From the introduction: "In every first novel the hero is the author as Christ or Faust." Oscar Wilde said that. In hindsight, it makes quite a bit of sense. Every artist, no matter the medium, has one goal: immortality. As one starts down this path, there is nothing that weighs heavier on her head than whether she will be the messiah of her craft or face condemnation as a petty fool who let her talents wither.