The Mail I Get – Dark Author 7

I received an email from a reader today who was genuinely curious about something. Here’s what she said:

You’re a really dark author. Why haven’t you written dark fantasy or urban books? I think you’d be great at it since you’re so dark.

Okay. I’ve been called a dark author before – all my career, in fact. But I think I pale to the dark authors who write about severing heads and sucking people dry. Maybe there are degrees of dark.

Besides, I may portray the trials and tribulations of humans, I may bring a character to the brink of despair, but I always bring them back.

Think of me as an author with defibrillator paddles.

I see the emergence of all those really dark books as a response to an under-culture. Economies around the world aren’t too great. People are worried. The future is uncertain.

What stops me from writing dark, the way we think of dark today, is that I don’t like gore. I don’t like ennui, or endless despair, either. I really am a very positive person. I don’t think you can be Pollyanna and write those books. I think you have to bathe in angst.

I don’t.

Okay, So What Am I Supposed To Do? 5

Got this email this morning with the Subject of: Sad News!

I’m writing this with tears in my eyes, I and my family came down here to London, United Kingdom for a short vacation unfortunately we got mugged at the park of the hotel where we lodge ,all cash,credit card and cell were stolen off us but luckily for us we still have our passports with us.  We’ve been to the embassy and the Police here but they’re not helping issues at all and our return flight leave pretty soon from now but we are having problems sorting the hotel bills and the hotel manager won’t let us checkout until we settle the bills, We freaked out at the moment. Suzy.

So, let’s pretend I know this person. (I don’t.) Let’s pretend I’m horrified. Let’s pretend I want to help her. What do I do? Reply to her email? Offer to wire her some cash? Send her warm fuzzy wishes?

At least it didn’t originate in Nairobi or Kenya or Russia.

Snail Mail Reply

I get the most wonderful letters from people all over the world.

One woman, in particular, amazes me because she’s been writing me for  ten years now. Plus, she occasionally sends me bookplates to sign and return to her. I always try to remember to send her a new book, but I’m sure I’ve forgotten over the years.

When I get one of her letters, I feel this surge of delight. I want to know she’s okay. What did she think of the newest book? We only exchange letters once or twice a year, but it’s an important correspondence to me.

Another woman writes every Thanksgiving and tells me I’m one of the people for which she gives thanks. Isn’t that the loveliest thing?

I’ve also received letters from an ex-teacher in her seventies. She always makes me smile because her letters are written in a beautiful cursive that puts my handwriting to shame.

Another reader writes me in care of my publisher, even though I’ve always sent her my address. But I get that little thrill of anticipation when I read one of her letters – she always analyzes my books, and I have to say, she’s pretty good.

Most of my mail is email, but however a reader writes me, it’s a present. A gift of connection – and one I never take for granted.