Face to Face with the Muse
A quick thank-you to John Taylor

For all you writers out there, how many of you have real-life muses? See, I have two muses. One is the fictional character Chariss, from Choices Meant for Gods, and she’s very nice. Accommodating. Calm. Reasonable. If I’m exhausted and not able to focus on the computer screen, she doesn’t expect me to write.

The other is a real person, but he has no idea that he is Walking Inspiration Among Mortals because he’s a celebrity whom I merely admire from afar. His “presence in the form of the muse” (and you writers know what I mean) is much more demanding than Chariss. If I’m exhausted and not able to focus on the computer screen, and Chariss has quietly left the room, the other muse shows up with the key and manacle and says, “Oh, sorry, thought you took this writing career seriously; back to the computer desk.”

I met John Taylor (Duran Duran, Trust the Process, Juicy Couture) in the flesh Friday evening and thought I would publicly thank him here for the experience. (Although I probably won’t be able to sleep properly until mid-January for the creativity flowing through me from the three minutes spent in his real-life presence, I’m still thankful.) The gentleman won’t read this (reality check), but I believe in courtesy and all. He was gracious enough to sign one of the bookmarks I’ve had printed to promote the upcoming release of Choices Meant for Gods, so I’ll be framing and hanging that on the wall this afternoon.

For the kindness he showed to me and to each crazed fan in the enormous line of people waiting to meet him Friday night, this is just a quick thank-you. And from all the writers out there to all our muses, real or otherwise, we’re eternally grateful.

“Some days, you just want the dragon to win.”