Ann Darby

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Hi Ann,

I just wanted to say I read THE ORPHAN GAME many years ago and, throughout all the moving I have done in the time since and all the books I have purged along the way to lighten my load, I was thrilled to find your book still on my shelf this weekend. I have recently begun writing bits and pieces of my own recollections from childhood and felt as if I could benefit from familiarizing myself with how other authors have approached the adolescent point-of-view. Your book was one of two to come to mind and, of the two, the only one still on my shelf.

I am three or four chapters into my second read. Not only do I love your writing style, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how much it reminds me of my own voice. I think I was writing stageplays the first time I read THE ORPHAN GAME -- or perhaps I was in that long black period between stageplays and my first attempts at fiction. In the years after, however, I started a fiction writers' group in the San Fernando valley (it went for about 2.5 years), and proved to myself that I do have a voice as a fiction writer too.

Anyway, I was trying to find other books by you this morning when I stumbled upon this "talk to me" link, so I thought I would just let you know I'm a fan and can't wait to read THE SWEET, SAD SONGS... (Coincidentally, I was born and raised in Kansas and am going to be there for a niece's weddding this weekend. Do you have ties to the area? I'm from the Southeast corner -- Parsons, Pittsburg, etc.)

Good luck with your work!! Take care.

(Not expecting it, but if you want... julian.coltonjones@gmail.com )



















I just finished "Dogsong" by Gary Paulsen. I enjoyed it very much, especially the dream sequences. I like your website. See ya, Paul Cayler

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Hi Ann, I enjoyed meeting you at Camilla's reading, and I'm looking forward to reading your book! Love the website, Celeste

Oops, forgot to sign my comments . . . Morgan Finn

Love your comprehensive website. It gives me an outlet to rave ecstatically about the fiction workshop you taught at the Cape Cod Writer's Conference. Thank you for your attentiveness, humor & kindness to each student, without mincing on the craft of writing. In 24 years of taking writing classes, I've never experienced such a unique, memorable & effective approach to scene setting. In fact, the dry cleaning shop & a main character I developed there are in my novel-in-progress. Nor can I say enough about our personal conference where you gently broke through my resistance to disciplined writing in a funny, down-to-earth way. The notes I took that day are still have on my refrigerator.

Wonderful website..so glad I found it. I learned alot and I can't wait to read your next novel. RB....

Thanks! -- Ann

Lovely website Ann! Nice job!!