Many years ago I read Piers Anthony’s the Incarnations of Immortality. I never managed to finish the series and I only read the first five books. I have been looking for copies in second hand bookshops but they seem to be very scarce. At least they are where I am shopping.
I do not remember much about the stories except that at the time they were for me a very fresh take on fantasy. What I do remember is that at the end of every novel Anthony included a post script. In this he wrote an account of the writing process he followed in the book’s development. He also wrote about his life as a writer, using software to write with (very basic stuff as far as I remember), and all kinds of interesting bits of information on being a writer.
I remember reading these post scripts with as much if not more fascination and enjoyment than what I had read the preceding novel.
Subconsciously these writings settled in my mind that I wanted to be a writer and that it is the kind of life and career that I want to pursue. Consciously I made different choices however that at times took me very far from being a writer. A conscious decision at the age of 40 brought my subconscious desire to the foreground and for the past year I have actively pursued a writing career.
I would love to reread the Incarnations of Immortality for the story and the writing advice, but more importantly for the subconscious inspiration I want to make conscious now.
“Piers Anthony Dillingham Jacob (born August 6, 1934 in Oxford, England) is an English American writer in the science fiction and fantasy genres, publishing under the name Piers Anthony. He is most famous for his long-running novel series set in the fictional realm of Xanth. Many of his books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. He is one of the most prolific science fiction/fantasy authors of all time. He has claimed that one of his greatest achievements has been to publish a book for every letter of the alphabet, from Anthonology to Zombie Lover.”
Wikipedia
The Incarnations of Immortality Series
- On a Pale Horse (published 1984)
- Bearing an Hourglass (published 1985)
- With a Tangled Skein (published 1986)
- Wielding a Red Sword (published 1987)
- Being a Green Mother (published 1988)
- For Love of Evil (published 1990)
- And Eternity (published 1991)
