Research or The School Of Seuss?

I don't know if you heard yet....

but I am writing a book!

And like all authors,

I know I must do some ground work,

some research.

But because it is a children's book,

my research will be different and

I'll begin with.... of course, the master.

My long time

rhyme writing mentor, Thedore Giesel,

known as Dr. Seuss.

Fortunately, for me,

I don't have to cross any continents

(or maybe unfortunately,

I'd like to have

the same excuse Elizabeth Gilbert did

with Eat, Pray, Love.

And go to Bali

and live with MY spiritual mentor

but...)

Sigh, what I NEED is right here.

In my own office/studio~house.

Because within these four walls

is everything Seuss.

Either collected or given as gifts over the years,

all versions of my favorite books,

some copies containing all of them,

which could be considered

the encyclopedia of Seuss

(Encyclopedia?

Who has those anymore?

An old fashioned word for

...um... Google, I think)

One red striped office wall

'Cat in the Hat' like,

two custom designed converse shoes

and my own Cat in the Hat~ hat

(okay, time to abbreviate that)

and even an old CITH doll.

All which is rather strange because as

previously stated

(in a former blog)

THAT character,

The Cat in The Hat?

Has always been my least favorite character

of all of them.

(Had to do with the fear

of never wanting to get in trouble as a kid.)

But I have since resolved that

and embraced my 'Inner Hat Cat!'

Which NOW, means taking chances,

making messes,

AND not listening to 'the fish in the pot'.

Who will always tell you, "you better not,

be careful, don't do it".

You know 'the fish' who are afraid to have fun

and if you actually do? Best not to tell anyone!

So my research involves this:

Looking through the books again and again,

the drawings of imaginative animals,

the wild perspective of odd shaped,

fantastical buildings,

while listening to various celebrities

read the stories out loud on I Tunes.

(BTW My favorite is the rendition of

The Grinch read by scary man

Christopher Walken...yikes!)

Course this then becomes very intimidating

because there is no way I will ever

capture his rhythm

and should I even try to?

I mean ripping off Dr. Seuss,

just seems wrong,

kind of like trying to copy

Michelangelo.

And Dr Seuss's drawings?

Although, lacking in the vivid

color department for me

(maybe the print palette back then

just had less colors?)

I just love their wild outrageousness.

Spanning whole pages after whole pages.

Inviting the imagination to participate

full throttle and at any age.

But soon I begin to wonder

what am I really doing?

Sitting here with my CITH coffee cup,

trying to channel and copy Dr Seuss.

When does inspiration become

more like intimidation,

and a poor replica

of someone's masterpiece?

BUT still what if there was a school

I could go to....

you know like....ahhhhhh, YES,

The School Seuss!

Hmmmm.

Of course the address

would be 123 Mulberry Street

and there would be.....

(More tomorrow!)

Pam Piper Rain