APRIL BABY SHOWERS

by Deborah Elliott-Upton

Just for fun I decided to see if there was a writer born today, on April 14th. Sure enough, Arnold Joseph Toynbee was born on this date in 1889. He was a British historian who authored A Study of History, “a 12 volume analysis of the rise and fall of civilizations.”

At FamousWhy, I discovered a short paragraph concerning an American journalist, Robert Scheer, born on April 14 in 1936. The information was sketchy but mentioned three things about Scheer: 1. His most important articles were from Vietnam and the Iraq War. 2. He collaborated with the New York Times and 3. He dated Jane Fonda.

This birth date is also shared by Julie Christie, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rod Steiger, Pete Rose, Anne Sullivan, Brad Garrett and the lone fiction writer in the group: Scott Turow.

I am curious as to which date or even month has given birth to the most mystery writers, but I’m not sure where to begin that search. Google didn’t know (which is always a surprise!). Obviously, Aries is not such a mysterious sign.

Does it matter which month we’re born or under which stars in the heaven? Probably not any more than which animal on the Chinese Calendar Year is associated with the year we’re born . . . and yet, we’re always looking for an answer as to what makes us tick. What makes us, “us.”

In developing a character, I have yet to decide what horoscope sign he is born under, but rather which personality he likely shares the closest temperaments.

If my character were a writer by trade, would he be born mid-April? Maybe, but I’d be more likely to conceive a tax man, an accountant or someone working with numbers—or perhaps running a numbers racket.

So, I’m wondering, if I did divulge a birth chart for my characters, which month would they be blowing out candles? Do heroes share a particular birth month any more than villains do? Does one particular month bring forth more criminals than another? I have heard heat makes people cranky and more likely to spur crimes of passion, and that during the winter holidays there are more thefts. But is that due to people purchasing more gifts, or because the cold brings out the cold-heartedness in thieves?

Whatever this date brings, I wish it to be April showers. It’s been entirely too dry in my area (although I realize some folks up north are facing flooding). Let’s share the wealth and all of us be a bit happier with what we have weather-wise. Until then, I’m hoping someone has a baby this month that turns out to be one heck of a mystery writer. Hmm, maybe it’ll even happen to my family.