Get Back to Work!

My readers normally write to me in pencil. Letters sit at the publishers for a good six months or more,  and by the time I get them the senders  are all  grown up and I imagine them reading War and Peace. They don’t care anymore if I have any pets or how I get my ideas or if I have any children and what their names are.  But not this time. In the midst of an especially stressful flurry of the flotsam and jetsum of life coming at me, with 1099s and backround checks and bla bla bla  I suddenly got a delightful thing: a nagging email from a fourth grader. I print it here, leaving out identifying details in its entirety. Thank you beloved reader ! ( I will respond as soon as I am able). You put a smile on my face! I needed your message today.  Enough with  fretting over your taxes, enough with dentist appointments and every other stupid detail of adult life that ties you up. Get back to work because  there are readers out there that want your books! Shut up and make another.

Here’s what she said and it makes me purr:

I am in love with your books but the only thing is that you only have two books in the series Thumbelina and Cinderella. They are great books. They make me love reading. Also, my friend Libby loves your books too. We would really love if you could take the time to read this letter. And please it would make us so happy if you will respond to this email and could make more amazing books.

If you do read this letter and think about what I’m saying and think to yourself and you decide to make more books here are some Ideas: Ariel, Tangled, Snow  White, Sleeping Beauty, or you could do made up fairy tales, childhood stories, or even scary stories.

I think little kids would love your books as well as I do. I think if you made some little kid picture books, they would love it, I bet.

If you have read this email or letter. Thank you so much for your time. Please get back to this email as soon as possible. Thank you again so much.

and thank you!