Der Autor und sein Werk

gar nicht, wie ich mich bei Ihnen bedanken kann. Bedanken für die überaus guten Bücher, die mir über mein Tief helfen können!
    Ich wünsche Ihnen im weiteren Leben alles, alles Gute. Es sollen Ihnen noch viele schöne und vor allem gesunde Jahre, lieber Herr Konsalik, beschieden sein.
    Freundliche Grüße von einer treuen Leserin …

    Gels.-Buer , 15.10.1974
    Ansonsten ist es nicht meine Art, an irgendwen zu schreiben, aber Ihre Bücher sind so hinreißend, daß ich einfach nicht anders kann, als Ihnen meine Hochachtung darzutun. Ich bin kein kleines Mädchen, die vor lauter Begeisterung in Ohnmacht fällt, nein, ich bin 72 Jahre geworden und kann nicht begreifen, daß sich so viele alte Menschen einsam fühlen. Darüber wird so viel Palaver gemacht; diese Menschen sollten sich ihre Bücher vornehmen und lesen, dann sind sie nicht einsam … Wenn ich eines Ihrer Bücher lese, dann bin ich nicht zu sprechen, ich kann nicht aufhören zu lesen, bis ich es ausgelesen habe. Kein Farbfernseher, kein Rundfunk interessiert mich mehr, nur Ihr Buch, und das muß ich Ihnen mal schreiben …
    Lieber Herr Konsalik, ich danke Ihnen herzlich für diese wunderbare Entspannung. Ihre Themen sind phantastisch, ich jedenfalls lasse alles liegen und stehen, weil ich nicht aufhören kann zu lesen. Auch meine Geschenke sind Ihre Bücher, und ich habe damit immer das Richtige getroffen. Mein erstes Buch war ›Natascha‹, inzwischen sind es schon 10 Bücher, alle aufzuzählen würde zu weit führen. Lassen Sie sich nochmals herzlich bedanken für Ihre wunderbare Literatur. In diesem Sinne grüße ich Sie herzlich
    Ihre … …

    Sint-Lenaarts, November 27th, 1977
    Dear Mister Konsalik !
    I sincerely hope you won't mind me writing you a letter in English, instead of one in your own language. German is in fact, unfortunately, a real problem for me.
    First of all, my truly meant congratulations for your unceasing writing-talent. It was a friend of mine, who advised me to read one of your books, and I must say that it was in one way very thrilling and in the other way kind of sad in the end; in one word: it was a super book, and I surely intend to read more of your books!!
    My mother also is dreadfully fond of your writing; she buys about every book she can find of you. Would it be possible to send me three signed photos of you, please?
    Then there is still another thing I want you to tell about.
    The friend I mentioned up above, is spending his last days (weeks) in prison. By a simple advertisement I came into contact with him, and now we are already corresponding with each other for about 5 months. He got himself persuaded by two minors to take part in a burglary at a general's widow's place.
    Therefore he got an imprisonment of 3 years, an unright punishment, if you consider that they didn't manage to take away anything, and that the widow wasn't done any harm at all. It's all so very unfair! He's already spent two years of the whole in jail, and now he's got a big chance to get out before the end of his time.
    It's hard to understand, but he is such a human, friendly, gentle, warmhearted fellow – I never thought it to be possible, that such people would be in there.
    He's so very sorry of what he's done; very often he is caught by feelings of deep depression. He knows he is unjustly judged and yet he tries to accept it. The more I think of it, the more I realize how much he is to be pitied. During his youth he never got any attention of his dad (3 in total) and mum, he was always left to his own devices, never understood … Now he is to receive a new freedom; he has all the best intentions in the world and I hope that he will surely succeed. He is such a nice young man, of whose kind there are so few to find among us, free people. Now, my question, and I so dearly hope that you can comply with it. If it should be possible, could you write him a letter (eventually in German, if possible in English) in whish you give him some advice, in which you wish him good luck with his future life, and things like that … He's so very fond of your books, that it certainly would make him unendingly happy to receive this surprise of you. You know so much about life's wisdom, you can surely give him something to hang on to … His name is … and he's 23 years of age. Please, write him this letter, Mister Konsalik , only a little one … It'll make him very happy, and me as well. Will you do this for me, Mr. Konsalik , and most of all for him?