Koontzland - Dean Koontz discussion
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Have you ever written Dean Koontz
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Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado
(last edited Jun 01, 2010 07:07AM)
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for more info on "Useless News" here's the link to that topic: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...
I did. A few years ago, I saw a preview for a movie with specific scenes from Intensity but it was called something else. As I watched it, the beginning was exactly the same as Intensity but it devolved into some nasty stuff. I searched all over the credits for Dean Koontz's name but it wasn't there and it just really irked me. So I wrote a short note telling him about it, so he'd know someone plagurized him.
Within 2 weeks, I received a form letter about this movie, obviously many people wrote and told him about it, but he did hand-write a short note in his own hand thanking me. I still have it. And writing that letter put me on the list to receive his Useless News, a newsletter he puts out which always has me laughing and keeps me up to date on new projects. It's the only bit of mail I actually look forward too.
i wrote him a few years ago for a project i was doing, i actually got to do my english final on Dean, but anywho, i wrote him about becoming an author and i got the "im busy but heres my signiture letter" and a seperate letter where he had done some research on publishers i should look into and pointers on being a starting writer, and of course the uselessnews...which btw i got yesterday and said something about PERHAPS there being a Dean Koontz's Frankenistein movie????? did any one else see that?
I read an interview with DK a few years ago, where he said he'd like to help new authors but since we live in a litigious society he is unable to. I can understand his feelings about that. There was a TV movie on TNT or USA in a few years back of the first Frankenstein novel but it sucked and I wouldn't rcommend it.
I can't find anything more definitive about a new Frankenstein movie. 1019 Entertainment bought the rights to it: http://www.deankoontz.com/whats-new/p...
Mod
Haven't gotten the latest edition yet. Maybe It'll arrive today :-)
Yes, I wrote to Dean Koontz when Trixie died. He wrote back and told me more things about Trixie and the Companion Dog group. We had had a Golden and I certainly knew how he felt about Goldens. I bought his books about Trixie and shared them with our daughter and niece. Both had owned Goldens.
I wanted to write him after reading Odd Thomas but too lazy.
Mod
Nice guys. :)Thanks for replying. I am definitely going to write him soon then.
Dean Koontz is actually the only author/famous person I ever have written to. I was writing to praise him about how well written his "Fear Nothing" and "Seize The Night" novels were. I also questioned whether there would be a third in the series. Within a week, and I'm not kidding, I received a handwritten reply (which I still have) informing me of several things and telling me he appreciated having me as a fan. I also must have asked about the dog in the series (sorry - this was a while back and I forgot the dog's name) and Mr. Koontz talked about Trixie and how the dog in the novel was based on her. I must have been fearful that the dog might die and he stated there was no way he would kill Chris Snow's best friend. He also mentioned there was a great possibility there would be a third Snow novel. As of yet that has not happened, sadly. This was awhile back and I don't know how he replies to hand written letters now (this was before the dawn of computers!) but I didn't receive a form letter at all. I was extremely impressed since I didn't even expect a response.
Melissa
Melissa,That is really awesome. Thanks for sharing! :)
I always meant to write to Dean Koontz. One night after reading The darkest evening of the year, I emailed the monk he mentioned in the acknowledgements. It turned out that Dean and his wife spend a lot of time at this SoCal monastery. I kept up a brief correspondence with this monk via email regarding the monastery and how the one in Brother Odd was based in part on this one near Dean's home.
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Simon wrote: "I always meant to write to Dean Koontz. One night after reading The darkest evening of the year, I emailed the monk he mentioned in the acknowledgements. It turned out that Dean and his wife spend ..."Cool story, interesting.
Melissa wrote: "Dean Koontz is actually the only author/famous person I ever have written to. I was writing to praise him about how well written his "Fear Nothing" and "Seize The Night" novels were. I also quest..."The dog's name is Orson, who Chris named after Orson Wells. By the way, Seize the Night was published in 1998, when many people had computers at home and/or at work.
I wrote Dean Koontz several times over the last couple years. I received a prepared response by one of his assistants. Ever since then, I got the Useless News in the mail every couple months.
Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Dean Koontz is actually the only author/famous person I ever have written to. I was writing to praise him about how well written his "Fear Nothing" and "Seize The Night" novels wer..."Well when I wrote to him I DIDN'T have a computer nor did many people where I live have a computer at home. I'm sure Dean Koontz had a computer but I still received a handwritten letter, that was in no way a form letter and I thought that was quite awesome of him.
