We asked our members and Facebook followers to write messages to their favourite authors to commemorate November 1, Author’s Day.

Here’s Ayesha Imran Malik’s wonderful message for Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of Gone with the Wind:

“Dear Margaret Mitchell,

In the spirit of Author’s Day, I would like to thank you for your masterpiece, ‘Gone with the Wind’. I’m a little glad that your ankle injury refused to heal initially, affording you the spare time to finally put to paper this story that means so much to me and countless others.

The most arresting aspect of this exquisitely crafted book is of course, Scarlett.

While Scarlett O’Hara might be an unpleasant woman to know in real life, she is a remarkable character who has inspired three generations of matriarchs in my family. There’s none of the forced spunkiness that comes with today’s brand of feminism in her. She is what she is. She was thrown into her harsh circumstances, a spoiled brat, and boy, did she rise to the occasion. She is still as refreshing and relevant today as she was in 1936.

A woman can only rely on herself when push comes to shove, and as God is my witness, she can withstand anything and emerge a victor. She can be enterprising and make dresses out of curtains or singlehandedly run sawmills for profit. Scarlett demonstrated this, with an unwavering resilience against the “wind that swept through Georgia.”

I thank you for this unlikely heroine, who taught me that above all else, “tomorrow is another day.”

Happy Author’s Day, Margaret Mitchell.

With love,
Ayesha Imran Malik
Islamabad, Pakistan”

 

If you’d like to leave a message for your favourite author on Author’s Day, send us a note at info[at]desiwriterslounge dot net.