Monday, January 24, 2011

Things shared.

Today is the 100th Birthday of C.L. Moore, the brilliant woman who created Jireal of Joiry. I was born 98 years after her on the same day.

I find it funny how many writers that I love share the same birth month, with each other and with me. J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, C.L. Moore, Clark Ashton Smith. I've referenced before that the month of January is named for the god Janus, the opener of doorways. And I feel its one of the odd quirks of the universe that these 4 individuals would all choose to be writers of Fantastic tales, that take the reader to unknown places, through doorways unopened and unexplored. The Sort of doorways that other, more sensible people would tell you to pass by, for your tale dosen't concern them.

But these individuals could and did open those doors, perhaps tremulous at first.. or with a sudden pull leaving you tumbling onto the mat. Either way, my own life would be a lot more dull without them. So I've got a great deal of gratitude towards them. I've not got the imagination or drive that they have, so I get to live vicariously through their efforts while reading the product of their efforts.

So Happy Birthday to J.R.R. Tolkien, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert E. Howard and C.L. Moore.

1 comment:

Brian Murphy said...

Hear, hear! Great comment about Janus/opening doorways, that's the first I've heard that comparison made with these writers. It's very apt!