Not a question just an appreciation

Hi, Mrs. Naylor! I know I write to you a lot and I’m sorry about that. I just wanted to say thank you for answering my questions. I read the first Alice book when I was 11 and it literally felt like someone had written the book for me since my mom was out of the picture most of my life and I grew up with my dad and little brother and the Alice novels helped, guided and inspired me and helped me build up my writing skills to be the author I want to be. You are my Idol and I feel like I owe everything to you. When I have questions about love and life I turn to your books because you have all the right answers I’m not allowed to date and I’ve never seen people actually in love and it working out thats why I love Patrick and Alice cuz they were the definition of love. I love Alice because she always gets through things better than I think I could so I try to be like her in some situations and they worked out and I thank you for your guidance 💖 Im almost 17 now and dealing with the death of my mom and your books helped me with that too! Once again you’re a wonderful author and I will treasure and pass along your books to others. 💖💖

Thank you for the kind words. I hear a lot from girls who have lost their mothers, and that’s something I never experienced.  But I can imagine it’s really tough.  And one thing that makes it even tougher is that when we grow up without something, we often imagine it as spectacularly wonderful.  To never live in a house, for example; to have no boyfriend yet; to never have the physical shape you think is the most attractive.  So that makes you want it all the more.  Mothers can be loving, supportive,  funny, sharing, and fair.  But they can also be moody at times, dismissive, argumentative, unkind….   Both things and people have good and bad associated with them, but we can’t help but miss the mother we never had.  Some day the death of your mother may appear prominently in something you write, and that will be very special for you.  I’m wishing you the best.