Sunday Scribblings: Happy Ending (Updated 6/23 with author's note)

 

Karen Ann Young, author of more than seventy novels, died today at her home in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was 106.

Born in Battle Creek, Michigan, she received her Bachelor's degree in creative writing from Western Michigan University, and her Master's degree in fiction writing from the University of Maryland.

Her first published novel was the acclaimed Back on the Mountain. She went on to write many more works of literary fiction, including National Book Award winner Shimmer, and Pulitzer Prize winner And the Goddess Wept. Ms. Young also wrote contemporary fiction, fantasy (the Avondale series), mysteries (the Prudence Porter series), and young adult fiction.

Ms. Young didn't begin producing her prodigious body of work until she was in her forties. "After I finished graduate school, I got caught up in my everyday life--work, buying a home, having and raising a child," she said in an interview given on the occasion of her one hundredth birthday. "It took a while to hit my stride creatively, but once I did, you couldn't pull me away from the page. The words were just spilling out."

Still active mentally and physically at the time of her death, she was asked the secret to her happy and productive life. "Let it go," she advised. "Whatever it is that's bothering you--let it go. I wasted so much time and energy obsessing about things that don't matter--my appearance, other people's opinions of me, things I'd said or done, things I wished I'd said or done. Absolute nonsense! Don't live your life on tenterhooks."

Ms. Young is survived by her devoted husband of eighty-three years, Mark. She is also survived by her beloved son, Nathaniel.

 

**This obituary is a work of fiction. It's what I hope is written about me at the time of my death. This is my happy ending.**

Comments

[lucy]

absolutely wonderful!!!

[Saoirse Redgrave]

I love this! It's a great exercise to do to keep yourself inspired and plugging along. Did you use titles of works in progress? I look forward to reading all of your eventual books.

~Saoirse

[Tammie]

I loved your writing. With all my heart I believed what I read to be true. Yes, let it go.

[Karen]

I'm really sorry--I guess this is only clear to my regular readers--this obit is a piece of fiction. It's MY obit--or at least, the obit that I hope is written about me when I die. This is my happy ending.

[mary]

Did you know her personally? What a great post!

http://bluehairedmary.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-happy-ending.html

[ell]

Oooh, I do like that she died in her home in Vancouver, British Columbia -- perhaps an old Victorian mansion in Shaughnessy or maybe a cozy bungalow in Kits. :)

Nice obit.

[storyteller]

Interesting exercise … I’m glad you gave yourself a nice LONG life with lots of literary success! Methinks I’d like to read those books … so you’d better write them all once you’re ‘nest’ is empty.
Hugs and blessings,

[danni]

guess i better keep trying - "where there's life, there's hope" as they say --- women like this are really inspiring, aren't they???

[stacie]

What an interesting woman...and more proof that the 40's are awesome....

[Hay]

106? Seriously, I think 80 will do me :)
This is awesome, how creative. But I don't want to think of you or Laura dying.

[Mrs. G.]

I love reading about authors who didn't hit it big until their forties-it gives me hope!

[Karen]

This is just my simple newspaper obit--the info about you would be mentioned in my full-length article in the Arts section... ;)

[Laura/centerdownhome]

I'm smiling big. :D

Where's the part about Ms. Young being preceded in death by her loyal fan and devoted pal, the well-known artist, Laura Parrish? ;)