Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all of the FOFOs out there.

I am thankful for many things, far too numerous to list, but I did want to make special mention of one thing.

As you may have read last week, noted prolific author Emerson LaSalle passed away. I read many of his novels, but there is one in particular that I am thankful to have read. Venom of the Virgins was originally published in 1970 - the year I was born. The print run on this novel was less than one hundred copies after LaSalle entered into a nasty dispute with the publisher over the cover (they put women who were not virgins on the cover, he wanted REAL virgins) and production was stopped almost as soon as it began. I found the novel on the table of a street vendor in Tijuana one night in high school when I was wandering back across the border after a night of carousing. Normally, we ignored the street vendors when we crossed back to the U.S. but the cover (buxom young coeds brandishing weapons) caught my eye. I began reading the book in the back of my buddy's Ford Bronco as we headed back to San Diego and I stayed up the rest of the night finishing it. The tale was about three young women who exact revenge against the three young men who attempt to deflower them. It sounds simple, but the way LaSalle unveiled each young woman's plan, along with the depth that he provided each character, just blew me away. The climax, where the women celebrate their lives by going to the brand new Disneyland was icing on the cake. This novel is also believed to be LaSalle's only foray into YA and when I think about wanting to write a YA novel, it's Venom of the Virgins that I think of. I am incredibly thankful to have read this book and thankful to LaSalle for what he gave the book world.

What are you thankful for?
Jeff

Comments

[Karen Olson]

I heard about LaSalle's passing through Victor's site. What a shame. And not even 109 yet...

Thankful for many many things, and, even though this will be sappy: Thankful for FO and the FOFOs who make this writing stuff fun.

[AlisonGaylin]

La Salle, gone? Say it isn't so...

Along Karen's same lines, I'm grateful for a lot of stuff, but here I will say I'm grateful for Bouchercon Chicago, 2005, which brought all you wonderful people into my life and made writing books a lot less lonely.

[Lori G. Armstrong]

Sappy comment #3 - Grateful for you guys and the support. Can't imagine how empty my life would've been without you all in it these last years...

[spyscribbler]

ROFLMAO, Jeff. May he rest in peace, but that must be one of those stories which are much better in the execution than in the idea.

I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving!