Letters and Fan Mail

In the previous post, I mentioned finding the thank you notes from seniors I taught years ago and the letters that some of them sent after they left for college.  They meant a great deal to me at the time, but even more now as I shuffle through my memories of those years and those students.

While it is important to thank someone for a gift, maybe the most touching thank you's are not for the Christmas or birthday gifts.  Thank you notes to friends, teachers, family for just being there, for small kindnesses, for inspiration, for all those intangible things that we take for granted.  Reading over those notes, I realize that only now do I truly apprehend how important a thank you note can be!   

I have had a blogging friend for several years now, Deborah McLaughlin--quilter and librarian--two things I appreciate!  She doesn't keep up with her blog any longer, but she is a FB friend, so I can continue to keep up with her.  (I know; I swear every day to Quit FB, and I can't resist going back.)  

Anyway, she posted on FB a letter from a Lady-in-Waiting to Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in response to the birthday wishes the McLaughlin's and their daughter sent the Queen in 1990, when the Queen Mother had her 90th birthday.  This year Elizabeth II turned 90 (must be some good genes on the distaff side!),   Deborah OK'd my use of her pic.

Now that is a keepsake!

Have you ever written fan mail?  To an important figure, a celebrity, or an author?  I never have.  I suppose fan mail is really a letter expressing appreciation, a longer form of the thank you note.  

James Preller regularly receives fan mail because he makes it a point to visit schools.  I've mentioned before his willingness not only to respond to his fan letters, but to make them funny and personal.  



On his school visits, Mr. Preller encourages teachers and readers to include an SASE  and does his best to write replies.  He doesn't guarantee a response to every letter, although his response rate is very high.  

Dear Patrick,

Thank you for your letter. Writing can be lonely work. For example, right this minute I am alone in a room in an empty house, plucking away at the computer keyboard. Just me, by my lonesome, trying to write.

Letters like yours make me smile, and make me feel connected to my readers. I write a book . . . and somebody out there . . . a boy named Patrick . . . reads it. The job wouldn’t be nearly as fun without you. So, again, truly and sincerely: thank you.

I suppose, yes, that Jigsaw is a little like me. We are both the youngest in large families (I am the youngest of seven), and we share the same sense of humor. I was never a detective, however; though I did love to spy on my brothers and sisters. I was sneaky.

You are lucky about the uniforms. I wore a uniform in Catholic school when I was a kid. Purple polka-dotted pants, striped shirt, red suspenders and a big yellow bow tie.

No, just kidding. Green pants, white shirt, green tie. Day after day, week after week, year after year. Sigh.

I just wrote a new “Jigsaw Jones” titled The Case from Outer Space. It will be out in the Spring of 2017. I hope you check it out –- there’s some really funny parts. And since you mentioned ghosts, you might enjoy my “Scary Tales” books. They aren’t hard to read, but they will make your heart go thump, thump, thump.

Stay cool and have a great summer!

That’s me, top row, fifth from the left. Big class, huh?

Your friend,

James Preller

(Used with Mr. Preller's permission.)

I'm going to encourage Mila, Max, and Bryce Eleanor to write letters to their favorite authors...and to read some of James Preller's books!  They would be so thrilled to receive a reply!