Patron Saints

*sniff*

PeeDee devoted a whole topic to my Patron Saint-ing.

I am so touched! And flattered! (That truly. )

I picked Louis L'Amour because the man had over 350 rejections (closer to 400, I believe) before he sold ONE single piece of his writing. He just kept on submitting and kept on writing. And then, one day, instead of a rejection, he got an acceptance.

And "became" Louis L'Amour -- prolific and beloved author in a variety of genres. His family is STILL publishing his works pothsmously (sp?) because he had so MANY that he just put into a box when they'd been rejected "enough" and then he wrote another piece, and so on.

THAT, my friends, is a man who never, ever took "not for us" or similar for his final answer. More than any other writer I know of, L'Amour represents the key to success to me -- perseverance.

I don't think Louis would appreciate any whining about one rejection here or there. Nor ten. Nor a hundred. And when I get the desire to whine about a small setback, I just think of my patron saint...and I send out something else and write a new piece, start a new novel, finish a WIP, send out something ELSE, write a new piece...well, you get the idea.

I love Louis greatly; I'm not ashamed to admit my heart broke when he died and I realized I'd never get to finish the Sackett series. I'm owed one more book about Tell, that's all I'm saying.

I don't think I have a patron saint for my writing, honestly. I'll have to think about it...

Okay, I think I've decided. But I reserve the right to change my mind on a whim.

George C. Chesbro.

He writes the stories he wants to write. Books that defy description while still being considered "genre". Eye-opening stuff that surprises and astonishes and is exactly not what you expected from something billed as a mystery.

And when he suddenly couldn't get published anymore (for whatever reasons -- I think it was the mid-list issues around '96), he went POD. Formed his own company and reprinted his own stuff. The only POD book I own, in fact, is one of his.

So, here's to determination, breaking too many rules, and writing a really good novel anyway because it's the story you want to tell.

ETA: Thanks for the reminder about Zelazny, by the way. I looked, and although I'm pretty sure the only book I've read by him is Changeling (and Madwands; it was a packaged deal), it turns out that I own several of his short story collections. I'll read them before I start American Gods.

Is the Marquis de Sade taken?

Jeepers, mine would vary with my mood. There's so many writers I admire. But the one who made me want to become a writer is J. P. Donleavy.

It may sound cliche, but why not Ol' Will?

If you want to talk about diversity, or sheer power of language, no one beats The Bard.

(Though a few come close...)

Robert A. Heinlein.

He broke so much ground in my genre, and covered so many concepts so well that I worry he didn't leave anything fresh to write about. (Of course, since he helped make that genre what it is, I can't complain.)

He wrote opinionated characters so well that anyone who read a book or story jumped to the conclusion that those opinions were the author's.

He reached a point where everything he had written got published.

He lived life on his own terms, and created characters brave enough to do that themselves. This serves as a pretty good inspiration to his fans.

I with take Saint Lucia. . .


Wait. . . Dante already has her. . . sh!t. . .


Let me think a little while on this one.

Nangleator said:

Robert A. Heinlein.

He broke so much ground in my genre, and covered so many concepts so well that I worry he didn't leave anything fresh to write about. (Of course, since he helped make that genre what it is, I can't complain.)

He wrote opinionated characters so well that anyone who read a book or story jumped to the conclusion that those opinions were the author's.

He reached a point where everything he had written got published.

He lived life on his own terms, and created characters brave enough to do that themselves. This serves as a pretty good inspiration to his fans.

Click to expand...

I met Mr. Heinlein in the 70s at Caltech. He was a fabulous person, loved women(!) and his wife Virginia was a funny and endearing person as well. I cut my literary teeth on the serialized Have Spacesuit, Will Travel...
And what libertarian could possibly ignore The Moon is a Harsh Mistress?

I was going to choose him for my patron saint, but I got to thinking about Alfred Bester and Carl Hiaasen - two more who should be in the Pantheon of my Patron Saints -

So all three today: Robert Anson Heinlein, Alfred Bester & Carl Hiaasen. A holy triumvirate for today.

