Katdish.net

“Most books, like their authors, are born to die; of only a few books can it be said that death hath no dominion over them; they live, and their influence lives forever.”

~J. Swartz

Harper Lee: The literary one hit wonder. A woman who wrote what many consider the greatest novel of the 20th century and then never published another book.

Pose the question, “Why do you write?” to ten writers and I would venture a guess that eight of them would respond with, “because I can’t not write.”

But writing and having people read what you write isn’t the same thing, is it?

Perhaps the more honest answer to that question would be, “I write to be read. I want people to read what I write and tell me I’ve done it well.”

“I never expected any sort of success with Mockingbird. I was hoping for a quick and merciful death at the hands of the reviewers but, at the same time, I sort of hoped someone would like it enough to give me encouragement. Public encouragement. I hoped for a little, as I said, but I got rather a whole lot, and in some ways this was just about as frightening as the quick, merciful death I’d expected.”
~Harper Lee, 1964

Ever since the enormous success of To Kill a Mockingbird, millions of people have collectively wondered why Harper Lee never published another book. It’s fairly well documented that Lee was writing a second novel, The Long Goodbye, when according to her agent at the time, “her pen froze”.

I’ve never given much thought to why Harper Lee never published another novel. I suspect she’s written more stories but has chosen not to share them. I have the utmost respect for her disinterest in future publication. There are currently two Harper Lee biographies available on Amazon, neither of them written with the cooperation of Lee or authorized by her.

*In a 2011 interview with the Daily Telegraph, Lee’s close friend Rev. Dr. Thomas Lane Butts said that Lee is in an assisted-living facility, wheelchair bound, partially blind and deaf, and suffering from memory loss. Butts also said that Lee told him why she never wrote again:

“Two reasons: one, I wouldn’t go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill A Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say and I will not say it again.”

Ah, to show that kind of restraint in a world that is constantly telling us what we have attained is never enough. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those rare books which has attained literary immortality. Its author’s recognition of this fact and her acknowledgment of that being enough puts her in the same category.

There is a skill and giftedness involved in saying what needs to be said in just the right way.

But perhaps what’s too often overlooked is the ability to know when you’ve said enough.

Why do you write?

*Source: Wikipedia.

Tim Curry as Pennywise the Clown: Scariest Clown Ever

Coulrophobia – the irrational fear of clowns.

It’s a documented phobia. Some people suffer from an intense fear of clowns. An irrational fear.

While I dislike clowns immensely and, truth be told, I would be more than a little freaked out if I had to be in close physical proximity to one, my fear is not irrational. I don’t remember any point in my life when I made a shift from liking clowns to disliking them. I’ve never liked them, and I’m not alone. According to an article in the Digital Journal,

Researchers at the University of Sheffield found that clowns are universally disliked by children when they began examining how to improve the decor of a local children’s hospital.

The study was reported in the Nursing Standard magazine and displayed a poll of 250 children between the ages of four and sixteen.

All 250 children were patients of the hospital’s children’s ward. The poll concluded that all 250 patients disliked clowns, even the older children.

“As adults we make assumptions about what works for children,” said Penny Curtis, a senior lecturer in research at the university.

…Most analysts and psychologists believe that children are scared of clowns because of their exaggerated face paintings.

It’s not the giant feet or the red hair or the ridiculous outfits or the propensity to emerge from tiny little cars.

It’s the painted face of the clown that disturbs me.

It’s the mask which proclaims one emotion which may or may not hide something different underneath.

Albert Fratellini image via Google image search

In the above image in particular, notice how the exaggerated painted-on smile is at odds with the expression on the rest of his face. From a distance, he would look happy. But one only has to look at his eyes to know there’s no smile there.

I think most of us hide behind metaphorical masks to some extent. When asked “How are you?”, we say we’re fine. Even if we’re not. And I’m not saying that kind of dishonesty is okay. But that’s different. That kind of dishonesty has more to do with expediency of conversation and fear of the over-share.

But clowns? Specifically white-faced clowns or grotesque white faced clowns? (that name should tell you something)

The makeup is an intentional act of deception. What are they hiding behind the painted on expression? It is this intentional act that unnerves me. Maybe I’m over thinking this.

But I’m in good company:

(Special thanks to AuthorCulture, which is where I first saw this video.)