for sparta (emmy)

[Deleted]

Dear @emilia,

I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to write and say that I absolutely adored Spartan. The ending really just swept me off my feet. I didn't expect it at all! I love that you set it back in ancient times, didn't even mention magic. But throughout the book, I couldn't help wondering about the dedication. Is it dedicated to the city? The main character? I sense a story there. Anyways, brilliant writing can't wait to read more!

Yours Truly,
Brígh O'Dalaigh
Avid Reader and Gryffindor

[Deleted]

dear brígh,

Thank you for letter, and your compliments! Spartan still remains one of my favorite books that I've written, and I'm glad that you found the ending satisfactory. You know, you're not the first one to mention the dedication - I guess I kind of brought that upon myself with the vagueness of it all. Suffice to say, there's a story behind it, but it's not a story that I'm willing to tell quite yet. It's... complicated. I'm glad to hear there are still some avid readers out there. I'm afraid I don't remember which house Gryffindor is - is that the snake? Or the lion? (Obviously I still need to do more research on Hogwarts. All I remember is Hufflepuff.) 

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[Deleted]

Dear @emilia,

Merlin, I didn't really expect you to answer! Everyone always says that authors don't have time to answer menial fanmail, but I'm glad you do! It makes you different. Gryffindor is the lion. Hufflepuffs are really nice and I hear their common room is next to the kitchens so I'm a bit jealous in all honesty. Gryffindor is the house Harry Potter was in as well. Do you think you ever will be ready to tell the story about the Roman? Will your next book follow in the same vein or do you think you'll do a sort of sequel ever?

Yours Truly,
Brigh

[Deleted]

dear brígh,

I try to answer as much fan mail as humanly possible. It helps that I just finished another book, so I’m taking a break from writing to do a press tour. Personally, I like the communication part of the job better than the actual writing. Stories are well and good, but they’re even better when the mean something to someone – so it’s nice to hear that it meant something to you. Gryffindors are lions, right. My Hufflepuff friend is indeed very nice, which is sometimes weird. How are people nice all the time? Anyways, as for my Roman, I hope that one day I’ll be able to tell the story about them. It’s hard to know if I ever can, though. I don’t think I’ll ever do a sequel. Sometimes in life, things end without everything being wrapped up in a neat bow, and I think that if I wrote a sequel, people would want me to wrap up all the loose ends. I can’t do that in a good conscience.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[Deleted]

Dear @emilia,

You like the communication part better than the actual writing? That's astounding. You're amazing at both! But I may be biased as you're answering my letter but still, your writing is superb. I have some Hufflepuff friends and they're usually nice unless you catch them on an off day. But I don't understand how they can be smiles and sunshine all the time. I mean... they're fifteen, we've all got a bit of angst!

I hope one day I'll have a Roman. Whoever they are. He, she, many, few. But it sounds like this Roman means a lot to you. I dunno anyone who really means very much to me. I understand that you wouldn't want to write a sequel and a false ending. Life isn't all smiles and sunshine (against Hufflepuff belief)!

Also you have really nice hair. I have red hair as well!

Yours Truly,
Brígh

[Deleted]

dear brígh,

Well, of course I like it better. I could write a hundred million novels, but if no one ever read them, and I never touched another person, I don’t think it would be worth it. I’m glad that you think that I’m amazing writer, though – it means a lot to me. I’m glad that you find Hufflepuffs similarly perplexing. I asked what house my friend thought I’d be in at Hogwarts, and he said I’d probably be a Slytherin or a Gryffindor. Not sure which one would fit better since self-evaluation is not my forte, but that’s a different story for a different day. And… yikes. I’ve got to say, I’m really, really happy I’m not a teenager anymore.

I think that everyone has at least one Roman in their life. They just kind of… pop up, and you don’t really notice that they’re there until they’re gone. Which makes absolutely zero sense, but what I’m trying to say is that your Roman might be with you already. It might just take a little bit of time to realize. Nope, not all smiles and sunshine. If only.

Thank you! I’m very proud to be a redhead – and we have to stick together!

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[Deleted]

Dear @emilia

You know, I think that's the most valid thing anyone has ever said ever. What's the point of doing things if it doesn't change anything for anyone? If it makes even the slightest difference for just one person... that makes it all worth it. Gryffindor is the best! You would probably be in Gryffindor too. A lot of Slytherins are rude, but one of my best friends is a Slytherin and she's really nice. I dunno why she's in Slytherin because the rest of her housemates are prats (for the most part).

