Lynn started a new blog, Pix and Memories. One of her recent posts mentions her trip to England in 1975 as part of a children's literature class. She met Lucy Boston, an English author of the Green Knowe series. Turns out that "knowe" is a version of the word "knoll", which is more familiar to me. She relates being grateful and happy to get a chance to meet an author whose writing meant a lot to her.
Consider reading a book that is just simply great. Maybe a second one about the same characters and another immersion in the story. You know the characters. You live with them. You know their habits and you love the way they are and the adventure that they manage to just squeak through. Then, you meet the author. The two of you are standing in the lobby of a fine hotel. You have the author's undivided attention.
What are you going to say? You love the book. You REALLY loved the book. You could go on and describe characteristics of the people that you especially liked or moments of tension or relief in the plot. But after all, this is the author you are talking to? You watch carefully and if you see facial and vocal signs of interest, you might continue. But if you pick up the fact that this author has heard this dozens of times, you might have to conclude that there really is no way to give this person a gift or a sign that will adequately convey the pleasure the book gave you or the inner growth that it stimulated. You might, if you are lucky and demonstrative, be able to change the author's idea from "I have N thousands of fans" to "I have (N thousands of fans)+1". You can try to follow the author on Facebook or Twitter but you might not want to do that for every author you like. The author or publisher or their assistants might not even notice.
If you have this trouble or expect to sometime, you may get some help from this recent New Yorker article. But, I doubt it.
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
