Monday, November 8, 2010

Make a Wish

So once upon a time I was pre-med and on my way to helping folks. But you can't help certain things. I fell back in love with fiction. And the challenge of short fiction. The mountain. And the snow covered top of that mountain was Amy Hempel. No, that's not a white hair joke. The same way a future magician sees David Copperfield and wants to be a part of that world, I read Hempel and wanted inside that mystery. Simple sentences, simple stories, and simple language and at the end of any story I found myself baffled. Confused as to why nothing much hit me so hard. It wasn't fair. And I like a challenge. So yeah, Hempel is one of the reasons I'm here, writing. Her stories are part of that mountain in front of me. So what do I do? I forget my hard cover at home and have to buy a paperback copy for $15.50. I only had $6.90 in my checking account as of this morning. And I babbled like an idiot when it was my turn for an autograph like I knew I would. Still, satisfied.

3 comments:

  1. I started out Pre-Med too...words are just to alluring sometimes.

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  2. I've never gotten the autograph of someone I liked and admired. I really wonder what I'd say if I got to meet someone in person who actually meant something to me. Though I can't say off the top of my head I have any writing who really inspire me that way. . . I guess that says something about me as a writer

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  3. I've been reading her book (bought at the reading) and am continually astonished by how much she packs into a short story. Definitely the top of the mountain!

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