This is sort of a sad post. Just warning you. Well, not sad exactly. Just bittersweet.
Over the years, lots of readers have written to me telling me how much they’ve enjoyed my books. They’ve been mostly women, and they’ve had straightforward names like Linda and Cindy as well as lighthearted email handles like cupcake4you and queenoflaughter. Many asked if I would send out an e-newsletter to keep them informed of my writing projects. As a result, I kept a list of their email addresses on the off-chance that I might actually produce a “Hi, here’s what’s new” notification at some point.
Now that this Mainly Jane blog is up and running and the web site has been all dressed up, I thought, Why not send everybody that “Hi, here’s what’s new” email after all.
At first I worried that the sheer volume of the outgoing mail would cause my server to shut me down for conducting a spam operation. But then came the bounce-backs. You know the ones. They say “Undeliverable.” And “Returned Mail.” And – this is the cruelest cut of all – “Failure.”
Not every email came back, but quite a few of them did, and the whole exercise reminded me that people’s lives change. I mean, really change. They graduate from college, move to another house or another part of the country, get married and/or divorced, lose their jobs and/or find new ones. And some die.
Whatever happened to that nice woman named Donna who used to write to me so often? And how about Samantha, who had broken her leg and asked her mother to set her up in bed with a bunch of my books? And what about Ronni, who liked to confide in me, a perfect stranger, about her troubles and tell me how my stories cheered her up? Where did they all go while I was so busy leading my own life?
I’ll never know. But I began the task tonight of deleting the no-longer-viable names and addresses from the Word document that’s been sitting in my computer for the longest time. Wherever they are, I hope my old friends have a book in their hands (or on their Kindle). That’s one thing I do know about them: they love to read.
I found you through baseball but have now ordered some books from Amazon. (weeding out and an ex to grind)
(Yes, I’m one of those who still like to hold the books no matter how heavy!)
I hope to read some great stories to warm me through this next damn storm they are warning us about.
Don’t “they” know it’s almost SPRING training time for heaven’s sake?
:-)
Peggy
I think I called you Margaret the other day, Peggy. Hope you don’t mind.:) Very cool that you ordered some of my novels from Amazon. “An Ex to Grind” is the one that’s being developed for a film at Fox. But “Weeding Out?” LOL. I think you’re confusing the title of this post with my books! Anyhow, I hope you get a kick out of whichever one you ordered and will try them all at some point. They’re lighthearted fun during snowstorms, as I remember from my days up north. Spring IS coming. It really is.
OMG what a moron I am.
I apologize – does it make a difference to know I’ve been in Verizon hell since very early this morning?
Yes Jane, I meant Some Nerve.
I think I should start drinking – where’s the Tanqueray?
Hell you can call me either one or anything you’d like.
I go by both.
HAHA, Peggy. You are not a moron! And yes, it does make a difference that you’ve been in Verizon hell. That stuff makes my head explode. Very glad you’ll be reading “Some Nerve.” I always felt that novel got short shrift and it has some themes that really matter to me. Tanqueray sounds good to me? Put an olive in mine, please.
Dear Jane,
Love the new posts, and have spent my allotted time on the computer(self-imposed) reading this morning! I appreciate how you stay connected with your fans, and I envy your most recent followers, as i know all of the amazing books they have in store! Infernal Affairs will always be my favorite! ;)
Deb
Hey, Deb! So glad I didn’t have to “weed you out!” Thanks for finding Mainly Jane and reading the posts here. I do love staying in touch with people who enjoy my books and the blog is much more interactive and immediate than writing back to emails and such. I remember that you liked Infernal Affairs the best. I STILL think it would make a terrific movie. My latest idea for that one is Queen Latifah. I think she’d be funny as the heroine.
Jane –
I think you know that I’ve loved your books forever! Always looking forward to the next one…
Heidi
Hi, Heidi. Your comment touches my heart. I love hearing it! Thank you. xxoo