The Sweetest Story from My Forty-Year Career as a Children's Book Author

A long time ago - maybe twenty years ago? - I received a letter in the mail from a young reader named Erika who lived near Burlington, Vermont. At the time I kept a standard reply-to-fan-letter template on my computer, which I personalized for each kid.

Well, Erika wrote back, thanking me for my letter, but explaining politely that her best friend had told her this was just a computerized letter and probably the same thing I sent to everybody. (Busted!) She asked if I would write her a handwritten note to silence her friend.

So I did, and she wrote back sending me her school photo and a bracelet she had made, and I wrote back (another handwritten note, of course!), and then she wrote saying how much she would love it if I would come to her school. "I love to go to schools!" I replied. "Why don't you see if your school has a budget for an author visit?"

Naturally, a girl who was persistent enough to hold out for a handwritten letter from her favorite author was also enterprising enough to make this inquiry of her principal. Yes, her school DID have a literacy grant with surplus funds in it. And yes, they would most happy to fly me in for a visit. 

Then the ever-plucky Erika emailed me (we were emailing back and forth by now) and told me I should stay at her house when I came to Vermont: "It's much nicer than a motel, and cheaper, too." At this point I suggested bringing her mother into the conversation; her mother said they would love to host me. Now, everything I had read about author visits advised NOT doing exactly what I was about to do, but I said, "Thank you! I would love to stay at your home!"

The three days spent in Vermont with Erika and her family were wonderful. I spoke at several schools, as well as at the public library, with Erika introducing me at each event and her older sister serving as my chauffeur. I fell in love with her parents, too, over evening wine and laughter. 

In the years following, Erika and I stayed in touch, at first frequently, then fitfully, and via Facebook. Erika is now all grown up and lives with her husband and their four children in Melbourne, Australia. She messaged me last week: her fifth grader, Zoe, loves my books. Might be it be possible for me to ZOOM with Zoe and her sister?

My reply: YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!

So that's what I'm doing this afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Colorado time, which is 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning in Australia. 

I'm actually tearing up as I'm writing this. Erika says she still has my old address memorized: 2575 Briarwood Drive. She says she's sure Zoe would send me a handwritten note if I send her my address! I feel like Peter Pan, at the end of Barrie's beautiful book, when he comes back to take Wendy with him for spring housecleaning, but she is all grown up, so he takes her daughter Jane with him to Neverland instead. 

Dearest Erika, thank you for insisting on that handwritten letter all those years ago. Thank you for so many years of sharing our enchanted world as author and reader, and thank you for our continuing friendship that spans years, continents, and seventeen hours of time zones.

Thank you.