A Special Letter From a Fan

Tuesdays are the days I showcase my own work on this blog. Today I’d like to share a letter from a fan, and also my response to her. I actually get a lot of fan mail that I never share, but this one touched me deeply, and I thought others would be touched as well.

Dear Alan,

This is the first time that I am writing to an author whose novel has moved me deeply.

I am referring to "The Lonely War" and the feelings of joy, sadness, hope and dismay it has stirred in me. Although my knowledge of writing techniques is nonexistent, your style and your attention to detail transported me aboard the

Pilgrim then to the Changi concentration camp where so many of its residents became familiar to me. Of course, like so many other readers I'm sure, I fell in love with Andrew for his relentless  selflessness to the point of self-destruction, for his inner beauty and the purity of his thoughts. My question is:"Can such a human being exist?". I want so much to believe that they can.

I will continue reading your work. Thank you.

I responded to her by saying:

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about The Lonely War. There is nothing a writer loves more than to hear from readers, and your note made my day. Heck, your note made my whole week. 

I want you to know that, yes, Andrew (like most of my protagonists) was based on a real person, someone I met and loved twenty-five years ago. I still carry him in my heart, and talk to him every so often. His soul is as beautiful now as it was then.