In the news today, one of the actors who worked alongside Sharon in Valley of the Dolls died today. Paul Burke, who starred as Lyon Burke in the now classic film, died in Palm Springs California at age 83. May he rest in peace.
Also, actor Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer today. He was 57. Another RIP to him.
In addition, I found this great blog today:
http://sabrina-writingcorner.blogspot.com/2009/09/if-i-could-turn-back-time.html
Where a Sharon fan left a poem for her and made a wonderful point about how Sharon should be remembered for who she was rather than just a murder victim of the Manson gang. Here is a copy of it:
If I could turn back time... by Sabrina
Over the last year or so, I have collected over 1,000 photos of Sharon Tate from various online resources. I started out with The Official Sharon Tate Fan Site, which is maintained by Sharon's younger sister, Debra. Then I branched out to Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, and of course, fan sites. But I know without a doubt that there is so much more out there - I'm nowhere near done. Though I honestly don't mind, because Sharon was both beautiful and photogenic, and really couldn't take a bad photo. There are very few I've come across that I actually don't like. So each time I find a photo of Sharon that I've never seen before, it's a fun surprise for me, almost like opening a Christmas or birthday gift. Currently I'm tackling the photo gallery at a fan site called Sweet Giggles and I've really hit the jackpot there!
Now, don't get me wrong - I've found that being a fan of Sharon's is a tough one; no matter who I talk to, it's inevitable that her beautiful name will be connected to that of Charles Manson at some point during the conversation. And while it's true that I probably would never have heard of Sharon if it hadn't been for Manson and the infamous "Tate-LaBianca Murders," I myself didn't stop there. After all, despite her fame, Sharon was an innocent victim, a human being not unlike myself - so I dug deeper, learning all I could about Sharon as a regular person - and in doing so, uncovered a beautiful, talented woman who just overflowed with unconditional love and kindness for her family and friends. As her husband, film director Roman Polanski said of her, "She could not refuse any friendship. She simply could not turn anyone away." Sharon was in no way, shape or form your typical Hollywood type, and I feel that even I myself could have been friends with Sharon and would have been treated with the same love and respect as she gave everyone, whether they were famous or not.
Of course, it was only a matter of time before Sharon - and my feelings toward her death - inspired my writing. On June 16, 2008 I penned a poem called Heaven's Kiss.
Heaven’s Kiss
By the time I got to know you,
It was far too late.
And now each time I see you,
I just feel such hate
Toward the ones who hurt you.
And so on this sad date
I remember you.
Your striking beauty and your grace
Your innocence and charm.
You’ve gone on to that heavenly place
Where there can be no harm.
And within that safe, secluded space
You hold your baby in your arms.
You are at peace, with a smile on your face.
Then, yesterday - almost one year and three months after I'd written that poem - Sharon inspired me again, and this time in a much bigger way. Of course, my "Big Idea" came to me at the most inopportune time - as I was driving in the car, with absolutely no pen or paper available (although, given the caliber of said idea, I really wouldn't have felt like pulling over to write it down even if I'd had a pen and paper with me because it would have taken too much time and effort). But luckily my memory didn't fail me, and I unloaded it onto my computer as soon as I got home. Basically, my idea was this: What if Sharon hadn't died on the night of August 8, 1969? What if she had lived? I fleshed out my thoughts on how to make this idea a reality and determined what information I would need to research. It's sort of Back to the Future-ish without the DeLorean but instead having a girlish, slightly Stevie Nicks-ish twist to it. And now I have an idea for a historical fiction story that I just cannot wait to jump into. Because, in my eyes, there are no limits on one's imagination! If I want to rewrite history, I can - it won't change what's already happened, but in doing this I will feel like I'm giving a voice to the victims whose cries went unheard that night. I'm acknowledging their innocence and allowing them to live on vicariously through my imagination. And that, to me, is a way that I can honor the memory of Sharon and her beautiful, kind spirit.
Also, actor Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer today. He was 57. Another RIP to him.
In addition, I found this great blog today:
http://sabrina-writingcorner.blogspot.com/2009/09/if-i-could-turn-back-time.html
Where a Sharon fan left a poem for her and made a wonderful point about how Sharon should be remembered for who she was rather than just a murder victim of the Manson gang. Here is a copy of it:
If I could turn back time... by Sabrina
Over the last year or so, I have collected over 1,000 photos of Sharon Tate from various online resources. I started out with The Official Sharon Tate Fan Site, which is maintained by Sharon's younger sister, Debra. Then I branched out to Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, and of course, fan sites. But I know without a doubt that there is so much more out there - I'm nowhere near done. Though I honestly don't mind, because Sharon was both beautiful and photogenic, and really couldn't take a bad photo. There are very few I've come across that I actually don't like. So each time I find a photo of Sharon that I've never seen before, it's a fun surprise for me, almost like opening a Christmas or birthday gift. Currently I'm tackling the photo gallery at a fan site called Sweet Giggles and I've really hit the jackpot there!
Now, don't get me wrong - I've found that being a fan of Sharon's is a tough one; no matter who I talk to, it's inevitable that her beautiful name will be connected to that of Charles Manson at some point during the conversation. And while it's true that I probably would never have heard of Sharon if it hadn't been for Manson and the infamous "Tate-LaBianca Murders," I myself didn't stop there. After all, despite her fame, Sharon was an innocent victim, a human being not unlike myself - so I dug deeper, learning all I could about Sharon as a regular person - and in doing so, uncovered a beautiful, talented woman who just overflowed with unconditional love and kindness for her family and friends. As her husband, film director Roman Polanski said of her, "She could not refuse any friendship. She simply could not turn anyone away." Sharon was in no way, shape or form your typical Hollywood type, and I feel that even I myself could have been friends with Sharon and would have been treated with the same love and respect as she gave everyone, whether they were famous or not.
Of course, it was only a matter of time before Sharon - and my feelings toward her death - inspired my writing. On June 16, 2008 I penned a poem called Heaven's Kiss.
Heaven’s Kiss
By the time I got to know you,
It was far too late.
And now each time I see you,
I just feel such hate
Toward the ones who hurt you.
And so on this sad date
I remember you.
Your striking beauty and your grace
Your innocence and charm.
You’ve gone on to that heavenly place
Where there can be no harm.
And within that safe, secluded space
You hold your baby in your arms.
You are at peace, with a smile on your face.
Then, yesterday - almost one year and three months after I'd written that poem - Sharon inspired me again, and this time in a much bigger way. Of course, my "Big Idea" came to me at the most inopportune time - as I was driving in the car, with absolutely no pen or paper available (although, given the caliber of said idea, I really wouldn't have felt like pulling over to write it down even if I'd had a pen and paper with me because it would have taken too much time and effort). But luckily my memory didn't fail me, and I unloaded it onto my computer as soon as I got home. Basically, my idea was this: What if Sharon hadn't died on the night of August 8, 1969? What if she had lived? I fleshed out my thoughts on how to make this idea a reality and determined what information I would need to research. It's sort of Back to the Future-ish without the DeLorean but instead having a girlish, slightly Stevie Nicks-ish twist to it. And now I have an idea for a historical fiction story that I just cannot wait to jump into. Because, in my eyes, there are no limits on one's imagination! If I want to rewrite history, I can - it won't change what's already happened, but in doing this I will feel like I'm giving a voice to the victims whose cries went unheard that night. I'm acknowledging their innocence and allowing them to live on vicariously through my imagination. And that, to me, is a way that I can honor the memory of Sharon and her beautiful, kind spirit.
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