This is some serious business. But I’m not going to dwell on that. Enough people and companies are sending you serious email. You don’t need another one. Instead, I’m going to talk about you.
You’re probably in the same boat. You might be in a place where you’re basically stuck at home. And you’ve run out of quarantine snacks. And that playlist and TV just isn’t cutting it anymore. How are you getting along during the present crisis? Are you coping?
Why do I care? You are my readers. I am one of your authors. I write stories because I must write them. To me, people like McCrary and Lisa Daniels and Celine Greenfield and Panjar are not creations, they are friends that showed up in my head to talk to me. They are the ones in danger, they are the ones I have to figure out how to rescue. I help them figure it out. They do the heavy lifting. They win. Sometimes, they lose (I hated what happened to Commander Jeng) But their stories demand to be told.
So I tell their stories. I offer them to you to read, because I like them, and I think you will, too. That means we’re connected.
“Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind…” wrote John Donne. I know many, many writers who ‘trunk’ their work because they fear something is not good enough to be read: their technique, the story, the characters. But since you miss 100% of the shots you do not take, I took a flier on my works. You, dear readers, have responded well. I’m not a bestseller–in fact, I’ve still not made back the money I put out on editing and the cover. But I am happy with where I am.
But your well-being, both you (general) and you (individual), does concern me. Ask yourself these questions:
- Am I doing OK with this enforced isolation?
- Am I sick with worry, but have nowhere to turn?
- Do I need a chat with someone?
- Do I need a small story to lift my day?
- Do I have someone I would love to see as a character in one of Bill’s novels?
I’m actually dead serious about all of these questions. I am happy to chat with as many people as possible. I know and work with many introverts. I don’t take ghosting personally. I’ve dialed a lot of people and hung up before the last four digits. But I know how much I’d love to talk to a Larry Niven, or Allen Steele, or any number of authors that I admire. So here’s your chance.
How can I help?
- Email me (WDPatterson over at the yahoo dot com domain)
- FB Messenger as Bill Patterson
- Skype (better email me first)
What if you’re good? You can work from home, you’ve got two months of toilet paper saved up, twenty liters of chicken stock in the basement freezer, and you’re thirty and healthy. You don’t need me, you say. Congratulations–I mean that sincerely. Then I ask only two favors from you. First: would you mind leaving a review on Amazon for something of mine you’ve read? Second, would you consider assisting me with other readers who need assistance?
And that’s it. That’s all this email is about. What cops call a ‘welfare check’–seeing if you’re OK and need anything. No sales, no push to buy this or that.
As a Roman Catholic, I do pray for the welfare of my readers. I want you all to get through this WuFlu without permanent problems. I feel very strongly called to write this email to you, my readers, because I am certain that I can assist at least one person who needs a helping hand. Please reach out to me, if you need to. I know that some of you will unsubscribe (I lose about 1% with every email I send), but I am willing to lose those potential sales if I can help one person who needs it.
Just hit reply. Send one line: “Help, please” That’s all you have to do.
