sarah · dessen

The reading last night was so awesome. I have to ask, did you husband come with you to Atlanta? After the reading, I was walking by Raging Burrito with 2 Lock and Keys and this guy saw them and wanted to high five, which we did. And that was cool. Was is just a weird coincidence?
Angie (fellow Veronica Mars and 90210 fan)

Dear Sarah,
On behalf of all of us at Barnes & Noble in Alpharetta, we want to thank you for coming to our store yesterday! We had a great time with you, and hope you will be back to visit us another day soon! We also hope you made it to Decatur without incident, and have a safe trip to your next destination!
With sincere appreciation,
The Barnes & Noble Alpharetta staff

I'm so excited that you used the word "kvetch" in Lock and Key. My best friend is Jewish and we are always kvetching to eachother... it just made me really happy and I had to share :)

Hope you are having a good time!
Wish I could be there!!

Later,
Teresa g.

i just requested lock and key through my college's interlibrary loan system. I can NOT wait for it to get here.

Hey Sarah, I just wanted to let you know that reading Lock and Key was the ideal way to de-stress during finals. I read it practically all in one sitting. I especially loved the part about the family photo, when it was first described I thought it sounded very familiar!

thanks for the quick update. ♥

Hi. I just wanted to say that I finished Lock and Key today and it was perfect. I'm 22, but almost positive I will be buyying "young adult" novels for as long as you keep writing.
I wish you'd do a sequel, since I really "fell" for this family, especailly Jamie. Once again, you exceeded all expectations and I really admire you. I, like most that post here, am an aspiring writer. I've only written one young adult novel (had it self published), but hope someday to be as successful as you are.
I'm so thankful for your great imagination.

Hey Sarah, thanks for coming to Atlanta. I was at the Decatur library signing. Though I am still wondering why that woman asked your age. When she had a second question, I got a little scared. Also it was so very cool what you did for your Florida fan. That's some serious fan love to drive from another state and you thanked her for it in a very cool way.

Doret

oh my! i AM that Florida fan and i STILL can NOT believe it happened to ME! My family is getting oh, SO sick of hearing the story over and over again! They, too thought it was awesomely cool! Sarah, you will never know what that simple gesture meant to me...i woke up the next morning immediately reaching for my neck assuming it was all this really awesome dream, but as my fingers traced the outline of the key around my neck, my heart knew it was not. Because I made the trip with my sister, and it was the first non-parental one, and everything you and the event coordinators of the signing did for me...i will always ALWAYS remember this trip. you are amazing in every single way :)

<3-Elizabeth AKA: Florida Fan

I was just at the Atlanta airport last Sunday coming home from the east coast for college visits, and I decided that Atlanta was one of my most favorite airports, because it has great FOOD! And the Duty Free shopping was cool, even though I couldn't go in. hahahaha

I'm sad that there are no events in CA. Maybe one day....

Love, Amanda

Hey Sarah! I don't know if any one else has already asked this question(i looked everywhere to try to find the answer to it but could not find it anywhere.) So, I was wondering, is there going to be a sequel to Lock and Key??? I really hope that there will be! By the way, I love your books! You are one of my favorite authors!!!

Sarah,

I love that even though you had only a few minutes before boarding, you stil l took the time to write to your adoring fans.

Thank You!
-Ali

BTW:

I dont recall Ruby having a Last name in Lock and Key. Please say it if she did. I really want to know!

Ruby's last name is Cooper. It says it in the book once or twice, but my second time through is when I noticed it.

Hey Sarah! I finished Lock and Key on Monday. It was brilliant! Six days from whence I got I finished it. It's definitely depressing that as I get older and have more responsibilities that it takes me longer to get through a book. (Even a super fantastic one such as yours.) Oh, well, you learn to make time for what you want and I spent just about the entire weekend reading Lock and Key. I love how in every single one of your main characters (and quite a few other character as well) I find so many things that I can relate to, that I feel or have felt. I always learn something from your books too, things that maybe I already knew, but that your books help me to finally put into practice, to really get and understand. And I just wanted to say thanks! You truly touch me with each character and their story.
Jean

So I went to your reading today at Quail Ridge Books and Music where you gave away a lock and key necklace. I was just wondering if there is any way to buy one of those necklaces. I just love them and I really want one. I meant to ask you when I was getting my book signed but I forgot seeing as how I was trying to fathom the fact that you were right in front of me. The reading was amazing, you are such a great public speaker and I loved how you answered all the questions. I want to be a writer, and all the stuff you said & questions you answered really helped with a lot of things that I had been wondering about the publishing process etc. You are such an inspiration to me! Keep writing amazing books!! & by the way, I think a sequel to This Lullaby is an excellent idea!

