Thanksgiving

For many, a gath­er­ing of fam­i­ly and friends around a table at Thanks­giv­ing also includes a go-around in which each per­son says what and to whom they are thank­ful.  It was so in my fam­i­ly.  I could eas­i­ly cre­ate a long list of those whom I could acknowl­edge with thanks and do so with a lov­ing look into their eyes.  But as a writer, among those I need to give my deep­est thanks are folks I don’t know and rarely meet: my read­ers. Though I, unbe­knownst, am writ­ing for them, some­times they come for­ward and let me know who they are.  Thus, in the recent mail came, in a child’s bold, block let­ters, this note:

“To: Avi

From: R……

Thank you very much

I like your series of books. I like three mane (sic) char­ic­tirs (sic) pop­py, rag­weed, and rye. Thank you for your books”

There was an added note, writ­ten by an adult.

“Avi, I just want­ed to say thank you for writ­ing the Pop­py book series!  My son is 7 years old and a very pre­co­cious read­er and I’m so grate­ful for a book that is at his read­ing lev­el, but also gen­tle enough for his age.

Thanks, L….. (R’s mom)

P.S. Writ­ing a let­ter was all his idea! He cher­ish­es your books and keeps them on dis­play in his room.”

A writer can’t ask for more than that, and I am so grate­ful to “R,” his mom and ALL my readers.

Thank you.

Avi