Thank You

Dear Phyllis,
I’m a 22-year-old soon-to-be college graduate. After switching my major a few times due to my indecisiveness, I finally decided to study English. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my classes have been moved online for the remainder of the school year, and I’ve had a lot of time to read and think over the course of these past few weeks.
I’m just writing to say thank you. It’s difficult to express how much your writing has impacted my life. When I was in elementary school, like everyone else, I was a big fan of Shiloh. I also loved Being Danny’s Dog. I was especially obsessed with the Hatfords and Malloys series. When I was in third and fourth grade, I read those books over and over again, and they never failed to entertain and amaze me. It was the Hatfords and Malloys books that made me fall in love with the genre of realistic fiction. I was blown away by how much magic was packed into real-life situations, and I loved how I could relate to the characters. I have to give you and your books credit for deepening my appreciation of the little things in life from such a young age.
During the recession of 2008, my father lost his job and our family (my father, mother, older brother, and I) had to move in with relatives. I was disappointed to leave all of my friends behind, but I was looking forward to attending elementary school with my three cousins whose house I had moved into. I was in fifth grade, and my cousins were in fourth, third, and second grade. Unfortunately for me, their school district was suffering from overcrowding, so even though we lived in the same house, I didn’t get to go to school with them. I had to spend 45 minutes every weekday riding the bus to a newly-built relief school all by myself. Being that I was ten years old at the time, I spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself instead of trying to make the best of a tough situation. I was a bright, social child up to that point, and I never had any trouble making friends. At this new school, I isolated myself to the point that I had never been so miserable and lonely.
I was quickly placed into an accelerated language arts class of about only ten kids. My teacher was a kind, caring woman who pushed all of us to do the best we possibly could (as teachers should)! One particular assignment from my accelerated language arts class (called S.O.A.R, and I cannot, for the life of me, remember what that stands for) that still stands out to me required us to write a report on an autobiography, biography, or memoir. I was initially less than thrilled at this assignment, and when I went to the school library to pick out a book, I didn’t find anything of interest at first. I didn’t want to write about a dead politician or athlete. Then, I noticed the name “Naylor” on one of the books, and I was flooded with memories of all the good times I had reading your books. I immediately devoured How I Came to Be A Writer, and I was touched and inspired by your drive and dedication. It’s been over a decade since I’ve read How I Came to Be A Writer, but I remember being particularly inspired by your mentioning of writing at every opportunity you had after you became a mother. I especially admired how you mentioned you might put your child down for a nap for two hours, and that meant you had two hours to write. I also appreciated your mentioning of alternating your blue and red dresses to make it look like you had more than you did. While my family was not financially well-to-do at that particular point in my life, I was always fed and I always had a place to sleep thanks to the kindness of my relatives. Your book helped put things in perspective for my underdeveloped ten-year-old brain: even though I didn’t have as much as I was used to, I still had everything I truly needed.
Part of the reason that assignment still stands out to me after all this time is because most of my class did poorly on it. I don’t know if it was too hard, or if they just didn’t care, but my teacher spent an entire class period scolding all of us about how terrible our work was. My heart sank to the floor and I was fighting back tears. After class, my teacher pulled me aside and told me that she was so impressed with my report, she and the principal went over everything I wrote and talked about how well-written it was. I received a perfect score, and I was over the moon. It was a small victory in the grand scheme of things, but in that moment, I was truly happy in my new school for the first time. I was deeply invested in your book, and the passion spilled into my report. It was amazing to be appreciated for something I cared so much about, especially when I felt so sad and out of place in that school for so long. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that feeling of relief and bliss when I found out I had done well on my report of How I Came to Be A Writer.
Now, over twelve years later, I’m home from college, away from my friends and campus and classes, but still not quite finished with my degree. I’ve been reading the Alice series religiously, and I’m reminded so much of my own adolescence. Since your writing made such an impression on me from a young age, your words have the power to transport me through time when I need to escape the present. Whenever doubt creeps in about my future career, and I wonder how I’m going to make anything of myself with an English degree, I just keep reading, writing, and reminding myself there are opportunities everywhere.
I have to thank you for your work. I’ve always loved reading and writing, and you have been one of my favorite authors throughout my whole life. I’m amazed by your consistent creation of meaningful, moving content. It’s because of people like you that I can get just as excited about reading and writing as an adult as I did when I was a child. Thank you for helping me learn and grow as a child, for all the hours of entertainment, for the positive shifts in my perspective, and for the inspiration throughout the years, during the good times and the bad. I appreciate you, and I wish you and your family happiness and good health. Take care, and from the bottom of my heart, thanks again.

I don’t put readers’ names on this website for a variety of reasons, but I thank you so much for your long email (and hope this website will accept it all.  If not, I will write a personal note. )   It’s interesting how people can grow up in different periods of history, in different locations, under different circumstances, and still have so much in common.  I remember one year, during the Great Depression, when we had to spend a year on my grandparents’ farm, and this was a hard time for me.  And yet, bits and pieces of  that experience show up  in so many of my books. I have the feeling that your English degree will benefit you in ways you don’t yet imagine.  Thanks so much for your kind words.