supportive (and conflicting) email from readers

I’ve had some really nice email lately. Of course I have no time to answer it. Here’s proof: I’m so distracted and (shall I say it?) overwhelmed that the rate at which I lose, misplace or forget things has taken an alarming upturn. Last week I went to get the Girlchild’s registration renewed and new tabs. I took in the registration from my car instead of hers and handed it over to the clerk, who looked dubious and then downright worried. I’m surprised he didn’t call the cops on me.

Fixed that. Got the registration, got the tabs. Put them in my purse very carefully.

Then I couldn’t find my cash card and I was so irritated with myself that I sat right down and cleaned out my purse. And a miracle: I found the durn card hiding in a pocket where it doesn’t belong. Guess what came next?

That’s right, the registration and tabs are gone. Missing. Or really not so much missing; I’m pretty sure they’re in a trash can somewhere. I can’t even subject myself to going through the trash because I’m not sure where I was at the time this cleaning fit came over me. So tomorrow I have to go back to the DMV, confess my absent mindedness, and pay all over again.

However. I did write 1,500 words today, which is quite respectable.

So some nice emails:

I CAN’T SAY BONJOUR TO Hannah and Ben. I just finished “Queen of Swords”. I loved the pace of the story action and most of all its characters. I live in a tiny town in Newfoundland, Canada. When is the next novel in this series? We can’t let them go yet. (DPB)

I’ve just finished Queen Of Swords, and once again you’ve penned a great story. I’ve read all 5 books in the Wilderness Series and I really enjoy the character development of all the protagonists plus the scintilating plot twists.

1) Embellish the battle scenes with more specifics of the fighting.

2) Be more specific when descibing the physical traits of the characters so we readers can picture them more clearly.

3) Your love scenes could be a little “steamier”.(BB)

But K is of a different mind on the last point at least:

I just finished Queen of Swords and I absolutely loved it! The best one yet! The last 50 pages took me 5 days because I didn’t want it to end and I read very slowly and made myself stop. I crawled in bed at 10 pm last night with chapter 63 and put it down. I finished it when I got up at 6:40 am :(

I tell everyone about these books. I’ve had to speak directly to my librarian at the West Bloomfield, Michigan branch at Westacres. Believe it or not they have Lake in the Clouds, Fire along the Sky and Queen of Swords but NOT Into the Wilderness nor Dawn on a Distant Shore!!!! I have requested they add these two to the collection. Has yet to happen.

I love the way you write your stories. I really appreciate your ability to capture love and passion without all the “steamy details”. So much better left to one’s imagination. We get the picture (K)

Just felt compelled to thank you for the unforgettable journey of the Bonner’s… The only setback that results from reading this series is the feeling of desolation that comes from leaving these characters at the end of the novel…

But this at least, is short lived, as time and again I have found that they yet have persevered and off I go
tailing after them on yet another most memorable adventure.
And most incredible being that after all my years of reading a vast multitude of stories – I am yet unable to for-see well, what plot may lay ahead… Marvelous!!!

Thank-you for the gift of many hours spent in breathtaking adventure and learning! (DD)

These emails mean a great deal to me. When the going is rough, they give me a boost I couldn’t get any other way. For all of you who have emailed me and are not included in the bunch, please know that I do read everything that comes my way. If we ever hit it big on the lottery, I’ll have a full time assistant to take care of things like car registrations and misbehaving printers. Then I could answer all my mail.