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Joan Grant Gets Some Advice

Joan Grant, c. 1923, as reported by Wayan

In her autobiography, psychic Joan Grant writes that as a child she was unaware that other people DIDN'T see spirits--she assumed that ignoring them was just a social rule like politely looking away while someone is getting dressed.

As an adolescent, normal people scared Joan out of her social wits. So polished, so anchored in one place!

As it happened, H. G. Wells was a family friend, and he gave her some private advice. She writes:

He was the first person, and for a long time the only person, to whom I confided the reality of my more than three-dimensional life. He listened with eagerness. "Keep it to yourself, Joan, until you are strong enough to bear being laughed at by fools--but never let yourself forget it. When you ARE ready, write what you know about it. It is important that you write."

She started yapping "oh but..."

He looked severe: "I spend a great deal of time telling authors, and sometimes successful authors, not to waste their time, and their readers' time, by writing another line. I tell you to write and you will write, so do not try to argue with me. But you must live, before you write about living. Don't, for your sake and ours, go off at half-cock.

"The first step in living is for you to stop your [father] from turning you into a bluestocking..."

Then H.G. Wells left. In style:
A new car was brought to the house. H.G. said "I have never driven a car before. I have read a book about it, so I shall now drive myself to Southampton." He refused even to practice. Mother tied a red bunch of wool on the accelerator and a green one on the brake, to remind him which was which.

Some hours later, H.G. phoned from Southampton. "I averaged 28.4 miles per hour" he said. "I shall go much faster tomorrow."

Source: my 1980/9/23 journal records this passage, but not the book title! I recently found a slight variant of the anecdote in her Far Memory (1985 reprint, p.88-90). Differences may be my paraphrasing or a variant edition (I either read an earlier American ed., or the Brit one titled Time out of Mind).

LISTS AND LINKS: ghosts - living with ESP - living with bulldozers, or, perseverance - keep your sense of humor - writing - career advice - more Joan Grant, H.G. Wells & other tricksters

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