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.
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Always look on the bright side of life! doo doo. doo doo doo doo .doo doo.
Always look on the light side of life!
I stole dat from Monty Python!
Youre the absolute best Auntie!
awww how nice auntie
Dude Im always here for you…and thank you so much for reading ALL the e-mails I sent,and my letter!!! Ily
i tink i no why vlad fears it so much . . . pitchforks and torches if people found out. I was chased by a mob of bullies who had large sticks once. that count?
awwwwwww….*sniff* *sniff* ur gonna mke me cry…thanxs soooooo much auntie heather!!! im givin u a BIG hug cuz CoVT has helpd me through sum hard times 2! =} U & vlad will be there 4 me & sum of my friends now & 4evr
That’s touching. despecially since I just graduated 8th grade and I’m never gonna see half of my friend EVER again. I’ve been feeling like crap cuz of that.
Just look on the brightside your roughly 6 ft tall
or mabey not…
anyways my parents are divrced..have been for 4 yrs and didn tell me till like a month ago so theyre splitting up in like a month (after we find a place for mom) so my life sux rie now
tho my b-day is near:)
You are incredible. You take time out of your blackhole of a schedule to talk to us and your not like other authors you actually care about us and help us when we feel depressed or life is bringing us down i wish i wouldve had the chance to meet you. You treat us like we are actually somebodies not people who just buy your book. I know you get stuff like this everyday but you are definatley one of my favorite authors so thankyou for doing what you do and making me smile everytime i come back to this website (:
dis is 4 u niko…
i tink every autor kares wat we tink!!!
not just her!
authors put there feelings on paper 4 us 2 read, enjoy,laugh,cry or fill wit anger.
now no author in d world kares about d money!nd if they do they will be stupid!!
…..u make authors look like spit!!
<3.lessliegarza:)
Thanks Auntie Heather when ever bullies pick on me I think what whould Vlad do? Even though I don’t have vampire abilitys it inspires me to fight back! The Vlad books help me escape school even though I’m in the school library. Please if you are reading this send me an email and visit the website I posted!!
Thanks and stay awesome,
A HUGE fan-Michael D.
Auntie Heather, that is so sweet of you! I’m glad I have some one to vent to. ^-^
Total nicenss Autie heather
Just try your hardest to stay on the good side =}
– try and just forget about all the bad things that have been happening
When I’m sad I just remmember that I’m as tall as my heart will let me be and i’m only as small as the world will make me seem so when the going gets rough and I feel like I may fall I’ll look on the bright side I’m roughly six ft tall and then I grab one of ur books and read — thanks for the books
your such an awesome person for listening to all your fans, and stuff!
yes yes an adult who actually understandsour struggle ur the best auntie
woohoo go vlad tod
Wow, this almost made me cry. Thank you so much, Auntie Heather. It means so much.
OOOooooo so dramatically wonderfully sadly touching………I LOVE IT!!!!!
Just wow Auntie Heather
You are the nicest person ever to write that and admit that touchiing response. I was almost moved to tears. My life has been a living hell because i have cancer 
but i can relate to Vlad. The outcast at school, the boy who’s diffrent. I understand that. Thank you for making my life easier.
this is really my first time posting, but after what you just said I couldn’t help but say something Aunt Heather. You almost made me cry. And not all authors say something like that to us. But you really are my favorite author Antie Heather!!!!
thats really nice. it’s hard to tell when you think if authors or actors care about their fans. but just doing this website is nice because you put places and times when we might be able to meet you and you give out minion bling all the time. Thanks for everything you do.
P.S. come to Grand Rapids, Michigan sometime.
Wow… Thanks Heather, i could tell that was from the heart… i can speak for all the faithful minions that we love you too…and to me i think YOUR going through a tough time… so if you need to talk, I’m here for you as well
Your loving Minion, Joey(-)
this almost made me cry
i dont know who i am. i woke up this morning and i wondered what are humans why are we here. who am i ? after all i’ve been through am i the same girl i was before? how can i tell? i dont know who i am, or anyhting. i’ve changed evolved i guess, into someone else. someone i was meant to be. but what if people arent ready to accept me? i mean i already have people that make fun of me when i walk down the halls. just because i have blue hair and im diffrent. i am who i am, why dont they accept me? who am i? i know i;ve changed into the real me. for yesrs i was the goody goody girl my mum wanted me to be, but now im myself and im being shunned for it by everyone. i dont know who i am. please anyone out there who feels this way, who is hurting like i am. who is constantly in pain please help me . please help me discover who i am.
i think thats a very awsome thing to do, and you got me to become a reader, actually, your the reason i even started to read twilight, and you have also inspired me to start writing my own stories. about a week ago, my dad was being a big jerk to my mom because she “needs to buy better clothes for me because i look like a stupid emo” and i get laughed at and i get called names when all im doing is being myself. so when im upset, i pick up one of your books and read, and i want to thank you for that auntie heather, for giving me that escape from my life, even if it is temporary, i know its something i am going to treasure forever
awww. you made me cry Auntie Heather, that so sweet!
You truly rock auntie!
I feel Ur pain, Auntie heather. I’m heading off to high school
and I’m terrifed what will happen. I’ve always been a nobody, exsept to the jerks in the school,I lost my dad when I was 10, my grandmother (who was like my mother) when I was 11,have a little cusin with cancer that is not expected to live much longer, my mom’s a total jerk who doesn’t understand me and doesn’t want me to be myself, and have to little brothers that seem to have every thing there little hearts desires-including my unhappiness. But you can always look on the bright side.
