tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post6296743272035058328..comments2024-02-04T04:40:23.122-08:00Comments on Harlequin Heartwarming: Mail BagPamela Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05834270662017246137noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-83162282199855557032017-04-22T10:03:34.835-07:002017-04-22T10:03:34.835-07:00Wow that is scary. It reminds me of the book THE H...Wow that is scary. It reminds me of the book THE HELP, not that the parallel was from one family, but the entire town of women, some who didn't even recognize themselves, but others did.Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-78424398210604889962017-04-22T10:00:42.970-07:002017-04-22T10:00:42.970-07:00You are so right. When I lived in DC, I had a frie...You are so right. When I lived in DC, I had a friend and she and I were a book club of 2. We didn't know about bookclubs then, but we discussed books all the time, recommended them, talked about what the stories meant and how it affected us.Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-18440911063024779372017-04-21T14:29:55.874-07:002017-04-21T14:29:55.874-07:00I once got a fan letter that paralleled every char...I once got a fan letter that paralleled every character in one of my books to members of the fan writer's family. She did names, ages, and jobs. She said if I'd set the book in Maine instead of Nebraska, she'd be convinced I knew her. LOL Pamela Tracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05834270662017246137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-53524059541664068442017-04-21T10:43:19.444-07:002017-04-21T10:43:19.444-07:00Your post is an affirmation of the power of storie...Your post is an affirmation of the power of stories, Shirley. They're so much more than fun and games--even though we love that part of storytelling. But there's no question that stories have the power to change lives. Not to put any responsibility on our shoulders or anything! But really, it's true. Your post shows that. I think online reader reviews so often reveal the way readers Virginia McCulloughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00742085109270186669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-8250195874603239092017-04-21T09:06:59.206-07:002017-04-21T09:06:59.206-07:00Ture, even if the change is small in our eyes, it ...Ture, even if the change is small in our eyes, it may be huge to that reader.Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-63087931450752378312017-04-21T09:05:43.906-07:002017-04-21T09:05:43.906-07:00It is amazing.It is amazing.Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-60066125817544971312017-04-21T09:05:24.566-07:002017-04-21T09:05:24.566-07:00I'd be amazed if the author didn't respond...I'd be amazed if the author didn't respond. There is that insecure feeling that readers will hate our stories, so even one letter with the "atta girl" goes a long way. I've written or emailed an author when I loved her book.Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-57801306080393555592017-04-21T09:03:31.506-07:002017-04-21T09:03:31.506-07:00Isn't that true. With so much demand for time,...Isn't that true. With so much demand for time, they took a few minutes to say they liked your work. Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-69213844777269579412017-04-21T09:02:36.629-07:002017-04-21T09:02:36.629-07:00Atta girl. It's deserved. I've read your w...Atta girl. It's deserved. I've read your work and love it.Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-7824286582505743952017-04-21T09:01:59.181-07:002017-04-21T09:01:59.181-07:00I kept every fan letter I ever received, even the ...I kept every fan letter I ever received, even the e-mail ones I print and store in binders. Some day when I'm feeling that no one will ever want to read what I write, I can refer to them and bring my spirits up.<br />Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-18196951669050095692017-04-21T09:00:20.232-07:002017-04-21T09:00:20.232-07:00Magic is the right word. I'm still thrilled to...Magic is the right word. I'm still thrilled to find that something I wrote could touch someone else in a positive way.Shirley Hailstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08591939719909610168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-44531491033755931732017-04-21T08:32:54.102-07:002017-04-21T08:32:54.102-07:00I love receiving fan letters, and cried over the e...I love receiving fan letters, and cried over the email I got from a reader who said my book had changed her life. Our readers are FANTASTIC!Patricia Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03382033674042021556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-21487081031355449712017-04-21T08:05:33.882-07:002017-04-21T08:05:33.882-07:00It must be an amazing feeling when you realize you...It must be an amazing feeling when you realize you impacted a reader's life with your story. Thanks for sharing.Beth Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02447148196867821907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-12620323058958599492017-04-21T07:58:29.522-07:002017-04-21T07:58:29.522-07:00I'm so happy to hear that fan mail is apprecia...I'm so happy to hear that fan mail is appreciated by authors. I've never written a letter to an author (which is odd because I love writing hand-written notes and letters), but if a book resonated with me I'll send the author an email or a private message on FB. Most respond. I recently sent Catherine Lanigan an email about her book that I'm currently reading, Sophie's Path, aLaurie Ihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05251033150576051700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-33251903364608158872017-04-21T07:58:07.585-07:002017-04-21T07:58:07.585-07:00Shirley, thank you for sharing some of your letter...Shirley, thank you for sharing some of your letters. What a wonderful feeling to know your book helped someone through such a tragic time in her life. Like Janice mentioned, I'm always so touched and thrilled when someone takes the time to let me know how they enjoyed my work. Carol Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02360417299528882416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-64162576272049646532017-04-21T05:39:20.759-07:002017-04-21T05:39:20.759-07:00A nice post. Like everyone else, I like nothing be...A nice post. Like everyone else, I like nothing better than getting an "atta girl" from a reader. Thanks for sharing some of yours.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-23573477986866638342017-04-21T04:49:09.373-07:002017-04-21T04:49:09.373-07:00Being a lover of the written letter, I enjoyed thi...Being a lover of the written letter, I enjoyed this post, Shirley. A couple of months ago I received my first letter from a reader. Reading it was an emotional experience that I'll never forget. Jill Weatherholthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12935341991222337363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442063056672240555.post-54315905846823829012017-04-21T04:47:17.181-07:002017-04-21T04:47:17.181-07:00The fan letters you received were very touching, S...The fan letters you received were very touching, Shirley, and must have been a wonderful bonus for the time and devotion put into your novels. I remember the very first fan letter I received - forwarded in the mail from Harlequin headquarters!- and how thrilled I was, realizing someone other than a friend or family member had actually read the book! Thanks for the reminder about the magic of Janice Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12199889861936957390noreply@blogger.com