"Dean Koontz, for example, was the only child of a physically frail mother and a violent, alcoholic father who twice tried to kill himself and was eventually committed to an institution. Instability was a constant in his family. This terrible childhood stirred a passion for books in Koontz.
One of his very first memories stemmed from a period when his mother was hospitalized for several months. At the age of 3 or 4, Koontz was kept by one of her friends, who, every night, would tuck the little boy into bed, give him an ice cream soda and read him a book. Koontz connected these sensations of safety and happiness with storytelling. This has stayed with him.
Koontz has read The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame at least 50 times, relishing the theme of “friends pulling together to overcome the bad guys.” Koontz credits books for showing him at the age of 9 that not all families were like his.
“I am a driven adult child of an alcoholic,” says Koontz. Today he works six days a week, arriving at his desk by 7:30 a.m. He writes until dinner, skipping lunch.
But what does one do who hasn’t had an unhappy childhood? Ernest Hemingway once said that writers have to have had a terrible childhood, or at least think that they did."
By that unhappy-childhood definition, I should be a pretty successful writer. But I guess either I don't have the talent or I must work way much harder.
Kind of depressed today. Dissertation is such a big problem. I can't think of more things to write. I don't have time. And this weekend I have to go camping with my 2 boys; scout activity. I almost want to give up this writing.
Today I hate many things. I will not say everything, but it seems pretty close.
Some more revisions:
http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1655035-An-endless-failing-pursuit-temp-title1
Don't forget my other short story:
http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1567145-Prince-Vingo-Imperfect-love
49 days... over half way now.
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