Little Bouquets

Hearing from a reader who's enjoyed one of my books is like being given a little bouquet. One I'll always remember was when Pat emailed to say that she'd started reading my book and then they had company and she had to keep disappearing into the bathroom to read a few more pages. It still makes me smile.

Another was the lady who told me that she and her sister hadn't spoken for years but after reading  Under the Skin, she called her sister and now they chat daily.  I really loved that.

Just yesterday, Christine Taylor sent this to a mutual friend (Kaye Barley) who then forwarded to me :

"I was thinking about your posting that a review is the best compliment. I haven't got a review in my head but wondered if you could forward this to Vicki Lane as my compliment.

 I started Vicki Lane's The Day of Small Things and was so  astonished by the first chapter that I wrote a poem:
 
 AFTER READING A PARAGRAPH I COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN

 It makes me sad
how close I am to gifted
 but not enough.
 I hear the stories. Yes! Yes!
 I know about that!
 I've seen the pictures, places,
 vivid as--what?
 The lines aren't in me.
 The fever is there to tell you
 so you'd know, so you'd do something.
 This is all that comes:
 Stop the wars. Stop the wars.
 Stop the wars."

Thank you, Christine -- that's a lovely bouquet!