Oh wow. Sometimes you get a fan letter that just blows you away. I rarely share fan letters because it feels so self-indulgent (look! look! this person loves my book and SO SHOULD YOU!). I hope you'll forgive the indulgence this time because I think there's some profound truth about what books and stories do for us that this letter elucidates. This is from Liz in Georgia, a high school senior. There are forest born and general Books of Bayern spoilers, so be warned.
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I recently reread some parts of Forest Born (my personal favorite of The Books of Bayern) and some things in it really hit me. They just fit kind of perfectly in answering so many of my worries and regrets and turning my hopes into faith. I feel like I can really identify with Rin. Even though I don't have six older brothers, I am the youngest of three brothers and a sister and know what it's like it try to find your own place after being underneath your sibling's shadows. I, like Rin (and everyone pretty much), have done things I've regretted. Rin's story helped me find my core (so to speak), do what I can, forgive myself, and move on. I think Rin's is the perfect story of acceptance. Of realizing that yes, I've made my mistakes, but they help to make me who I am today, they don't define me. The only way for them to define me is to wallow and waste my life regretting and being afraid to make another mistake. I think Rin tried that, didn't work too well for her either :) Mistakes are a part of life, an awful and wonderful part of life. And I will forever be grateful to the Man and Brother who made it possible for me to be forgiven of them and be able to move on after them. The darkest of moments precedes the greatest light and growth.
Rin's story has helped me to learn more about myself and realize it's okay to change. We're all different. We all have a place where we belong, a place where we fit. Though I haven't completely found mine yet, I will. We all have our own journey; we each follow a different path. It's okay to struggle. It's okay to not follow the person in front of you. Because you're you. You're not them. This is my life, my journey. I loved the tree imagery you created in Rin, of her spreading her roots, finding her strength and drawing on it. Of her accepting who she is and tapping into that wonderful ability and silent, serene power. But she also had to accept her people-speaking. That hidden burden she cashed away. I loved how she found a way to take something with the ability to be so corrupt and evil and make it into something good simply because she didn't want to be evil; she wasn't Selia. She had balance. Deep down she was a good person who wanted good things. She knew what she had to do and had the strength and ability to do it, even in her (seemingly) small and personal way. I love how Rin isn't a lead character, even though she is the main character. Her place is to offer support, like to the king that married Selia. She had been through hard times. Her journey is not to change the world in some drastic way like Isi being Queen, her place is simply to be there for those around her, to be the strength to those who would change the world and so, in her own way, she changes the world, just through others. Her "ministry" is to speak truth, to see it and help others see it in themselves. She saved Isi this way.
Thank you so much for writing and getting this book published! I can honestly say it's one that has helped me through my life and changed me. It's helped me realize it's okay to be me. That my family loves me and is just as amazing, crazy, and fun as Rin's. Forest Born has helped me realize my life is my life and it won't follow the same course as another person's. But it will be perfect for me. Rin's story helped me move past a lot of pain and regret and start to move on from it. To accept it and move forward. To look forward with faith. It's helped me to relax and find out part of who I am and realize I'm beautiful and strong inside. That my intentions are good and that I will make mistakes, but I can learn from them, I can be forgiven of them and just simply move on. I don't have to be afraid to live or hold myself back from being all I can become.
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So lovely. Just breath-taking. What a lovely human being.
Now of course I could have told Liz those things and saved myself the trouble of writing a novel for two years. I could have told any teenager or any person, "Hey, we all make mistakes. Life is tough. It's about forgiving yourself, recognizing your own talents, accepting your weaknesses, and moving forward. Have courage! You can do it, and you'll find good friends to support you."
But those of you with teenage children or who teach or work with teenage children, just how effective is such a lecture?
That's where books and stories are so powerful. It's not a lecture. It's an experience. We enter a story, we live and think alongside the character, we come away with eyes wider and brains fuller. And when a book isn't a lecture but a story true to its characters, the reader can discover there so much more than what any lecture could try to convey.
Books allow us to meet the story halfway, and such a meeting is so much more influential than an experience like a movie, where the story comes to us. (I love movies, by the way. It's just a different experience.) By having to meet the story halfway, our receptors are open. We attach to the story, we share its life force. We are changed, and so is the story. A symbiotic relationship!
From her words, I surmise that Liz is a Christian. There is no religion in forest born. I love that she brought her own experience and understanding to the story and it reinforced her own beliefs. A reader of a different belief system might do the same. A great novel is a great place to do some thinking and come to a greater understanding of just who we are, what we believe, and how we want to live.
So cool. I love books. And I love my readers. Thanks, Liz.
Lovely. And your response is deep and wonderful. I found help/reference/balance/comfort in books when I was a teen and I still do as an adult. Stories connect us all.
Posted by: kathleen duey | May 31, 2011 at 11:36 AM
aaaw, i love it! of course, i know you're a great author and i know you touch countless lives with your stories...but the letter was lovely :) i wish i could write things like that, to really say how i feel. keep it up shannon, for all of us!
