Vistara

I am new to SL and not very good at avatar appearances as yet, but I had an idea to walk around sometimes as literary personages (authors or famous characters) and interact in SL. Poe would be an interesting person to RP. Has anyone before experimented with literary characters on SL? I am looking through the posts and not finding much. But appearing as Edgar Alllen Poe would be a wonderful way to celebrate his birthday - or remember him. Any ideas?