Kelia Taylor
September 13, 2020
Gosh. I know I have a million questions, however lacking in the title department
Mr. Pinkwater,
Well…hi there, first of all,
I have put off doing this for so many years; I’ve always thought about the millions of things I’ve pondered asking throughout my life. However, everytime I go to actually write you a freeze and get freaked out; thus I have never written you, well I never actually sent it. I know I have written a bazzzzillion letters and also, never sent them.
So today, I am going to try to push send. I hope this letter can mean the slightest to you for all that your work had meant to me. I am emensilly grateful (also a terrible speller and this spell checker isn’t helping!)
The Snarkouts is my all time favorite! I freaking love it. I wish there was more. I am in the process of trying to go tour Clark Street, because I love in bum nowhere iowa, quite close to Chicago. I’m going to go see where “clark St. takes a bend to the left”; the anticipation is killing me about whether or not I will find any physical landmarks. I’ve got to go look. I stumbled across this audiobook on tape in the rapid city south dakota public library. I listened to it as my idiotic mother was driving me from state to state to look at rocks. This happens to not be my favorite thing to look at. I have bought those two tapes more than thr3 times regardless of how difficult they are to do so. I think I’ve played two copies at least so much they won’t play anymore. I have had the book in print oh jeeze I don’t know maybe upwards of seven or so times, not including how many souls I have bought the book for. I have introduced many individuals to this novel and with that often comes five because it’s easier to access. I love them all.
I love neddiad. Its brilliant. I love the characters. I love the story.
In a bookstore a few years ago I sumbled across the cat whiskered girl. It’s fantastic. I love it. It’s me.
I really have so much more I’d like to say in this. And I would love to have a chat with you sometime, but I have to be brave and just hit send and I have adulting to do that never ends, tomorrow I’m trying to buy a house. I would love for you just to know how much I appreciate you, your work, and the infinite amount of hours you have distracted me from from long, drawn out drives to look at bones or dead things or rocks, similar to what miss sweet draws on her chalk boards.
Ps. You reading these stories is brilliant.
Signed, A Forever Snarker, with gratitude and appreciation
Kelia
Daniel replies:
Well, actually there is not a single question in your whole post, just praise for my books, and little hints about your midwestern life, (which doesn't sound too bad, really). That is fine, because I am not all that good at answering questions, and usually attempt a joke. I appreciate that you like some of the stuff I've written, and while I didn't have you specifically, or anybody, in mind but was just trying to amuse myself and earn a modest living, it makes me happy to know this. If I ever come to Iowa, which is not out of the question--it's happened before--would you take me out for fried mush? You drive, I'll treat for the mush. (It's not that I think fried mush is so good, just I've only had it once, and, I mean, it's called fried mush, how entertaining is that? Plus it's unknown where I live in New York state.) I hope this answers all your questions.