Ray has written many stories featuring writers - some real & famous ones (Hemingway, Wolfe, himself! ... and others.), and some fictional (Dudley Stone; Leanord Mead in 'Pedestrian' says "I guess you'd call me ... a writer", or something to that effect... many others).
What is your favorite 'writer' story? Mine would have to be 'Forever and the Earth', because I love time travel stories, I like what it says about the power and inadequacy of words, and because it makes me wish I could read Wolfe's writing about Space.
Also, why do you think Ray is drawn to this subject (writers and writing)?

"Forever and the Earth" beats all others far and away. Inspired me to read two Thomas Wolfe books so far and make my GREAT AND WONDERFUL trip to North Carolina!

From The Cat's Pajamas, "The R.B., G.K.C., and G.B.S. Forever Orient Express." This poem gets to me each time I read it.

oz-crumley, Ray has said that it is his love for writers that has led him to write a number of stories about some of his favorites. My personal favorite is "The Parrot Who Met Papa", which makes me laugh no matter how many times I read it.

Then, too, of course, there's "Any Friend of Nicholas Nickelby..."

Sentimental bordering on sappy though they may be, I like the ones where a future person shows a discouraged author the longlasting impact of their work. No doubt we all at times feel we are hurling our best efforts into empty darkness.

Dandy, I mentioned the same story (or stories?) earlier. (Title still escapes me.) I always get a little misty reading this...

'Swimming Through Stone' by Robert M. Blevins.

Just kidding...

Actually, I like 'S.S.P.A.M' by Lou Antonelli. It's the story of a discouraged writer who exchanges email messages with a little girl from the future.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Robert M Blevins,

Robert -

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Not to nit-pick, butthe title is S.P.P.A.M. I guess you read it at Bewilderimg Stories.

Lou Antonelli

This is one reason why I love this board--so many authors pop up here! Welcome aboard, Mr. Antonelli. Loved your story!!

Sorry about that, Lou!

Yes...'S.P.P.A.M.' it is! Adventure Books published that one in 'The First Bewildering Stories Anthology'. Unfortunately, when we discontinued our publishing relationship with the magazine, I reverted the rights to the book back to Bewildering in exchange for the rights to the other book we did with them, 'Time Pieces'. But, as Lou points out, you can still see it at the Bewildering site. Hopefully, Bewildering will re-issue the book soon. They have all the files, including the cover files, etc.

Lou's story was one of my favorites in the book.