I just noticed,that Mallory (owen's sister) is in Lock and Key!! Ruby,says that a pack of middle school girls come to Harriet's jewlerey store, and one of the girls is dressed in all pink with brown hair and says, "My brothers girlfriend has this one." pointing to one of the key necklaces!! Which was Annabel's necklace :)

i got lock and key yesterday and read from 10 pm to 3 am... it was beautiful... and i love all the mention of characters from past books. it's like sharing a secret with all of your other fans, because we all know who they are... thanks for your amazing writing!

Hey Sarah!

Your reading yesterday at Quail Ridge was awesome! It was really amazing to finally see you in person after reading your books for so many years.

Dear Ms. Dessen:

First off, I'm sorry I had to use this forum to send this letter; I had a hard time finding your contact information...

My name is Jeff Polish, and I am the founder of The Monti (www.themonti.org) – an organization that brings personal narratives and good old-fashioned storytelling to a live audience. I was inspired to create The Monti when I learned about an organization in New York City called The Moth. The producers of this group find members of the community to tell their own stories that follow the night’s theme. Stories are about twelve minutes in length and the use of notes is prohibited. The Moth has established itself as a hot ticket event in New York City, because the stories are fresh, real, unexpected, and uncensored. Anything goes and audiences have been embracing these events with a combination of emotions from laughter to tears. My hope is that The Monti will create a buzz here in the Triangle like The Moth has in New York; of course, I expect that the buzz will be different – this is North Carolina not New York and that means that the stories may have a different character, a different charm, and a different level of edginess than seen in New York. The point is not to imitate The Moth but to provide a forum for interesting people to tell their stories to a captive audience. It doesn’t matter where you are, a story can still move a person. You can hear me and novelist Joanna Catherine Scott talking about The Monti with Frank Stasio on The State of Things in an interview from April 22nd by clicking on the link from The Monti’s website.

The Monti’s first event was this past Tuesday, April 22nd at Spice Street and it drew a crowd of over 140 people many of whom were turned away at the door due to spatial limitations. The event featured seven storytellers including Clyde Edgerton, Daniel Wallace, Joanna Catherine Scott, and Katy Munger. The theme for the event was ‘Family Ties’, and the stories included a hilarious account of little Danny Wallace’s fear of entering a new school in the sixth grade with an awkward neighborhood friend; a never before told story of Katy Munger’s childhood growing up with a mother who had to be institutionalized; a sometimes funny, sometimes poignant story from my life where I spend much of my adulthood distancing myself from my mother only to learn that I am more like her than I ever thought; and to close out the night, Clyde Edgerton took us on a hysterical tour of his wacky and colorful family. Four of these stories are now being featured on The Monti’s website www.themonti.org. Just click on the ‘LISTEN’ link and enjoy the stories.

It is the goal of The Monti to invite interesting people that know how to craft narratives, but I am not limiting this elite group only to novelists and writers. I would like to open the door to anyone with a great story. Because not everyone can tell a story well, they will be required to meet with a producer from The Monti for some guidance before the event.

I received your name from Kathy Irvin, an editor for Chapel Hill Magazine who mentioned that you would be a great catch for The Monti. After doing a bit of research, checking out your website, and as coincidence would have it reading the article in The Independent, I would agree with her. I think you could bring a refreshing voice to The Monti, and I would be honored if you would consider telling a story at an upcoming event at The Monti. Our next two shows are on May 20th and June 24th, both at Spice Street. Appearing in the next couple of months will be Haven Kimmel, Justin Catanoso, Randall Kenan, Ron Jones, Tanya Olson, Frank Stasio, and more.

Many of the participants from the first event have expressed their enjoyment and desire to come back again to tell another story. I am sure that they would be happy to tell you that themselves. If you would like me to put you in touch with them, please let me know.

Thank you for your time. I hope you will consider this invitation to appear at an event in the next two months. Please email or call me with any questions.

Thank you,

Jeff

You can contact me at jeff@themonti.org. Thank you for your time!

Jeff

I just finished Lock and Key, and I really liked it, my only complaint is that i wish there was more! :( I hate finishing a good book.

I was at the second Atlanta reading in Decatur, and I absolutely loved it. Thanks so much for coming. It was a great experience, and I am still so happy about it.
-opheliandreams