Some Irony

Love this entrance to one of my favorite book stores – Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Nothing is written in stone, unless, of course, it is! You have to love the irony!

As I put finishing touches on The Eye of the Peacock, I feel like the whole thing will be written in stone. In a few weeks, the ideas and words will be out there, unable to be changed.

And yet, I am reminded of writers, who have done readings of their works, who change the words as they perform. Do they see imperfections in their work that they wish they could now change? Poet Taylor Mali adds the word “criminally” in his 2008 performance rendition of “Undivided Attention.” Was that a mistake? Or does he wish he would have written it that way?

Maybe as writers we can go back after publication and change things. Maybe that’s what second editions are for. Maybe it’s true. Perhaps nothing really is written in stone!