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Original poster

Has anyone ever written to an author ?

53 replies

HaventSleptForAYear · 24/11/2008 16:08

Just wondered.

I have considered it a couple of times. I am currently reading Lionel Schriver's "post-birthday world" and am really engrossed in it and very tempted to email her to tell her what I think.

Have you ever done it?

OP posts:
Theochris · 24/11/2008 20:25

A bit off topic, but to Bitoffun. I'm so glad that Ian Rankin is really nice. I heard him interviewed and thought he was great. I'm not a massive fan of Rebus either.

It's always nice when people live up to your expectations.

ClementFreudsGreatestAdmirer · 24/11/2008 20:44

ohdear - yes, i wrote to him via penguin. to ask if he would consider making an audiobook of grimble. he replied by hand on his headed notepaper with his phone number and all his letter said was 'how can you possibly be ex directory when you are a mother?'.

BitOfFun · 24/11/2008 20:55

Theochris- yes, he was thoroughly lovely, and the letter was quite long and full of quirky literary phrases just for meee! I was so chuffed

MiaWallace · 24/11/2008 21:02

Not written a letter but have 'chatted' with Graham Masterton a few times on his website.

hester · 24/11/2008 21:09

My dp is a writer, and absolutely loves it when readers get in touch. Think about it; it's a long lonely road between book launches...

I think I've only written once, to a very well-known author, but she is also a distant cousin of mine so I felt more legitimate about getting in touch. She invited me to tea and was very friendly and nice

ohdearwhatamess · 24/11/2008 21:12

CFGA - how odd.

I can't understand why Grimble is out of print. Think I might write to him and ask.

atowncalledalice · 24/11/2008 21:28

DS1 emailed Morris Gleitzman (Australian children's author) a few years ago, and received an email back with an answer to his question. DS was so pleased to receive a response

ClementFreudsGreatestAdmirer · 24/11/2008 21:37

look what i just found ohdear ....

DisasterArea · 24/11/2008 21:43

i wrote to Graham Oakley when i was 7. he sent me a picture of humphrey and arthur. still have it now.

IorekByrnison · 24/11/2008 22:26

I did when I was about seven. Can't remember the author's name but she wrote a book about a cat called Princess (classy, no?), the ending of which I found bitterly unsatisfactory for some reason. So I asked her to write a sequel. I got a very nice letter back (from America! Foreign stamps!) saying that she was thinking of writing a sequel, but that these things take a long time and I might be grown up/have lost interest by the time it was published. She was quite right of course.

A friend of mine wrote to Anita Brookner a few years back - think she got a very nice response from her.

teafortwo · 24/11/2008 22:44

I often get my classes to write to authors. One day Jill Murphy phoned the school to say thank you for the letters my class had sent and to say she would be writing back soon.

The secretary came and got me saying "T42 Jill Murphy wants a quick word - she is on the phone!"

Of course completely starstruck my voice went like Harry Enfield's Kevin and I said...

"'ello - I love eeerrrr we love your books heeeeeeey!"

She was really very sweet, but alas, never called again!!!

ohdearwhatamess · 25/11/2008 12:34

CFGA - you've made my day. I have an old copy (paid silly money for it on ebay), but I've just ordered a new one for one of my nieces for Christmas.

Flamesparrow · 25/11/2008 19:29

Hester.... I really wanna know who she is now!

FrannyandZooey · 25/11/2008 19:35

i have emailed Melvin Burgess and Martin Millar and they both replied in person and we emailed back and forth for a while

my sister wrote to Iain Banks ages ago and got a friendly handwritten letter in response

FrannyandZooey · 25/11/2008 19:36

ps i reckon Clement Freud meant he had tried to phone you in response but you were not in the phonebook! bet you wish you were, now

nuttymum303 · 25/11/2008 21:34

For a site I belong to, I emailed loads of authors to do chats. They are lovely and emailed me back with dates and stuff.

EachPeachPearMum · 25/11/2008 22:14

I wrote to Raymond Briggs as a child, and received a lovely hand-drawn postcard in response

My rl reading group has written to several authors and had great responses..can't remember who though am 32 weeks pg though.... I think 1 was Alan Bennett, and he sent a lovely reply.

FlossieT · 25/11/2008 23:30

Kathyis6incheshigh: . wow. So sorry you never got to meet her.

You can still go round Greeen Knowe, though, even if it isn't quite the same without the author. I haven't yet gone even though it's only about 20 minutes drive away from me. It occurs to me that I have been waiting for too long to have the excuse of a DC getting interested in the books (DS1 only reads spy stories anyway at the moment) and I have just had a brilliant idea for my Christmas list.

And Grimble is out of print???? Terrible news. I still recall with fondness the piece about Grimble cutting potatoes into ever-smaller pieces in an attempt to make them boil faster. sigh.

To stop reminiscing and actually reply to the OP: not just yet. I've spoken to one or two at signings but as the signings are usually happening at work I tend to hang back (since it feels unfair to jump the queue when I haven't even paid for the privilege) and hence get the author once they are jaded and fed up of being told inarticulate nice things. BUT - having had a friend hold forth to me this weekend about how she had been told by someone frightfully important that "no one ever talks to me at parties as they are too starstruck", and it was therefore very important to always tell people when you thought they were brilliant - I am now resolved to do so. Hope you get a good response!

Dior · 25/11/2008 23:36

Message withdrawn

squilly · 26/11/2008 23:41

I emailed Tad Williams to tell him how much I was enjoying his Otherland series, asking when he'd have the next installment out in the u.k.

I half expected a standard response, or even none at all, instead of which I got a really chatty email explaining that he'd just had a baby and things were really manic...but he was trying his best to get in some writing every day. I know it was probably written by some poor assistant, but she/he was mighty good at impersonating a hassled new dad if that's the case

EachPeachPearMum · 27/11/2008 20:15

WOW Squilly - I love Tad Williams. I was gutted when otherland turned into 3 books rather than a trilogy, as I had resolved not to buy it until I could read all 3 in one go on the trot.... and it still wasn't the end-Gah!

anorak · 27/11/2008 20:32

What a lovely thread, and all such positive responses you've received!

The author Val Tyler is a friend of mine and she always replies to reader letters.

atrueromance · 27/11/2008 20:41

I wrote to an author once.

He wrote back.

I replied.

We started a frenzied, snail mail romance.

Six months later we met.

We were sending a letter a day to each other.

We lived together for eight years.

He was lovely.

squilly · 28/11/2008 19:58

Eachpeachpearmum...I love Tad. I suspect it is partly to do with the email I got back from him. And I loved all the books he's written...Can't wait for more

ilovemydog · 28/11/2008 20:03

Harlan Coben - I suggested a plot for a book, and he sent an email back saying it was a, 'brilliant brilliant brilliant email...'

But that I had got the main character's name wrong

In my defence, I was 8 months pregnant and also got my DP's name wrong....

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