Three years ago, I got an email from a young girl who didn’t understand why Blue Birds didn’t have chapters. “At first I didn’t like your book but after reading a couple of pages… I liked it.” I told her about verse novels, how each poem is like a picture, and when those pictures are added together, like photos in an album, they tell a story.
Two years later she contacted me again. “I am a little bit older now and I’ve read Blue Birds all the way through and I understand it more. It was so cool because in school we were learning about the Dare Family (Eleanor Dare, Virginia Dare, etc.) and right around the same time I read blue birds! So I knew who those people were! I just finished May B. this morning! I loved it!” She ended with this: “PLEASE WRITE MORE BOOKS. IF YOU DON’T I WILL BE HEARTBROKEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I assured her there was no need to be heartbroken. Another novel was on the way!
Earlier this month, I got one more email. “I read Jasper and the Riddle of Riley’s Mine! It was one of my favorites! Sooooo excellent! It was very suspenseful, because every time Melvin and Jasper seemed to be doing really well, Frank Hazard showed up! He made me so angry, I just wanted to give him a piece of my mind! I guess that’s why it’s such good writing! Also I just HATED those Theroux’s (I’m not sure I spelled that name right). But it was such a great book and I hope you write more, because you are an amazing author!”
THIS IS WHY I WRITE BOOKS! Pretty much made my day.
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