Authors get inked

For those of you who have considered the possibility of intense, irreversible body modification, the Victoria-based online book retailer AbeBooks.com has a fascinating article on authors who've gotten tattoos.

Turns out such noted authors as John Irving (a maple leaf), George Orwell (blue spots on his knuckles), and Canada's own Alissa York (gecko) have willingly gone under the needle.

As a newly-minted member of the tattooed literati - or tattoorati, if you like (copyright pending) - I understand the desire to put ink to flesh. I think most authors are the insecure, introvert types with a hidden wild streak that comes out in intensely personal ways. Myself, I just wanted to make sure I always had something to permanently capture the moment I got published, so I had the image from my book cover permanently etched into my arm.

*Thanks to Quill & Quire for the heads-up on this article.