Sarah Gerdes's Blog - Posts Tagged "harrassment"
The harrassing continues
No greater buzz kill for Saturday morning than receiving (yet another) package from a stalker/harasser. Going on three years now, a little over the time Chambers has been out on the market. That was stalker/harasser 1. The other came about when the Sue Kim book was released. He's #2.
First, we ignored it. Then we built a six foot tall fence around the property. After our wires were cut, lights were unscrewed and we saw footprints in the semi-frozen ground, we had cameras put up in the trees. When I woke up to a man standing at the foot of my bed (no, we hadn't thought to activate the alarm at night) we got the pitbull. None of these things proved to be a deterrent. Finally, we moved state. Literally picked up and retreated to northern Idaho, thinking it would spare us.
Yet, the packages, letters and calls keep-a-coming. Now it's Saturday late afternoon about 4:45, my husband kindly took the girls to go shopping and give me the opp to wrap gifts in peace. Just as I'm ready to take my first sip of hot chocolate, another heavy envelope catches my attention.
Do I ruin my evening, but sleep off the angst and wake up knowing it's a new (brighter?) day, or do I ignore it, then open it tomorrow, risking it ruining a full 16 hrs, versus the four or so I have left this evening.
I dither. I write this blog. I pause and decide to get the pain over with. I open the letter, scan the contents and put it in the "crazy person" file I've been asked to keep. I warm up my hot chocolate that's gone cold and put on the Grinch. Then I sit down and finish this blog.
My husband has often said "You can't change crazy," and I have come to believe that right (sorry to my mom, who's the shrink). But it does beg the question, where and how thick is the line between adoration and crazy? Fan girl/boy and stomach-pain-inducing stress and worry?
Along these lines is the notion that it doesn't require being Rowling, Grisham or Steele famous to attract a following, the good or the bad kind. Dealing with the results of being an author, a public figure, and open to these kinds of things, has been an acquired trait, one which is still in development. I put in a number of examples in my book Author Straight Talk and how to deal with it. In the meantime, I'm going to return to my task of wrapping gifts, sipping my liquid concoction and happy in the belief for every one crazy person, a multitude of wonderful, support and rational people abound. Have a lovely Sat night, Sarah
First, we ignored it. Then we built a six foot tall fence around the property. After our wires were cut, lights were unscrewed and we saw footprints in the semi-frozen ground, we had cameras put up in the trees. When I woke up to a man standing at the foot of my bed (no, we hadn't thought to activate the alarm at night) we got the pitbull. None of these things proved to be a deterrent. Finally, we moved state. Literally picked up and retreated to northern Idaho, thinking it would spare us.
Yet, the packages, letters and calls keep-a-coming. Now it's Saturday late afternoon about 4:45, my husband kindly took the girls to go shopping and give me the opp to wrap gifts in peace. Just as I'm ready to take my first sip of hot chocolate, another heavy envelope catches my attention.
Do I ruin my evening, but sleep off the angst and wake up knowing it's a new (brighter?) day, or do I ignore it, then open it tomorrow, risking it ruining a full 16 hrs, versus the four or so I have left this evening.
I dither. I write this blog. I pause and decide to get the pain over with. I open the letter, scan the contents and put it in the "crazy person" file I've been asked to keep. I warm up my hot chocolate that's gone cold and put on the Grinch. Then I sit down and finish this blog.
My husband has often said "You can't change crazy," and I have come to believe that right (sorry to my mom, who's the shrink). But it does beg the question, where and how thick is the line between adoration and crazy? Fan girl/boy and stomach-pain-inducing stress and worry?
Along these lines is the notion that it doesn't require being Rowling, Grisham or Steele famous to attract a following, the good or the bad kind. Dealing with the results of being an author, a public figure, and open to these kinds of things, has been an acquired trait, one which is still in development. I put in a number of examples in my book Author Straight Talk and how to deal with it. In the meantime, I'm going to return to my task of wrapping gifts, sipping my liquid concoction and happy in the belief for every one crazy person, a multitude of wonderful, support and rational people abound. Have a lovely Sat night, Sarah
