The Mail I Get - Monk Edition

I've received a lot of MONK mail this week. Here's a sampling. 

I just wanted you to know what your Monk books mean to me. I lost my mother on April 3rd and I can not tell you how heartbroken and emotionally distraught I am. [...]I never thought I would be laughing so soon. Your Monk books have helped keep me sane! I started with the OUTER SPACE book and from then on I was hooked. Thank you so much!

I was very touched by that email, and by this one, too:

Although it's impossible for me to know if you'll ever actually receive this e-mail, I simply had to say thank you for putting some real laughter back into my life. I just checked out your Monk book form our local library (Mr. Monk Goes To The Firehouse) and read it as quickly as time allowed. It's been a long time since I've had so many real, true belly laughs. This is a difficult economy for so many people - especially for us. [...] you have infused the book with compassion as well as kindness, especially in Natalie Teeger, as well as in the people who surround Monk. There needs to be more kindness in this world. Thank you for being tender in your portrayal of these characters. This is a very clever book and I will always appreciate the laughter you added to my days. Can't wait to read more and looking forward to my husband reading his book, as well.

I tell you, getting notes like that make all the difficulties that go into writing a book worthwhile. On the other hand, sometimes you get ones like this:

I just had to write you to tell you that your books are terrible, mainly because they are narrated by Natalie instead of Sharona or Monk himself and aren't funny and you had him drinking milk. What were you thinking!!!

And I get some unusual requests, like this:

Mr Monk has a lot of French fans, and I'm sure they would be happy to read your books! So I have a little question for you... I was wondering if you'll agree to let me do the French translation of your novels. Of course I'm not a professional translator, but I love writing stories since early childhood and I really love Mr Monk's universe.

And this:

Greetings, Mr Goldberg! I have a special request. My family and I are huge fans of your Monk books! I am embarking on a trip to South Korea [...]and I would love nothing more than a new Monk book to read on the plane. [...]I see that Mr Monk and the Dirty Cop comes out on July 7th, but my flight leaves on July 6th. [...]Any chance of getting you to send me an advance copy so I can have it in time(autographed maybe?)?

And this:

Could you do something in the Monk books involving people loving feet or people with dirty feet?

And this:

Please write a book where Monk goes to Brazil. I would be glad to help you write it.

But I also learned some things, like this:

Here's a weird fact: We know that the word "Adrian Monk" has 10 letters which is his favorite number. But if you convert the letters into the their corresponding number in the alphabet, you get 100! Weird, huh?

Comments

[Adoraburl]

How sweet of that person to tell you that your Monk books are terrible. If they bought the books, they have paid for their "ticket to bitch." If they read it at the library, they are only allowed to complain to the librarian.

My personal favorite insult letter was: "Your books are terrible, and that's why I have never read any of them."

[kim]

I love your writing and have read every book you've written that I can get my hands on (I still have a few left to read - which makes me happy, nothing more disappointing to realize you've read all your favorite authors books and it'll be a year or two before you get a new one!). I agree with the person who said they were uplifting and funny - and like most people - I really needed the lift. Thank you. :) kim

[L.L. Bartlett]

Boy, your fan mail is a lot more interesting than mine.