Melissa
Mod
Melissa wrote: "Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Dean Koontz is actually the only author/famous person I ever have written to. I was writing to praise him about how well written his "Fear Nothing" and "..."Yes, that was awesome of him. Often, handwritten letters feel more personal than typed letters, even though the output is from the same person, only in the form of different media.
I'd say that handwritten letters are always more personal than typed ones. Traditional mail is nowadays used 95% only for delivering purchases made through web sites; the art of letter writing has sadly become a lost one.That's why the handwritten letter from Dean Koontz is a great thing: it shows his class as a person. To read and reply in handwriting was certainly unexpected, because we all know how busy his shedule is and one simply doesn't expect an author so popular to even read fan mail. Hats off.
I wrote to him after Odd Thomas and asked a few questions and made some silly comments about giving poor Trixie some more sausages. I rec'd a form letter back, but the bottom had hand written comments from him answering the specific questions that I had asked in the letter and assuring me that Trixie got plenty of Sausages :) (and yes, I kept it as well - and ALSO got on Useless News).
Mod
Did you know Trixie is dead now. Although, apparently her "enduring spirit" is still around the Koontz home. Maybe that's why he wrote a ghost story, maybe Trixie helped him write it. Dean does have another dog named Anna and he did have a mustache for a long time, but he traded it in for new hair on his head.
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Yes, and we did an interview by mail, which is published on my Examiner.com page.
Mod
Direct Link to M.E.'s interview:
http://www.examiner.com/spiritual-pat...
I wrote to him several years ago. I think it was after reading From the Corner of His Eye. I received a form letter in return, but there were handwritten comments at the bottom specifically addressing some of the things I had discussed in my letter. It was a very kind response. And of course I started receiving Useless News, which I enjoy.I've never written to any other author so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I think the fact that he responds to everyone who writes him says a lot about his character. And demonstrates that he appreciates his fans.
Mod
Dustin Crazy wrote: "...I finally got around to writing him a note and inviting him or another member of the Dean Team to visit us here in Koontzland :-) We'll see if anyone shows. "We already had show up that one guy who's favorite novel is Cold Fire.
Mod
True that - but that was so last year.
I wrote to D.K. years ago and received a lovely handwritten letter from him as well as useless newsletters. I wrote to stephen king twice never got an answer.
Did Koontz ever send any of you a free signed book in reply of a fan letter? Just curious.
Mod
He gives free books to close friends & acquaintances - I'm guessing at least some of them are signed. He has stopped signing books that are sent into him but still takes the time to respond personally to letters.
I didn't mean ones that are sent to him; I meant ones that he could, uh, hypothetically send to fans out of the pure kindness of his heart.This is most curious.
Mod
I don't think it's gonna happen :-) but here's an alternative...
you could buy one of his books at a thrift store or a bargain bin and then you could write him and he will respond and you can put his response inside your book and ta da... it was almost free.
(please note that I am trying to be funny here and yet I am serious too.)
Here's the thing, Dustin: I wrote Mr. Koontz a fan letter a few weeks ago, and told him that his works have been an inspiration to me and that my own first novel is being published this summer. I didn't really expect a reply, but what I got in response was one of the most special gifts I have ever received. I got a form letter, with a personal note at the bottom: "Jennifer--Thanks for your lovely letter and kind words. You greatly brightened my day. From me to you, this book that is close to my heart." The book in question is "A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog," which Koontz wrote about his golden retriever, Trixie. On the inside, he had written: "To Jennifer--Woof!" and signed his name and the date.I asked you all if he had sent other people free books because I didn't know just how special of a gift this was. And now I know!
message 40:
by
Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado
(last edited Jun 22, 2011 02:19PM)
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FYI here is the link to our Big Little Life discussion thread:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...
Yep, I read it in two days, and gave it five stars!
I just drafted my first letter a few days ago. I'll soon type it and mail it to him. What address should I send the letter to?
