One of my dad’s former students and a family friend is Marti Leimbach. She has been a successful novelist since the MFA program, with one of those kaboom debuts. Her first novel was Dying Young, which was not only a very good book but was made into a movie, causing fame and money, etc. (The book is way better than the movie for anyone who only knows the latter.)
Looks like she’s going to make another big dent with her newest, Daniel Isn’t Talking. It’s really great to see Dad’s friends and students doing so well. Thirteen years after his death, you can see the effect of teaching and mentoring continue.
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…it would be wonderful to know you live on in the creativity and work of someone else. I would assume most of us hope that we’ll be remembered in some way after our bodies have timed out. Not only would your dad be thrilled by this, but also by his son enjoying it as well.
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Yeah. Dad scored two ways, in that his own books are out there and his students’ success also.
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May I ask — what is your dad’s name? You’ve mentioned him and his writing and teaching and I was just wondering, maybe, if I’d read him.
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From Marti Leimbach (former student of MacDonald Harris)
Hi you! Indeed, your Dad was fabulous to me from the moment I stepped onto UCI soil. A real believer in my work, he made me feel like I could accomplish anything at all, and became a great friend. I learned a tremendous amount from him and he was immensely generous with his time and publishing contacts. I teach now at Oxford and I give my fiction writers as much encouragement and help as I can just as he did for me. One of my books, which is not yet published in this country (I’ve been offered for it but I want to revise it, etc, etc) is dedicated to him.
I think he’d really have liked Daniel Isn’t Talking. He wouldn’t have cared two hoots about the film stuff (never went to movies if he could help it because he said they messed up his writing for days afterwards) but would have loved the book.
One my sorrows about his death is that I cannot show him my work before it goes to print — I valued his opinion so much. He was a great reader as well as writer. Miss him lots. He made me laugh and made me think and made me a better writer.
xMarti
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