Tomorrow it may be Kathy Reichs, Anita Shreve and Octavia Butler.

WerenCole said:

I with take Saint Lucia. . .

Click to expand...

I want St. Thomas More.

(What? He wrote!)

Kate Thornton said:

I met Mr. Heinlein in the 70s at Caltech. He was a fabulous person, loved women(!) and his wife Virginia was a funny and endearing person as well. I cut my literary teeth on the serialized Have Spacesuit, Will Travel...
And what libertarian could possibly ignore The Moon is a Harsh Mistress?

Click to expand...

Have Spacesuit, Will Travel is, quite possibly, my favorite book of all time. It's just flat out perfect on so many levels. There are other books I like better for specific reasons, but overall, nothing else makes me quite as happy as curling up with it and a soda and just reading.

And I never realized as a kid how advanced his fictional spacesuits were compared to what actually existed at the time. I just assumed they had space suits then, too, because he described them so well!

I have to go with Ray Bradbury. Yes, yes.

Ernest Hemingway.

Snoop Dogg. Saint Snoopy is in tha hizzy... ya, that sounds good.

I'm going to cop out on this one and pick Stephenie Meyer. It's a cop-out because she's also my dear friend, but even if she weren't, she's inspiring to me because although she did get her degree in English, she was just a regular person with no contacts or connection and three little kids to boot. She got into the publishing industry the same way we are all trying to and is now a NYT bestseller.
And her stories are just great. And if you are not a YA fan (or a vampire fan) her first adult novel is coming out in 2008 and it is also absolutely wonderful.
So not super-creative, but she means a lot to me.

Maprilynne

I'm gonna be lame and mainstream and pick Neil Gaiman.

I've been in love with his work since I recieved the Sandman quote book for Christmas a couple of years ago. I was just a rabid fanboy until a couple of weeks ago when I realised that what I liked about his work (the strange that lurks just behind the humdrum everyday) is exactly what I wanted to write.

John Steinbeck.

Maprilynne said:

I'm going to cop out on this one and pick Stephenie Meyer. It's a cop-out because she's also my dear friend, but even if she weren't, she's inspiring to me because although she did get her degree in English, she was just a regular person with no contacts or connection and three little kids to boot. She got into the publishing industry the same way we are all trying to and is now a NYT bestseller.
And her stories are just great. And if you are not a YA fan (or a vampire fan) her first adult novel is coming out in 2008 and it is also absolutely wonderful.
So not super-creative, but she means a lot to me.

Maprilynne

Click to expand...

She sounds like a *real* saint! I'll watch for her book.

Saint Isidore?

PeeDee said:

This is inspired by JeanneTCG's signature, which tells us that Louis L'Amour is her patron saint.

Click to expand...

How about Isidore, proposed Patron Saint of the Internet?


Omnípotens aetérne Deus, qui nos secúndum imáginem Tuam plasmásti, et omnia bona, vera, pulchra, praesértim in divína persóna Unigéniti Fílii Tui Dómini nostri Iesu Chrísti, quaérere iussísti, praesta quaésumus ut, per intercessiónem Sancti Isidóri, Epíscopi et Doctóris, in peregrinatiónibus per interrete factis et manus oculósque ad quae Tibi sunt plácita intendámus et omnes quos convénimus cum caritáte ac patiéntia accipiámus. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.

Almighty and eternal God, who hast created us in Thy image and hast bidden us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful,especially in the divine person of Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore, bishop and doctor, during our journeys through the internet we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to Thee and treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Amen again.

Mine is Orlando Bloom...I mean, come on. How could he not be!?!

Hmm I'd have to say Douglas Adams is my patron saint.

My dad read me the Hitchhiker series when I was young and the voice was so different from the others I'd heard. It was so funny and bizarre, and I just loved it. And from then on I wanted to somehow emmulate him. Not immitate, just somehow capture that same joi de vie.
He has definitely had the biggest influence on my writing.