A time-and-a-half ago I decided to buy some dolls representing famous figures. These were offered for sale at our local art museum gift shop. Along with satisfying my scientific side (Einstein), and my wife's artistic side (Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Van Gogh with a detachable ear, and Frida), I bought some literary luminaries including Shakespeare and Poe.
Right now Poe stares my way: his soulful sad eyes unblinking, a raven perched on his shoulder. I could initiate a staring contest, but maybe the raven is waiting for the opportunity to fly over and peck out my eyeballs, something Poe would approve of.
My modest collection inspired me to explore the world of literary figurines. In doing so, I have returned from my venture dizzied by the choices and coveting many of the wonderful creations. How has my writing survived without this plenitude of muses?
There is this Jane Austen action figure. It's poseable. Surely, Jane Kick-Ass Austin would inspire and transform my writing.
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| Jane Austen Action Figure All the pride and 30% less prejudice! |
On Etsy, the online shopping market for all that is artisan, CELEBRITYwithYOU sells this set of Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot. I am not a clothing fiend, my general attitude is just find something in the closet that doesn't smell funky, but these dolls are worth the price for their costumes alone. They also make custom-made dolls to order, in case you want to inspire yourself with yourself.
The people (person?) at UneekDollDesigns, also an Etsy site, lists 175 male author and 69 female author dolls. They include a wide range of writers. Some examples:
Here is Dorothy L. Sayers.
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| I doubt that it took nine tailors to make her outfit. |
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| Labyrinth-ific! |
In case you need warning against writing too florid of sentences, perhaps you need an Edward Bulwer-Lytton doll. Or maybe it's Rasputin.
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| A dark and stormy doll. |
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| Paul Coelho. I enjoyed his book: Meditations on Being a Gazillionaire. |
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| The Poe doll that I own. Made by The Unemployed Philosophers Guild. |
And that Raven never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting,
On that woeful doll of Poe, full of cotton balls and gloom.
And its eyes, so darkly gleaming, held by stitches soon un-seaming,
While a teapot over-steaming, sounds its scream throughout the room,
And so imbued my squeamish dreaming thrills with chills from Usher's tomb.
Hill Ortiz - nom de plume.
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| Never Kill A Friend, Ransom Note Press |
Never Kill A Friend is available for purchase in hard cover format and as an ebook.
The story follows Shelley Krieg, an African-American detective for the Washington DC Metro PD as she tries to undo a wrong which sent an innocent teenager to prison.
Hard cover: Amazon US
Kindle: Amazon US
Hard cover: Amazon UK
Kindle: Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble
Martin Hill Ortiz is also the author of A Predator's Game. His epic poem, Two Mistakes, won second place in the Margaret Reid/Tom Howard Poetry Competition. He can be contacted at mdhillortiz@gmail.com.