Reader feedback and the birth of a new blog!

I get emails and letters from readers and sometimes I like to feature them on my blog. Wording, font and icons are presented as is. I don't change them except for the odd typo (if it's a really odd typo!). 

This was from a grandpa who was reading it before passing it on to his legion of grandchildren:

“It is a little literary gem, beautifully and imaginatively written. And I’m sure in the best tradition of the Nancy Drew mysteries – though I doubt that their author had the anthropological background of Jan which she has used so resourcefully to flesh out the narrative.”

This was from a girl who received the book in a loot bag at a birthday party (books make good loot bag presents, much better than that dollar store stuff that just ends up in the land fill … just saying!)

I liked your book!

Thanks for giving it to me at Maya’s b-day party in the loot bag!

I want to buy the next one.

JJJJJJJJJ

Cheers,

Sheridan (Maya’s friend)

I was invited to present at the Owl’s Nest Book Club last February where I meet lots of young readers including Sophia, one of the book club members.

This is the email she sent after the meeting:

  

Hi Ms.Markley,

I read your book, Dead Frog on the Porch for Juinior Owlets book club and I absoulutley loved it! please keep on writing! I can not wait for your next book!

I follow your blog and I think that it is really cool!

thanks for being a great author

Sophia  

Then there was this one a short time after:

Hey there Ms.Markley!

I love your blog soooooooooooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

much!

I think it is really cool and love you put blogging in to your books!

When are you going to do another entry on Jossica of the Earrings?

i loved the entry on how to sasquach yourself

Bye

Sophia

Then this one:  

YOU DO NOT UPDATE YOUR BLOG ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then I went to the SCBWI Symposium in Bologna and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. When I came back I had bronchitis and this email in my inbox:

Dear Ms.Markley

Where are you?

you have not updated your blog in 12 days!

I repeat, where are you?

After that, Sophia got fed up with waiting for me to update my blog and started her own blog. She blogs about her life and the books she loves to read (it’s a very long list!). It’s a great site for teachers, librarians and other kids to check out. She reviews books for kids 11 years and up.

She recently did a review of Dead Frog on the Porch.  So check out the blog and the review!

Next blog post: an insane amount of positivity! Curious!? ... I think so!