I don’t think I ever shared with you guys one of the loveliest experiences of my life.
A couple years ago I got the bright idea to write to my favorite author Dean Koontz. I figured he wouldn’t even read it, but I couldn’t live the rest of my life without at least trying to express to him how much his books touched me and influenced my writing style.
Then about a week later, I received quite a surprise in the mail. Dean Koontz had personally written me back, given me a subscription to his newsletter and one of his fave books about his dog. It was such a blessing that touched this little writer’s heart. And I wanted to finally share it with you guys. My letter is below if you want to see what I wrote him. And here’s a pic I posted on Instagram the day I received his sweet gifts 🥰
Dear Mr. Koontz,
It all started with Intensity. I saw it on the shelf at the library, bright and intriguing. I’d never read a book by you before. I’d heard about you being compared to Stephen King, who I absolutely cannot stand. People would compare the two of you and talk about who was the better writer.
Stephen King I just can’t get into. His stories are rather boring to me. The writing doesn’t flow, the words don’t jump off the page. I figured I’d give this Dean Koontz a try. See if I could like his work. So I picked up Intensity, and my life has never been the same.
Okay, so that’s a bit dramatic; but seriously, I’ve been changed by your words and by your stories. I’ve always known being a writer is my calling, but your work has inspired me ten times more not to give up. I have read hundreds of books in my twenty-five years of life, yet no author has so strongly impressed me as you have. Your words are full of depth and beauty. I can picture every scene, feel every emotion, smell every scent.
From the Corner of His Eye is one of my favorite books you’ve written, and it made me feel so many beautiful emotions.
When I read, I want to feel. I want to be moved by the characters and their words. I want to be changed just a little bit more when I finish a book. Your work has done that for me. The Odd Thomas series and the Frankenstein series, I couldn’t get enough of them. I wanted more. What the Night Knows, The Bad Place – gosh, those books are brilliant!
I believe it’s a writer’s job to make sure the reader remembers them, to make sure the reader wants more, to make sure the reader is able to truly escape from the cruelties of the world for just a moment. Your work does that. Almost every book I’ve read of yours has given me something new to add to my writing and has impressed upon me a new idea. Thank you for that.
I’m on a roll right now, going through all your books, so please don’t stop writing. My mother-in-law just bought me over twenty of your books that I can’t wait to devour. I guess you could call me obsessed, but I won’t go all Relentless on you. Hopefully you caught the joke in that…
My Instagram page is literally filled with your books. I take tons of book pictures, and more than half of them are pictures of your work. I actually think I should start getting paid for all the marketing I do for you. Hmm…that’s an idea.
I’m a writer that likes to delve into the deepest emotions of a human being, and I think we have that in common. That’s the biggest reason I love your work. Well, that and the big surprise endings you always come up with. But I just love how you reach into the character’s psyche and make them ponder on life and the mysteries therein. It’s always this deep soul-searching that takes place with your characters, and their soul-search becomes mine.
Right now I’m in the midst of reading Strangers and I can’t even begin to guess the ending. I can’t wait to find out how all the characters are connected and why they each see the black gloves. It’s that part of your writing that gets me so excited to open your books and read them. You know how to weave a story so tightly, the reader cannot undo it without your consent. I want to be that kind of a writer.
I’m working on my biggest novel yet, and each time I get to a new section I think about what you would do. Sometimes I’m afraid to put something in the book that would be too dark, and then I remember how fearless you are with exposing the darkest side of humanity. I remember how the light always wins in your stories. I remember the feeling of darkness that possesses the beginning of your books ends up being exposed to the light, and the light always wins. And because the darkness started the story, the ending is made that much better; for it’s in the darkness where we learn to pray for light and to appreciate it when it makes its appearance. I’m exposed to the most beautiful sides of humanity simply by reading your work.
It’s in your novels that I remember how fragile a life is. It’s in your novels that I remember how unique each soul of this earth is. It’s in your novels that I remember how good it is to be loved. It’s in your novels that I remember there is purpose and meaning for this life we lead on the earth.
You may not realize how much your writing has the ability to change a soul. It has changed mine. I’m always reminded of the purpose for life and our existence, even if you don’t mean for your books to do that. It seems you are or once were a Catholic from what I gather in your novels. There are older books that I’ve read of yours that talk about the big bang and evolution. But then your newer works delve into a more God-centered type of religious background. I hope that the newer works express where your heart truly lies, for it’s in those newer works where I’m brought to my knees with the remembrance of how much God has given us on this earth to be thankful for and how we must all fight together to make the world a better place. Your works expose the evil, but then we always see the good. And it’s in that goodness of humanity that the hand of God is exposed. Without God or Heaven or Hell, this world has no meaning or purpose. But with these things comes responsibility and a life worth living, for we have the great opportunity to expose the truth to other human beings. Although you may or may not be trying to get this across in your novels, I’ve read between the lines and I’ve found deeper ideas in your books. If I am wrong and you have not found the peace that comes from knowing Christ in a personal way, I beg of you to look deeper into it. There is nothing so lovely as His great and abiding love that gives life new meaning and purpose.
I hope that you will continue to write and continue to inspire. I hope that you will always let the light win. I hope that you will never believe Stephen King is better than you…hehe And I hope that you will continue searching for the true meaning of this life if you have not already found it.
Thank you, Dean Koontz, for being a writer I can aspire to be like. Thank you for writing books that transcend the slush of crass, going-nowhere, unintelligent junk of today that many critics pretend to love and that writers get on the best-seller list for (need I mention Fifty Shades of Grey). Continue being brilliant, and I’ll continue to write. Perhaps, some day you’ll see my work on a book shelf in the library or at a Barnes & Noble store and you’ll forever be changed by my words as I have been by yours.
From one writer to another,
Adriana Marí King
Cozy Corner 