Mod
Geez! You're such a perfectionist! I just scribble something down on some scratch paper when I decide to write him. Send your letter to:
Mr. Awesome Dean Koontz
The Most Amazing Bestselling Author On The Planet
Post Office Box 9529
Newport Beach, California 92658-9529
USA
Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Geez! You're such a perfectionist! I just..."Well, we Borg do strive for perfection. ;-) Thanks for the address, though I'll probably be a bit less grandiose in the first two lines. :-P
Mod
Well, okay, whatever works for you. Just be yourself and you'll be fine. I'm interested to see how he responds to your letter - it's gonna be what like 5 typed pages full of theories and scientific reasoning?
Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "...I'm interested to see how he responds to your letter - it's gonna be what like 5 typed pages full of theories and scientific reasoning? ":-| No, it's barely one notebook page, front and back, and includes no science--only a bit about scientists. I'll post it here once I type it.
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Wow! :-) so we get to proof read it for you and share our comments about your letter? That will be so fun - can't wait to read it!
Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Wow! :-) so we get to proof read it for you and share our comments about your letter? That will be so fun - can't wait to read it!"Well, proofreading would be a futile endeavor when it comes to my writing, but be my guest. ;-) I'm happy to hear others' comments on it, but I'll only accept praise, no criticisms. ;-)
Mod
I will just sandwich my kind critical thoughts between exuberant praise. Sound fair? :-) Good. I await your letter - this is gonna be so much fun!
What follows is the letter I just sent to Dean Koontz, for those who are interested."To the inspiring Mr. Koontz:
My name is Jason Cooperrider and I am a neuroscience Ph. D. candidate about to begin my fourth year of study/research at the University of Utah. I’ve been a fan of your writing since reading my first Koontz book in July 2008, just before moving from Ohio (where I had lived my entire life) to Utah for graduate school. I was introduced to your writing by one of my grandmother’s sisters (i.e., a great aunt), who has been a fan of yours for decades, since first reading Oddkins to her daughters. For several years, she had been excitedly telling me about the stories from many of your books, so I finally decided to give your writing a try, starting with Dragon Tears, when about to embark on my cross-country trek to graduate school. I sure am glad that I did!
Your stories have provided me with many hours of enjoyment, stimulated my imagination, inspired my creativity, and manipulated my emotions (in a good sense). I prefer experiencing your writing through audiobooks (especially at night, while resting in bed, just before going to sleep), though I refuse to listen to them unless I can devote my undivided attention to them. As of this month, three years since I first began, I will have listened to every one of your 55 books available through Audible.com and read two others that are not yet available. I just ordered four more of your books (in print) yesterday, so will be looking forward to those in the coming months and therby bringing my total number of Koontz books read to 61.
I express my sincere admiration, respect, and fondness for you and your writing by acting as one of two moderators for a group dedicated to discussing you and your writing on Goodreads.com, named Koontzland—Dean Koontz. I must admit that, as a scientist, a profession not portrayed in a very good light in any of your books I have read so far (with the possible exception of the one scientist in The Eyes of Darkness, who reforms to an extent by the end), it hurts me to read about how evil or, at the very least, misguided, greedy, prideful/vain, selfish, and glory-hungry you seem to think we all are. My advisor, Dr. Janet Lainhart, my lab mates, and I work tirelessly for relatively little pay to better understand and thereby treat autism, which is a developmental disorder you’ve written about in several of your novels and so indubitably have thoroughly researched, based on what I’ve come to know about your writing strategies (how deeply you research many of the aspects of your stories is one of the reasons I admire you so much). It would greatly please me and be a great honor to me and the many other scientists around the world who dedicate their lives to helping people and trying to make the world a better place, often with little recognition for their efforts, if you would create at least one character who is a scientist and is also one of the “good guys” in your story.
I know you are very busy, given how much time you devote to your writing each day, and I also know you must receive many letters, so I will prevent this letter from being much longer. The last thing I’d like to do is to humbly offer you an idea for a future story, by suggesting a joint adventure for Odd Thomas and Chris Snow. The two characters already share so much in terms of their personalities and you introduced a bit of the Moonlight Bay universe in Odd Hours via the Mystery Train and Wyvern apparel. Also, you’ve said before that you plan to write a third book in the Chris Snow/Moonlight Bay series (which I eagerly await), so perhaps you could use this idea for that book, if you see fit. Well, I suppose I’ll stop bothering you for now. ☺
Best wishes to you, Gerda, Anna, and for your writing!
With kind regards,
Jason"
It's been on my bucket list since I was like 16. Then several months ago, I wrote a "sloppy copy" which is currently sitting on my desk.