I can say with total confidince that I’m not the only one who thinks that. 
All the people who messed with you all your life, R probably thinking,” how the hell did she become the best author ever!” while there working at Mcdonalds.Haha.
That was a touching comment, I almost cried, and I’m not the one for tears. Me and all of Ur other loyal minions love U!!
I didn’t know if authors acually listened to their fans comments but I know now. Ur the best, Auntie Heather!
dear auntie heather that is such a wonderful thing to know that you read my coments.i love u and vlad alot.hows your kitty doing?i love cats and dogs alot.i cant wait for 12th grade kills.i plan on writing u a letter with alot of question. i hope you anwser my question auntie heather.bye
aw…I’m always lookin at you website,but this is my first time to comment.your such an amazing writer and person.I wish 12th grade kills would come out faster though,Vlad is an amazing character and I love your books to death.I also can’t wait to see Joss’s side of the story in the slayer journals.good luck on your books^-^
Kitty ur pretty awesome
great song.. And heather you are the most amazing author ever.. You really treat your minions right =] I was considering emailing you a 3 page essay about.. Well everything.. Then I decided not to bother you.. But thanks for the post, it was really nice =]
You know, I always thought that when authors slowly and steadily got more and more popular, they got cocky and decided ‘Screw it with the emails, I just like the attention and I won’t bother replying’.
Thank you from the bottom of my black, shriveled heart for proving me wrong. Honestly. *tailwag*
i want to enter but im not sure how to make an animated video… bye
u are the COOLEST vampire fan in the world heather. it is true dedication to spend your life devoted to making these books. vlad is AWESOME. u rock
hey heather i was wondering if it was possible to make vladimir tod into a movie ive read all the books and i think its amwesome
i just want to tell you how much i love your books. they’re not only a book that i cant put down, but they’re a book that i can relate to in so many ways. such as heart breaks, losing friends, or loved ones. but a funny/wierd thing is that i love your books so much, i had a dream one time that i was in the book lol. but i cant wait for the 12th grade to come out, i may get in trouble in class for reading instead of doing work, buut it is in every way worth it
thank you so much for doing what you do, i dont think there’s any author out there like you. although i havent met you, it feels like in so many ways we are the exact same after listening to your life stories. and i find it amazing that you take time out of your day to listen to everyone while in progress of making the worlds greatest books, so thankyou so much 
and i hope you continue writting for a very long time! <3
I think its real… Whats the word im looking for? Sincere(sorry i cant spell) of you because a lot of people would have stoped reading the e-mails just because they got famous! But not you Auntie Heather! You realy do care! And that is why we (the Minons) LOVE you soooo much!
Love u auntie heather and dont worry bout the emails we all still love you
hey i domt no how i can get the vlad books were can i get them and 4 how much?
i love smily icons 
)
Are you going to make a movie out of the series? If so…i kinda wanna try out for Meredith
OMG!!!!! by the way…i am like IN LOVE with your books!! i think you should make a movie out of it. even if i dont get the part…it’ll rock just as much 
yeah a movie would rock i”d like to be october
Auntie Heather i seriously love reading your books totally cant wait for Twelfth Grade Kills i usually dont read books but my friend told me about these and i asked my dad to get the first two for me, read them and love them, my favorite thing of the whole series is ****SPOILER ALERT**** when Vlad finds out that vampires invented Playstation ahhh good times…. im sorry im rambling ill stop now just wanted to say dont ever stop writing!!!!!!!
I’m not much of an online commenter, but I just had to comment here. That was a phenomenal post–one which brought tears to my eyes. I haven’t seen too many authors who really understand and reach out to their fans like this…and who really seem to *get* them and care about them.
I’m a teacher (have taught middle and high school), and I, too, have seen and heard stories that just…well, make me cry. There is so much we want to fix, but can’t. (Some things teachers have to report, but reporting it doesn’t make the fact it’s happening/has happened go away.) And, you’re right, sometimes all we can really do is listen.
I own the first book in your series (my high schoolers really liked it, btw–seniors even), and now I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series and anything else you write.
You have a fan for life. Thank you.
AUNTIE HEATHER THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU A ILLION TIMES OVER FOR NOT POSTING THE FIRST CHAPTER BECAUSE I WOULD GO MAD CUZ I CANT READ THE REST UNTIL SETEMBER 21ST THANKS AGAIN
-MINI VLAD
Wow… Touchy. I felt like sorta crying haha… I feel special now
it’s a shock though. Um, I really don’t know what to say ’bout—don’t take it the wrong way, I’m not really “emotional” but I do understand what you mean, Auntie Heather. 
no one really has a good childhood life…but y’know you have to get back up and move forward. “Forget the past except the happy days you had.”
This really touced my heart Auntie, I was really close to crying…….
But i feel your pain im going to the 7th grade my grandma died like a few days before i was born,im not your typicial outgoing girl,and my mom doesn’t let me go anywhere outside my neighbor hood so basically im stuck in the house all day and it ticks me off 
your books r the greatest things that have ever come to my life and just everytime i read them it makes me very happy 
but It really brings joy to me that u read my emails thank you Auntie >ily< 
BTW I really luv ur hair 
I think ima get my hair just like that but instead of pink ima get white,….maybe green!!!!!! 
jazmyn, im just like u. my mom wont let me go anywhere without being able to see me out the window. im kinda bumed out. so the only thing i can think of doing is go to my room, lock the door, and read some vlad for a good few hours.
thanks auntie heather thats awesome that you understand us. It makes me emotional
.your the best 