Happy Birthday to my favorite master of the macabre!
Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849)
Poe is credited as being one of the first American writers of the short story, witing perhaps the first detective fiction (The Murders in the Rue Morgue) and even writing some of the earliest science fiction. He earned a living solely by writing, unusual at the time, which was cause for much financial hardship and difficulty in his life.
Poe wrote many now popular gothic short stories (The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado) and also wrote some well-known poetry, the most famous of which is The Raven. He has been remembered historically, but has also been fictionalized in many stories and movies, the latest of which, The Raven, starring John Cusack, enlists the help of the fictionalized Poe in solving murders inspired by his stories.
It is difficult to believe that fewer than 10 people attended Poe's funeral at the time of his death. He has been honored with elaborate funeral 'reenactments' and a grand gravesite marker, as well as yearly vigils by "The Poe Toaster", who yearly (from 1949 to 2009, the year of Poe's bicentennial) visited Poe's grave on his birthday, leaving 3 roses and cognac in his honor. In honor of one of my favorite authors... Happy Birthday, Poe!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/edgar-allan-poe-grave_n_1211688.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe
www.theravenmovie.com/
http://arieshouseofgreetingcards.com
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