...BUT A GHOST'S WORK IS NEVER DONE! 👻

Happy National Authors Day! As our culture places an ever-increasing emphasis on the visual arts, it's important to remember that many of our favorite films and television shows began as a kernel of an idea flowing from an author's pen (or keyboard) and first manifested in the form of the written word. 

Over the last few years, Boredwalk has been lucky enough to have developed products and designs that resonate with many talented authors, and it's been a delightful side benefit of our job to form connections with those lovely creative people.

If you or someone you know is an author — whether an established pro who writes full time, or an unpublished amateur plugging away at the next great novel or nonfiction bestseller — take some time today to thank them for their creative endeavors!

Jeez, E.L. — we're supposed to be building writers UP today, not tearing them down!

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Alright, birthday time! Let's slice today's cake in honor of:

• Author & poet Stephen Crane, born this day in 1871! Mr. Crane is best known for his novel The Red Badge of Courage but was very prolific during his short career, publishing five novels, two volumes of poetry, three short story collections, two books of war stories, and numerous works of short fiction and reporting in the span of four years before his death at the age of 29.  

• Composer and lyricist Jim Steinman, born this day in 1947! Mr. Steinman worked with several famous performers over the course of his career, but his two most famous partnerships were with Meat Loaf on his Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell albums and with Bonnie Tyler on her massive 1983 pop hit 'Total Eclipse of the Heart.'

• Singer Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers, born this day in 1962! I imagine he will celebrate in funky fashion today.

• Actress Toni Collette, born this day in 1972! Ms Collette has appeared in numerous films over the course of her career, including The Sixth Sense, The Hours, Krampus, Emma, Knives Out, Fright Night, Hereditary, and many others. 

• Actor Penn Badgley, born this day in 1986! Mr. Badgley first gained fame as Dan Humphrey in teen drama Gossip Girl and more recently has been creeping viewers out as obsessive serial killer Joe Goldberg on Netflix's You.  

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OK! This is normally the part of the Monday email where I would encourage you to scroll down to learn about a fellow Boredwalk fan in a fun Q&A...but no one has replied back to me with their answers, and I'm very sad about it. If YOU'D like to be featured in this space next Monday, reply to this and let us know! I'll send you some questions and my eternal gratitude!

In the meantime, we'll be back in your inbox on Wednesday morning with links to fun distractions! If you're in a shopping mood, be sure to use the code YAY10 at checkout to save 10% on orders of $100 or more! Until next time...

Peace, love, and the written word,

Matt