Mike Engstrom

December 22, 2002

Post #1587 – 20021222

daniel

it upsets me very much that thus far no one has menitoned a particular work of yours. well dammit i will do it for you all. alan mendehlson, the boy from mars, was the very first novel of yours i touched, and it sadly became my gateway drug. i became helpless. (is this a support group for recovering and self-proclaimed addicts? sorry if not) anyway at the age of ten i somehow managed to come up with an original copy of the book. it is in the utterly worst condition, yet remains my most prized possession. someday i may start a church dedicated to my worship, with alan mendehlson as the bible. my life, personality, intelligence, and opinions will forever be affected by you. mil gracias…

ps did you ever find inspiration from sources that have been known to alter one’s perception, state of conciousness?? especially in you earlier writings? you know, things like hot chocolate or corn-bread muffins?

hahaha

mr. jerris

Daniel replies:

No, my goal was always to have an unaltered state of consciousness--which is to say, it is meant to be the same when I am creating minor masterpieces as when I am eating corn muffins. I picked up the trail when I read that the ancient sages, when in the presence of others behaved as though alone, and when alone behaved as though they had an honored guest.