Narzack

I wrote a letter to Stephen Baxter this morning.  He’s my favorite living author, and definitely in my top three of all time.  I wrote it because I’ve never written to an author before, despite wanting to for years.  It was really just laziness that kept me from doing it.  I’d wanted to write to Ray Bradbury and Terry Pratchett, too, but they passed.  I’ve found out that hard way that people don’t live forever, and if you want to thank them, now is the time.  I never got to tell my dad how much he meant to me before he died.  I never got to tell Ray Bradbury just how much he meant to Haley and me, and Terry died before I got off my butt to tell him how much I loved Discworld.

So, yeah.  I wrote to Stephen Baxter.  I told him how much his books influenced me, and how much I love them.  I told him about how my dad brought a couple of his books home one day, because he figured I’d like them.  Dad was always able to do that.  Somehow, despite not being a reader, he always knew if I’d like something.  He was the one who encouraged me to read The Hobbit, even though I’m pretty sure he’d never read it.  He just somehow knew.  I read that in 8^th grade and never looked back.  In fact, I’m pretty sure that he was the one who got me into Frank Peretti when I was younger.   Dad was a pretty awesome guy.

I dunno, I just encourage you to make the effort to tell someone how much you appreciate them.  Even if it’s a guy in England writing nerd books for super nerds.