Letters and Emails

Susan is always happy to receive your e-mails, letters and comments. It is a good idea, though, when saying how little you have liked one of her books, to take the trouble to be polite about saying so. Criticism is always welcome. Just phrase it pleasantly!

Please think twice before you send unkind, unpleasant and even abusive e-mails.

I received this one recently. I am perfectly willing to accept reasoned criticism and even messages telling me one of my books has not been enjoyed - I have written 35 books and the author of this e-mail does not actually say which one they have been reading but I assume it is I'M THE KING OF THE CASTLE, which is most often set for GCSE -but whoever wrote this should be slighly ashamed of themselves. I am sparing their blushes and not putting up any name or e-mail address.

Here is the message

"We did not understand your book, and thought it was really boring. We are suggesting that you write a book that is useful, interesting and that will not waste our time. thanks to this really terrible book my whole class is bad english. Thank you for reading this e-mail."

AND HERE IS MY REPLY.

Hello.. I am very sorry you did not like my book - you don`t say which one but I assume it is I`m the King of the Castle., It was written in 1968 and I have written a very great many others since... you may or may not like them. I found some of the books I did for O and A level and for my university degree wonderful and some boring. That`s the way it goes. I get dozens of students writing to me saying this is the best book they have ever read.. that`s the way it goes.

But if you stop to think and re-read your e-mail you will realise that it is extremely rude and unkind. If you had spent a year of your life writing a book - which, incidentally, was written for adults, not young people; it has nothing to do with me that it is chosen for the curriculum and exams - you would accept that some people would enjoy it and others would not, but you would not enjoy receiving such a thoughtless and inconsiderate e-mail about it.

I think you are probably under exam pressure and am not taking it too much to heart. But do think before you write next time.

Good Luck

Susan Hill

Here is another email I recently received - How not to write to an author..!!

Name = Gaz Ellington of the Shire of Chester
Email = some_clever_address@hotmail.com
Country = United Kingdom
Address = Chester

Hello Susan, I studied 'I'm the King of the Castle' for GCSE English Literature, which we very recently completed. Although it is an enjoyable and interesting book, the hours of boring scrutiny and the looking for hidden meanings in every word made the whole two years of studying like Chinese water torture: mentally destroying and painful. In jubilation, my friend Alasdair, and I burnt our copies of the novel today, I have to say it was very satisfying, and the WD40 made them glow with something which one of your child-like similes from the novel could describe. Thank you very much for reading this. Yours sincerely, Gaz Ellington of the Shire of Chester.

Rich W - United Kingdom
"i read your book "i'm the king of the castle" and found it thouroughly enlightening i love the way mood and character are conveyed! yours rich"

K Roseblade, Summerhill School, United Kingdom
" i have read Im The king of the castle and i believe this book is the most boring book i have ever read. i believe that it has very little relevance to the modern day. i think that the characters are boring and the overall impression of the book is very depressing. how do you expect to sell books when your most famous one is more depressing than being shot? I would not have read the book if i was not made to by my teacher. However, the book did convey some idea's that i believe were relavent at the time of publishing. i also admire your ATTEMPTS at making it timeless, however, you just made it lifeless."

tony blair - United Kingdom
" dear susan congratulations you have given me reason to carry on living. now that i know that this book is so rubbish i will have no inhibitions about running the country badly"

Dear Susan. im just writing to you to let you know how great your masterpiece the WOMAN IN BLACK is. i must say that the first time i herd of THE WOMAN IN BLACK was on christmas night on c4 many years ago. and it scared me shitless. shortly after that i saved up all my pocket money to buy your book as my school didn't have books like yours onshelf. or my local libary neither. and the book blew me away. infact it was the first book i have read within a week that i didn't get bored with. but then i noticed how much was missing from the film and how much creepier it could of been. but still it was ok. now that im 21 the film does not scare me one bit unlike your book. and soon for the first time ever i will be going to see the play up the city. and i cant wait. and can you belive i only found out about the play last year. and its been running for years. i must say i love anything to do with ghost's and poltergeists aslong as it aint to stupid. it would be great to read a follow up of the woman in black in our time. but i know it wouldent feel right. or another haunting sinister story you could write again. but thankyou for such a great book and mind. Christopher Dono. ps you menchioned on your website that you dont know where they sell the woman in black video and that it is deleted. well it is in fact avalibale to buy on amazon or ebay for second hand or copied bootleged like myne was lol from america for 40 dollars. please if you could let die hard woman in black fans know about this. as i must say the film has a bit of a cult following and can you remember that film sort of thing. but you can only get this film at a nice price. thankyou

'HERE'S A NICE LETTER...but on the other hand, have a look at the Reviews of the book on Amazon.co.uk. The first one is from a reader in the USA...and let's just say, they beg to differ from the writer above!! The words Worst.. Crime.. Novel and EVER appear...'
SH

Dear susan,
I am a very big fan of crime novels and read just about everything thats going. A few months ago whilst reading a copy of my mums Mail on sunday, I came across a write up about yourself and about the book various haunts of men which was being released a few weeks later. I made a note of your name and book etc and pre-ordered it from amazon. I have been reading it on and off for a few days now (in between feeding my new baby etc) and I have to say just how excellent it really is. Im half way through and dreading when I have finished it, and hoping that the next in the 'series' isnt far behind, (christmas release would be great as im off on my holiday on 1st jan, so I could take it with me!!!). Anyway keep up the good work, and many thanks for a brilliant read.

yours sincerely michelle giles-compton.

I've been studying I'm the King of the Castle for my set text. I feel compelled to admit, that the first time I read it I didn't like it, but because it's my set text I read it a couple of times more and now I think it's a fantastic book and really shows how dark children can be, which people don't seem to realise.

I think what makes it even more impressive is that you wrote it before people came to terms with the fact that children do kill themselves and other children. It would be quite easy to sensationalise the issue, but I don't think you've done that at all.

LOIS from BATH

Dear Susan Hill I thoroughly enjoyed the first Serailler book and I am currently devouring the second. We can't agree here on how to pronounce Serailler - what is your preference? Thank you for the pleasure you give us with your writing - particularly the recent collection of short stories. With all good wishes Heather Tomkins

Country = Mexico

Po
Notes = i love the woman in black

Hello! I just wanted to say how absolutely thrilled i am to have picked up your book 'the various haunts of men' in the shop the other day. I have been hooked from the beginning and have gone on to order a lot more of your books! Also, to my sheer delight, i discover that you wrote the most amazing play i have ever seen in my life - the woman in black. i'm so excited to have discovered you as an author. kind regards, Katherine

I finished Various Haunts at midnight last night and this morning had visited 3 bookshops by 9.45am looking for The Pure in Heart. These books are stunners - thank you!

hi there... just emailing to say thank you very much for the useful study notes. i have read "Strange Meeting" an dreally enjoyed it very much, i am not even a war literature fan but this really opened my eyes. i think my A level exam will do well thank you to you!! :o)

Hello Susan Just wanted you to know there is great excitement here today, as copies of your new book have arrived! "Various Haunts of Men" was an absolutely brilliant read - I just could not put it down. I have recommended it to lots of my readers and they haveall agreed with me, hence the large number of reservations set for your new book. I for one cannot wait to find out what happens next to Simon. Thank you for all the pleasure you have given us.

The Various Haunts of Men is one of the most boring crime novels I have ever read. You can't write them.

Just read The Various Haunts Of Men.. rubbish.

Dear Susan, you have put me through the worst year of my life having to do your book I'm the King of the Castle, I was pissed off, it was old fashioned and really really crap and I had to write about the symbolism. Just to say, thanks a lot for making me so miserable.