Actually, I've seen his picture, and he's neither big nor fat. But, he is a mensch. How do I know? Glad you asked.
I recently got the following email from him, quite out of the blue: "Dear Doreen, This is psychologist/crime novelist Jonathan Kellerman. During a recent vacation, I read QUEEN OF THE ROAD. Several times, I found myself laughing out loud – and drawing quizzical looks from my wife. Funny book. Congrats. Best, JK."
I don't know Jonathan Kellerman and I don't know anyone who knows him. (At first, I suspected my mother put him up to it, somehow. After all, she's the one who announced she was going to give a copy of QUEEN OF THE ROAD to her doorman because, "His cousin is David Letterman's floor manager!" Oy. But, after a thorough interrogation that would do JK proud, I can state beyond a reasonable doubt that she did not - put JK up to it, that is. The David Letterman thing... not so sure.) I don't even know how he found my book.
Mensch point one: He's such a mensch, did he identify himself by saying, "This is mega-bestselling novelist..." etc? No. He did not.
Mensch point two: It's a huge deal for a mega-bestselling writer like him to reach out like that. But, was that enough for me? No, it was not. (And, here is where I lose several mensch points for myself. If you get the feeling I don't care, you'd be right. What do you want from me?) My response (after gushing about how much of a fan I was and now, always will be): "As a crime novelist (not so much due to your being a psychologist) you should know that no good deed goes unpunished." I then proceded to ask for a blurb.
Blurbs are even bigger deals for any, let alone mega-bestselling writers. As a recent essay in the New York Times Book Review explained, "Book blurbs are a tangled mass of friendships, rivalries, favors traded and debts repaid, not always in good faith." Since I researched all 113 agents who rejected QUEEN OF THE ROAD (not because it sucked, people. Haven't I told you before? The common refrain, "I love it. I just don't think I can sell it."), I have a pretty good working knowledge of who represents whom in the writing biz. So now, when I pick up a book I'm considering reading and look at the blurbs, I have to chuckle thinking, "No wonder she blurbed him. They have the same [fill in the blank: editor/agent/publicist]." Even lowly me has been asked to blurb a few first-time authors (though obviously not from their agent/editor/publisher - after all, they would know better).
JK (yeah, I'm on an initials-only basis with a mega-bestselling author, so deal with it!) had no reason to reach out to me, no debt to settle, and did not ask anything in return. (Silly him. I would have had Tim do his and Faye's laundry for the rest of their lives.)
So, what was JK's response?
"A charming, insightful and – most important – hilarious book that evokes the best of Bill Bryson and David Sedaris, but spotlights the unique voice of a gifted memoirist."
What a mensch - thrice over.
His new book, Bones: An Alex Delaware Novel, is already below 1000 on Amazon and it's not even coming out until October 21st. His wife, Faye Kellerman, had her new novel, The Mercedes Coffin, debut last week at some insanely low (that's good, folks) Amazon number. So, not that they need my help, but if you want to support a mensch...
(My copies of both just arrived and I can't wait to delve in.)
- DO. (Yes, you may be on an initials-only basis with me. I'm a mensch that way - and only that way.)
Comments (12)
Jonathan Kellerman is a big fat mensch, but so are you, Doreen. You've been so nice to me, giving advice and suggestions, and I'm a big fat nobody. But I'm never doing your laundry, ever.
Posted by Robin Altman | August 24, 2008 9:45 PM
Posted on August 24, 2008 21:45
But, Robin - There's nothing better that I like in the whole wide world than giving advice! Just ask Tim. And as for doing my laundry - don't need you to do that. I have Tim.
Posted by Doreen | August 24, 2008 10:10 PM
Posted on August 24, 2008 22:10
Wow. You must have done something very right. You are one lucky woman.
Posted by Anti-Wife | August 24, 2008 10:28 PM
Posted on August 24, 2008 22:28
That is very cool. BTW, I read both of the Kellerman's books. I like them.
Posted by Jack | August 25, 2008 5:00 PM
Posted on August 25, 2008 17:00
Very, very cool. Let me point out the obvious (to me anyway) anyone who picks up your book SHOULD be laughing hysterically and inviting the sceptical looks of anyone sitting close by. But the fact he took a moment to let you know...official menschdom status. And let me say...I love bill bryson...but you aren't as crabby...I like that!
Posted by Annette Baesel | August 25, 2008 6:38 PM
Posted on August 25, 2008 18:38
"Since I researched all 113 agents who rejected QUEEN OF THE ROAD...."
Slap me, but this freakin' made my year.
you know i love you, and not in a weird stalkery way.
Posted by patti | August 25, 2008 6:57 PM
Posted on August 25, 2008 18:57
Hey, Annette! What'd'ya mean I'm not as crabby as Bill Bryson??? Great. Something else for me to aspire to in life.
Patti - May I really slap you? Tim wants to know if he can watch. Talk about weird...
Posted by Doreen | August 25, 2008 7:42 PM
Posted on August 25, 2008 19:42
Gosh, maybe someday I'll get one of those super kewl emails.
Or I should finish book #3 and get you to blurb it when you're more super mega popular than JK.
'Kay, D.O.?
People blurbing each other sounds almost as naughty as googling oneself.
Posted by Sandra Cormier | September 3, 2008 11:11 PM
Posted on September 3, 2008 23:11
A while back, Bill Clinton was cruising a big bookstore in New York after a signing and all the cameras were following him.
He perused the tables and picked up a copy of my co-worker's brother's book, Born To Kvetch. Talk about a plug!
Posted by Sandra Cormier | September 3, 2008 11:15 PM
Posted on September 3, 2008 23:15
Wish I'd thought of that title (Born To Kvetch! I love it!)
I'll blurb you no matter what, Sandra (we are talking about the naughty kind, right?)
Posted by Doreen | September 4, 2008 7:39 PM
Posted on September 4, 2008 19:39
Sure, but we won't tell our husbands. Unless they want us to, of course.
Posted by Sandra Cormier | September 6, 2008 9:03 PM
Posted on September 6, 2008 21:03
What's a mensch? AnyHOO, I'm on the way to get your book in a few mins...I'm so excited that I could just mensch myself! Woohoo!
Posted by Queen Jaw Jaw | September 13, 2008 10:58 AM
Posted on September 13, 2008 10:58