Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Writers Who Inspire

I find it interesting when I meet someone, and they mention my other website www.susanhannifordcrowley.com. Usually it's because they are trying the writing exercise for the week. It's nice to be told that I inspire someone to write. After all, there are several writers I can name that have inspired me.

Marion Zimmer Bradley personally inspired me, first by my reading her work, second by her wonderful rejection letters that told me exactly what was wrong, and third when I learned something from all those rejection letters and started getting published.

Ursula LeGuin inspired me with her book The Lathe of Heaven. I couldn't get that book out of my mind. Isn't that what it's really all about in the relationship between authors and readers--making those characters or that story or both so memorable, that you'll remember it for a lifetime.

Anne McCaffrey wrote a book called The Ship Who Sang. It's another story that sails through my mind at times. I know a lot of her readers love Pern, but I can't forget that conscious "living" ship of hers.

Ray Bradbury inspired me with practically everything he's ever written. My favorite is still The Martian Chronicles. That woman calling every phone on Mars makes me laugh.

The story that took my breath away was written by Robert Heinlein. It was called "The Green, Green Hills of Earth." It is the ultimate heroic story. I know there have been other heros, but I always come back to that story. Perhaps it's the idea of how much home really means to someone who misses it. I can't read that story without crying.

Now you know who has inspired me.