Tag Archive for Fan Mail Wednesday

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #341: My Pen Pal Jaquan (Plus Some Actual FREE Writing Advice!)

May 7, 2025 / / No comments

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Back in February of 2018, I received a piece of fan mail from Jaquan. It was partly in braille, a first for me. And it would become the first of many, many missives we’ve passed along over the years. You see, Jaquan is a dedicated, passionate writer. He’s been sending me stories all this time. There have been lags and spurts, but I’ve tried to keep up. Mostly with encouragement and enthusiasm. And every once in a while I’ll stick in a Pro Tip!

That first envelope looked like this:

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A closer look . . .

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For me, receiving a letter from a reader is a privilege, an honor, and an obligation. There was a time, when my Jigsaw Jones mystery series was at its peak, with new titles appearing on Scholastic Book Clubs four times a year, I got a lot of letters. It was almost a problem. I’d get overwhelmed. I tried creating a small brochure, and then postcards, but they made me feel like a robot. For the most part, I’ve made the effort to write authentic responses to each and every letter. That’s partly why I’ve been sharing a sampling of letters-and-responses on this blog since 2008.

Fortunately, I don’t get nearly as many letters as I used to.

Wait, fortunately?

Oh, well!

(Aside: I also suspect that “letters to an author” is not quite the thing it used to be in schools. Particularly snail mail. It’s too bad.)

The writing life has its ebbs and flows, and I’ve been doing it for the past 39 years. Still hanging in there.

And for the past 7+ years, I’ve been hearing from Jaquan. Recently, I received this one, which was a little different from the rest:

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Dear Mr Preller, I hope your doing well i’m a huge fan of your jigsaw Jones series it inspired me to make A series of my own A little while ago I sent books of my  of my own for you to check out  like my dog detective series I really appreciate the influence you have on your writers like me Young writers like me I know you’re super busy and I just want to say thank you for the inspiration lots of good ideas and thank you again when you get a chance to read them, please give me your honest opinion on my work  warm regards Jaquan J, your author Friend ps, thank you again JJ 

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Here’s my reply:

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Jaquan,
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What a kind letter, my friend, thank you.
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As a writer — and sometimes as a writing teacher — I often come up against the limits of how much I can help any other writer. In the end, we are all alone and need to do it on our own. That quiet time with the blank page and the stirrings of our heart, our own talent, our own dedication.
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I love that you love to write. That you love books and reading. If I’ve helped inspire you, and if I’ve encouraged you, then I’m satisfied with that. I don’t have many wise strategies to impart. We are all fumbling in the dark.
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Follow your enthusiasms.
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Keep going.
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And most of all, enjoy it, have fun with it, let your reading & writing be a source of pride and pleasure in your life.
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If we look to the outside world for our happiness, we will almost certainly be disappointed.
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Maybe that’s the creative process in a nutshell? Why we make things out of nothing. Create your own happiness. Light your own candle in the dark & difficult world.
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You’ve been working hard at this for a long time, Jaquan, and it shows. I’m glad you’ve kept me informed, sharing your stories over years. I see your growth. I’m grateful for you.
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And, yes, you are right. I have a life, things to do, and can’t always give your letters a considered response. Don’t mistake a period of silence for indifference. I care about you, and your writing, and I’m right here, cheering you on.
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By the way, I just looked it up. I first heard from you in February of 2018. So many letters and wonderful stories since. You had wanted to send me a letter in braille and a person at the Visions Center, Pamela, wrote to me. I later received your letter and still treasure it.
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We’ve been writing back and forth for seven years now. Isn’t that something?!
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It’s my turn to thank you, Jaquan. I’m so glad you reached out.
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Your friend in books & letters,
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James Preller
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Category: Fan Mail, the writing process / Tags: , , , , ,

MAXX TRAX Remembered!

