I grew up a writer in a house of artists. I can't draw a straight line with a T-square. But I've always (mostly) been content to claim the writing niche for my own because there aren't that many people who are good at more than one thing. Aubrey Beardsley was an artist and a writer. His illustrations (like the one from Le Morte d'Arthur here) were memorable. Then he wrote The Devil's Dictionary, which is as snarky as they come. (I image Aubrey was rarely short of dinner invitations.) But more than that, he wrote one of the most memorable short stories ever, "Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." That story is right up there with "The Most Dangerous Game" and "The Monkey's Paw" and "The Lady or the Tiger." As long as there are English classes, that story will be remembered. And he was only 25 when he died. Doesn't that make you feel like a slacker?
