Thursday, September 15, 2022

An Authorly Experience by Marilyn Levinson

We write our books and send them out into the world. Sometimes we hear from people who are reading them because they tell us so on Facebook. Or they're kind enough to review them or send us an email. But what about the people we never know about?

Yesterday I called my service provider because my WiFi had died three times in the previous twenty-four hours. I got someone rather quickly and I explained my problem. I won't go into the details but it wasn't the warmest of exchanges. I said I was happy to speak to a supervisor whenever he or she could call me and explained that my WiFi was very important to me because I was a writer.

"You're a writer? What do you write?"                                          

"Mysteries," I told her. 

"I love mysteries," she told me. A minute later she said, "I think I read some of your books." I wondered about that but then she mentioned Murder the Tey Way, a book I'd written several years ago. 

Then came a bigger surprise. She told me that when she went to help at an Egyptian orphanage (she is Egyptian and living in the U. S.) she brought my children's book Rufus and Magic Run Amok and used it to help teach the children English. 

Wow! I was thrilled to learn that one of my books had traveled so far, and she was delighted to be speaking to a real live author! We went on to have the warmest of conversations. This is one phone call I'll remember for a long, long time.




 


16 comments:

  1. Yes, but did your Wi-Fi get fixed?

    I'm often surprised when people mention they have read my books when I have had no indication they even knew who I was.

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  2. Jim,
    I think we will continue to be surprised. Our books take on a life of their own.

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  3. What a delightful story. Hopefully, the changed tone of the conversation resulted in your wifi getting fixed.

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  4. An awesome experience, Marilyn! One I'm sure you'll treasure. A bit of fame--along with those big checks, right? LOL

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  5. This is so lovely, Marilyn! Your book had its own Egyptian adventure. Such a meaningful one, too. Just lovely.

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  6. What a rewarding experience! (I hope your experience with restoring the wifi was equally rewarding.)

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  7. Thanks, Debra. I'd already fixed the wifi, but she gave me a few helpful tips re my provider's service.

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  8. Thanks, Molly. I love the image of my book having an Egyptian adventure.:)

    Kathleen, It was a wonderful exchange.

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  9. great story! And, you got your wifi fixed. Double win.

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  10. I LOVE this story! Much closer to home, the guy who mows my yard told me this week that his wife "loves" my books. That surprised me! I almost wish my wifi would go out.

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  11. Kaye,
    No matter who tells us they love our books, it's music to our ears. You don't want your wifi to go out.

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  12. That's wonderful, Marilyn! What a beautiful story!

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  13. What a wonderful surprise! That must be so gratifying to know that one of your books was used in that way. (And I hope you were able to get your wifi fixed.)

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