I hope I can meet my Roman at some point. Maybe I already have but I don't think so. But I haven't missed anyone yet, except maybe my brother. I mean he's still alive and all but I miss when we were small and just running about Galway like madmen. Now he's much too cool with me. I think it's because I'm not a dragon...

We do have to stick together! All that rubbish about not having souls is just that a load of rubbish. I think we have the most soul.

Yours Truly,
Brígh

[Deleted]

dear brígh,

I wouldn’t go quite that far, but yes, I do think that changing things is important. I think that it’s also worth mentioning that it’s okay if the one person who something makes a difference for is yourself. People always seem to have these grand ideas of saving others when the person they really need to focus on is themselves. I am horribly, horribly guilty of this – I have a lot of baggage, as most writers tend to, but I focus on making other people happy so I don’t have to fix myself. Wow, that’s really heavy. I’m sorry you think that a lot of Slytherins are rude, but glad that you’ve managed to find friendship in one.

Remember, you’re still young. Your Roman could be waiting on the other side of Hogwarts, or some other place that you don’t expect. I was lucky to find my Roman as young as I did. Your brother sounds like a numpty, if he’s not willing to talk to his little sister just because she’s not a dragon. I always wanted siblings, but no luck for me.

I definitely agree. We have enough soul for two people, even!

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[Deleted]

Dear @emilia,

You're right, that is deep. I dunno if I have to save myself or that sort of thing. I guess this is the time for some introspection. But regardless, I am sure that you can overcome whatever may be holding you back and you don't have to do it alone. I may not have found my Roman, but the trust of a few good friends will be enough for now. I hope you can have that too! Did you always know you would be a writer?

I suppose I should figure out what I'm going to do after Hogwarts as well. We have our examinations at the end of this year and I can't even sort out what I like besides making up adventures and getting into trouble. My brother is a numpty. I'm going to tell him that. Because really, I am quite fun. He's alright, when he's not ignoring me for my lack of scales and wings. We were really close as kids but we've grown apart unfortunately. I wish we hadn't. We had some good times. Are you very close with the rest of your family?

Yours Truly,
Brígh O'Dalaigh

[Deleted]

dear brígh,

Introspection is definitely valuable. Even if you do decide that you don’t need saving, though, it’s good that you even considered it, because some people just don’t even think it’s a possibility. I think that the trust of a few good friends can be even more valuable than having someone like Roman in your life. Even if one person is amazing and beautiful, they’re only one person in the end, and sometimes they need to take times and be on their own. Having others to lean on when you can’t lean on them is beyond important. I didn’t always know I was going to be a writer – for a while, I wanted to be a model (and I still do a little of that on the side). But I loved adventure as a kid, and I guess it just made sense that I would keep adventuring, though in a different way than I used to.

You’re still young! Figuring out what you want to do with your life is more of a process, anyways. And exams are ridiculous – they just measure one day’s performance, not a lifetime’s. Definitely do tell him that he’s a numpty. It might confuse him though. Apparently some people think it’s a made up word! It’s a shame you and your brother grew apart, though. I don’t have any siblings, and my aunt and uncle are Muggles, so it’s hard for them to understand the magical world. So I guess the answer to your question is no, no I’m not.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[Deleted]

Dear @emilia,

I think I saw you in an advert at the bus stop near Westminster tube station in London! I thought it was for your upcoming book, but thinking back there was no mention of that... funny how I can remember that random bit. Do you have any advice on sort of... sorting your life out? I'm scared of getting lost and left behind. It feels like everyone has their whole life planned and I'm just faffing about.

I'm sorry you aren't very close with your family. I think the people that really matter are the ones you choose to have in your life. Have you ever thought of writing an autobiography?

Yours,
Brígh

[Deleted]

dear brígh,

It's good to hear that those advertisements actually get run. I swear I never see them, but my publisher says that they’re happening. I don’t know if I’m the right person to give advice on sorting your life out, because mine is still a bloody mess. I guess the only thing that I can offer is that the world doesn’t owe you anything, and assuming that it does will only upset you and make it much harder to get everything in order. That, and that some things just aren’t worth working on. If you try to fix everything, you’re just going to end up with a bunch of half-finished projects and burn out.

I guess you’re right about the people who matter thing. My family right now is really only a few people, most of whom I haven’t actually known for that long. I don’t think an autobiography is in my future; I prefer my privacy.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH