death of a hero

Oh crap.

I dont know whether to cry, to cuss, or to howl at the moooooon!

Kurt Vonnegut is dead.

I've never had a lot of people that I would've called my heroes, but Kurt Vonnegut was one of them (and about the only one who wasnt fictional). And he is one of the few celebrities whom I both would've loved to meet and been totally stunned and drooling if I had. There are plenty of people that could make me feel like a particularly dumb 8-year old, but Kurt Vonnegut was one of the few that I would have cared if he had.

I dont think anyone's influenced my writing style as much as Vonnegut did. If you're familiar with him, you'll probably be able to see that. He was the first person to show me how to write in a natural voice without making it seem like you had to be a chemically-adjusted madman.

sigh.

If you dont hear from me for the next few days, it's because I've dug out all my old copies Vonnegut's stuff, and am honoring him in the very best way I can.
I'm reading him.

Hi ho.