There was a time, my Minions when I prided myself on the fact that I would set time aside every day to respond to each and every email I received. No matter what you said, I sent a response, because you absolutely deserve one. You took time out of your day to tell me something and I felt the need to repond, because it was the right thing to do.

Then something happened that I didn’t expect. Auntie Heather got more popular, and my inbox started filling up faster than I could manage. The emails now come in faster than I can respond, so now – horribly guilty as it makes me feel – I’m unable to respond to most of them. It’s become a choice between “respond to emails” or “write the book”, so naturally, if I want to continue my career as an author, I’ve had to choose the latter. But I read each and every one, and I wanted to respond to you all here, where I’m hoping you’ll see.

I’m often amazed by the emails I receive. Yes, I love the ones that tell me you love my books or you like my hair or that you can’t wait to find out hat happens next and please, please, please, Auntie Heather, DO NOT stop writing books EVER! But the ones that really stick with me are the more personal emails – the ones from parents, thanking me for giving them a connection to their child through my books; the ones from Minions who say that their school life is utter hell, but they feel like they can get through it after reading my books; the ones from Minions going through a tough time (a move, surgery, an illness), but take comfort in escaping with Vlad. I’ve cried many times while reading these emails, for different reasons. Mostly because I wish I could do something to make everything okay for you all.

Then I realized that I’m doing what I can, and what that is is listening. I’m listening to you, Minions. I hear you. And I understand.

Life absolutely sucks sometimes (especially as a tween and teen), but it sometimes helps just to know that someone can relate, that someone hears you and understands what you’re going through. Believe me, my own life hasn’t been so rosey. I was terribly unpopular from Kindergarten through my senior year, had five housefires growing up, was married too young (and divorced shortly after), and went through a zillion other awful things that I can’t even really talk about. I wish I had had someone’s ear, had known that someone was rooting for me. But no one was here for me, and I can’t go back in time. All I can do is move forward and do what I can to right that wrong through you.

So if you’re ever feeling so down that you feel like your heart is just full of black ink, if you’re ever feeing so alone that it feels like the world is turning in on itself, know that I’m here for you, and that I love you all very much.

I’m listening. I promise.