-your new-found cousin in logan-
Posted by: Jen Bryner | May 31, 2011 at 11:37 AM
That was such an eloquent letter. Kudos to you for writing such an amazing book that obviously means a lot to her.
Posted by: Nicolekrell_ | May 31, 2011 at 11:39 AM
That's the amazing thing about fiction is that it can teach better than any lecture.
Posted by: Amey | May 31, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Yes! This! :) Ditto on her and on you. Books are the best ways to learn--especially moral lessons.
Posted by: Robin_Weeks | May 31, 2011 at 11:58 AM
Awesome, awesome, awesome... :)
Posted by: Christen | May 31, 2011 at 12:22 PM
Amazing. Congrats :)
Posted by: Heather Moore | May 31, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Well, of course I love the book, but what amazing girl to learn from it that way.
Posted by: Amanda | May 31, 2011 at 02:23 PM
My dog read Liz's letter. Really. I left to go get something with the page still open, and when I got back, my dog was staring at the screen. If a dog will read it, the ltter is truy amazing!
Posted by: Shelby | May 31, 2011 at 02:55 PM
I think this girl is do right. I've been going through some rough spots in my life because of so many things like my Hypersensitivity disorder and and anxiety attacks. This book, like Liz said, have helped me so much in realizing that you can make a mistake and still be a good person. For me personally it reminded me that I'm still a good person even if what goes on in my mind drives me to hurt other people's feelings. I cried in sympathy for Rin's confusion. This book helped me very much as well.
Posted by: Louisiana Kid | May 31, 2011 at 03:04 PM
That reminds me of a favorite quote of mine, "We have encapsulated the incredible brilliant wisdom of the world in stories. The wonderful thing about stories is that you marry ideas and feeling in a sequence of events. You come across whatever it might be - feelings of fear, of anger, of jealousy - and they are wrapped up in characters, in creatures and beings that we can understand. We follow them; in a sense they sort of hold our hands and take us through disasters and triumphs. We figure out who they are, and who we are. Nothing else does this."
I feel as though everything I read, I take a piece of it inside of me. Books have helped me to realize what I truly believe, about life, spirituality, and what I find most important. Your books help me tap into what I love the most. Thank you for that, and for your stories, which take me by the hand and show me exquisite worlds and beautiful ideas.
Posted by: Erin | May 31, 2011 at 03:06 PM
What an amazing letter! I love that she took the time to write that out and send it to you.
Stories really are incredible. They sink into our minds and hearts and mold us in ways that lectures never can.
Posted by: Emily | May 31, 2011 at 03:42 PM
It was through your books that I made friends at my new school, and overcame a lot of emotional stress.
Thank you for writing such beautiful stories, and I can't wait for Midnight in Austenland!
Posted by: Dassie | May 31, 2011 at 06:35 PM
Stories really are the center piece of life. Everyone has their own story and can share it. And there are stories for everyone. Not one person in the world is immune to the greatness of a good story. They tie us together; that meaning both connecting people to others, and also to their own heart and wants and feelings.
Finding out who you are is a very painful experience with a great ending where you finally understand yourself. Rin's struggle is something everyone can relate to. Everyone has to find themselves and I'd really like to thank Shannon Hale for both writing Forest Born (an amazing book which I absolutely loved)and for posting this letter. I believe that this story really helped a lot of people get a better understanding of themselves and those around them; me included.
So to anyone struggling this internal conflict I suggest you read Forest Born and I'm sure it'll help you get through tomorrow.
Posted by: Kelly C. | May 31, 2011 at 08:18 PM
Now if only those who think reading is a waste of time and no good could see that!
Excellently put! By you and Liz :)
Posted by: Elinor | May 31, 2011 at 09:00 PM
Wow, that was a really powerful letter! And I like what you added :). Stories are amazing, and I know they have helped me.
Posted by: Alexandra Wood | June 01, 2011 at 05:38 AM
Liz is a beautiful writer. Just by reading those few paragraphs, you can tell she knows who she is. She knows who she wants to be. And, most of all, she has a true and deep understanding of the precious words we speak. And that's a great quality to have, to value words like that.
Posted by: gracie | June 01, 2011 at 08:36 AM
The reason a simple statement of a truth isn't as powerful as a story is because a truth, standing on its own, is meaningless. It is only when that truth is placed in a context, a story, that it has meaning. I remember long ago when word started coming out about mass starvation in Bangladesh. People in general thought, "Interesting. What's on TV?" It wasn't until photos and news video of starving children started coming out that the world said, "OMG! There are children starving in Bangladesh!" Those images told the story people needed to hear. Even when a simply stated truth does speak to you it is because you are able to see that truth in the context of your personal story. As to a point Shannon made about the power of novels, the more invested you are in a story, the more it becomes your story, and the greater the impact on you, which is why novels, which require your full involvement, can be so powerful. The more you give, the more you connect. (Which is why no one connects more closely to a child than that child's mother.) Story plus investment --> meaning --> change.
