Arthur and Kevin's Nellorat (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} nellorat) wrote,@ 2008-04-06 08:50:00 |
|
Death: Sherry Britton
I seem to be a lot better at mourning rats than at mourning people, at least casual friends. Sherry Britton has been important to me, but we were out of touch, and now she's died.
Sherry was a student of mine at Gotham Writer's Workshop because she wanted to write her memoirs. Still perfectly sharp at 82, she certainly had a life to write about: she left an abusive fake marriage at 14 to become a burlesque star, meeting many of the famous people in her day and even showing up on the legitimate stage and later TV.
I helped her write some sample chapters and a proposal; the market for memoirs is tough now, and I don't think what she wrote is salable, but it is far better than what she would have written without my instruction, which is all I promised. She said she found the process of writing fascinating, and that was good, too.
Most of all, she was a warm, loving person (though fearful in her petite wrath!) and we got to be friends. I'm not actually sure how we drifted apart--I know that after her ms. was turned down a couple of places we both lost heart in the project, and I intended to come by just to socialize, but that never happened.
Eighty-nine is a good, long life, but I think she's be pissed off that she didn't quite make it to 90. On the other hand, she'd be happy to know she got an obituary in the NY Times.
I've met some really wonderful people. It sukks when they die.
Mood: otherwise cheerful
I seem to be a lot better at mourning rats than at mourning people, at least casual friends. Sherry Britton has been important to me, but we were out of touch, and now she's died.
Sherry was a student of mine at Gotham Writer's Workshop because she wanted to write her memoirs. Still perfectly sharp at 82, she certainly had a life to write about: she left an abusive fake marriage at 14 to become a burlesque star, meeting many of the famous people in her day and even showing up on the legitimate stage and later TV.
I helped her write some sample chapters and a proposal; the market for memoirs is tough now, and I don't think what she wrote is salable, but it is far better than what she would have written without my instruction, which is all I promised. She said she found the process of writing fascinating, and that was good, too.
Most of all, she was a warm, loving person (though fearful in her petite wrath!) and we got to be friends. I'm not actually sure how we drifted apart--I know that after her ms. was turned down a couple of places we both lost heart in the project, and I intended to come by just to socialize, but that never happened.
Eighty-nine is a good, long life, but I think she's be pissed off that she didn't quite make it to 90. On the other hand, she'd be happy to know she got an obituary in the NY Times.
I've met some really wonderful people. It sukks when they die.
Mood: otherwise cheerful
