Dear Mr. James Frey,

I’ve been meaning to write you this letter for quite some time.  Unfortunately I procrastinate a lot so I haven’t gotten around to it yet.  Sorry.  But now I have a blog so I figured I could write your letter, turn it into a post and just email you the link, effectively killing 2 birds with 1 stone.  And I’d save on the postage.  A real win-win all around.

I’ve wanted you to know how your book “A Million Little Pieces” changed my life.  No, I wasn’t an addict who found hope and inspiration in the pages.  Nor was I in the publishing industry and learned some valuable lessons from the aftermath of “The Controversy”.  No.  I was simply a girl who didn’t read books.

But back in December of 2005 all I kept hearing about was your damn best selling book.  It was everywhere.  In stores.  On TV.  Even my beloved Oprah wouldn’t stop talking about it.  “ALRIGHT ALREADY!”  I said.  “I guess I’m going to have to read this bloody book so I know what the hell everyone is talking about!  Which is something I had never said before.  Because prior to December 2005 the extent of my reading consisted of the newspaper and one corny Mary Higgins Clark “suspense” novel each year while on vacation.  I know.  I know.

So I did buy your book.  And I couldn’t put it down.  No really – I couldn’t put it down.  And I feel in love with reading.

And just as I was finishing the last quarter of the book “The Controversy” broke.  But I didn’t care.  I had been enjoying that book SO much, that whether the whole damn thing was fabricated or just an insignificant-to-the-overall-plot detail or two was fabricated, it didn’t matter.  Because by then, you had ignited a fire in me.  A fire for the love of reading.

So I finished the book.  Then I read “My Friend Leonard”.  And then I went on to read many, many more really good books.  And I haven’t stopped.  I enjoy getting into bed at the end of the day and disappearing into a good story.  Or relaxing in my living room on a sunny weekend morning with a big cup of coffee and a good book.

So thank you James Frey.  Thank you for giving me the gift of reading.  Because if not for all the fuss about your book, I may still be hanging out with Mary Higgins Clark once a year.

I really hope that things have turned out well for you.  I haven’t bought “Bright Shiny Morning” yet, but I’m going to when I’m done my current book.  And I’m sure I’ll thoroughly enjoy it.

Yours Truly,

Cher