I have updated my profile and chosen a photo--reluctantly. I chose a side shot because I thought it less recognizable than a full frontal. And I like the books in it as well. If I could take one of myself showning the back of my head and my books, I'd post that!
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Part of the appeal of writing, I think, has always been anonymity. The ability to hide behind my words and to use them as a shield against potential rejection seemed a wondrous thing when facing the very personal taunts of the other children in grade school, junior high, and high school.
It seems a contradiction now though when you think that a writer is much more permanently rejected in writing when a manuscript is sent back or when a reviewer or critic rips them up one side and down the other in print. But it's not typically done in public in front of others.
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My name was easily corrupted from Peggy to Piggy and the bit at the end of my last name to butt. And there was a little fat boy in my class who was picked on for his size who struck out at me, the quiet awkward one, for 11 of my 13 years of schooling (he wasn't in the same kindergarten section as I was) by calling me names and telling me I was stupid and all the other sorts of obnoxious hurtful things kids do to one another.
Between our junior and senior year, he lost his extra weight when he took up jogging and got a personality transplant. He came back a changed person and was nice. He apologized to me and we were friends of sorts, wrote to each other for a while during college, and he's stopped into the bookstore occasionally to see me.
I doubt he ever realized how deeply he ever hurt me. That an apology could never make up for what he had done. I'm sure he would be surprised by it, being the rather shallow and arrogant person that he is.
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Anonymity can serve other purposes as well.
Pinky likes her privacy. And prefers her personal life stays personal...
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