Thank You Ellen Miles

I'm not the only Larson who has written to one of her favorite authors.  Nora, too, has done so.  Maybe she was my inspiration.  

Last summer, Nora wrote to Ellen Miles, the author of The Puppy Place series.  Nora has EVERY SINGLE ONE of these books and has read them all repeatedly over the last few years.  They are short, sweet, and, of course, all about dogs--Nora's favorite (right behind horses.)  So when she told me that she wanted to write to the author, I said, "go for it."

What I didn't expect, though, was that she'd write such a long, lovely, and thoughtful letter.  It was so lovely, in fact, that I now wish I had kept a copy of it.  In a nutshell, she thanked the author for writing "such good books."  She told her she'd read all of them.  She told her about Jack, and Cooper (our cat).  She told her that she wants to be a writer one day.  And she even sent her the first chapter of a story she's been working on.  Needless to say, the envelope was very fat.  

After she mailed it, she asked me if I thought she'd write back.  I told her that I didn't know and that authors are pretty busy.  So when Nora's letter came in the mail this summer, we were both excited.  I was excited because she had personally written a note to Nora, even though the pre-printed card said she wishes she "could answer every letter personally, but then I might not have time to write more books!"  She went on to say that she enjoyed Nora's story and to "give Jack and Cooper some hugs for me."  

This card now sits proudly on Nora's dresser. 

Ellen and one of her pups

Along with her soccer trophies, her pictures of Ella and Meredith, (her two best buddies) and the framed picture of Secretariat she downloaded from the internet.  (I kid you not)  I don't know if Ms. Miles remembers reading Nora's letter, or writing her back, but her kind and thoughtful words to Nora will definitely remain in this mom's heart forever.