March 4, 2025 / / No comments

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MAXX TRAX: Avalanche Rescue! was my first published book, 1986. I worked closely with my late beloved pal, editor Craig Walker. Could not have written it half as well without him. I was a snot-nosed kid, 25. The book sold more than 1.5 million copies (no royalties, flat fee) on book clubs, first time out of the gate. A shocking success (I worked on the 10th floor as a junior copywriter at the time). Scholastic bizarrely changed illustrators for the second title — a totally new look, computer generated, and awful — and it didn’t fare well. Oh, well. Done, gone, those two books long out of print.
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And yet not entirely forgotten. I still get emails about it. Several just this year. People who remember loving MAXX TRAX as a kid. Or parents who read them with their children. They still love the thrill of trucks and action stories. I haven’t been able to sell anything like it since. This is almost 40 years ago. This photo came to me last week . . . so kind of this family to remember those books & think of me.
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Category: Fan Mail, the writing process / Tags: , , ,

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #338: Via Snail!

December 21, 2024 / / No comments

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So much of modern communication is done via text or email, including fan mail. It makes sense and, honestly, saves on the cost of envelopes, stamps, time. 

But how refreshing to receive this note from a 5th-grade teacher in Arizona:

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Good morning, my name is Lindsey D_____. I am the fifth grade teacher at _____ School in ____, Arizona. This month my students are writing letters to the author of their book report book. One of my students would like to send you a letter — snail mail style! Is there a good address to send it to?
I am attaching the letter with this email, but we would still love to send you the handwritten copy also. 
Thank you again, 
Ms. D_____
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And, lo, a few days later I received this beauty the old-fashioned way, thanks to a postal carrier trudging through the tundra, mile after mile . . .
(That’s a Frank Zappa reference, btw.)
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I replied:
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Dear Jaxon,

Thank you for your terrific letter, which arrived today via snail mail. You must be an old soul. I’m so glad that you enjoyed . . .

Hey, wait a minute. You hit a double? One-handed?

WOW! I am not worthy!

Anyway, ha, that’s pretty impressive. But honestly, the most impressive part was that even though you were injured, you still wanted to take the field with your team. Play the game, wear the uniform, cheer for your teammates. I love that.

My oldest son, Nick, inspired the heart of Six Innings. While he was undergoing treatment for leukemia, a type of cancer, Nick still played for his Little League team. And it was a struggle. He was often tired, weak, not at his best. But to him, it was about belonging. Being as normal as possible. Winning and losing with his friends. Just being a regular kid.

So, yeah, Jaxon, I hear you loud and clear. My Little League days as a player were long ago. But like you, I can still remember specific moments with teammates, games, plays that happened 50 years ago. I mean, that’s crazy. But it’s another reason why I wrote that book. Because I knew in my bones that these experiences matter to young people. We care so much. It means a lot -— even though life is big and, in the scheme of things, a Little League game is next to meaningless. But at the time, in that moment, it’s the whole world.

Hopefully your wrist has fully healed and you will be back and better than ever. And thank you for expressing interest in my other books. I’ve written a lot of them.

My book, Blood Mountain, just went into paperback (cheap!). It’s a wilderness survival thriller about two siblings and their dog lost in the mountains. And if you enjoy scary stories, you might like my new collection, Scary Tales: 3 Spooky Stories in 1. It’s 300 pages but fast-paced and easy to read.

Thanks again, my friend,

James Preller

P.S. In case you are wondering, Nick is healthy now, living in NYC, and recently married. A big thank you to all the heroic doctors and nurses who care for children with life-threatening illnesses. Those people are amazing.

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NOTE: One of the benefits of snail mail is that I typically include a NY Mets baseball card with my letters. So at least there’s something of value in that envelope. In this case, since Jaxon is clearly a fan (like me), I sent along a few. 

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

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #337: Zoom Visit Followup!

December 13, 2024 / / No comments

 

I haven’t shared many letters recently. Partly that’s because fan mail has dropped off (the pandemic and, I gather, my own popularity) and partly because many have felt repetitive or just, you know, not worth blogging. 

However!

I enjoyed a fast, easy, inexpensive Zoom Visit with an enthusiastic class a while back. It happened, we did it, life moved on. What impact did it make? Who knows!