Posted by: Rick Walton | June 01, 2011 at 08:43 AM
This reminded me of one of my favorite quotes, “The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency – the belief that the here and now is all there is.” -Allan Bloom
Good books and stories in them remind us that we are not alone. That we can learn from other people, see other perspectives and change our lives for the better.
Posted by: Maria | June 02, 2011 at 12:05 AM
Thank you so much for sharing this letter. I too was moved very powerfully in many of the same ways as was Liz. When I first read Forest Born, I had recently been through a rough patch in life and wasn't sure which way to go from that point on. When I finished, I still wasn't sure which way to go, but I had also been reminded that we don't have to follow a prescribed path, and that as individuals we all have something to give to others, even when we don't feel that we have anything at all. Rin's story is so very powerful. She may not be a mover and shaker, but it has been my experience that slow change is change that endures and often has greater impact because of its depth. It's been a while since I read Forest Born. I think it's time to re-read my favorite Bayern book.
Posted by: Melissa | June 02, 2011 at 10:07 AM
I LOVE this :) thanks for sharing :)
Posted by: Ali | June 03, 2011 at 09:06 AM
Whoa, I never thought about Forest Born that way! That was so interesting. Thanks for posting it here!
Posted by: Abby | June 03, 2011 at 03:09 PM
Wow! That's definitely breathtaking. There are only a few books that can REALLY *change* your life. I'm glad that Liz thought your book was one of them. :-)
Posted by: Megha | June 04, 2011 at 04:58 AM
Like Liz I'm about to finish my (equivalent to) Senior Year and just like her, your characters gave me strength. For me it was more specifically Enna. Who's probably a much less likeable character than Rin BECAUSE she's so strong. But in that strength she convinced me so much to crawl out of my own shell. I've read Enna Burning I reckon at least ten times. Yours aren't the only books that do this and through my teenage years I've found so much solace in books when I haven't been able to elsewhere. And you've been part of that. My thanks to Liz for putting it so much more eloquently :)
Posted by: Miriam | June 04, 2011 at 11:55 AM
Shannon, I am dying to listen to the audiobook of Forest Born but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Has it been released as an audiobook and if so where can I get it?
Posted by: Teri H | June 04, 2011 at 11:29 PM
Forest Born helped me in similar ways, as well. Thanks for sharing the letter and your own thoughts with us!
Posted by: Dr. Sallie N. Cheinsteen | June 06, 2011 at 09:52 AM
This was a wonderful letter. It was so great of you to share it. That is exactly how I want to impact my readers with my writing. I hope I can do for them what you seem to do so easily!
Posted by: Abby Minard | June 06, 2011 at 09:27 PM
That was a beautiful letter, and so true!!! Although 'Forest Born' is not my favorite of The Books Of Bayern (that would be 'The Goose Girl') it definantly has the best message. And I think 'Forest Born' has the best drawn cover. I did not love any of the other drawn covers, I did love 'Forest Born's. Keep on writing such wonderful novels!!!!!! I am a big fan!
Posted by: Shelby | June 09, 2011 at 07:30 PM
This is unrelated but on KUER's summer book recommendations your husband's book was recommended as a great read for children!
Posted by: Emily G | June 10, 2011 at 11:25 AM
Hi, i'm your fan in Korea.
I really love your books, especially Enna burning and the books of a thousand days.
I'm in your fan site http://cafe.naver.com/vmflstptmtlflwm
in Korea.
I hope I can read all your books soon...
and I leave my cafe site
http://cafe.naver.com/myfirststories
thank you!
Posted by: Jang Seo-Young | June 11, 2011 at 03:05 AM
Hi, your books really good. But I have a question for you. If you were thinking about doing a sequel to Princess Academy what would you write about? And did you ever think about writing another one?
Posted by: Fabulous Maria98 | June 11, 2011 at 01:37 PM
Thanks i like your blog very much , i come back most days to find new posts like this.
Posted by: coach purses | June 20, 2011 at 08:09 PM
Lovely, lovely! :) Liz seems to express the feelings I can't put so eloquently in words...ah well...
Posted by: Anna, ze #1 fan | June 25, 2011 at 08:35 AM
I literally just finished reading Forest Born and I wish I had done so a few months ago. So many of Rin's feelings were how I felt then, and I know they would have helped me so much. Reading it now made me feel confident, like I've made the right choice. Books like yours help erase loneliness and tell us to never be afraid of ourselves.
Thanks so much!
Posted by: Helene | July 07, 2011 at 04:15 PM
I could have written this letter. And I am not a teenager, though I was one once and am again often. Thank you for both this post and this novel. It is one of the books that tells the truth because it is fiction.
Posted by: Rachael | October 18, 2011 at 01:27 PM