My encounter with Gabriel Marquez.

Imagine. The agony I went through. When reading The Autumn  of the Patriarch. By Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Laborious single sentences. Running for a page or two or three. Maybe four. I lost count. Of course, he’s recognized as brilliant and inventive. A great writer. I try to be simple and ordinary. Recognizing that I’m not so great. But still, I’m imaginative. And daring. To rewrite Marquez. Into short sentences. More my style. Easier for me. To appreciate. To grasp. In meaningful ways that the writer may never have intended.  When that happens, I’ve encountered a truly gifted writer. Because he/she stimulated my mind and emotions. And drew me in. As a participant. --Jim Broede