September #ShelfLove Challenge: Be Kind to Writers Month



September topic: It's Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month! Write a thank you post to your favorite person (or people) in the publishing industry.
I'm a lifelong reader. It wasn't something I started doing as a teenager or as an adult. Once I learned to read I was off and running and never stopped. Now with a couple decades of reading behind me, I cannot imagine what my life would have been like as a non-reader. It's truly unthinkable. At the risk of sounding cliche, reading has enriched my life beyond measure. And that is all thanks to writers. Over the years there have been many authors whose books made an impact on me - too many to mention - but here are a few that I especially want to thank.

To Judy Blume:
Thank you for providing me with a path through my childhood. Your books tackled subjects that were relevant and relatable. Every page was like a personal message from you, telling me "It's okay. You're not the only one who feels that way."

To Diana Gabaldon:
Thank you for writing a novel that defied classification and swept me away to another time and place. Almost 20 years ago I picked up a book called Outlander and was transported. With a mix of history and romance and action and time travel, it opened my eyes to stories that crossed genres and immersed me in a tale that still captivates me. 

To Katie McGarry:
Thank you for writing everything I want in young adult novels. Your characters never fail to work their way into my heart. I ache for their struggles, cheer them on, and celebrate when they overcome. Thank you for being kind and humble and for sharing your stories.

To Jennifer L. Armentrout:
Thank you for providing me with countless hours of entertainment. For the Lux series, The Dark Elements series, the Covenant series, the Wait For You series. For Roth and Tink and Cam and Katy. For swoony romance and laugh out loud moments. For stories that are so real and for pure escapism. And, it must be said, thank you for Daemon Black. Seriously... thank you.

To Colleen Hoover:
Thank you for the gift of your incredible story telling. It was two and a half years ago that I picked up Maybe Someday. And I fell in love with two characters who felt so completely real, their situation so plausible. I laughed and swooned and even cried as I experienced their story. Since then I've read them all, from Slammed all the way to It Ends With Us, and each and every one has made an impact on me. Each one unforgettable. The characters who speak to me, the situations that hurt my heart, the relationships that warm my heart, the romance and the humor and the range of emotions that I experience every single time... I thank you for all of it. Thank you for introducing me to the music of Griffin Peterson and the art of Danny O'Connor. Thank you for being the kind of person who gives as much as she receives, for being compassionate, for creating an organization like The Bookworm Box that I am so happy to support. Thank you.






Have you ever written a letter to an author?
Who would you write to?



19 comments

  1. Judy Blume was a very important part of my life too! Her books always tackled important issues, relevant issues, and I can honestly say her characters were always so relatable they made me feel less alone :)) Great post, Tanya!

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    1. I love hearing that Judy Blume was so important to you, too, Ruzaika! You are so right that her books always tackled important issues and presented them in a way that kids could understand and relate - but she never talked down to kids. Love her!

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  2. Aw I love this post!! I would definitely write to Colleen Hoover and maybe Rainbow Rowell. Authors have had such a big impact on me with their books.

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    1. Thanks Grace. :) And Rainbow Rowel is another good one. Reading Eleanor & Park made such an impact on me.

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  3. I love these! Great reasons to thank all these amazing authors.

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  4. I've emailed authors, but I don't think I've ever written a physical letter before. I like this idea though! There are many authors who have impacted my life.

    -lauren

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    1. Same here, Lauren. I've never written a physical letter but I still love the idea of telling a favorite author what her/his books have meant to me.

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  5. LOVE THIS post Tanya!! It's so true, as readers we are so blessed to pick up books that enrich our lives! It's so hard to pinpoint a few authors that I would write something like this to, but I know for sure Rowling and Maggie Stiefvater. Their books touched me in more ways than I can explain!
    And I can't believe you read the first Outlander book over 20 years ago! That's one series I own but havent dived into yet. I actually just got An Echo in the Bone as a present this week! Motivation for me to finally get a move on the other books in the series!
    Emily @ www.rabbitholereviews.com

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    1. Thanks Emily! Believe me, it was hard to narrow it down to just a few authors to include here! There are so many that have written something that touched in one way or another. We all have those special ones. :)
      I know, I can't believe it's been so long since I first read Outlander, either! LOL But I know it was before we lived in this house and that's been 13 years, and we hadn't been in the previous apartment long, sooo... the best I can figure it was almost 20 years ago. Ack! I was *so obsessed* with that book and those characters at the time. It was unlike anything I'd ever read. Right around that same time we went to a Scottish Highlands Games festival-thing and I met a vendor who was selling capes and cloaks. I actually had her custom-make me a black velvet cloak with a dragonfly clasp. (So practical in Florida! Hee hee!) I still have it but can't remember the last time I pulled it our of the closet. But I felt just like I was wandering the Scottish countryside looking for Jamie in my cloak. :) How cool that you were gifted An Echo in the Bone! I really need to get caught up on the series one of these day. I've fallen a couple books behind.

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  6. Love this post. I hope that you tweet out your thanks via Twitter. I know some of the authors on the list are active there!

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    1. Thanks Terri - and I did! I heard back from Katie McGarry already and she was super sweet. :)

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  7. This is SO sweet! I love it! I have always been too shy to write an actual letter to an author- though I did once collaborate with a friend in a letter to Ann M Martin (her aunt was Ann's neighbor!! Jealous, I was.) This is such a sweet thing to do! If I were going to write letters, I'd still write one to Ann, actually! And Suzanne Collins of course ;) But I think my problem is, I'd try to write letters to wayyyy too many people and that would get out of hand in a hurry hahha. These are awesome!

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    1. I can't remember ever writing an actual letter to an author, either, Shannon. Twice I've included a brief note to two authors (Jennifer Armentrout and Abbi Glines) when I was writing for another reason (swag and some books to be signed) but it wasn't like a full-on, proper letter. Confession time: I have never heard of Ann M. Martin. Must go look her up... brb... ohhhh, the Babysitter's Club books! :) I've actually never read any of them. It looks like they didn't start coming until the mid to late 80's and I was already too old for them by then. I graduated HS in '86 so I kind of missed the boat with that series. So cool that you had a sort of connection with the author!!

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  8. Oh Tanya, this is incredible! I love all your messages to your favorite authors! And I like how you chose certain ones (I'm sure you could have picked more) that seem to have impacted your life in a profound way. I mean, Daemon Black! lol Thanks for sharing your author love. <3

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    1. Aw, thanks Brandee! I really loved September's prompt. It was a great way to highlight a couple of my favorite authors and share with others what they mean to me. (And Katie McGarry actually saw it and replied to me on Twitter!)

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  9. ♥!! I wasn't as big a reader as I am now but I have always loved reading. And I love your notes to authors -- we are so lucky!!

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  10. This post makes me feel warm, love it!

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