Introduction

Any real book lover knows that one's books are more precious than jewels. They carry memories and smells and textures and contain life within their pages. My copy of The Half-Blood Prince still has sand in its binding from that time I brought it to the beach in 2006, some of Othello's pages are crinkled from the time I dropped the book in the hot tub one winter's day, and there's tea stains on my copy of Dante. Then there's the old books I've found in used bookstores, such as my 1892 copy of The Jungle Book and my 1938 Aristotle's Politics, or the 1850 Latin New Testament I just received as a gift. These books, which hold no memories for me yet, seem to breathe history, like the eyes of the old and wise staring into the faces of their newborn grandchildren.

Of course, it is impossible to read literature without desiring to create. Certain authors or poets inspire us to continue humanity's quest to capture the soul within the written word, and others impact us so greatly that their words become our own. Therefore, we write, so that we might find our voice and define ourselves.

I made this blog so that my writing my be seen and critiqued. I long for constructive feedback, positive or negative, so that I might improve. I have not studied creative writing formally, and I am a history major who spends the majority of her time reading ancient texts, so I would love any comments at all.

Why "The Ginger Muse"? Well, I am a ginger and proud of my blazing red hair and pale, freckled skin. The "Muse" is a reference to my love of classical studies, in the hopes that I might channel the inspiration of the muses and write something half-decent. Also, note the quotation beneath the title of this blog. Do you get the pun? Hint: ginger is a root.

My inspirations in writing come from ancient literature, Renaissance 16th century poets and authors, the Romantics of the nineteenth century, and post-modernist theory. My writing therefore differs quite often, leaving me somewhere between Homer and Paul Auster, hopefully with some Ray Bradbury and a touch of Geoffrey Hill, but I can't help what I love.

So please read, comment, and share your own literature with me.
Thank you,
Laura