Mark A. Mandel, wrote: > Brusts, plural [explanation snipped] To which, Jeff Gibbons responed: > Now you are treading on the ground Heinlein walked in "The > Number of the Beast". Has the act of writing these > characters resulted in their creation on another plane? > And if so, does that mean that Steven has in essence > created himself? And I thought I was narcissistic! This is fairly standard in modern literary criticism. The author and the narrator are never the same person, especially in fiction. Steve hasn't created himself, but rather, a representation of himself. Think of it as a self-portrait. There are many examples of works that emphasize the nature of the relationships between the author and his characters, not least of which is the play Six Characters in Search of an Author, by L. Pirandello, circa 1921, but in fact extends back much further. Personally, I love plays with a 'play within a play' aspect. Not to mention, I think you should consider whether or not the entire relevant section of FHYA was a joke. Casey