You've Got Mail

And if you're an author, you might not want to read it!

I enjoy hearing from readers, truly I do. And the vast majority of correspondence I get is positive. When a reader takes time out of her busy life to let me know that my book made her laugh or cry or remember what it's like to fall in love, it makes my day. Then there are those other letters ...

There's a woman who writes to not just me, but lots of romance authors, asking if we'd like to have our mouths washed out with soap, or would we like to come wash her mouth out with soap? She's written me at least half a dozen letters, and each one, no matter how it begins, descends into a discussion of profanity and mouth-washing. Then there are the readers we call the Minutia Militia*, who lie in wait for you to make a mistake in your research, then jump out of the bushes to point out your errors with great glee.

I get lots of e-mails from people who clearly have never read any of my books ("Dear Author:") but still want me to send them free stuff. And finally, there is the man who sent me his book, in installments ... from prison. He expected me to publish it for him, and he checked on me every so often to see how the publishing was coming along. When a letter came indicating he would be out of prison soon and would be along in person to check on things, I contacted the prison. They assured me he would not be getting out any time soon.

I'm thinking about fan mail today because I got a great one this morning. A female volunteer firefighter wrote to tell me she'd read the first book in my Firehouse 59 series and enjoyed it, partly because I'd used the correct terms and she could identify with my female firefighter. Since I agonized over researching the details, her letter was music to my ears!

So once in a while, take a moment to let an author know if you like her book. It's so easy now--almost every author has a website with contact information. A couple of minutes of your time could really make an author smile.

*I don't know who coined "Minutia Militia," but I heard it from Sandy Blair.