Dear Mr. Rothfuss,
Dear Mr Rothfuss,
A red headed friend of mine, who always knew what books would keep me up at night, lent me your book "The Name of the Wind" a few years ago. His name was Johnny. I called him that our whole lives, until high school, when he said it made him sound like a little kid. I proceeded to tell him that I earned the right to call him whatever I wanted. This April, he committed suicide with a shotgun. I took that copy of the book (the one he lent to me but never managed to get returned) with me to a beach in North Carolina and re-read it. Johnny always bemoaned the lack of red-headed role models, of people who looked like him. Our seven words were, "well, we will always have Bora Bora". This refers to a joke he made about us traveling to Bora Bora and reading together on the beach- only because it was so expensive and we were always reading. It was a nice dream.
Anyway, I'm writing to you because I re-read your book and I wanted to talk to you about one of your biggest fans and one of my best friends. He was one of the broken people, and I didn't even know it until it was too late. He always said that you, Mr. Rothfuss, should take your time writing a book, rather than rush it. I wish he had stuck around long enough to read it with me.
Thank you for writing something that he and I enjoyed together.
Thank you for writing something that will always make me think of him, even when it hurts...
Especially this quote:
“He would be here soon, all sweet and brave and shattered and kind. He would come carrying and clever-fingered and oh so unaware of oh so many things. He was rough against the world, but even so. . . .”
I guess that's what I was really writing you for.
Kara
Words are property of Sunravelme
So sorry for you loss, Kara. Johnny sounds like a very kind soul who did not understand the incredible need the world has for kind people. He underestimated his value, so many of us do. But he is still with us, I believe, guiding the way now without experiencing any hurt. I like to think of passing that way. For the record, I have always had a real weakness for red-headed men. I don't understand all this ginger business. Red is beautiful and so is your friend:) Sending you love:)
I think there is some part of him still with us for sure- every once in a while I still dream of him, or hear a song on the radio that reminds me of him. Some of my favorite people are red heads for sure! ;)
The best people:)
love love love love. nothing but love. for you, for patrick rothfuss, for gingers, for reading books on beaches, for broken people and anti heroes, for this wonderful blog. love!
You're the sweetest ❤
Those books are chock full of poetic prose. So many segments in the book just sing. I wonder how many people overlook that, or feel it, even if they don't know what it is that captivates them, in the level of writing.
I adore Rothfuss' writing style- especially in The slow regard of silent things. There is absolutely poetry there.
I’m sorry, Kara, for the loss of your friend. I hope Johnny is free of suffering, now. Thank you, for sharing this touching love letter, a testament to the healing power of written words. May the fond memories sustain you. 🙏🏼
I wrote so much after he died- it was like a compulsion. It didn't feel like healing at the time but I know it was
Yeah, we may not think of it as therapy at the time, but we write ourselves better and sane(ish)--I know I do, instinctively, when the inner pressure is too great.
Sorry to hear about your loss @sunravelme. I am glad that you wrote this and that your memories of him will be with you!
Thank you- I miss him a lot.
It's amazing how the right book at the right time can have such an impact on our lives, and be instrumental in forming memories that completely alter the shape of our subsequent history. How wonderful that you and your friend were able to share this book together. So sorry for your loss.
My favorite part about books for sure- and he was my favorite person to share them with. Thank you so much for your sympathy, it means so much <3
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