I've been so moved by readers over the years. Especially those who get so involved in my works of fiction that they can't bear not knowing if the character was based on real life and on whom, or what happens next, or what was their childhood like or did their conflict resolve or....I had this experience when writing for a magazine years ago and also when I toured my play. It touches my heart at such a deep level.
As a result of the anthology I have many readers "find" me on the web. My name is unusual enough in that a Facebook search always givas an ah-ha! moment and then a private message.
I've received a few of these since the book was published. One brought a heartfelt message from a young man saying in all his years he never heard of another whose name (mine) was the exact same as his dear grandmother's.
Another said the story of "Norah" hit him so badly that he had to find out if I knew this person in real life as everything about her was so real and authentic and I could only write it if I actually knew her. (No I didn't, except in my head).
Another told me that she had lived the experience in "Lament" and I must have been there too and watched the whole thing take place. (No, I didn't - but any betrayed woman knows the frozen feeling).
I am so grateful when people take the time to write to me and express their feelings about my work. Yeah, tears spring.
And I usually take the time to write to authors I admire also.
Karma can be a good thing.
Karma is an excellent thing. She is sometimes slow, but she is definitely sure.
ReplyDeleteEC, so true. I've gotten some lovely thank-yous from authors over the years. Heartfelt praise is excellent.
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Well, good for you. I published 3 books. There was one Korean English major, who used my work for her Ph.D. dissertation and then she published it as a book and sold it on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteWell done Gigi! 3 books! Wow! What are the titles?
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1. LIKE A JOYFUL BIRD: A MEMOIR.
Delete2. LOVE, LIFE, AND PUBLISHING: A SECOND MEMOIR
3. LOOK FOR ME IN HAWAII: A THIRD MEMOIR
I leave comments to the bloggers I read so that could be called writing to the author, but I've never actually penned a letter or sent an email to any author of a book I've read, always thinking it would just get lost in the many sacks of fan mail they must get.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I've been surprised by responses. And also they tell me how few actually write. Many - and I've experienced this - say my own story ..is better than anything you've written. I need to tell it to you. I actually ran into someone today who said this to me. And it happens a lot. A combo of a slap and arrogance. Lol/sob.
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Rather cheeky of them, but then again, many people think their own story is the only one that matters. So instead of "I need to tell it to you" they should get busy and write it, right? I'll never do a memoir, I think I'm too boring. I'll stick with fiction.
DeleteI am like River, I do leave comments on blogs(though not as often as I should) but have never written to an author for the same reasons. It is hard to believe that people actually make such thoughtless comments to you and other authors. Humans are often very self involved aren't we?
ReplyDeleteSo true Candace. One guy even said to me he had a story ready for my next anthology that was brilliant. I could transcribe it as he told it to me. LOL. I do wish I had that kind of confidence.
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It looks like I will have to wait a while before I can buy in India. I will keep trying till I can download.
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