Fans

I just wrote a fan letter to the author of "Eyes of Crow" - Jeri Smith-Ready - and she answered! Okay, I know, authors are humans. After all, I am one. But to read a book you truly enjoy, write a note to tell the author, and she takes the time to answer, is a big deal.

Yes, I'm no wide-eyed teenager with visions of hero worship. I just know a well-crafted book when I see one, and her book is very well done. It is a coming-of-age fantasy story that had me laughing one minute and sobbing the next. There's a lot of Native American lore, something I tend to enjoy and enough romance and adventure to keep me turning the pages. If you get a chance to read it, do so. It's an excellent story. And I can't wait for the sequel to be out sometime this fall. September or October I believe.

Though my books aren't in print yet, I wonder if I'll eventually get a fan letter. If anyone would take the time. I do know one thing, they will get an answer back, even if only to say "I'm glad you enjoyed (or hated!) my book. If that day ever comes, I'll probably be as excited as I was when I first got the contract. After all, someone read my work and took the time to comment on it. Wow.

And yes, I know reviewers take the time to read and comment, but that's different. Reviewers read the books because they have to. A fan reads because he or she wants to - and enjoys it enough to read more. The difference is subtle, but it is there.

So to Jeri, here's to more stories and know that this fan will definitely buy anything with your name on it.

And to my future fans - here's hoping I can live up to your expectations. :)
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Birthdays: Pierre Corneille, Thomas Mann, Aleksandr Pushkin, Maxine Kumin

Tips and Teasers: Google your name. How many places do you show up? Does anyone else share your name?

Thought for the day: "So long as you write what you wish to write, that is all that matters." - Virginia Woolf