Tag Archive for James Preller Fan Mail

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #274: From (Presumably) a Really Big Fan!

July 13, 2018 / / No comments

 

I can’t be sure — it’s hard to tell from here — but I suspect that this letter came from a GIANT named Brady. 

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Could there be any other explanation?

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I replied:

Dear Brady,

Wow, you sent me the coolest letter ever! Kind of huge, don’t you think?

Thank you for reading Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Christmas Snowman. There’s plenty more where that came from!

I also loved your drawings. You’ve got a lot of talent, young man. Keep it up.

You wondered where I live. It’s Top Secret!!! No, actually, I live in upstate New York, a town called Delmar, just south of Albany. Our nearest river is the Hudson and the nearest Duncan Donuts shop is five minutes away. The way a car needs gas, I need coffee to run. In fact, if you ever see me stalled on the side of the road, bring me a cup of regular with milk, no sugar. I’ll perk right up!

I am 57 years old. But I don’t look any older than 54. It’s the little things, Brady.

I LOVE that one of your two favorite lines from the book was, “With what?” That was a good day when I wrote that line. 

Ah, sweet inspiration.

Hey, have a great summer. You addressed your stamped envelope to your elementary school, so I hope you get it before school starts up again.

Keep reading books, any books at all, even mine.

Your friend,

James Preller

Category: Fan Mail, Jigsaw Jones / Tags: , , , , ,

Fan Mail Wednesday #273: Avigayil from Inwood!

May 16, 2018 / / No comments

 

 

You all buckled up? Let’s go. Because Avigayil is learning how to write letters.

I replied . . . 

Dear Avigayil from Inwood!

What an interesting name you have. I’ve received many letters, and signed a lot of books, but you are my first Avigayil. Congratulations.

Am I your first James? Or Jimmy? Or Jimbo?

For someone who is just learning how to write letters, you did an excellent job. Thanks especially for including the stamped, self-addressed envelope. That saved me time and money!

I’m glad you liked The Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster and The Case of the Race Against Time. The second title features a bad haircut –- and let me tell you, I’ve had a few. I remember looking in the mirror and feeling sad. Ack! My head!

I wrote a new Jigsaw Jones book last year, titled The Case from Outer Space. I had a great time writing it, and maybe even made myself laugh here and there. I’m working on a new one right now. The title will be, The Case of the Hat Burglar. It centers around the “Lost and Found” at Jigsaw’s school.

Do you have a “Lost & Found” at your school? What do you think would happen if most of the hats were suddenly . . . missing? It’s time for Jigsaw and Mila to solve a new case.

But first, I guess I’ve got to write the book. When I start, I take notes and do a lot of thinking and planning. I don’t actually start writing until several weeks go by. Right now, I’m almost ready to begin. Thanks for your letter, Avigayil. Great job!

Your friend,

James Preller

Category: Fan Mail, Jigsaw Jones / Tags: , , , ,

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #268: From Zoe, My New BFF from Littleton, CO

February 23, 2018 / / No comments

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Ready? All buckled up? Hold on tight, because here comes Zoe . . .

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My reply . . .

 

Dear Zoe,

Hey, hey, what a terrific letter -– a blast of pure sunshine stuffed in an envelope!

I don’t know how you did it, Zoe, but somehow you managed to include a lot of personality in a short note.

My favorite part? When you explained that Zoe is “without a y or any of that stuff.”

Because who needs a Y anyway? Z-O-E, that’s all you need, folks!

Of course, sure, I liked the part where you calmly observed that my Jigsaw Jones books are “the best books ever in the world.”

I’m sure glad you think so. Thanks for reading them, sweet Zoe.

I’m glad to be your BFF,

James Preller

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Category: Fan Mail, Jigsaw Jones / Tags: ,

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #267: A Letter in Braille

February 17, 2018 / / 2 comments

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I received an interesting envelope the other day. 

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A closer look . . .

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And inside . . .

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If you look closely, you can see the raised dots under the lettering. Braille, of course. Here’s my reply . . .

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Dear Jaquan,

Thank you so much for your letter. I am always grateful whenever a young person reaches out to me in kindness after experiencing one (or more!) of my books.

But your letter was unique, and it moved me. The truth is, I’ve never before received a letter in braille. Nor have I heard from a reader who knows my work only through audio books. Normal for you, but new to me.

By writing your letter, Jaquan, you opened up a glimpse of your world to me. I thank you for that. Running my own clumsy fingers across those little bumps on the page, my eyes closed, I can scarcely imagine how you have the sensitivity and skill (and brain power!) to decipher that extraordinary coded language. I bow my head to you in admiration and respect.

I don’t know which books you’ve heard on audio. To be honest, I’ve long been disappointed that the vast majority of my work has not made it to audio. I guess I’m not a big enough deal. A few Jigsaw Jones titles in the past, that’s it. I wonder if in your world there are people providing you with homemade audiobooks? If so, wow, that’s a generous thing for someone to do.

I am aware that our public service radio station has a service where volunteers can come in to read books for the blind. I’m sorry to say that in the past I’ve always concluded that I didn’t have the time. Or maybe I just lacked energy, or heart. Now you have me thinking about it again, wondering if that’s something I should be doing.

I wish you good health and happiness. Happy reading. And thanks, ever so much, for your note. You’ve inspired me.

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James Preller

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Category: Fan Mail / Tags: , , ,

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #263: It’s 2 Degrees Out, Let’s Talk Baseball (Obviously)!

December 28, 2017 / / No comments

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The mail always gets delivered — through rain, sleet, and mind-numbingly (toe-numbingly?) cold weather. This one’s from Kaprice in Iowa!

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I replied:

Dear Kaprice,

I am always glad to receive a letter about Six Innings, but it’s especially true today in the midst of frozen winter. It is actually 2 degrees outside as I type this. Two skinny degrees! Fortunately the sky is clear, the color of a robin’s egg, and the sun brightly reflected on the snow. Not a good day for baseball, but not so bad for sipping tea and staring out the window.

Titles can be tricky! For some books, I know the title from the beginning: Bystander and Six Innings, for example. For my new book, Better Off Undead, oh dear, that one took forever. But that book took me six years to write (don’t ask!), so I had plenty of time to come up with a lot of bad ideas. My original title was Zombie Me, which I still think is pretty good.

paperback-cover-six-inningsLike you, I am a baseball fan and enjoy reading about the sport. Roger Angell once famously quipped that writers love baseball so much because it’s the only sport that’s slow enough for them to understand. For Six Innings, my idea was to use the game as a structure for writing about characters, people. I knew from the beginning that I wanted the heart of the book to take place over the course of one game, six innings at the Little League level. But again: the game was only a device for exploring character. Real people, what they think and feel.

My oldest son, Nick, 24, is a two-time cancer survivor. I was inspired by his experiences, in particular his friendship with a boy named Sam Lewis. I find that’s often how it works with writing: the details of our own life inevitably leak into our stories, even the ones that are “made up.”

Thank you & Happy New Year!

James Preller

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Category: Fan Mail, Six Innings / Tags: , , ,
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