Mary Anne Spier

[aln1982]

To bring up an old topic of MA's mushy letter writing....
I did think MA’s letter to Logan in Secret Santa was a bit over the top but after rereading, I think the biggest thing was that it sounded so “old”. I used to make fun of MA a bit about her mushy letters and still think they’re pretty extreme but I guess I can relate if I think about it because I also tend to write really mushy stuff (not in love letters but just kind of dramatic, expressive notes to people). Like I said, I think the thing that made MA’s note sound so weird to me was that e words it used sounded old fashioned. It was a bit much, too, with the dramatic expression of love. ;D

[greer]

Ugh yeah.... Far too intense for 13 year olds.

[mckay]

I can't imagine saying "I love you" regularly to someone at thirteen. I didn't say it until I had my first serious girlfriend when I was seventeen, and that was after we'd been together for a couple of months. (Though I kept wanting to say it and holding my tongue because I thought it would seem like I was insane, and then SHE said it, and I was just about the happiest I'd ever been in my life...gah, okay, random anecdote over, but it still makes me happy thinking about it all these years later). Even THEN I think I was pretty young to really be "in love" with someone (though I don't know, I still think I was, honestly).

[aln1982]

Does it seem like MA’s books frequently start out with her having a “really great day” or being in a terrific mood and feeling like everything is perfect and then things go downhill rapidly from there? The start to MA and the Memory Garden seems almost similar to the Fire at MA’s House how she’s so content in the beginning. I remember other books being like that, too. I don’t think it’s the ghost writers, either, because I think it was different ones. Does Ann come up with the start of the books and details like that even?

[booboobrewer]

I've noticed those great day intros as well.

[greer]

She wrote a very detailed outline and then the ghostwriter would write it, and Ann would go over what the ghostwriter wrote. I don't know if this included how the book would open, or what technique would be used for chapter 2: i.e. the charm bracelet chapter 2.

[sarish]

aln and mckay...maybe I am just weird but I wrote a TON of mushy letters to my best guy friend who I had an immense crush on when I was 12/13 and I ended each one with "I love you". Too bad he kept moving to various countries, but I liked him from when I was 12 to a little after 17 and I know that he is the first guy I really fell in love with. Point is, I can understand Mary Anne writing all of those things. She claimed she could not tell Logan to his face and neither could I to this guy.

[aln1982]

I don’t think you’re weird at all. ;D I think my post was unclear because I meant that I can see myself writing a very mushy letter and the main thing that made me laugh (when reading MA’s letters again) were the actual words that she chose sounded like words that a much older person (middle aged at least) or someone from the past would use – “old fashioned.” But this is probably because she’s copying a romance novel or getting ideas from one. ;D
My point was that I don’t think MA’s letters are terribly strange now and can also relate to being too “mushy” (though I never wrote love letters of any kind just because that’s not “me.” ;D) and over the top dramatic when I write notes because I want so desperately to make sure that the reader understands just how strongly I feel (usually in thank you notes with gratitude)

[sarish]

Aln! I just wanted to share my Mary Anne experience. Perhaps I got my ideas from her. Hehe! I understand your post. I agree, Mary Anne was very old fashioned in her writing. I am also over the top when I write letters. My friends tease me saying that I always write a novel in cards and letters. It doesn't help that I have tiny handwriting.

[aln1982]

^ I do that too with the "novels". It makes writing cards take so long and makes me end up frustrated with myself. ;D

[greer]

I'm a terrible letter/email writer--i'm very concise.

[sarish]

Aln, same here! I get so frustrated because I have so many people I have to write to and I always feel bad if all I do is sign my name or write "Happy Birthday".

Greer, do you tend to give lots of details in your letters? I do and I blame it on the Baby-Sitter's Club books. They are full of details. ;D

[aln1982]

I wish I had your ability, Greer. I do the same thing with details, sarish. Maybe it is from the BSC.... ;D

[greer]

Nope, not at all. I just write only what is necessary.

[sarish]

That's good. I wish I had that capability. Instead I just go on and on. In my boyfriend's yearbook two years ago, I took up three pages and I write smaller than Mallory in a cursive similar to Mary Anne's.