"I hope you make books for the rest of your life"

Can there be anything sweeter for an author to hear from a fan? Maybe, but I'm not sure what that would be.
Last week appeared to be fan letter week for me, with dozens of letters (not the norm)arriving in different ways. I'm really lucky and honoured. Thank you, all!
First, I received an email from a father in Taipei, whose 8-year-old daughter LOVED my new middle-grade magic realism novel, The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden. He scanned and sent me a letter from his daughter and her lovely artwork to go with her impressions of the book. I wrote back, thanking them. Taipei. That's a first for sure!
Then, another email arrived from a little girl from Mississauga, asking if my gargoyles ever visited the park near her house? Aww. Of course! I wrote back and told her yes, definitely, keep a look out in the trees overhead.
Then, the next day, a large envelope came from my publisher, filled with 17 fan letters from a grade 3 class in Whitby. What a sweet gift. I think my favourite comment was this one: "I hope you make books for the rest of your life." Me too, buddy, me too!
For photos and more, read my other blog: http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2014/04/...