I need one of your patented pep talks.” If he needed something, he did not shy away from asking. I love this one: “Where in the world are you! I hope safe at home. I hope that is true for you and for all those you love and that we can talk soon.” Another said, “I wish I heard from you as often as I think of you,” which was not the admonition it seems but his way of saying that he thinks about me often. “In this plague I often feel the need and the importance of drawing your friends close to you and knowing that they are well and healthy. One of his texts to me during the pandemic was typical, tearing through niceties. He was never guarded, always open, always willing to share his perspective. We would talk about publishing, writing, marketing, and the industry before turning to the personal: tragedy, affliction, triumph, fears, hopes. Whenever I traveled close by, I made it a point to see him. I learned about this because I was personally cited in a Washington Post article sharing the news. His name was Robert Goolrick, though I called him Robbie. One of those special and rare friends recently passed away. Traveling to the epicenter of the spiral would be a few who are the rarest of rare and become good personal friends. Some of these authors travel along a spiral that transcends the interview, becoming acquaintances, mentors, and counselors. I have conversations with more authors than I can remember and have learned many lessons from these interactions.
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