Weekly Geeks 2010.23: Dear Author

For Weekly Geeks this week we are encouraged to write a letter to a recent favorite author or an old favorite. Here's what I've come up with:


Dear Mr. Shusterman,


Where have you been all my reading life? Wait, let me guess.... you came to be a famous well-known author sometime in the 90s I bet, which, as I have established, was my decade of lost reading! But that's okay, because as they say, better late than never.


Just in case you want to know, here's how we met. I remember hearing your name thrown around here and there especially at the local science fiction and fantasy conference that I've lately discovered. But then, last year during the library's summer reading program, they were promoting a bunch of books up for a local award, and your Unwind was one of them. However, they, the librarians said, "This book is really great, but beware, it's disturbing and may make you squeamish!"


That was enough to make me a bit leery. But not my daughter. She nabbed the book, read it and loved it. So finally, just awhile back when I saw it available once again at the library, I did the nabbing, the reading and the loving of it. (And it didn't make me squeamish, by the way, but it did have some disturbing bits!)


So that has set me off on my own personal Neal Shusterman quest these past months. And man, you've written a ton of books! It may take me awhile to catch up, but I'll sure have fun doing it. Even though I'm so not in your target audience. That being said, I do have lots of influence over your target audience!


Here's why I enjoy your books and will promote them wholeheartedly to the kids in my life:

• sense of humor. Lots and lots of it. 
• clean. No bad words, no vulgarity. (At least what I've read so far.) Refreshing.
• thought provoking. Even with funny and clean, there's still lots to take in and ponder and learn.
• great characters. Kids that I fall in love with nearly instantly. Wonderful. 
• books boys would like. People always complain there's not YA written for boys. I wonder if they've read your books. I think these are perfect books for boys.
• clever. Not just funny, but clever funny. 
• creative. Situations that aren't the same old same old stuff that everyone seems to be writing about these days.

So thank you for writing such wonderful books and keep up the good work! 

All the best from your new fan,

Suey

P.S. Here's a video I've found as I've stalked stumbled around that makes me even more a fan:

Love it!!!! :)