An email from me to Audrey's favorite author, and the author's reply.

Just to say thank you Inbox
Phillip Barcio
to tim
Apr 14 (20 hours ago)
From: Phillip Barcio Mailed-By: gmail.com
Date: Apr 14, 2009 2:48 PM
Subject: Just to say thank you

Mr. Sandlin,

When I first met my second wife she amazed me, initially by agreeing to be seen with me in public and secondly by encouraging me to keep writing. During one particularly melodramatic episode up in Chicago when the rejection letters were first starting to pile up from agents and publishers, Audrey wrote to you, her favorite author, and asked for some encouraging words she could share with me.

I admit I cannot remember exactly what you said, only that it translated into, "Tell him not to give up."

That letter is in a pile of other treasures stacked in boxes back in Indianapolis in my dad's storage barn. If we ever get settled out here in San Francisco maybe we'll send for it.

Anyway, I just got my first article published. It only took eight years.

The publisher asked me for the names of ten people I would like a copy sent to, you know, in lieu of monetary consideration, you know, because of the economy.

Yours was the second name that occurred to me, after my father's.

The magazine is called Tikkun. It's a spiritual/political magazine, but I don't mean to insinuate anything. I hope they don't try to get you to buy anything or subscribe or anything like that, or to change your religion. Let me know if they do and I'll go put a turd in their mailbox. Turds are plentiful and should be used for something.

The article is about an artist, and about what it might mean to be a saint nowadays, a subject I intend to drink more on and maybe write some more about later, and one I thought you might think was interesting.

Thank you for the encouragement. I wanted to share my success with you because your words, whatever they were, meant a lot to me. It mattered mostly that you took the time to respond. You are a good man.

Sincerely,
Phillip Barcio

Reply
Tim Sandlin
to me
More options 10:38 am (9 minutes ago)

Hey Phillip,
When I read your first sentence I thought you were some guy stuck in Chad with fifty million dollars he needed help getting out of the country. I'm glad I kept reading. Thanks for the kind words. I'm happy for you and I hope this is the first of many. If those guys want to send me a copy, my address is Box xxxx, Jackson, WY 83001.
Tell your wife she chose well.
Tim Sandlin
307-xxx-xxxx