children have into a firm intention, and lo and behold I am now a writer. But I would have loved to shake her hand, and to thank her for inspiring me to my purpose in life. I don't think I write anything like her -- I don't think I write anything like most of the authors I really admire -- but it all grew out of the little seed of hemlock she planted in my mind.

. . . to heck with the part of me saying, "um, this would be a huge project and I'm not sure you really have the time." I think I will undertake to re-read her complete works, and to blog about them as I go. It's the best tribute I can think to give.

That, and to keep on writing.

a few Japan-related things

We're in the final day over at help_japan, and bidding on my short story offer is up to $100. If you want a story written to your prompt from Japanese history or folklore, now is your chance.

Also, my friend unforth is doing a 1000 Cranes Project over on her craft blog. There's a link there for one of the cranes being auctioned on help_japan, but with 999 cranes to go after that, there's plenty of room for all.

And finally, this is kind of an awesome story about heroism during the tsunami. The post is written in a tongue-in-cheek manner, but with all due admiration for the courage and resourcefulness of Hideaki Akaiwa.