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A Genius? Moi? By AWARD WINNING AUTHOR AND INTELLECTUAL BRIAN J. KATCHER, Esq, BSed, MA, etc, etc.


I treasure reader feedback.



I remember the day my father took me aside and said 'Son, someday you're going to make me very proud.'

It was last week. Since I'm 43, I can't help but feel a little insulted. But it got me thinking of all the wonderful compliments I've received over the years.

I'm sure I'll remember one soon.

Oh, here go. When I once wrote a book called ALMOST PERFECT, which was about a transgender woman named Sage. Not being transgender myself, I had no idea what I was doing. And a lot of readers let me know.

But one day a reader wrote me and said that the book had been a big inspiration to her, and when she transitioned, she chose 'Sage' as her middle name.

I can't remember ever being so touched. And I guess that's what being a writer is all about. People do read your books. People enjoy them. And sometimes, they even make a positive difference.

Now I'm going to go look up all my old high school acquaintances and see who's been arrested recently. Besides me.

Mom always told me I could be whatever I wanted to be when I grew up, 'within reason.' When I asked her what she meant by 'within reason,' she said, 'You ask a lot of questions for a garbage man.'-- Jack Handey
 
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  1. Neurotic WorkaholicJuly 30, 2018 at 1:12 AM

    I've Googled my old high school classmates too, and I did find the mug shot of at least one of them; it was jarring, to say the least, considering the last time I'd seen a picture of that person it was their yearbook picture. And I like the idea of making connections with readers through your writing; I read somewhere that readers like writing that they can relate to, because it makes them feel like they're not the only ones who feel that way/have experienced that.

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  2. BerekJuly 30, 2018 at 9:29 PM

    Wait until you reach my age, Brian. You're thrilled to see them in the police news because it means they're neither dead nor in the old folk's home.

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  3. Patty BlountJuly 31, 2018 at 12:16 PM

    You're too funny! Reader feedback is a fickle thing... I've had readers tell me they thought SOME BOYS was so inspiring, they got the courage to report their own sexual assaults. And then I hear from the pearl-clutchers who say, "You used the F-word! What were you thinking?"

    Um, I was thinking about how best to relate to my teen audience.

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  4. Mary StrandJuly 31, 2018 at 4:21 PM

    Your posts always make me laugh. With any luck, that's even your intent. :-)

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  5. Holly SchindlerAugust 1, 2018 at 5:19 PM

    That's sooo cool about your reader. I think that's officially the best reader compliment of all time.

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