So it was especially lovely to receive this email the other day: 

 

Dear James Preller,

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My students are still enjoying Bystander! Someone loved the Upstander book so much, that I haven’t seen it since I loaned it to them. What a great problem to have as it is being shared from student to student! 🙂 Students really connected to your characters.
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Here in Summerside, PE, students are wondering if you will ever write Griffin’s story. They think a Bystander part two would be amazing.
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The want to know what authors inspired you and if you are working on anything new?
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Thank you for your time and all the best to you and yours.
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Stacy T______
Summerside Intermediate School
Canada
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I replied:
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Stacy,
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It’s nice to hear from you. And yes, a “missing” book is encouraging news!
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I haven’t spent a lot of time exploring Fan Fiction, but I love the idea of these characters living on in the writing of young readers. Maybe some of your students would like to give it a shot?
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Part of why I’m attracted to Griffin’s story is because I think it would give us a more sympathetic, nuanced understanding of “the bully.” I enjoyed writing about Griffin again in Upstander, though I dreaded revisiting the ketchup scene, which had only happened “off stage” in Bystander.
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I am currently writing a wilderness survival story for grades 3-5 involving wildfire. I want to make it fast-paced and exciting. At this stage, I haven’t started writing — I’m doing research, reading a lot, and taking notes. Every writer is different. But for me, I seem to require a long period of rumination before actually setting words down on the page. Unfortunately, all this pondering, or marinating, looks a lot like doing nothing at all. I don’t have a lot to show for it. Yet!
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I’m also revising a picture book manuscript. I love picture books, but it’s very hard to get them published. A have at least 10 that I think are perfectly publishable. But no publisher seems to agree.
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Rats!
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My best,
James Preller
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Category: Bullying, Bystander, Fan Mail, Upstander / Tags: , , , , , , ,

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #334: A Desi Girl Writes . . . .

April 15, 2024 / / No comments

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Let’s check the mail!

It’s funny, thinking of this now, I remember the later years of my mother when she lived in her last house in Greenport, Long Island. Checking the mail — putting on a light sweater, struggling into a pair of shoes, walking down the driveway to the road and the mail box — that was an adventure right there. Then she’d sit, have a cup of tea, light a cigarette, and think about having a little coffee cake later on. 

Anyway!

Ananya writes . . . 

 

Hi Mr.Preller,

I hope you are well. My name is Ananya ____. You recently visited my school (Jericho Middle School), on March 27th. You mentioned that if I had any questions in the future I could ask you. My questions for you are; What is your favorite genre? What is the best writing tip you ever received?
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Thank you,
Ananya

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I replied . . .

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Ananya!
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Hey, I remember you very well. Please send my regards to the Desi Girls!
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I was so impressed with your school — the teachers, staff, principal, and students. Everything. I’ve walked into a lot of school buildings in a lot of different states, and I can tell that you’ve got something special going on there in Jericho. Make the most of it.
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My favorite genre? I probably go back to realistic fiction most frequently. That’s the baseline, I believe, for all writing. I tend to like (boring) scenes where people sit around the kitchen table and talk. Plot is the tricky part for me, and I have to work to make things happen (which most readers seem to want). That said, I might be different than other authors because I like to bounce around, writing mysteries and “horror” and thrillers and even fantasy. Someday I hope to write a true work of science fiction. I mean to say, I’d like to publish one. I’ve written one, but had no luck selling it. Rats!
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As a reader, I’m the same way. I bounce around. After reading a couple of novels, I’ll hunger for nonfiction. Maybe a biography or a book about birds or essays about politics. Then I’ll read about music, or baseball, or whatever random thing catches my eye. Then it’s back to novels. Round and round it goes.
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Best advice? Oh, goodness. I really ought to write up a list one of these days. I sort of love Elmore Leonard’s semi-snarky advice, “Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.”
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And I love Kurt Vonnegut’s line, which I often share on school visits: “No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them — in order that the reader may see what they are made of.”
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Otherwise, the cliched answers are usually still true. Read often, read widely, read like a writer (meaning: be hyper aware of the writer behind the words). Try to write as often as you can. Keep a journal. Pay attention to the world. Eyes open, mouth closed. Be filled with wonder. And read aloud what you’ve written.
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I try not to overwrite, because that’s probably my biggest private demon. We’re mortal enemies! That’ s the ego, when I might try to get fancy and show off how smart I am (not very, honestly). So I try to keep my sentences simple, my thoughts clear. We almost never want a confused reader. Clarity is king.
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Thanks for saying hello!
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James Preller
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Category: Fan Mail, the writing process / Tags: , ,
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